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Founded in 1876 Tuesday, June 21, 2005 Edition N 932

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  14 non-starters could be disciplined by FIA  

MOTOR RACING  
Formula One

PARIS  Formula Ones governing body yesterday summoned seven teams using Michelin tyres to a hearing and sharply criticized the French manufacturer for advising the teams to withdraw from Sundays United States Grand Prix on safety grounds. The FIA hearing in Paris on June 29 could lead to a range of punishments including fines, docked points or even suspension  possibly throwing the F1 season into chaos with 10 races left.  
Michelin provides seven of the 10 F1 teams with tires. Only six cars  using Bridgestone tyres  started the US race in Indianapolis after 14 drivers left the track after the warmup lap. Teams from Renault, McLaren-Mercedes, Toyota and Williams-BMW, none of which raced on Sunday, were told to attend the Paris hearing.  
Two Michelin tyres failed in Friday practice sessions  one causing a wreck that prevented Ralf Schumacher from competing  prompting Michelin to rule its tyres were unsafe for the Indianapolis track.  
But FIA said it had clear rules which everyone had to keep.  
These cannot be negotiated each time a competitor brings the wrong equipment to a race, FIA said in a statement.  
Michelin had unsuccessfully asked FIA to ease its rule forbidding teams to change tyres after qualifying. FIA also refused to consider installing a chicane. Michelin then advised its teams not to compete.  
What about the US fans? What about Formula One fans worldwide? Rather than boycott the race the Michelin teams should have agreed to run at reduced speed in turn 13, FIA said, referring to the part of the Indianapolis circuit which Michelin said was too fast for their tyres. By refusing to run ... they have damaged themselves and the sport.  
Michelin defended its decision. Frederic Henry-Biabaud, Michelins deputy director of competition, said. We feel it is a reasonable decision and we were professional to bear in mind primarily the safety of the drivers, Henry-Biabaud said. We had no other choice.  
He called the United States a safety-minded country and said there would have been an uproar in the event of an accident.  
MICHELIN DEFENDS  
Henry-Biabaud said Michelins involvement in F1 would continue, and dismissed speculation only one tiremaker would be allowed to supply cars from now on.  
Henry-Biabaud said the problems with the tyres were largely due to the design of the Indianapolis track. At Indianapolis, the tire coating suffers, he added. The circuit is very traditional but the straight line before the banking delivers massive pressure on the car and the tyres. For the car to do the whole race we have to be sure the tyres can last.  
Henry-Biabaud said FIA should have built a temporary chicane before the banked corner to reduce speeds and lessen pressure.  
We are disappointed a chicane was not put in as we would have had a very good race, he said. They are the sole judges, that is their decision and we respect that. But people must also respect our decision.  
FIA said a chicane would have been unfair on others.  
The Bridgestone teams had suitable tires. They did not need to slow down, FIA said. The Michelin teams lack of speed through turn 13 would have been a direct result of inferior equipment, as often happens in Formula One.  
The FIA also pointed out that each team is allowed to bring two sets of tyres, including a slower tyre suitable in all circumstances. Apparently, none of the Michelin teams brought a backup to Indianapolis, it noted.  
PART OF LARGER BATTLE  
In Frankfurt: the dispute was about tire safety, but it was also part of a larger, bitter battle to see who controls Formula One.  
Fielding only six of 20 cars on Sunday underlined how the sport is fractured with a breakaway series looming in 2008. It also damaged F1 in the United States, where the sport has a scant following compared to its wide popularity in Europe, Asia and South America.  
Formula One is starkly divided.  
In one camp is Max Mosley, the president of motor-racings world governing body  the FIA. He is joined by F1s multibillionaire commercial director Bernie Ecclestone, and Ferrari  the sports most powerful team. In the other are the nine remaining teams, and key Formula One manufacturers BMW, Mercedes and Renault. The group is considering running a breakaway series in 2008, and also has the support of Japans two manufacturers in F1  Toyota and Honda.  
Formula One teams have complained that Ecclestone shares too little of the sports commercial rights income, which was estimated at 800 million dollars in 2003. Teams receive about 23 percent. Ecclestone has amassed a fortune estimated at 3.7 billion dollars in three decades of running F1.  
In Indianapolis: Formula One has struggled to win over the United States since a grand prix in Phoenix 14 years ago sold fewer tickets than an ostrich race across town. Sundays US Grand Prix did nothing to enhance its reputation. In one stroke, the race wiped out whatever gains had been made over the last few seasons and dealt the supposed glamour sport a major setback in a key market for sponsors and manufacturers.  
An estimated crowd of 120,000 people, one of the biggest of the year at a grand prix, paid good money to watch a motor race at the Brickyard on Sunday. What they got was just six cars, four of them the slowest in Formula One, with angry fans hurling beer cans and bottles on the track in frustration.

  5,000-year-old Iceman on display suffering from bacteria  
ROME  Researchers suspect that the corpse of a 5,000-year-old mummy frozen in the Italian Alps might have been contaminated by bacteria since its discovery by a hiker in 1991, a doctor who cares for the body said last.  
X-rays have shown bubbles in the bones that could be caused by bacteria, said Eduard Egarter Vigl, in charge of preserving the mummy at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum in Bolzano, northern Italy.  
The museum is trying to find local companies that can analyze the air in the sealed-off chamber where the mummy is kept to test for the presence of bacteria, Egarter Vigl said in a telephone interview.  
He denied media reports that the bacteria could cause the disintegration of the Iceman, also known as tzi. But if bacteria are present, disinfection will be necessary to prevent possible damage to the mans remains, he said.  
Egarter Vigl said the bubbles, which caused light patches to appear on tzis skeleton, could also be caused by air entering through cracks in the mummys skin and bones, which would present no risk to the mummys survival.  
German hiker Helmut Simon discovered tzis well-preserved body accidentally during a 1991 hiking trip.  
Oetzi is kept in an igloo made out of ice tiles to keep him in cold and humid conditions. Museum visitors can view Iceman through a small window.  
Oetzi has provided researchers with a wealth of information about the late Neolithic Age, or 3,300 to 3,100 BC.  
He was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper ax, prompting speculation that he was a hunter or warrior.  
X-rays have revealed that tzi was wounded by an arrow, with the flint arrowhead remaining in his left shoulder.  
Previous tests have shown that his last meals included venison, unleavened bread and some greens.  
Egarter Vigl said the museum was also considering requests to carry out more research, including DNA tests, to discover further details of tzis life.                 (AP)
  5,000-year-old Iceman on display suffering from bacteria  
ROME  Researchers suspect that the corpse of a 5,000-year-old mummy frozen in the Italian Alps might have been contaminated by bacteria since its discovery by a hiker in 1991, a doctor who cares for the body said last.  
X-rays have shown bubbles in the bones that could be caused by bacteria, said Eduard Egarter Vigl, in charge of preserving the mummy at the South Tyrol Archaeological Museum in Bolzano, northern Italy.  
The museum is trying to find local companies that can analyze the air in the sealed-off chamber where the mummy is kept to test for the presence of bacteria, Egarter Vigl said in a telephone interview.  
He denied media reports that the bacteria could cause the disintegration of the Iceman, also known as tzi. But if bacteria are present, disinfection will be necessary to prevent possible damage to the mans remains, he said.  
Egarter Vigl said the bubbles, which caused light patches to appear on tzis skeleton, could also be caused by air entering through cracks in the mummys skin and bones, which would present no risk to the mummys survival.  
German hiker Helmut Simon discovered tzis well-preserved body accidentally during a 1991 hiking trip.  
Oetzi is kept in an igloo made out of ice tiles to keep him in cold and humid conditions. Museum visitors can view Iceman through a small window.  
Oetzi has provided researchers with a wealth of information about the late Neolithic Age, or 3,300 to 3,100 BC.  
He was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper ax, prompting speculation that he was a hunter or warrior.  
X-rays have revealed that tzi was wounded by an arrow, with the flint arrowhead remaining in his left shoulder.  
Previous tests have shown that his last meals included venison, unleavened bread and some greens.  
Egarter Vigl said the museum was also considering requests to carry out more research, including DNA tests, to discover further details of tzis life.                 (AP)
  A jazzy visit to the life of Louis Armstrong  

BY CATHERINE FOSTER  
The Boston Globe

Trumpeter and raspy vocalist Louis Armstrongs public face was a consistently happy one.  
But in working on a musical valentine to Armstrong, Ambassador Satch The Life and Music of Louis Armstrong, coauthors Andre De Shields and James Mirrione found two times in his life when his heart was broken.  
Once by racism, when he was asked to be the ambassador of goodwill to the world by America at the same time his people were being treated as second-class citizens, says De Shields from New York. And the second was after World War II, when technology introduced a different kind of velocity to US life and beboppers came on the scene, playing 10 notes to every one of Louiss, and accused him of being an Uncle Tom.  
Ambassador Satch, which stars De Shields and covers Armstrongs life from his beginnings in New Orleans to the soundstages of Hollywood, opens June 30 at the Cape Playhouse.  
De Shields has twice worked at the Dennis theater: as a singer in the 1982 production of Aint Misbehavin, and last summer as Henry Drummond in Inherit the Wind. Hes best known for his work in four Broadway musicals: The Wiz (the title role), Aint Misbehavin, Play On, and The Full Monty.  
Ambassador Satch emerged out of two earlier shows. In 1992, Carnegie Hall, with a Rockefeller Foundation grant, hired De Shields to direct and Mirrione to write a program called Jazzed. They developed a show called Ghost Cafe, in which Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, and Louis Armstrong meet in jazz heaven.  
We used these three icons as a demonstration that one can begin with nothing and end up with everything, an extravagant life, says De Shields. When the actor hired to play Armstrong pulled out, De Shields stepped in. Once that project was over, the pair extracted the Armstrong material, rewriting it as West End Blues: The Louis Armstrong Musical, which played in New York in 2002.  
A few years later, De Shields was in London performing The Full Monty, and Mirrione was doing a residency at the University of Leeds. A London theater producer who owned the Criterion Theatre suggested they do West End Blues on the traditionally dark Monday nights. But the pair realized it needed work.  
We had a two-act play with one guy delivering a long monologue, and Louis Armstrong was not an egotistical man, De Shields says. The producer said it needed someone else onstage and a pretty woman. Ah, what better way to reveal the humanity of this great US icon of the 20th century than to ask his four wives what it was like to live with him? It took the burden of telling this big story off my shoulders.  
So now Harriet D. Foy plays the wives in a show that starts as an Armstrong concert. A mysterious voice interrupts the show; a bebopper who insults him. In defending his life, Armstrong spills out his story in flashbacks.  
Twenty songs fill the show, including such hits as Mack the Knife, Hello, Dolly!, and What a Wonderful World.  
The musical climax is Black and Blue, De Shields says. It coalesces all these emotions that have been playing in his life, from the unschooled child, the revered innovator of jazz, the discredited musician, the immortal icon. After that, the only place we can go for the 11 oclock resolution is Wonderful World.  
Robin Williams, he says, used that song in Good Morning, Vietnam to calm the savage hearts of soldiers. Its a lullaby forgrownups.

  A nation is born!  
We are glad to announce the launch of A nation is born! 1810-1816, the latest in our Herald Learner Booklets series. Our series is the first educational material on Argentine history produced in English for Argentine schools, and we believe it will provide you and your students with opportunities for language development, project work and crosscurricular activities.   
 This supplement was sponsored by Ford Motors Argentina, in an effort to provide our schools with enhanced learning opportunities. Thanks to their support, this material is free of charge for educational institutions. If you want to receive it, contact us so that we can arrange for a day in which you can come to our offices to pick up your copies of the material. Material is distributed on a first-come-first-served basis, so make your order soon!   
 If you use this material in your classrooms, we would like to ask you for only one thing in return: a letter thanking Ford Motors for their support, and explaining how you have used this material with your students. When you come to pick up your copies, please leave a thank-you note (preferably in the schools stationary) stating the name of the school and the coordinator or teacher/s who are going to use it. This will allow us to improve our upcoming issues of the Herald Education Booklets, and will show Ford Motors Argentina that their efforts have bore fruit.   
 For enquiries and sales contact Ricardo Adaniya at  or 011-4342-8476. 
  A new age of Zionism in Israel  
By MARGARET COKER  
KIBBUTZ EIN HASHOFET, Israel   
Growing up Israeli in the 1960s and 1970s, Yaniv and Yair Sagi lived what they considered the ideal Zionist life, toiling on their kibbutz dairy farm and trading in their overalls for army uniforms when their country beckoned.  
By adulthood, the two brothers had taken dramatically divergent paths: Yaniv remained true to the secular, leftist values of the kibbutz. Yair adopted the conservative views of religious settlers in territories Israel captured in the 1967 war with neighbouring Arab states.  
The Sagis have spent their lives confident that they were building the model Jewish state. But as Israel starts its 57th year as a nation, society has changed its mind about what that model is  and the Sagis lives appear out of touch with this new reality.  
Prime Minister Ariel Sharons decision to evacuate Jewish settlers and soldiers from the Gaza Strip and a small pocket of the West Bank in August  which cleared its last legal hurdle with an Israeli Supreme Court decision June 9  reflects a new chapter in Israels history.  
Zionism, the ideology upon which Israel was founded in 1948, was once animated by the ideas of secular socialism. Over decades, it evolved to include a Jewish religious revival and expansion of settlements on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.  
This struggle over Israels manifest destiny has been shaped equally by the Holocaust, multiple wars with Arab nations and friction among the nations mostly European, Middle Eastern and US immigrants and its native-born.  
Todays Israel is a country transformed by globalization, shifting demographics and a grinding war with the Palestinians. Most citizens have sidelined the old romantic notions of Zionism. The Jewish state is now a more deeply pragmatic place where individualism trumps the socialism espoused by the left and Realpolitik prevails over the biblical prophecies championed by the right.  
The majority of Israels 6.8 million people are glad to leave Gaza, a parched, crowded strip of land whose name in Hebrew is used synonymously with hell because of its status as a killing ground for their soldiers.  
But Sharons plan has exacerbated longstanding tensions between secular and religious Zionists like the Sagi brothers, one of whom believes in a Israeli and Palestinian state existing side by side while the other views a Jewish presence in Gaza and the West Bank as a holy mission.  
Zionists on both sides of the ideological divide see the so-called Gaza disengagement plan as a threat to their dreams of a better Israel. The Sagis are worried about the future of their nation and where they will fit in.  
Israel is really in a crisis. Since 1967 weve had conflict between those who see life in the biblical land of Israel as the life of Zionist ideals, and those who see living in greater Israel as destroying those ideals, said Yaniv. Whats coming next for Israel is not a victory for either of these camps. Its a new Israel, an Israel where heroes are gone (and) where pragmatism wins.  
Clinging to the old ways  
About 120 kilometres north of Jerusalem, in the verdant hills of the Galilee, Yaniv Sagi has watched his blond hair thin as he has tried to keep alive his hometown, a remnant of a rapidly fading world.  
Atop a broad hill sits Kibbutz Ein Hashofet, a community founded in 1937 where 100 families live in single-story stucco cottages with red-tiled roofs. Towering elms canopy the sidewalks and the streets are blissfully free of cars. The whitewashed dairy barns are reminiscent of the US Midwest.  
On a recent afternoon, 41-year-old Yaniv and other grinning parents in shorts and sandals waited at the doors of the community school for classes to adjourn so they could play with their children in the playground.  
The Israelis who founded this and other kibbutzim hold a hallowed place in the nations mythology. Like US pioneers of the 1800s who moved west of the Mississippi, the early kibbutzniks were scrappy, fervent patriots who moved from Europe to build a state and make the desert bloom.  
Their communal enclaves nurtured self-reliant Jewish men and women who would later dominate the ranks of Israels military, political and cultural elite.  
It was one for all and all for one, explained Yaniv, whose father, a Romanian Jew and Holocaust survivor, arrived here when he was 10 years old and later married another kibbutznik. Together, they raised their three sons to value manual labour, negotiate rather than fight and care for societys weakest.  
We grew up believing that there is no Israel without the kibbutz. We were told that if you give yourself to the kibbutz and the state, then both will take care of you, said Yaniv, a wiry former army paratrooper.  
By the 1990s, however, Ein Hashofet and the kibbutz ideal had fallen out of favour in Israel as both an economic and political model. Globalization and a high-tech driven economic boom inspired a consumerism that the country had never experienced. Meanwhile, continued attacks against Israelis by Palestinians undermined Israeli support for peace negotiations.  
Yanivs response to the demise of the kibbutz as a pillar of Israeli life was to cling more tenaciously to the values they exemplify. His handiwork is evident in his hometown, where as general secretary of the kibbutz, a position akin to mayor, he has helped save it from bankruptcy.  
Now among the peeling stucco cottages where founding kibbutz members live are custom-built duplexes offered free to younger members and their families as an incentive to keep them rooted in the kibbutz and spurn higher-paying jobs in the cities.  
Near the cow barns is a small factory where kibbutzniks manufacture spare parts for sport-utility vehicles. The grade school accepts the children of Israeli yuppies who value the old-fashioned kibbutz educational methods for their offspring but dont want to embrace the lifestyle themselves.  
His efforts to keep Ein Hashofet thriving have kept Yaniv grounded in the hard realities of Israel. His quick strides and forceful diction arent the mannerisms of an armchair liberal. They reflect years spent on the front lines watching Israeli and Palestinian lives torn apart in conflicts that have sprawled across his whole lifetime.  
With a clear-eyed stare devoid of despair, he realizes full well that his vision of a secular, social-democratic Israel, as well as his views about kibbutzim and the Palestinians, are less popular than ever.  
We faced an economic crisis and we saw we had to change our lifestyle. This didnt affect my (political) beliefs. I believe in equality for Israelis in Israel and for Palestinians inside a Palestinian state. That, unfortunately, is not what many Israelis believe, Yaniv said.  
Still, he is unwavering in his belief that he still can play a role as moral guidepost for his country. The withdrawal from Gaza will leave approximately 250,000 Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Sharon says he has no intention of evacuating them, a decision that muddies the notion that the Palestinians could build their own viable, independent state.  
Yaniv feels that his leftwing Meretz party should foster domestic political pressure to force Israel to leave the West Bank, even though that notion is far less popular than the withdrawal from Gaza.  
He (Sharon) wants to wash his hands (of Gaza) now that he sees political advantage to it, not because he thinks that Palestinians should have their own state. Thats not my idea of Jewish values, Yaniv said.  
As plans for the Gaza withdrawal push ahead, political rhetoric across Israel has reached the boiling point. Sharon has warned of the possibility of civil war. Several cabinet ministers have received death threats for backing the plan. Some settler leaders have called on soldiers to mutiny.  
Hope and prayers for a Greater Israel  
Seventy kilometres away from Ein Hashofet in a settlement high on a windswept plain near the Israeli-Syrian border, Yair Sagi, like his brother Yaniv, also seeks to keep alive a besieged dream. But hes having a harder time than Yaniv coming to grips with the fact that society seemingly overnight has spurned his vision.  
Unlike the kibbutzniks, who have battled for survival for at least a decade, the religious settlers until very recently enjoyed government support and a measure of public backing.  
Yair, 37, wants to keep both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in Israels hands because he believes that the land belongs to the Jewish people by virtue of the Old Testament story of Gods covenant with Abraham. As a religious Zionist, Yairs view is that reclaiming what he sees as the Jewish birthright will move his nation further along the path of spiritual redemption.  
The secularists, like my brother, think that theyve won enough battles, that its time to secure peace by giving land. They arent looking at things the way that I look at them, Yair said.  
When Yair, a studious-looking man with soft brown eyes, takes issue with Yanivs ideas about Zionism, it is gentle chiding rather than a rebuke. But it is pointed, nonetheless.  
After Israel expanded its frontiers in 1967, in what became known as the Six-Day War, the bronzed and bearded settler replaced the kibbutznik for many Israelis as the new national hero.  
Armed with Bible verses declaring the newly conquered territories the domain of Jews and not Palestinians, the settlers added religion to the well-established notion of the Zionist farmer-warrior. They also adopted old kibbutznik anthems, mimicked their austere lifestyle and moved into the military ranks.  
Although religion was largely spurned on the kibbutz, Yair found comfort in the Orthodox Jewish beliefs after a self-described identity crisis in the 1990s. During three years in Jerusalem studying the Torah, the body of Jewish learning centred on the first five books of the Bible, Yair absorbed the dream of Eretz Israel, an Israel encompassing all the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.  
The true goal of Zionism is for the Jews to rule all of the land of Israel, and by doing that establish the values of Judaism, Yair said.  
The isolated, agricultural community has an atmosphere similar to Ein Hashofet. Kindergarteners walk to school without fear of traffic or strangers. No televisions disturb the evening calm. Neighbours pitch in when a mother or child is sick. No one is alone.  
Yair and the rest of his 50-family community now feel an acute sense of abandonment due to Sharons withdrawal plans. Worse, they see their spiritual dream threatened.  
Yairs days studying the Bible and working at the settlements juice manufacturing plant are interrupted by heated discussion: If the Prime Minister who once advocated the building of settlements can now easily uproot the Gaza communities, how soon will he begin talk of removing those living in the Golan or the West Bank?  
He and other like-minded settlers are working on a plan to stop what they feel is an unholy act. But the residents from Qeshet and other settlements are in a moral quandary over how to protest the Gaza plan. Should they refuse to obey army orders for their annual reserve duty and threaten Israels civil order? Or should they confine their dismay to civil demonstrations?  
As plans for the Gaza withdrawal push ahead, political rhetoric across Israel has reached the boiling point. Sharon has warned of the possibility of civil war. Several Cabinet ministers have received death threats for backing the plan. Some settler leaders have called on soldiers to mutiny.  
(NY Times)
  A victory for CAFTA  
WASHINGTON  Free trade proponents scored a victory last Tuesday when the Senate Finance Committee voted 11-9 in favour of a draft Central American Free Trade Agreement.  
But lawmakers delayed dealing with the bitterest dispute: how to protect sugar.  
Tuesdays vote marked the first step in an elaborate dance designed to bring the long-delayed CAFTA agreement, a top priority of the Bush administration, to a vote in Congress, where opposition remains strong.  
The pact would end most tariffs on goods traded among participating nations. The sugar industry estimates CAFTA would result in an additional 140,000 metric tons of sugar imports over 15 years.  
Tuesdays informal Senate committee session, known as a mock mark-up, provided senators with an opportunity to suggest changes. On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee is widely expected to pass its own draft of CAFTA implementing legislation.  
After the House committee vote, the stage will be set for the Bush administration to formally submit the legislation. Then Congress will have just 90 days to vote for or against it under the fast-track trade negotiating authority that Congress granted the White House in 2002.  
Any amendments adopted by the committees this week would not be binding, but would give the administration a sense of lawmakers concerns and allow them to adjust its language before submitting it.  
For example, Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., said that while he voted for the draft in committee, he could change his mind. I still have the opportunity to vote no on the final legislation unless sugar growers win concessions.  
U.S. sugar producers and processors say passage of CAFTA would kill their industry by throwing open the doors to unfair competition from low-cost foreign producers.  
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, noting that sugar is a $2 billion industry in my state, said that while opening small Central American nations to US goods would do little to boost the U.S. economy, the pact could wipe out thousands of sugar-related jobs. It puts that entire US sugar industry at risk, he said.  
After the vote, he told reporters he held off offering amendments involving sugar to avoid complicating negotiations between industry officials and the White House.  
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said concerns about sugar should not thwart ratification because CAFTA is crucial to promoting capitalism and democracy in this hemisphere.  
Over 20 years ago, Congress first opened our markets to products from Central America to help stabilize a region where civil strife, wars and political violence were part of daily life, he said.  
In approving the agreement, we have very little to lose and much to gain, he said.  
Besides the Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, the treaty also involves the Caribbean nation of Dominican Republic and is sometimes referred to as DR-CAFTA.  
The deal was hammered out more than a year ago, but President Bush has been reluctant to push for approval because of uncertainty that it would win the needed House and Senate majorities. Besides the sugar industrys fierce opposition, labor groups and environmentalists oppose the pact.  
CAFTA proponents include makers of cheeses, snacks, pork products and other processed foods; grain farmers; pharmaceutical companies, and textile makers who sell yarn and fabric to Central Americans.  
Bush, speaking at a Social Security event in University Park, Pa., Tuesday, said that for the sake of fairness, and for the sake of the agricultural economy, the United States Congress needs to pass the CAFTA trade agreement now.  
But at Tuesdays hearing, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., sharply criticized Bush for not doing more to drum up support. The president needs to get personally involved in explaining its benefits, he said.  
Passage of CAFTA would be a major step toward the administrations long-term goal of creating a Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement, which would turn 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere into a single trading zone involving some 800 million people.  
For procedural reasons, the Finance Committee vote was a nonbinding tally, and the committee was expected to meet again Tuesday evening to formally ratify it.  
The vote broke along party lines, except for two Republicans, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Michael Crapo of Idaho, who voted against the draft legislation, and two Democrats, Blanche Lincoln of Nebraska and Ron Wyden of Oregon, who voted for it.  
The committee rejected a proposal by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to ensure that child labor laws are enforced. But Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier advised the panel that CAFTA already contains provisions requiring countries to abide by their own labor laws, and that Kerrys amendment would force the administration to reopen the complex agreement.  
But the committee did accept a proposal by Wyden to extend to service workers the Trade Adjustment Assistance program that helps U.S. factory workers laid off because of trade.       (Cox News)
  A voice from North Korea echoes in the White House  
I was introduced as someone who wrote a book that was read by George Bush, he said in a recent interview at a museum cafe in Seoul, South Korea, only 150 miles south of the North Korean slave-labor camp where he was imprisoned with his family in 1977. He was 9 years old.  
Burning with memories of his familys 10-year imprisonment in the camp, which still functions hidden from outside eyes but not from satellite cameras, Kang teamed up with Pierre Rigoulot, a French journalist, to write a memoir, The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag. Printed in five languages since 2000, including English, the book was well received just about everywhere but in South Korea, where it languished in obscurity, its harsh critique of the North out of step with South Koreas official policy of engagement.  
Despite its considerable merits, the book seemed destined to fade from view, and Kang with it, until this spring when, at the urging of the former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, Bush picked it up. Pretty soon, with the president recommending it to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other top aides, the book jumped to the top of the Bush administrations summer reading list.  
On June 13, Kang, 37, received the ultimate book endorsement when he was ushered into the Oval Office for a 40-minute meeting with Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley. On June 10, Bush had allotted only a few more minutes for a meeting with South Koreas president, Roh Moo-hyun.  
He was more interested in the pains North Koreans are going through, more so than I had previously thought, Kang said in a telephone interview on June 16, after returning to Seoul from Washington. He kept on repeating how deeply sorry he was about the situation. To hear a president say these deep things made me feel that he cared.  
The White House stamp of approval has conferred on Kang a measure of celebrity that had eluded him when the book was published. Kang, who is taking a crash course in English, now travels monthly to Washington, where he will address a Freedom House conference on human rights in July. After that, he will give lectures at American churches and campuses, talking about North Koreas human rights abuses.  
In August, he will visit Midland, Texas, Bushs hometown, to speak at Rock the Desert, an evangelical concert devoted this year to North Korea. With orders spiking on Amazon.com, he has hopes for a new edition.  
Bush has displayed similar enthusiasm for other books, notably The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror, by Natan Sharansky, the former Soviet dissident who is now an Israeli politician. Subsequently, it was widely noted, the theme of promoting democracy, especially in the Middle East, ran through the Inaugural and State of the Union addresses.  
I felt like his book just confirmed what I believe, Bush said of Sharanskys work in late January. He writes it a heck of a lot better than I could write it, and hes certainly got more credibility than I have. After all, he spent time in a Soviet prison and he has a much better perspective than Ive got.  
In late April, the presidents reading of The Aquariums of Pyongyang seemed to bolster his longstanding hostility toward North Korea. As American diplomats tried to revive stalled talks on North Koreas nuclear weapons program, Bush told reporters in Washington that Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader, was a dangerous person who ran huge concentration camps.  
Since then, Bush administration officials have said that any package solution for North Koreas nuclear weapons program will have to include progress on human rights.  
I felt that he agreed with me in that the human rights issue was more important than the nuclear issue, said Kang, who directs a rights group in Seoul called the Democracy Network Against North Korean Gulag.  
Over tea at the fashionable museum cafe on a recent Sunday afternoon, Kang, with his new wife, Yoon Hae-ryon, and a finely tailored suit, seemed to be on the far side of the planet from Yodok, the labor camp in which he survived for a decade on a starvation diet fortified with salamanders, cockroaches and rats.  
His book opens with his comfortable childhood in Pyongyang, North Koreas capital, where he raised tropical fish in an aquarium. But in 1977, he and his father, uncle, grandmother and 7-year-old sister were arrested and sent to Yodok. His grandfather, who had been a successful businessman in Japan, and who had his choice of moving to the South or the North, had been jailed for an unspecified offense.  
Opened in 1959, the Yodok camp Kang describes was run as a business enterprise, with gold mines, cornfields and logging operations operating entirely on unpaid prison labor. Following the beliefs of the North Korean authorities that political deviance is hereditary, entire families were routinely incarcerated, and still are, recent defectors say.  
Children studied in the mornings and worked in the afternoons, cultivating cornfields, excavating clay or carrying freshly cut timber. Kang wrote of walking 12 miles with a log on his shoulder. He described attending public executions where prisoners were forced to hurl rocks at corpses, yelling, Down with the traitors of the people!  
To ward off protein deficiencies, inmates ate whatever meat they could find.  
The way to eat a salamander is to grab it by the tail and swallow it in one quick gulp before it can discharge a foul tasting liquid, he wrote. Stocks of salt-cured rat meat helped prison families get through the winter. Rat skins were used to patch the prisoners lone set of shoddy clothing issued each year.  
In February 1987, Kangs family was unexpectedly released from the camp, part of a small release tied to Kim Jong Ils birthday.  
North Korea has yet to react publicly to the literary and public relations success of its former prisoner. But in 1999, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reacted harshly to Kangs testimony in Washington before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calling him riffraff devoid of human dignity and values who was engaging in a smear campaign.  
Now a celebrity in the defector community, Kang said he hoped he could get the United States to put more pressure on North Korea about the human rights issue.  
Kang wrote of the power of listening to foreign radio programs in a country where state-supplied radios received only the official station. If the U.S. can persuade people that concentration camps are destroying families, he said, it could work against Kim Jong Il much more quickly than the nuclear issue.
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  Adelphia founder John Rigas sentenced to 15 years  
NEW YORK  Adelphia Communications Corp. founder John Rigas was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for his role in looting and hiding debt in a scandal that bankrupted the cable television company.  
US District Judge Leonard Sand said he would have imposed a much harsher sentence but for Rigas age  he is 80  and poor health.  
Earlier, Rigas waved to a crush of cameras as he and his son Timothy, the companys former chief financial officer, arrived at the courthouse in Lower Manhattan.  
The son was awaiting sentencing yesterday afternoon.  
The pair had faced up to 30 years in prison each on their bank fraud convictions alone. They were also convicted of securities fraud and conspiracy.  
Federal sentencing guidelines would make the sentence far less than 30 years, but the Supreme Court also ruled earlier this year that federal judges should consider the guidelines as advisory, not mandatory.  
(AP)  

  Africa: debt, aid and race  

Gwynne Dyer                               

globetrotter

We are very sorry and apologize to viewers and other people who felt offended, announced the Japanese cosmetics firm Mandom early this month, but mass ritual suicide would have been a more appropriate form of apology. The company had aired a TV commercial that showed several black people wiping the sweat from their brows with a Mandom facial wipe while a chimpanzee wearing an afro wig imitated them.  
Meanwhile, Augsburg city zoo in southern Germany has just finished a special event in which an African village was erected between the baboon cage and the zebra cage. Black people living in Germany were persuaded to populate the village wearing various sorts of tribal regalia and playing drums, cooking food for sale or selling curios. The good citizens of Augsburg were astonished when people from elsewhere took exception to this display.  
Germans and Japanese are less sensitive about race in general and about Africa in particular than, say, people in France or the United States, where a significant minority of the population is of African descent, but patronizing attitudes about Africa are chronic in all the rich countries. Take, for instance, the current debate about increasing aid to African countries and cancelling their debts.  
The leaders of the eight biggest developed countries will probably make a deal at next months G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, that doubles aid to Africa and slashes the debts of its poorest countries. Prime Minister Tony Blair, this years host, is determined to make Africa a priority, and Bob Geldof is seeking to repeat his success with the Live-Aid concerts twenty years ago by staging Live8 concerts. But what good will they actually do for Africa?  
This is where the debate begins, and most people on both sides seem to see Africans as wayward children. Africans are just as intelligent and resourceful as other people, and if their countries are still poor it is because they face special and very intractable problems, but the argument in the rich countries takes almost no account of this.  
The pessimists point out that vast amounts of aid money have been poured into Africa over the years  around 5,000 dollars per African  without relieving the continents poverty. The problem, they say, is the near-universal corruption of Africas ruling elites: there are 100,000 millionaires in Africa, and yet an African child dies of malnutrition or preventable disease every three seconds. Cancel the debts and pour more aid in, and the same elites will steal that, too.  
No, say optimists like Blair, things have changed now. A new generation of African leaders is bringing democracy and good governance to the continent, and so long as we put strict conditions on how the new aid and debt relief will be used, this time round most of it wont be wasted.  
It is a debate in which both sides essentially believe that Africans are childlike. One side assumes it openly: dont give them any more aid until they behave better. The other side is subtler: yes, they are backward, but now they have better leaders who wont steal the money. We give monkeys in the zoo more respect than that.  
Africas problem isnt dishonesty or immaturity, which are fairly evenly spread around the planet. It is too many relatively small ethnic groups trying to share the same country. Social traditions that expect successful people to support even distant relations often make the situation worse, but no other continent has such extravagant ethnic diversity, so its really up to Africans themselves to overcome the problem. The G8 can help, but only in limited ways.  
Much of Africas debt burden was not really aid in the first place, but money that the West (and the old Soviet Union) handed over to keep their African clients loyal during the Cold War, knowing full well that it would be stolen. A lot more was tied aid that funded foolish mega-projects in order to create work for Western companies. So cancel the debt with no nonsense about the beneficiaries proving that they can behave responsibly. And if you do give aid, give it without crippling conditionalities.  
This is where Africans really get treated like backward children, forced to privatize everything in sight in obedience to the fundamentalist market doctrines that now hold sway in most of the West (which, by the sheerest coincidence, creates new investment opportunities for Western companies). Consider Ugandas experience, for example.  
Uganda, a reasonably well-run country, was forced to impose user fees on basic healthcare and primary education in the late 1980s to qualify for World Bank debt relief and aid  so school attendance collapsed and the death rate among the rural poor soared. Eventually, in 1997, President Yoweri Museveni rebelled and restored free primary education throughout Uganda. Primary school enrolment more than doubled.  
In 2001 he restored free basic healthcare, and the number of hospital outpatients almost doubled.  
There will be an orgy of self-congratulation at the G8 next month as African debt is allegedly cut and aid is allegedly raised, and many well-meaning people who have pressured their leaders on this issue will feel that something has been accomplished. It can be, but only if they insist on knowing what strings are attached to the help. Africa is not poor because Africans are more stupid or less honest than people elsewhere. 

  AGP releases figures for first four months  
The General Administration of Ports has published its annual report on the state of the Buenos Aires port, which includes the statistics of bulk and container volumes shipped to and from the port of Buenos Aires so far this year.  
According to these figures, the total bulk volumes have increased every month so far this year, with a particularly sharp rise between February and March, when the number of tons shipped climbed from 594,747 to 737,015. Although this considerable increase is partly due to seasonal factors, the upward trend continued in April, with bulk cargo rising again, to an estimated 760,598 tons.  
Meanwhile, container numbers have remained impressive, although the number of TEUs handled by the port peaked in March, reaching 72,204 containers, 34,369 of them used for exports and 32,178 for imports. In April, the estimated number of containers handled in the Buenos Aires port was down slightly, at 66,447.  
Liquid bulk cargo, which had been nought in January and February, reached 66,053 tons in March and 10,158 tons in April. In turn, solid bulk volume has seen a healthy activity level in April, totalling 141,880 tons, with the rest of the activity in this category taking place in January, but much lower volume handled.  
As the trade surpluses have reflected during the first four months of the year, exports have outperformed imports for both bulk and container cargo, with the sole exception of liquid bulk cargo, with some 76,000 tons imported and none exported.  
Otherwise, export volumes remain roughly twice as high as import volumes in the general and bulk cargo category. The numbers for April in this category, which includes basic commodities, reached 251,738 tons for imports and 508,860 for exports.  
In the case of container cargo, the differences between exports and imports were considerably less, with exports outperforming imports by only some 2,000 tons per month. Overall volumes themselves in this category were smaller, with April estimates posting 34,269 tons of exports and 32,178 tons of imports.
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  Ancic beats Llodr to win first career title  

TENNIS  
Ordina Open

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands  Croatias Mario Ancic underlined his grasscourt credentials yesterday, beating defending champion Michael Llodr 7-5 6-4 to win the Ordina Open.  
The third seed, a semifinalist at Wimbledon last year and the 10th seed next week, produced an outstanding serving display and broke once in each set to claim his first ATP title.  
This was my third final so I was really fighting to win it, a jubilant Ancic told the crowd.  
Michael is a great player on grass so I knew it was going to be tough, but I played some good points when I needed them.  
In soaring temperatures Ancic, who had lost his two previous finals, dropped just three points on serve in the opening set and broke Llodr in the 11th game when the Frenchman double-faulted.  
Llodr saved two break points in the fifth game of the second set but Ancic ripped a forehand winner to break and held his nerve to clinch victory.  
Ancic said he was now looking forward to going at least one better than last year at Wimbledon, where he lost to United States Andy Roddick in the semifinals.  
I think this is great preparation for Wimbledon, he said.  
It was my third year here, last year I reached the semifinals here and I played great at Wimbledon, so I hope to continue the tradition.  
Llodr, who had won just four matches in 2005 before this week, could only laugh at times as ace after ace went past his racket. The Frenchman admitted he had been outplayed.  
Of course when you lose in a final its disappointing, he said. But Mario played so well today and it was tough for me to return his serve.  
When I did have an opportunity he hit a big serve. Last year I won and this year I came second. Thats life.

Wimbledon  
SHARAPOVA STALKER BANNED  
In Wimbledon: a man believed to be stalking defending Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova has been banned from the grounds of the All England Club.  
Matthew Anthony Page will not be allowed to enter the club during the two-week tournament, which starts today, Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said yesterday.  
The police have also been notified, but Sharapova said she didnt know anything about it.  
I havent heard anything about that. I dont read the papers or anything, the second-seeded Russian said.  
Sharapova said she felt safe because she has five bodyguards with her at all times.  
I feel secure. Im always surrounded by people, said Sharapova, who plays Nuria Llagostera Vives in the first round tomorrow. If I was worried every step I was taking, I dont think I would be walking around.  
FEDERER FAVOURITE  
The two-time defending champion is the 4-7 favourite, according to British bookmaker William Hill. Andy Roddick, who lost to Federer in last years final, is second choice at 9-2, followed by 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt at 12-1.  
Bookmakers are falling out of love with local favourite Tim Henman. William Hill quoted odds of 14-1 for four-time semifinalist Henman to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. Odds are the same for Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, who won the French Open two weeks ago.  
On the womens side, Justine Henin-Hardenne and defending champion Maria Sharapova are co-favourites at 3-1. Two-time champion Serena Williams is at 7-2, with Kim Clijsters at 11-2, top-seeded Lindsay Davenport at 11-1 and two-time winner Venus Williams at 12-1.  
The chances of a British woman winning Wimbledon for the first time since Virginia Wade in 1977 are 1,000-1. Odds are the same that aliens will land on the White House lawn, William Hill said.  
COUNTERFEIT TICKETS  
Wimbledon officials found what they believe to be counterfeit tickets for sale on eBay, and theyre investigating the source and authenticity.  
The tickets and accompanying wristbands were for the players box at Centre Court, meaning they wouldnt normally be for sale by the All England Club.  
Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said the club believes the tickets, which sold for 3,000 pounds, are fraudulent because wristbands have not yet been handed out to players. He said officials found out about the tickets because they monitor the Internet.

  Andrew Graham-Yooll monday wake-up  

PJ issue

This Monday, the last day of autumn, or fall, if you prefer, or first day of winter, prompts the thought as to whether men will return to using pyjamas this season. Last December the specialist fashion houses of New York and London announced that the bedroom and lounge garment would be all the rage in the northern winter, but given the nature of the clothing it is not simple to be sure that such was the case. However, as most whims in the north become legislation in the south, the question as to PJ popularity this winter may be guessed at but not ascertained.  
There are good reasons for using the bedroom garb, and perhaps the decision has to be taken with the ageing of children who usually force change in domestic nudity. Fathers suddenly discover the need to cover up, the top half at least. The other deciding factor is not quantifiable, but some fashion experts are of the view that the unlimited view of flesh on television and in advertising may prompt reaction, and so bedtime naturalists dress for sleep.  
John Lennon (1940-1980) made pyjamas a very attractive indoor suit when he and Yoko Ono made their bed-ridden peace protest in 1969. President Gerald Ford (1913) might have incurred the wrath of the politically correct in this century for his pipe smoking and use of pyjamas in the White House when he was in office (1974-77). Ford never made either practice a success. By then, pyjamas had suffered a severe crisis and women were burning bras on the White House lawn. Bras are another story.  
Just as Clark Gable is said to have killed sales of the vest, or undershirt, when he took off his shirt and showed bare flesh in Frank Capras film, It Happened One Night (1934), when pyjamas lost favour in Hollywood in the 1960s sales plummeted. Thanks to Harry Potter and his friends wearing tough boarding school striped flannels, the garment might make a comeback, but as yet it has not been reported.  
In the early sixties, in my late teens, I went shopping in San Telmo for a pair of pyjamas. I bought them but never wore them much after the shop owner said that the pair offered was of such quality that it could be used to go to the shops or to sit out on the pavement. How old could he have thought me to be? The feeling of a generation in this hemisphere is that Jorge Amado put an end to pyjamas with his novel, Doa Flor and Her Two Husbands (1966), where the second and quite severe looking spouse makes love to his young wife without removing his pyjamas. This investigation continues in the spring.

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  Argentine Creevy banned for 3 months  

Comment...

By Frankie Deges  
For the Herald

MENDOZA  The biggest news at the IRB U21 World Championship was the banning for three months of Argentinas best player in this tournament, Agustn Creevy. The San Luis flanker who couldnt recall if he had even been sin-binned ever before, was cited after an incident against Wales last Friday.  
On Sunday, he sat at a Judiciary Meeting which lasted over an hour, in direct communication with an IRB Judiciary Officer who was in Canada. Brian Mew, a Canadian lawyer, received footage of the incident on e-mail and determined that Creevy, already a full international with the Pumas, was guilty of kicking (Law 10.4 (c)) and acts contrary to good sportsmanship (10.4 (k)) and handed him a three-month suspension.  
Unfortunately, I only spoke into a microphone and the lawyer on the other side could not see my face when I gave my side of the incident. He might have seen I wasnt lying, said Creevy, who faces a few anxious hours as he waits to hear from the IRB after an appeal was launched by his teams management.  
The ban was only made officially available to the media yesterday; a local newspaper had it in their front page that same morning so it was too late. We informed of the decision once it was formally received on Monday morning, explained Tournament Director Simon Jelowitz, from the IRB, who confirmed the procedures had been correct.  
During the third round game, Creevy was held by a Welsh defender  trying to get out of his grasp, he kicked him with his heel in an apparently reflex motion. When the Welsh player shouted, Creevy is said to have gone back to apologize, not that it counted.  
The previous foul-play incidents had been dealt WITH by Argentine Judiciary Officers, yet being an Argentine player this was not permitted under tournament rules. Inconsistencies in the application of the bans have now come to light.  
A Welsh player, who dangerously stomped on a New Zealanders neck and was instantly sent-off and got a six weeks ban; Creevy, for what seemed to be a lighter incident  unspotted by the referee (although this isnt a factor to be considered)  will be unavailable, pending a final judiciary decision, until mid-September from all rugby.  
Argentina will have to find enough inner strength to maintain their new goal, which is to finish in fifth place. They will play against England today, in a crucial game.  
The semifinals of this superb U21 World Championship, where the standard of matches has been very high and delighted the thousands of spectators that have crammed the various venues in use, are the kind of matches every rugby fan would want to watch. Both are mouth-watering match-ups: New Zealand will want to get their show back on track and beat a very strong South African side. The second semifinal will pitch France and Australia, two sides with wonderful backs.  
LOST OPPORTUNITY  
After the announcement a month ago that the Argentine Pumas were more than happy to play in an enlarged Six Nations, if invited, and given that for quite some time we have been blowing our own trumpet when it comes to the merits of the Pumas in international rugby, the loss against Italy was hard to digest.  
One of the strengths of any future presentation to the Six Nations Committee or the IRB should be the consistency of the Pumas in playing and even beating teams of similar ranking  namely Scotland, Italy and Wales. As much as it could be said that Fridays loss was a one-off, it couldnt have come at a worst time.  
Italy were hungrier in Crdoba, but what should be worrying coach Marcelo Loffreda more than anything was that his team underestimated the Italians, a team that has always been troublesome for the Pumas  ever since the first ever test between both nations in 1978.  
The return of a few first choice players  namely Pichot, Roncero, Hasan and Martn Aramburu  did not add anything extra to the team. The Pumas benchmark should be the drawn game against Lions. With their backs against the wall and facing one of the biggest ever challenges, they played well over their fighting weight. That night in Cardiff, probably the Lions were the ones doing the underestimation.  
Lesson: never underestimate the opposition. Ever.

  Argentine humour highlights  
 Mafalda & friends (3), by Quino. English translation by Terry Cullen, edited by Andrew Graham-Yooll. Published by Ediciones de la Flor, Buenos Aires. Both non-Spanish speakers abroad or visiting this country, and Argentines reading English may find a source of delight in this English-language version of the celebrated comic strip featuring the lovely, intelligent girl forever ensuring Quinos fame. The English sounds rather like that of an educated American-born speaker, but whats best about it is that it does convey the idiosyncrasies of the different characters, particularly when this is the main thing that foreigners formerly unfamiliar with them need to grasp. Thus, for instance, Mafalda is seen looking at some pictures in the paper her father is reading, and asking him, My God! Are those poor people caught in a flood or something? to which Dad replies, No, Mafalda... These are ads for the cinema. Upon which Mafalda ponders: Well, never mind, we should still send them some clothes (which can be read both as part of her usual concern for the world  and world peace  at large, and as a critique of Hollywood disaster movies). Opposite to Mafalda is Susanita (the girl that seems an antecedent for Maitenas harebrained women), sounding very much her part when wondering: Why are workers in this country always poor and dark, and not blond with cars like in the USA? The two girls are typically confronted when, passing by the side of a homeless beggar on the sidewalk, Mafalda comments, My heart aches for the poor, to which Mine too says Susanita. For Mafalda to state: We should give them a job and a roof over their heads, and welfare...! to which comes Susanitas remark in counterpoint: Wouldnt be enough just to hide them? Among other key characters in the comic strip, take Manolito (the young Galician son of a storekeeper, rather loutish and with a mercantilistic spirit  who you may truly enjoy but has irked some members of the Galician community in Argentina). He is found in another kind of counterpoint with Mafalda, who looks at a bird on a tree and says: There... that pigeon doesnt know about  money, but still its happy, to go on asking her friend: Do you believe money is everything in life, Manolito? To which the boy replies: Of course not, money isnt everything ... There are checks, too. By the way, this book is dedicated to The Beatles (a genuine icon for many a generation, including this reviewers) and on page 27 we see Manolito surrounded by a crowd watching him in awe, as if he were some kind of freak, on which he comments: It seems theyve heard I dont like the Beatles!  From the same publishers:  
 Gaturro (5 and 6), by Nik. More comic books attesting to the popularity of the lovely cat that so delights us feline lovers (finally finding relief after so many years of mice supremacy in both animated cartoons and comic strips). So three cheers for the kitten and his author!  
 Inodoro Pereyra (29), by Fontanarrosa. More funny adventures of a gaucho at a loss before oncoming modernity, with suitable comments by his sidekick, dog Mendieta.  
 Macanudo (2), by Liniers. An intriguing variety of comic characters (among  
them penguins and cats), making both hilarious and insightful comments on reality.  
 Vida del senador Juan Domingo Hiplito Angulo, by David Rotemberg. An imaginary senator exposing the corruption and selfishness of certain politicians (including himself?), with laughs chastising otherwise unpunished evils.  
 Mentirillas, seguida de El lado oscuro de la pelvis, by Leo Maslah. Humorous, quasi detective stories by a celebrated Uruguayan author and song-writer.  
 El ltimo padre, by Rodolfo Braceli. Poems supposedly sent in a bottle to the cosmos, addressed by a father to his imaginary children, telling them of love and tolerance so much needed in this world.  
 Echndonos de menos, by Roberto Grriz. A waiter as narrator, exposing the souls of the well-to-do people (including a military man) attending a posh wedding.   
                                                         IP            

  Art house  
a meeting with portuguese cinema. Organized by the Complejo Teatral de Buenos Aires and the Fundacin Cinemateca Argentina. At Teatro San Martn, Av. Corrientes 1530. Sat 25 2.30/5/7.30/10pm: El fantasma (O Fantasma, directed by Joao Pedro Rodrigues, 2000) - Sun 26 2.30/5/7.30/10pm: Antes que el tiempo cambie (Antes que o Tempo Mude, directed by Luis Fonseca, 2003). $5.  
the benny hill show. Tue 21 to Fri 24 6pm: The Benny Hill Show (1969-1971 - Chapter 3). At British Arts Centre (BAC), Suipacha 1333. Free.  
III festival feisal el cine de los estudiantes. Shorts on Latin America. June 23 to 26 from 2pm to 12pm at MALBA, Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415. $5 (free for students and $2.50 for pensioners).  
great divas of italian cinema. Wed 22 7pm: Dos mujeres (La Ciociara, directed by Vittorio De Sica, with Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Eleonora Brown, Carlo Ninchi, Andrea Checchi and Pupella Maggio, 1960). At Centro Cultural Recoleta, Junn 1930. Free.  
german cinemas jewels. Sat 18 5.30pm: El tro de la estacin de servicio (Die Drei von Der Tankstelle, Wilhelm Thieles, 1930). At Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Av. del Libertador 1473. Free.  
cinema and music. Fri 17 6pm: Encuentro con Venus (Meetin Venus, by Istvn Szab, with Glenn Close, Niels Aresturp, Macha Meril and others, 1990). At Centro Cultural Konex, Av. Crdoba 1235. $5.  
cinema and literature. Sat 18 5.30pm: La piel de zapa (Luis Bayn Herrera, on Honorato de Balzacs novel, 1943). At Centro Cultural Konex (see above). Free.  
tony richardson: a retrospective. June 21 5/8pm: Mademoiselle (1966). At British Arts Centre (BAC), Suipacha 1333. Free.  
family features through italian history. Every Mon 7pm at Asociacin Dante Alighieri, Tucumn 1646. Free.  
rainer werner fassbinder. Fri 17 9pm: La serpiente dentro del alma de la serpiente (chapter 12) - Dentro y fuera de los mundos y el secreto del miedo al miedo (chapter 13). At Cineclub Eco, Av. Corrientes 4940 2 E. $5.  
mexican cinema and documentaries. Organized by the Embassy of Mexico. Fri 17 4pm: No desears a la mujer de tu hijo (directed by Ismael Rodrguez, 1949). At Arcos 1650. Free.
  Art vs. fame in Britain: will Kahlo bemuse or beguile?  
That, however, is the challenge facing "Frida Kahlo," a new retrospective at Tate Modern through Oct. 9. Few Britons will know about Kahlo's damaged body, fervent leftism and turbulent love life in post-revolutionary Mexico  or even her heralded afterlife as an American feminist icon. To many people drawn to this exhibition, she is therefore famous largely out of context, which means that the 87 works on display must speak for themselves.   
Conversely, for those already familiar with Kahlo's paintings, politics and personality, what is perhaps most interesting about this show is how it will be received here.   
Although Tate Modern is counting on "Frida Kahlo" becoming a summer blockbuster, because it opened only June 9, it is too early to measure attendance or public reactions. But what is already apparent is that many British art critics seem bemused by Kahlo, concluding that she was not a very good painter and, at the same time, confessing a certain fascination with the raw power of her work.   
"Kahlo was always better at inventing images than she was at actually painting them," Andrew Graham-Dixon wrote in The Sunday Telegraph of London. "Working in a self-consciously nave manner, she could in many cases hide her technical deficiencies while giving free rein to her imagination. She had a truly difficult and painful life, and her best pictures by far are those in which she responds to its vicissitudes."   
Another critic, Waldemar Januszczak, tracking Kahlo's passage from "nothing to everything," set out to demystify her. "In the poker game of politically correct contemporary aesthetics," he wrote in The Sunday Times, "Kahlo constitutes a perfect flush. She is a woman. She is Mexican. She is bisexual. She is disabled."   
Yet, of her famous self-portraits, he conceded, "In their sheer fierceness, these extraordinary pretend selves" are rivaled only by the self-portraits of van Gogh, "who also took up painting while convalescing."   
Appropriately, then, the show opens with Kahlo's birth as an artist when she was bedridden for months after a traffic accident at age 18. Already here, her drawings and paintings beg viewers to share her pain, a physical pain that was a constant in her life: she had polio as a child, she underwent a score of back operations, she lost a leg to gangrene shortly before her death. But her emotional and existential pain also found release in her art.   
Her form of confession was highly theatrical. In her day-to-day life, she knew how to be noticed, as given to dressing as a man as to wearing elaborate Mexican Indian costumes and jewelry. And in her art, her self-portraits in particular involved complex staging, her stern face (with trademark moustache and monobrow) variously surrounded by leafy plants, flowers, monkeys, butterflies, cats and parrots, at times evocative of Rousseau.   
To today's eyes, other paintings in which she records her physical calvary suggest Surrealism. In "The Broken Column" (1944), she portrays her naked torso, with a metal rod in place of her spine and thick straps and nails holding her body together. In "The Little Deer" (1946), her face is attached to the body of a deer, which is bleeding from nine arrow wounds. And in "Without Hope" (1945), ailing in bed, she appears to be vomiting animals, fish and a skull.   
As it happens, years earlier, Andre Breton declared Mexico to be "the Surrealist place par excellence" and Kahlo herself to be a Surrealist. But when he tried to recruit her into his circle, she rejected him. "They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn't," she protested. "I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality." And on another occasion, she noted. "I always paint whatever passes through my head, without any other consideration."   
That was not strictly true. Her art evidenced all sorts of influences, some European like Cubism and, yes, Surrealism, others Mexican, not only that of her husband, the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, but also of Aztec and Roman Catholic iconography and obsession with death. She was very Mexican, but her mother was of mixed Spanish and Indian descent and her father was a German Jew. This very hybrid contributed to her originality.   
In the show's informative catalog, its British curators, Emma Dexter and Tanya Barson, emphasize the politics in Kahlo's life, but in reality it had minimal bearing on her art and was more intellectual divertimento than ideological commitment. When she met Rivera in 1927, marrying him the next year, Rivera was already engaged in the confused leftist nationalism born of Mexico's 1910-1917 Revolution. And she simply followed him.   
This meant taking a zigzag path in and out of the Mexican Communist Party, welcoming Trotsky when he fled to Mexico (and, in Frida's case, perhaps having a fling with him), returning to Stalinism, accepting commissions from American capitalists, then denouncing them. Kahlo's last public appearance before her death in July 1954 was at a demonstration protesting the American-backed invasion of neighboring Guatemala.   
But her true dialogue was with herself, and the main witness was her art (she also wrote poetry). In 1932, she suffered a second miscarriage while visiting the United States and ended up hospitalized. In "Henry Ford Hospital," she portrays herself lying in a pool of blood on a hospital bed, attached to a floating embryo by a vein. In "My Birth," the same year, her adult head is seen emerging from between the thighs of her mother, whose face is covered with a sheet.   
In several self-portraits, including the striking "Self-Portrait as a Tehuana," she paints an image of Rivera on her forehead, unsurprising given that their stormy relationship was marked by their frequent affairs (in Frida's case, with men and women, including perhaps Georgia O'Keeffe). "The Two Fridas," a double self-portrait in which the figures are linked by veins from their hearts, dates to their brief divorce in 1939.   
Even then, though, she considered herself first and foremost Rivera's wife. And after her death, that was also how she was remembered in Mexico. But then, in 1983, Hayden Herrera's book, "Frida: The Biography of Frida Kahlo," seemingly plucked her from obscurity and initiated her remarkable transformation into, in Januszczak's words, "the most famous woman artist in the world."   
So, to judge by this show, does Kahlo the artist travel as successfully as Kahlo the celebrity? Probably not. Yet the exhibition does help clarify why she is famous  not for her brushstrokes, but for her extravagant, imaginative, exhibitionistic and, above all, tragic being. To appreciate Kahlo is to empathize with her.
  As more Africans join insurgency, US expands training  
About 25 percent of the nearly 400 foreign fighters captured in Iraq come from Africa, according to the military's European Command, which oversees military operations in most of the African continent.   
Some recruits have joined the network of the militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, which has carried out many of the sophisticated attacks and suicide car-bombings that have killed hundreds of Iraqis in the past several weeks, the officials said.   
A small vanguard of veterans are also returning home to countries like Morocco and Algeria, poised to use skills they learned on the battlefield in Iraq, from bomb making to battle planning, against their native governments, the officials said.   
To combat the immediate threat and to prevent terrorists from gaining new safe havens in the region, the Bush administration is expanding a small military training program that has operated on a shoestring the past two years into a more ambitious program spending $100 million annually to provide airport security, money-handling controls, school construction and other assistance to nine African nations.   
As part of this broader strategy, the United States on Monday began training exercises in Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Niger and Algeria. Four other countries  Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia and Morocco  will also participate by the time the exercises finish in two weeks. About 1,000 U.S. troops, including 700 Special Operations forces, will train 3,000 African soldiers in marksmanship and border patrol and airborne operations.   
"For a change, we're trying to get ahead of the power curve in a region that we believe is susceptible to use by terrorists," Theresa M. Whelan, the Pentagon's top Africa policy official, said. "It's a deterrent."   
U.S. military and intelligence officials say vast swaths of the Sahara, from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east, which have been smuggling routes for centuries, are becoming areas of operation for terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, which has quietly stepped up its recruiting efforts in the region.   
The countries there are some of the poorest in the world and have scant resources to monitor their borders or patrol the large remote areas of their interiors, where drug smugglers, weapons traffickers and terrorists had established land routes after routes in the Mediterranean began to be patrolled more intensively.   
"Al-Qaida is assessing local groups for franchising opportunities," said Maj. Gen. Richard P. Zahner, chief intelligence officer for the European Command, who will assume that post for the military headquarters in Iraq this summer. "I'm quite concerned about that."   
Among the local terrorist groups is the Salafist Group in Algeria, which abducted 32 European tourists in early 2003.   
Last week, the Algerian group claimed responsibility for a surprise attack last Saturday against an isolated Mauritanian army outpost that left 15 Mauritanians and nine insurgents dead. The group said in a message posted on a Web site in Arabic that the assault was a direct response to the training exercises that were "put in place by the enemy of God, America, and its agents in the region," The Associated Press reported.   
U.S. military officers and defense officials, who spoke in authorized interviews but on the condition of anonymity, citing security considerations when they travel overseas, said the number of African militants and the funds they have provided for the fighting in Iraq - between $10,000 and $100,000  is not large compared to support from countries like Syria or Saudi Arabia. "But it allows those elements to get in and be players," one officer said.   
Not all northern African militants turning up in Iraq belong to a group like Salafist or the Moroccan Islamist Combatant Group. But the skills they learn and the connections they make with other insurgents there is making Iraq a training ground and networking hub for terrorists, these officials say.   
"They're getting to use those training skills, hone them and eventually go somewhere else and use them," one defense official said. "The bottom line is you've developed a new extremist. It doesn't paint a pretty picture down the road."   
The Pentagon is also paying more attention to other parts of Africa. About 1,300 U.S. troops are based at a former French Foreign Legion compound in Djibouti to conduct counterterrorism operations in the Horn of Africa. Maj. Gen. Samuel T. Helland, the U.S. commander, said his forces are using civil-affairs projects, not combat missions, "to isolate the terrorist from his support, which is the population."   
U.S. forces two years ago began training and equipping six light infantry companies of roughly 150 soldiers each from Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger in a program called the Pan Sahel Initiative. The Sahel straddles the southern edge of the Sahara. "It was barely a drop in the bucket given the nature of the problem we were dealing with," Whelan said.   
The European Command lobbied hard to expand the $6 million program, and in March the Bush administration approved the new effort, the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative, with plans to finance it with $100 million a year for five years, beginning in 2007, Whelan said.   
Under the plan, the military will train battalions of 500 soldiers from the nine countries, and provide Toyota Land Cruisers, radios, uniforms, global-positioning devices and fuel trailers. U.S. instructors would also teach the African militaries how to coordinate planning and operations with each other.   
"They need the ability to support military teams, hundreds of miles away, with communications and logistics," said Rear Adm. Hamlin B. Tallent, the European Command operations director. "If they want to do maneuver operations, this is clearly a capability that doesn't exist now."   
In addition, Whelan said, the initiative calls for the Justice Department to help train local police; for the Treasury Department to assist on developing financial controls; for Customs to help with border security, and for the Agency for International Development to finance school construction.   
"This assistance will provide countries in northern Africa with an enhanced ability to interdict transnational terrorists and other criminal elements," said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., who heads the House International Relations terrorism subcommittee.
  At a Glance  
Tom Cruise pranksters could face charges  
LONDON  Four pranksters arrested for squirting water at Tom Cruise at the British premiere of War of The Worlds could be charged with assault on the Hollywood star, police said yesterday.  
The men, who were filming a comedy sketch, will be interviewed by officers later in the day.  
We will see whether to pursue the charges, see whether the victim wants to pursue it, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.  
Cruise, 42, was on a red-carpet walkabout prior to the screening of the latest adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic in Londons Leicester Square on Sunday when a bogus journalist stuck a joke microphone in front of him. As Cruise started to talk, he was squirted with water from the microphone prompting the star to lose his cool.  
Im here giving you an interview, answering your questions and you do something really nasty ... youre a jerk ... jerk ... youre a jerk, the actor told the prankster in front of legitimate reporters.  
Cruise said it was disgusting that someone should act in such a way.  
I really work hard to make people feel good, he said as he towelled himself dry.  
The joker and his three-man camera crew were filming a sketch for a new entertainment show for publicly owned UK broadcaster, Channel 4.  
A crowd of about 5,000 fans had waited hours in temperatures that hit 32 degrees Celsius to see their idol and his new fiancee Katie Holmes. She attended the London premiere but was not standing next to him when the squirting took place.  
DiCaprio assaulted  
LOS ANGELES  Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was treated at a hospital for stitches to close a cut in his head after a woman hit him with a beer bottle at a Hollywood Hills party, according to media reports on Sunday. The Osar-nominated star of The Aviator and Titanic required about a dozen stitches, People magazine online and Los Angeles television station CBS2 reported.  
John Lennon memorabilia on sale  
LONDON  A major collection of John Lennon memorabilia, including an oil painting from his student days and a handwritten All You Need Is Love manuscript, will go on sale in London in July, an auction house announced yesterday.  
Other items on offer include a table from the home Lennon shared with his first wife Cynthia, a tunic thought to have inspired the costumes on the Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover, and a bedspread from his Montreal bed-in for peace with Yoko Ono.  
Cooper Owen, which specializes in auctions of music and film memorabilia, said it expected the July 28 auction at The Hippodrome nightclub in central London to raise 2 million dollars.  
Fergie gets her own sandwich in New York  
NEW YORK  Britains Sarah Ferguson yesterday unveiled the Duchess of York, a new sandwich named after her by a New York deli, but pleaded with dieters not to finis h the cheese-drizzled concoction.  
Once derided as the Duchess of Pork by the British tabloids for her portly physique, Ferguson cut a svelte figure in a cream-colored pinstripe blazer and matching skirt as she introduced the grilled chicken breast topped with melted Muenster cheese and wasabi horseradish mayonnaise.  
                               (AP-Reuters)
  Audio reviews  

Backstreet Boys, Never Gone (Jive)

Stick the new Backstreet Boys disc in your computer and youll see that it shows up in iTunes as part of the pop category.  
But dont be fooled. With their first release in nearly five years, the Backstreet Boys have plunged deeply and irreparably into the adult contemporary pool.  
The fivesome  Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter  had already begun dipping their toes into these waters when their rivals, N Sync, were experimenting with two-step and beat-boxing and singing about one-night stands.  
But you cant be a boy band forever, and Never Gone represents what appears to be the inevitable, bland transition into musical adulthood.  
The first song  the promising Incomplete  rises and falls and rises again with a simple but melancholy piano melody. From there its an insipid mix of mid-tempo love songs and ballads  I Still..., Safest Place to Hide, and the title track  any of which would be suitable on the soundtrack of a forgettable romantic comedy.  
Weird World is an anomaly, though  their well-intentioned but clunky attempt at social relevance, with overly literal lyrics like: Sent a message to a GI. in the desert, said, Thank you, man, for bringing another dawn. Back here its her and me, and were having our first baby. Hes out there, takin em on.  
Theyre not normally mentioned in the same breath  in fact, this may be the first time in recorded history!  but the Backstreet Boys new album calls to mind a classic line from Neil Young.  
Its better to burn out than to fade away, Young sang on My My, Hey Hey.  
In this case, fading away  and leaving all those giddy fan-girl memories shining and intact  would have been preferable.

Foo Fighters, In Your Honor (RCA)

The Foo Fighters arent just trying to keep a following of fans with their newest album In Your Honor. One decade and three albums after rising from Nirvanas ashes after Kurt Cobains suicide, theyre out to become the greatest rock band of a generation.  
Lofty ambitions indeed for Dave Grohl, the former Nirvana drummer turned Foo Fighter frontman. But by striking a perfect balance on the 20-track, double album between hard driving anthems and pensive acoustic melodies, the band that few took seriously years ago just may have done it.  
Split between hard and loud on one disc, soft and quiet on the other, the album opens with the title track In Your Honor, a toss-up between high-energy guitar riffs and machine-gun drums. The song comes on strong, never lets up and slaps listeners from the every direction they werent looking.  
Friend Of A Friend incorporates chord structures reminiscent of Kurt Cobains and seeps with the deep reverence Grohl knows. He plays an old guitar with a coin found by the phone. It was his friends guitar, Grohl whispers, only thinly veiling the period following Cobains death. Ironically, the song sounds similar to Nirvanas own acoustic album.

  audio reviews  

By BEN RATLIFF  
The New York Times

Listen Here!, Eddie Palmieri (Concord)

The great salsa innovator Eddie Palmieri goes outside his normal sphere in Listen Here!, a Latin record with jazz-soloist guests.  
Palmieri has admitted that he has not spent much time studying the mainstream-jazz repertory. Though he is an exciting improviser, he tends toward the updated Cuban rhythms and mostly static harmonies that he and his bands have played since the 1960s. So he is joined here by some well-known soloists from the other side of the fence, including the violinist Regina Carter, the guitarist John Scofield and the saxophonists Michael Brecker and Donald Harrison. It proceeds in the old style of one genre meets another, rather than proposing a top-to-bottom integrated approach. It definitely doesnt sound like what Latin jazz in New York has become.  
Palmieri  who is to play on Saturday at Carnegie Hall during the JVC Jazz Festival  always sounds as if he is struggling to wrest control over the situation, even in the most familiar circumstances. Its what makes him great. In some cases the guests do enliven Listen Here!; Carter plays dazzlingly on In Flight, with vocalizations and a rhythmic sharpness that fits the rhythm section. And Brecker puts in a glibly energetic solo on the title track, written by Eddie Harris.  
But on that same tune, after the tenor-saxophone finishes and a short bass solo follows, Palmieri winds up into one of his sprawling, clear-cutting improvisations. Its only about a minute long, but he uses silence generously around tumbling and climbing figures. 

  BEING IS BECOMING  
Would-be human beings at birth,men and women enter life as potentialities; the continuous form of the verbal noun, declares the conception of evolvement. In time, we develop rationality,and the full-blown cycles close,when we lastly walk into the sunset.  
Being born out of a couple does not help us make the grade, Since human nature, a desirable end, seems remote from the circumstance of being cast naked upon a naked earth  
Woman bears down a creature of demands,a lovable someone with a racing heart,a needy bundle with a sucking reflex,who cannot tell himself from others, and fails to realize, that the feet which wiggle and kick are its own.  
Babys charm lies in its helplessness;a tiny lump of incomplete awareness, dependent on its people; this cuddly toy brings forth from adults a benign smile, and a wave of restrained tenderness.I feel the soft spot we have for it is the homage wordliness pays to innocence.  
Anbal Goi (April 2005)
  Bollore in talks to sell shipping unit  
PARIS  The Bollore Group said on Friday it had started exclusive talks to sell its shipping business to French shipping company CMA CGM.   
A spokesman for financier Vincent Bollore told Reuters the business comprised mostly 50 ships from the Delmas unit and had a turnover of some 800 million euros.   
The talks will be conducted on an exclusive basis until July 29, the group said in a statement.   
The spokesman added that Bollore had informed his shipping units works council that he had received several offers for the business and had started exclusive talks with CMA CGM.   
French daily Le Figaro said earlier on Friday that Bollore, the top shareholder in advertising company Havas, had said at his investment holding companys annual shareholder meeting earlier this month that he would accept no less than 600 million euros for the business, which he acquired for 250 million in 1991.   
Vincent Bollore has said at the shareholder meeting the economic climate was exceptional in the sector and that three shipping firms had made offers, a Bollore spokesman said.   
Business monthly Capital in its June edition had reported the deal was for 437 million euros and that Bollore would use the cash to raise his stake in Havas to as much as 33 percent  the threshold for launching a takeover bid.   
The Bollore spokesman declined to say what Bollore would do with the funds from the sale.   
Bollore increased this week his holding in Havas to 22.01 percent from 20.39 percent after winning four seats on Havass board, defeating management opposition and putting pressure on Havas Chief Executive Alain de Pouzilhac to resign.   
Pouzilhac has called for a board meeting on June 21 after meeting Bollore on Thursday  
(Reuters)  

  Brainy folate  
WASHINGTON  Taking large amounts of folic acid improved the memory of older adults, Dutch scientists reported yesterday in the first study to show a vitamin pill might slow the mental decline of aging.  
The research adds to mounting evidence that a diet higher in folate, a B vitamin found in grains and certain dark-coloured fruits and vegetables, is important for a variety of diseases. Its proven to lower womens risks of devastating birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, and research suggests it helps ward off heart disease and strokes.  
Its not clear how folic acid might work to protect the brain. Some studies suggest folate lowers inflammation; others suggest it may play a role in controlling dementia-related genes.  
As people age, some decline in brain function is inevitable. The Dutch study tested whether otherwise healthy people could slow that brain drain by taking double the recommended daily US dose of folic acid  the amount in 1.1 kilos of strawberries.  
The folic acid protected users brains, lead researcher Jane Durga of Wageningen University reported at a meeting of the Alzheimers Association.  
The study involved healthy older people, not those with Alzheimers symptoms, so it doesnt show if folic acid might ward off that disease.  
Thats the key question, Durga said.  
Still, folic acid offered significant brain protection, said Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimers Associations science advisory council.  
Scientists have long thought that folic acid might play a role in dementia. Previous studies have shown people with low folate levels are more at risk for both heart disease and diminished cognitive function; clogged arteries slow blood flow in the brain.  
I think I would take folic acid, assuming my doctor said it was OK, Albert said, noting that long study of folic acid shows these levels are safe.                          (AP)
  Brazil and Argentina optimistic about trade talks  
Economy ministers from Brazil and Argentina meeting in Buenos Aires said that they are optimistic that both countries can reach agreements to overcome trade differences.   
Brazils Finance Minister, Antonio Palocci and his Argentine counterpart, Roberto Lavagna held a press conference also attended by Venezuelas economy minister, Nelson Merentes, at which energy issues were discussed.   
Shortly before the conference Palocci and Lavagna had held a meeting with President Nstor Kirchner in Government House.   
Interesting progress has been made, Lavagna said in response to a question on the status of Argentinas complaints about trade asymmetries with Brazil.   
We made a first proposal in September 2004 and received a counteroffer from Brazil. This year we made a new offer and received a reply from Brazil that has narrowed the differences, Lavagna said.   
The minister added that shortly there will be a technical meeting to analyze codes of conduct and competition clauses.   
Palocci said he agreed with Lavagna. We are optimistic. The current trade spats will each time be less.   
Although neither minister gave details of the negotiation Palocci commented that we shouldnt talk of safeguards in reference to the sorts of measures applied by Argentina in the past.   
The Mercosur trade bloc is scheduled to hold a presidential summit in Asuncin this weekend.   
Although there was no official statement made, president Kirchner is reported to have raised the issue of the energy crisis in the southern cone with Palocci, an issue that he raised with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos at a meeting last week.   
Lavagna denied that the ministers had discussed setting up a new South American bank although he said that they had discussed the functioning of development and financing banks in the recent past in the respective countries.   
We analysed some ideas about new financing methods. Rather than suggest new structures at the moment we analysed those that exist and how they can be improved, Lavagna said.
  British only  
By Alicia Lpez Oyhenart  
For the Herald  

 Browsing websites in search for relevant data has become a common practice. The Internet broadens horizons and helps develop language skills. For this issue I am offering a review of some websites devoted exclusively to the British  history and culture general features which will be relevant to ELT.  
*United Kingdom ()   
This webpage is actively linked to various websites, which allows both students and teachers to double-click any category needed to get detailed information on say,. UK education, geography, feasts, food, history, organizations and institutions etc. The website contains valuable and up-to-date information Besides, it provides extensive data about Ireland, Canada, Australia, the USA and New Zealand, soon also about South Africa. Worth mentioning is a vast collection of dictionaries, i.e. Acronym Finder, A Dictionary of Slang, A Dictionary of UK slang, A Dictionary of British Slang , Encyclopaedia Britannica and many more. Another important feature is the English Resources section divided into the following sections: poetry, reading, drama, Shakespeare, genre, biography, language, and media. There are various language activities, test papers and worksheets under each category   
*Woodlands Junior School ()   
One of the most comprehensive and richest EFL/ESL sites on the Web, oriented to the student. Its user-friendly layout encourages students to upgrade their language skills and broadens their knowledge about British history and culture appealing to  them with colourful photos. It features a calendar of traditions and customs observed in the UK. The section Songs, Sayings and Superstitions provides a selection of English proverbs and sayings together with the most popular and characteristic British songs. Various student discussions forums are extremely friendly. This website offers a decisive advantage to learners, i.e. worksheets supporting the material found on the pages ().  
*BBC Timelines ()   
An educational website launched by BBC, divided into sections: British Timeline, Northern Ireland Timeline, English Timeline, Scottish Timeline and Welsh Timeline. By double-clicking each section a list of topics devoted to given periods of history unfolds. Every entry features historical events and figures part of the cultural heritage of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This page includes lots of links to other websites of interest grouped under Related Links. Really unique is the Multimedia Zone which tempts with its interactive games, virtual tours (a free VRML plug-in such as Cortona is provided by the page), animations and photos. A student-friendly design of the For Kids section () enables learners of different language level to explore the history and culture of the UK in animations and short films   
* All Info About English Culture ()   
The site offers articles that keep the readers up-to-date with the latest news and developments in England, a Bi-weekly Newsletter that  keeps viewers abreast of what is happening there and Seasonal Features.. A selection of topics including: Archaeology, Architecture, Art, Customs/Traditions, Festivals/Holidays, etc. give relevant information on a given question.   
*About (&)   
The website features articles on Great Britain and Ireland, dealing specifically with their history, culture, current events or places worth visiting with city and region guides accompanied by maps as well as peculiarities of the British and the Irish.   
*VisitBritain ()   
Two of its most prominent sections are Destination Guides, a selection of richly illustrated articles with outline and route maps attached giving the taste of Britains distinctive places, and Experiences, offering a wide variety of articles on Britains landmarks and cities. This website depicts England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands from the travellers perspective and therefore may be a useful supplement to English classes. It is linked to other websites, e.g. Visit London (), which is the official London site with short articles outlining the citys most representative features and sights. Comprehensive data are grouped into the following sections: Attractions, Eating Out, Entertainment, Royal London etc. City Search is of invaluable help when looking for specific information, e.g. Londons attractions. Furthermore, Visit Britain links to Visit England (), an essential guide to English sites of interest and cities that make it conspicuous. A reference map with counties and regions marked enables a closer look at their peculiarities, yet Visit London and Visit England are rather traveller- and teacher-oriented .  
* I-UK ()  
The website, maintained by the British Council, UK Trade & Investment and Visit Britain, discloses information on Visiting the UK, Education, Life & Culture, each of them subdivided into further categories offering a vast array of articles on a given topic and related links for more detailed search  
*HeartoScotland ()  
A rich source of informative articles on Scottish customs and traditions, as well as its historical and cultural heritage, ranging from Scotlands national dishes through the origins of whisky, tartans and feasts to Scottish myths, legends and poems.   
* Irish Culture and Irish Customs ()   
A website devoted exclusively to Irish traditions and customs all outlined in short brilliant articles accompanied by rich illustrations. Kids Ireland () is a monthly column where Irish stories and legends are re-told making them more accessible for less advanced students of English                               
Alicia Lpez Oyhenart, an ISP JVGonzlez graduate, is an experienced teacher trainer with a post graduate degree at Columbia University. She has published several course books through KEL Ediciones and contributed to the Herald since 1999. She is the Editor of , the first Argentine Internet activity magazine for teachers Contact: 
  British, American or somewhere in between?  

Two countries divided by a common language.  
                              Oscar Wilde

English is not the language with the largest number of native or first language speakers, but it has become a Lingua Franca all over the world. Although English will not remain dominant amongworld languages, there is no doubt that it is and willbe a vital linguistic tool for business people,academics, tourists and citizens of the world, who need to communicate easily for the present and future to come.  
English, much like other languages, can take many forms depending on who speaks or where people do this.  In addition to geography, factors such associal class, ethnic groups, and gender affect the language causing great differences in pronunciation,vocabulary and grammar.  
English varies between and within those countries where it is spoken. It is difficult to describe this language as any one thing.  
Teachers should work with the variety that best reflects the language in use, the English that will be understood by most other English speakers in the world.  
Teachers should expose students to language varieties (listening and reading) in order to prepare them for the moment when they come into contact with different varieties.  
Certainly, we should not expose beginnerstudents to this experience. It would becounter-productive. But when their level improves, we should give them the opportunities to encounter more and different accents of the language.  
Teachers should encourage their advanced learners to cope with the normal range of listening and texts that they will use at some later stage.  

 Juan Carlos Di Sanzo. Lezama, Bs. As.

NEXT ISSUES DEBATE:The earlier the better? (see front page for details)

  Building a global village whose bricks are art  
Check out Jonas Mekas films in the Lithuanian Pavilion, a German friend whispered in my ear, as if offering a hot tip for the fifth race at Santa Anita. And two Bulgarians gave reserved nods to several installations in the big international survey of mostly young artists at the Arsenale (among them, a chandelier made of 14,000 tampons by the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, and Regina Jose Galindos films of herself shaving off her body hair, having her hymen surgically replaced, and protesting violence against women in her native Guatemala by dipping her feet in blood and walking down the street).  
Reactions to biennales are always Rashomon-like. That the current festival is generally regarded as pensive and a bit risk-averse is partly a response to the previous biennale, a fiasco that would make nearly anything else seem prudent and sober.  
Call this the first fairly adult biennale in memory. More relaxed and far more professional than last time, it stresses installations and videos, standard festival fare, steering conspicuously clear of much of the current market taste for baubled craftiness and youth as an end in itself. Gallerists I came across seemed anxious to press on to the fair in Basel and get back to business.  
Put together by Maria de Corral and Rosa Martinez, savvy Spanish veterans (and the first women in charge here in the shows 110-year history), this biennale is less macho, more cross-cultural, smarter, more attuned to womens issues but anti-didactic, and more sensuously experiential (even contemplative in parts, if thats imaginable in such an environment). Calm may be putting it too strongly, but the show is definitely saner and more pleasurable than in the past.  
Its common now to say that the commercial art fairs, like those in Basel or Miami, are the new biennales, vast malls of eclectic taste, dealer-run, not dictated by curators or hidebound by tradition, not hampered by lofty expectations or stuck with a slow schedule. Some museum survey shows now seem anxious to emulate the fairs, pandering to collectors, skipping big ideas, seeking to get ahead of the curve.  
The Venice Biennale, consensus has long had it, is the great white elephant of festivals, its national pavilions quaintly anachronistic in a global age. Its founding purpose  to introduce audiences to art they couldnt see back home  is said to be no longer relevant with jet travel, the Internet and so on, a relic from the days of steamer ships and the telegraph. Venice persists as the watering hole for the wandering art herd only because, well, its Venice. Paul Allen couldnt moor his 413-foot yacht at a biennale if it were in Atlanta or Cleveland.  
But I wonder. Visitors here actually seem to talk about art, not so much about money or real estate or collectors. They grumble, of course, but they grumble mostly about the art. The biennale is still about power, politics and tourism. Lest anyone forget that, the American artist Barbara Kruger put the words power and money in English and Italian on columns in front of the Italian Pavilion, the most conspicuous spot in the show. Among the consequences of such forces are that Gregor Schneider, the German artist, wasnt allowed to replicate the Kaaba from Mecca in San Marco; that Illy coffee stands are everywhere; that the ticket prices have been hiked; and that the Chinese, with whom the Italian government is anxious to trade, have been given a handsome space for their much promoted pavilion (a disappointment, visually speaking).  
Leave it to the Guerrilla Girls (on huge hoardings near the entrance of the Arsenale) to note that, aside from Egypt and Morocco, no African countries are represented this time around. But earlier I mentioned who liked what because the biennale  when, like this year, it doesnt kowtow too much to fashion  is still fairly global. By persisting with national pavilions, each organized independently by its own country, the biennale remains a grab bag. Corral and Martinez have done their part to broaden the spectrum by emphasizing Latin American artists. But Im not just talking about the sum of places artists are from.  
I mean theres a mixing of priorities and tastes, born of different contexts, which require efforts of translation. Perhaps I misunderstand the Chinese pavilion (I did like a video at the end analyzing the feng shui of the biennale), but at least one is made aware here that cultural gaps exist, that the whole world does not just answer to one power, share one concern, come down to the same almighty dollar.  
And in a rising climate of alarming nationalism, this may be the biennales major cultural contribution. More than trying to sum up the state of current art (a vain enterprise anyway, which no one really takes seriously), the virtue of a fair like this is perhaps in its most antique formulation: to simulate a global village, a genial and peaceful common ground, amid the honeysuckle and lapping waves, where a conversation about art can take place, one whose subtext is mutual understanding.  
For my part, I found plenty to think about this time. Mekas installation is, as the German promised, affecting, a mature suite of home movies and other films made over half a century, a creative life in sum. In the Arsenale, the Lebanese artist Mona Hatoums circle of slowly raked sand stuck with me, along with the Korean-born Kim Soojas six-channel film of a woman, back turned, standing unnoticed in the middle of several crowded cities; and the New York-based Stephen Deans trio of videos of various mobs, color-drenched panoramas, both terrifying and ecstatic.  
So did (briefly) Ricky Swallows carved wood sculptures in the Australian Pavilion, neat feats inspired by Dutch still lifes, and Hans Schabus towering wood and tar-paper mountain, subsuming the Austrian Pavilion with stuffed birds and gangways that climb to a skinny porthole with a broad perch on Venice.  
Corrals show, housed in the Italian Pavilion, which makes a notorious maze of a building functional, is on the whole blessedly adult. It builds a foundation with blue-chip standards like Philip Guston and Francis Bacon to support pictures by Marlene Dumas (a la Gerhard Richter) and Gabriel Orozco (colorful geometric paintings), as well as works by Mark Wallinger (who videotaped himself dressed as a bear and living in the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin), Tacita Dean (a haunting film of buildings and a sunset reflected in the bronzed windows of a decrepit East German government palace) and William Kentridge (a wistful homage to the days of early filmmakers, with musical accompaniment, showing the artist at work, the reels sometimes running jerkily backward, so that Kentridge miraculously rubs a charcoal self-portrait back into focus).  
Ed Ruscha, the American representative, takes subtle measure of the architecture of the American Pavilion, with its classical, mirrored wings, by juxtaposing two suites of five pictures each: one, from 1992, is gritty, grisaille imaginings of industrial buildings in Los Angeles, and the other is recent versions of more or less the same places, altered, fenced in or gone, in candied colors. Mature, laconic and strangely grave, the work conveys an acute attention to place and light, and an almost wistful sense of time past.  
My French friend was also right. Messagers installation is a treat, with that hypnotic room of billowing red fabric, a lava sea of swimmy shapes within which lighted shapes appear, a cycle of civilization as if underwater, an Atlantis of dreams. And speaking of Danes, on an island in the Lagoon, Olafur Eliasson (half-Danish, half-Icelandic) has devised a pavilion, with views onto the water and ramps leading into a blackened room with a thin beam of light, like a horizon line, 360 degrees around, its intensity and color slowly shifting. The light is a Venetian spring day condensed into 14 minutes. A visitors senses adjust to the changes, bringing body and sight slowly into equilibrium.  
Finally, in the Church of San Stae, as a satellite of the Swiss Pavilion, Pipilotti Rist is projecting onto the ceiling a giddy, psychedelic kaleidoscope version of heaven: naked nymphs prancing with ripe fruit in tropical locales. Viewers recline shoeless on cushions, 50 at a time. Tiepolo, Cranach, Duchamp and Helio Oiticica come to mind all at once  or at least, Cranach on acid. Very cool. Very Zen.
  Business in Brief  

Fathers Day sales up 2%  
Sales on Fathers Day this year rose 2 percent, compared to the same date last year, according to a survey by the Argentine Confederation of the Medium-sized Companies (CAME). Credit cards were out to capture spending, reinstating the six payment plan at zero interest, which were extended until yesterday, according to a press release from the confederation. Sales concentrated on household and personal use items, posting a 12 percent rise in wine sales, and an 8 percent rise in spirits. Mobile phones and computer accessories also benefited from six month payment plans and special promotions to boost sales. Sporting goods sales, particularly alternative brands, and footwear, also rose by 5 percent, compared to the same date last year.

Suez to sell off stake in waterworks company   
The French Suez Group will negotiate the sale of 52 percent of its stocks in Aguas Provinciales Santa Fe with the Argentine Emgasud SA company, according to a press release from the French companys headquarters. Aguas Provinciales de Santa Fe provides running water and sewage services to some 1.8 million people in 15 districts in that province. The waterworks company came into crisis a couple of months ago, when the French group informed Jorge Obeids government their decision to retire from the concession.

Ferrer could become IDB president  
President Nstor Kirchner said yesterday that former Economy Minister Aldo Ferrer is one of the Argentine candidates to replace Enrique Iglesias, as head of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). There are several candidates, Kirchner told reporters, Aldo Ferrer is one of them. President Kirchner ruled out that Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna as a possible successor to Iglesias, refuting versions from the press.

Venezuela begins exporting fuel oil to China  
CARACAS  Venezuela has begun exporting fuel oil to China under a trade agreement between the oil-rich South American nation and Asias energy-hungry economic powerhouse. Venezuelas state-run oil company Petrleos de Venezuela SA sent an initial shipment of 1.8 million barrels of fuel oil to China last week, according to information posted on the companys website yesterday. During a trip to Beijing in December, President Hugo Chvez signed a series of trade and cooperation agreements with his Chine counterpart, Hu Jintao, for the joint development of Venezuelan oil fields. China has pledged a credit line of US$40 million for Venezuelan agriculture, and help for the Chvez administrations plans to launch a satellite. Chinese firms are also to build railroads in Venezuela.

Switzerland wants free trade agreement with US  
ZURICH  Switzerland wants a free trade agreement with the US to remove average import duties of 4.5 percent on Swiss processed goods, Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz said yesterday. Such an agreement would create preferential access for Swiss exporters to one of their most important markets, Merz said, according to a text of his speech to the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce in Zurich. The Finance Minister cited existing free trade agreements between the United States and other countries, saying that they were harming the competitiveness of Swiss industries such as chemicals and watch making. The potential for discrimination in relation to the Swiss economy is growing, in view of numerous American initiatives, Merz added.

Minimum wage hike agreed in Chile   
SANTIAGO  The government and workers reached an agreement yesterday to raise the minimum wage to the equivalent of US$217 per month. If approved by Congress, the measure will come into effect on July 1, and also foresees an increase for next year, to reach the equivalent of US$230. The Workers Union Centre (CUT) believes it has been a good, but not an excellent, negotiation. We are pleased to have achieved some progress in the minimum wage, said Arturo Martnez, the president of the main union organization in the country. Labour Minister Yerko Ljubetic said that this is a good agreement within the context of a solid economic reactivation, and the recovery of employment. This is the first agreement to be reached in years between the government and CUT.

Discrepancies on remittances to Mexico  
MEXICO  In recent years, the Bank of Mexico has reported a historic growth in the remittances that Mexicans send home from abroad, although some questions have begun to arise about the accuracy of these figures. The Central Bank recently said that remittances, almost entirely sent from the US, totalled US$16.6 billion in 2004, but the Social Development Secretariat (Sedesol) points out that the amount probably did not reach US$10 billion. It is surprising that two institutions would have such a significant discrepancy... these are scandalous differences, said Rodolfo Tuirn, one of the officials in charge of the Sedesol study.

  Campbell surprise US Open champion  Cabrera 33rd  

GOLF  
US Open

By David Mackintosh  
For the Herald

PINEHURST, North Carolina  New Zealands Michael Campell won the US Open at Pinehurst yesterday in the most stoic fashion, outplaying the field and taking full advantage of a ghastly collapse by defending champion Retief Goosen.  
Campbell carded 1-under par 69 for a total of 280, fulfilling the early-week forecast that even-par for the four championship rounds at Pinehurst No. 2 would be the winning score. Tiger Woods finished runner-up, a 69 for 282, but although he posed the only back-nine threat to Campbells victory, over the closing holes he unable to convert the vital putts that might have led to a playoff.  
Despite having won six times on the European Tour (three times in 2000) Campbells only brush major championship fame came in 1995 at St. Andrews, where he led after the third round, only to miss the playoff between John Daly and Costantino Rocca by one stroke. Ten years later, aged 36, New Zealander Campbell found his way into this event by way of the first US Open qualifier held in England.  
I almost did not come, a tearful Campbell said after a moving trophy presentation ceremony. Ive had so many ups and downs in my career, and Ive just kept persevering and working on my game, no matter how bad things got. This is truly unbelievable. I thought at the beginning of the round if I could shoot something around 3-under for the day Id have a chance so all I did was try and play my best aggressive golf.  
Then I made a few long putts and some important par saves and suddenly, well, Im here. It just goes to prove that perseverance pays. I think I deserve it. Ive worked hard for it. And Ive got it!  
Goosens birdie-less 81, plummeting him from a three-stroke overnight lead to share of 11th place, was as inexplicable to him as it was to the vast crowds whod come to watch him rubber-stamp a third US Open crown: I dont know what happened, Cool-Goose told the same group of writers who one day earlier had pretty much conceded him the title.  
I just never got going. I made a few mistakes early on but when I made a good par-save at the 8th I thought Id got my game back on track. But my putter would not work and really from the 12th onward (where he started a string of five consecutive bogeys) I knew it was over.  
While Woods and Goosen were dropping shots to par on the opening holes, Campbell was already in high gear, reaching the turn in level-par, then turning up the heat with long-putt birdies at the 10th, 12th and 17th, permitting the luxury of bogeys at the 16th and 18th without ever putting the title in danger. I changed my entire putting set-up just two weeks ago, Campbell added. Id have to say that change has really paid dividends!  
Angel Cabreras disappointing week finished on a distinctly negative note, six bogeys and just one birdie 75 for 292, 12-over par for the week and a nine-way share of 33rd spot.

Saint-Omer Open  
SWEDE BACKSTROM BEATS BRITON DWYER IN PLAYOFF  
In Saint Omer, France: Swede Joakim Backstrm claimed the Saint-Omer Open title and a one-year European Tour exemption when he beat Britains Paul Dwyer in a sudden-death playoff yesterday.  
The pair had finished a stroke ahead of the field on four-under-par 280 and Backstrm, who birdied the last to get into the shootout, then took the title with a par at the first extra hole after Dwyer missed a two-foot putt to bogey.  
As the tough course and conditions took their toll, Backstrms one-under-par 70 and a 68 by Dwyer took them to the top of the leaderboard before the Swede earned instant promotion to the full European Tour with his maiden victory.  
Having a one-year exemption means everything, said Backstrm.  
Ive been sitting by my phone most weeks, wondering whether I was going to get into tournaments and now I can plan my schedule.  
Britains James Heath looked to have the title in his grasp when leading by two strokes with four holes to go but the 22-year-old Nick Faldo protege had problems with his grip in humid conditions, double-bogeying the 15th through missing the green.  
A bogey on the last ended his chance of taking part in the playoff.  
Heaths closing 72 left him sharing third place with two more Swedes, Michael Jonzon and Steven Jeppesen, with the disappointed British youngster now having to regroup if he is to realize his ambition of earning a tour card from seven invitations this season.

  Chabn mulls leaving BA area  

Omar Chabn, the main suspect in the Repblica Croman rock club blaze, is considering to move to a small town in Buenos Aires province or even to another province in order to avoid demonstrations against him, his lawyers said yesterday.  
Chabn was freed on bail last week and is now living in the flat of his ageing mother in the Greater Buenos Aires district of San Martn.   
Since his arrival there last Tuesday, the place has seen nearly around-the-clock demonstrations by relatives and friends of the victims of the rock club fire, which killed 194 people.  
Chabns lawyer Pedro DAttoli said yesterday that his client is very concerned about his relatives and neighbours, who are also suffering the demonstrators harassment.  
Under the terms of his bail, Chabn has to notify the judge investigating the rock club inferno, Julio Lucini, and the litigant lawyers in the case of his whereabouts. This means that wherever Chabn decides to go, the relatives of the victims will know.  
Chabn spends his time at her mothers reading the case against him and reading books, DAttoli added.  
Chabn, who is facing charges of manslaughter, was the manager and alleged owner of the club in the city neighbourhood of Once. The place caught fire after a flare fired by a fan of the rock band Callejeros ignited an inflammable soundproof ceiling material minutes after a gig started on December 30. The place was overcrowded and became a death trap as its main emergency exit was locked. It was the worst non-natural tragedy in the history of Argentina.  
The Buenos Aires province government has asked Judge Lucini to move Chabn somewhere else, as the San Martn district authorities have complained that his presence is disrupting normal life in the area.  
The incident happened in the city of Buenos Aires, the judge is a national judge, everything in the case is related to the city of Buenos Aires, so I think Chabn should be placed somewhere in the city of Buenos Aires, said provincial Security Minister Len Arslanin yesterday.  
The provincial administration has allocated 70 police officers to watch Chabn at a cost of around 4,000 pesos a day. Provincial government authorities have said the special protection cannot last for long.  
We have already told the judge that the province cannot provide so much security for too long, said provincial Security Secretary Martn Arias Duval.  
Buenos Aires City Mayor Anbal Ibarra, meanwhile, urged the public to be rational and accept the court ruling that allowed Chabn to walk free pending trial after paying a half-a-million-peso bail. Ibarra has been in political dire straits since the blaze. 

  (Herald staff with Tlam)

  China making progress towards WTO compliance  
After three-plus years since its joining the WTO, foreign business executives see China as making some progress toward meeting its formal WTO obligations but compliance is still incomplete. Substantial problems remain, especially at provincial and local levels, in intellectual property rights enforcement, regulatory transparency and business dispute resolution.  
While multinational firms from the around the globe have been rushing to make China a major focus of business strategy and investment, two thirds of executives surveyed reported that doing business in China is more difficult than in other markets. Of the 99 firms surveyed- all of them with substantial operations in China-over 50 percent felt that the Chinese central governments implementation of WTO obligations is only fair to poor, and the results get worse for sub-national government implementation. The responses of the US and Japanese firms surveyed to these and a range of other questions about the Chinese business climate were similar and tended to be more critical-in some cases substantially more critical-than those of the UK firms.  
The survey shows that multinational firms give the Chinese central government generally passing grades for meeting its formal WTO obligations. But the actual implementation of those obligations-in protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights, in providing a transparent regulatory environment, and in establishing processes for fair and equitable resolutions of business disputes-still needs to be substantially improved. This is particularly the case at the provincial and local levels about which the firms in the survey reported most dissatisfaction.  
Protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) was the number one concern for the executives. Some 62 percent of those responding gave low marks to Chinas IPR enforcement at the provincial and local levels, as did 56 percent for enforcement at the national level and 52 percent for the national-level legal and statutory framework of IPR. Half or more of those responding also gave low marks to legal reforms to align Chinas laws with international standards (53 percent) and the transparency of laws and regulations (50 percent).   
The resolution of business disputes emerged as another major issue for the foreign executives.   
The majority (62 percent) of companies that had had a business dispute with a local Chinese company described the problem of resolving disputes in China as serious; 30 percent said this was a very serious problem. More than half (58 percent) of companies that had disputes in China had experienced problems of either nonpayment or discounting of a payment on a contractual agreement. Companies that had had a dispute reported taking multiple actions to try to settle the dispute. However, most said they would avoid local courts and official Chinese arbitration systems. Moreover, a plurality of executives reported that favoritism toward local business interests is a major problem in the local Chinese court system. Overall, only half reported being satisfied with the resolution of disputes.   
More than three out of five (61%) of the companies in the survey reported being satisfied with their own governments efforts to ensure that China meets it WTO obligations. But about a third of US (34%) and quarter of UK firms (24%) reported being unsatisfied.  
The Business Climate in China Today: Attitudes of British, Japanese, and US Companies survey was undertaken by the Center for International Business of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in order to learn about the current business climate for companies.
  Chinese Puppy cooler  
ap  
Puppies nap near a frozen bottle of water yesterday during a warm afternoon in Beijing. Summer temperatures in the Chinese capital often reach the high 30 degrees Celsius, prompting humans and animals alike to seek alternative forms of cooling.
  Chinese vice premier criticizes US restrictions on Chinese textile imports  
HONG KONG  Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi praised the European Union last Monday for settling a trade dispute over Chinas surging textile exports, and criticized the US for slapping a restriction on textiles before talks could resolve the disagreement.  
Wu said in a keynote speech to the biggest Asia-Pacific business organization that it was natural for countries to have some friction as global trade brings economies closer together.  
The key is how to handle this friction, she told the Pacific Basin Economic Council.  
Wu complained about Americas recent decision to impose a 7.5 percent cap on the increase in Chinese textiles this year. This severely harmed Chinese textile enterprises that were enjoying the benefits of globalization, she said.  
We strongly urge nations to respect WTO regulations and to use fair negotiations and cooperative efforts to properly manage the textile issue, she said.  
The US started restricting Chinese textiles after international textile quotas were scrapped on Jan. 1. The US and the European Union have complained that cheap Chinese textiles have been flooding their markets and that measures are needed to better manage the swelling imports.  
Both the US and the Europeans insisted that under the rules of the World Trade Organization, they can restrict imports that are disrupting their markets. But China has argued that they have yet to clearly prove market disruption.  
Over the weekend, the EU and China agreed on limits on Chinese textile exports. The deal allows for gradually rising caps on increases in Chinese textile exports to Europe over the next three years, with all limits to be done away with in 2008.  
Wu said the agreement was proof that two sides can use the principles of equality, mutual interest and mutual respect to resolve trade disputes.  
China has no agreement with the United States on textiles.            (AP)
  cinema june 20, 2005  

Information published is correct to the best of our   
knowledge, but subject to   
unannounced changes.  
Downtown  
ABASTO SHOPPING  
Av. cORRIENTES 3200  
Phone: 4866-4800  
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11am., 1:05, 3:35, 5:50, 8:15 & 10:45pm.   
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11am., 12:20, 1, 1:50, 2:40, 4:40, 5:30, 7.30, 8:20, 10:30 & 11:10pm.     
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 1:15, 6:10 & 11pm.      
 Cama adentro (NR) at 11:25am., 4 & 8:50pm.    
 Robots (NR) In Spanish at 11:05am.   
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled   
at 7:50  & 11pm.                   
 Star Wars Episodio III. La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11:05am., 1:45 & 4:45pm.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:10am., 12, 1:50, 2:40, 4:40, 5:30, 7:30, 8:20, 10:30 & 11:10pm.  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 11:15am., 1:20, 3:40, 6, 8:30 & 10:50pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 La cada (NC16) at 12:15, 3:35, 7 & 10:20pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11 & 11:40am., 1, 1:40,  3:15, 4, 5:40, 6:20, 8, 8:45, 10:30 & 11:15pm. 

ATlas Patio Bullrich  
Posadas 1245. Phone: 4816-3801                            
 Cama adentro (NR) at 1, 4:40 & 10:10pm.  
 De-Lovely (NR)  at 3, 5:20,  8 & 10:30pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:20, 4:30, 7:30 & 10:20pm.   
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30, 8:30 & 10:30pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:50, 3:20, 6, 8:20 & 10:40pm.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 12:30, 2:20, 4:20, 6:20 & 8:20pm.  
  Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12:50, 3:20, 5:40, 8 & 10:30pm. 

ATLAS SANTA FE  
aV. sANTA fE 2015  
Phone 4823-7878   
Sala 1  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:50, 2:50, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.       
SALA 2  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 1:25, 3:40, 6. 8:15 & 10:30pm.  

CINE Electric  
lavalle 836  PHONE: 4322-1846   
sala 1  
 Cruzada (NC13) at 1:15, 6 & 10:35pm.  
 Miss Simpata (NC13) at 4:55 & 8:35pm.    
sala 2  
 La marca de la bestia (NC16) at  1, 5 & 8:55pm.   
 Sahara (NR) at 2:45,  6:45 & 10:40pm.    
Sala  3  
 La llamada 2 (NC16) at 1:05, 5:05 & 8:55pm.     
 Constantine (NC16) at 3, 7 & 11pm.

cinemark 8 Puerto madero  
ALICIA Moreau  de Justo 1960.  
Phone. 4315-3008 .  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 1, 3:20, 5.45, 8 & 10:20pm.   
 Starwars Episode III (NC13) In English at 1:45, 4:45, 7:45 & 10:45pm.  
. La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4:35, 7:35 & 10:35pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1:40.,  3:15,  5:35, 7:55 & 10:10pm.      
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:30, 3:05, 5:40, 8:15 & 10:50pm. .  
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 1:20, 3:40 & 6pm.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:45, 2, 3:55, 4:55, 6:50, 7:50, 9:50 & 10:40pm.   
 La intrprete (NC13) at 8:20 & 11pm.

 COMPLEJO DE CINE TITA MERELLO  
sUIPACHA 442. PHONE. 4322-1195  
sala 1 - mirtha legrand  
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 1, 2:45, 4.30, 6:15, 8 & 11:45pm.  
.sala 2 - AMELIA BENCE.  
 La esperanza (NC13) at 1:10, 4:35 & 8:05pm.  
 Ronda Nocturna (NC16) at 2:50, 6:20 & 9;50pm.  
sala 3 - DELIA GARCES  
 Oro Nazi en la Argentina  (NR) at 3, 6:25 & 9:55pm.  
 Hermanas (NR) at 31:20, 4.45 & 8:20pm.

COMPLEJO MONUMENTAL  
lavalle 739.  phone. 4322-1515  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:45, 2.15, 3:15, 4:15, 5:45, 7:25, 9:45 & 10:45pm.  Sun. late night at 0:15 & 1:15am.  
  Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1:15, 3:40, 6:05, 8:30 & 10:55pm. Sun. late night at 1:10am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 12:30, 3:25 & 6:10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:30, 2:20, 4:10, 6, 7:50, 9:40 & 11:30pm. Sun. late night at 1:20am.   
 La cada (NC16) at 12:45, 5.15, 8 & 10:40pm. Sun. late night at 1:20am.  
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled   
at 12:55, 3:25,  8:05 & 10:40pm. Sun. late night at 1:20am.

COSMOS  
AV. CORRIENTES 2046   
PHONE 4953-5405   
sala 1  
 Clean (NC16.) at 4:20, 8:20 & 10:30pm.  
 La trama de la vida (NC13)  at 2:20 & 6:20pm.  
sala  2  
 El gran gato (NR) Director: Ventura Pons, Spain 2002.  At  4pm.  
 Ral Sendic, Tupamaro. Director: Alejandro Figueroa, Uruguay 2004 (NC13)  at 2:30, 5:40, 8:40  & 10:20pm.  
 Buscando a Reynols (NR) Director: Nstor Frenkel - Argentina, 2004, at 7:15pm.

GAumont espacio incaA KM 0  
av. rivadavia 1635.  
phone: 4371-3050.  
sala 1  
 Cama adentro (NR) at 1:15  
3, 4:40, 6:20, 8:10 & 9:55pm.  
sala 2  
 Gminis (NC16) at 1, 2:45, 4:30, 6:15, 8 & 9:45pm.  
sala 3  
 Whisky Romeo Zul (NR) at 12:40, 2:55, 5:10, 7:30 &  9:50pm.

LORCA  
AV. CORRIENTES 1428.   
PHONE: 4371-5017.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 2:35, 7 & 8:45pm.  
: La cada (NC16) at 2:05, 4:55, 7:45 & 10.35pm.    
 La vida es un milagro (NC13) at 4.15 & 10:25pm.

Los Angeles  
AV. corrientes 1770.  
phone: 4371-3742.   
 Los Increbles - The Incredibles (NR) In Spanish at 3, 7:10 & 9pm.  
 Bob Esponja la pelcula - Sponge Bob Square Pants Movie (NR)  Spanish at 1:20, 3:10, 5:10, 7:30, 9:10pm.  
 El Expreso Polar (NR) In Spanish at 1 & 5:20pm.  
 El diario de la princesa 2 (NR) In Spanish, at 3 & 6:50pm.  
 La leyenda del tesoro perdido - National Treasure (NR) In Spanish at 12:50, 5 & 9pm.  
 Robots (NR)  In Spanish, at 12:40, 2:20, 4, 5:40, 7:20 & 9:10pm.

SALA LEOPOLDO LUGONES  
TEATRO SAN MARTIN -  
AV. CORRIENTES 1530, 10TH FLOOR. Phone: 4371-0111/8O.  
 Monday June 20, no exhibition.  
Joao De Deus Cycle.   
 Va y viena (2003) Portugal, France,  directed by Joao Csar Monteiro. With Rita Pereira Marques, Ligia Soanes. On Tuesday June 21 at 2:30 & 7:30pm.  
New Portuguese Cinema Cycle.   
 Portugal S.A. (2004) . Direction: Ruy Guerra, with Diogo Infante, Cristina Cmara, Henrique Viana. Wednesday June 22 at 2:30, 5, 7:30 & 10pm.  
 Mujer polica. (2003) . Direction: Joaquim Sapinho, with Amelia Coroa, Ludovic Videira, Mara Silva. Thursday June 23 at 2:30, 5, 7:30 & 10pm.

Belgrano

Arteplex  
CABILDO 2829 - phone: 4781-6500  
 De-Lovely (NR)  at 1:20, 3:40 , 6, 8:25 & 10:45pm.  
 Como una imagen (NR) at  1, 4:50 & 8:55pm.    
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 1:15, 3:15, 5:10, 7:10, 9:10 & 11pm.  
 Conociendo a Julia (NC13) at 2:55, 3:55 & 10:55pm.   
 Geminis (NC16)  at 1:25, 3:05, 4:55, 6:45 8:40 & 10:30pm. 

ATLAS GENERAL PAZ  
CABILDO 2792 - phone: 5032-8527  
 Cama adentro (NR) at 2:40, 4:30, 6:20, 8:20 & 10:40pm.    
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 12:30, 7:20 & 10:15pm.     
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:50, 8:10 & 10:40pm.   
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm.  
  Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12:50, 3, 5:30, 8 & 10:30pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 12:40, 3:20 & 5:20pm.

ATLAS solar de la abadia  
luis maria campos & maure  
Phone: 4778-5181   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50 & 10:10pm.  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 1:10, 3:50 6:30 & 9:50pm.

BELGRANO MULTIPLEX  
vUELTA DE OBLIGADO 2199.  
PHONE: 4781-8183, 4783-2186.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:40, 8:10 & 10:40pm. Fri. & Sat. late night at 1:10am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 2:30, 4:40, 6.40, 8:50 & 11pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:10, 7:10 & 10:10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.  
 Sahara (NR) at 12, 4:20 & 850pm.     
  Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled   
at 11:50am., 2:30, 6.30 & 10:50pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 12, 2:10, 6:40 & 11:10pm. 

Caballito  

cineduplex  
AVDA. rivadavia 5050.   
PHONE: 4902-5682  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at  1:20, 3:15, 5:10, 7:05, 9 & 10:55pm.  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4.30, 7:25 & 10:25pm.

BELGRANO MULTIPLEX  
vUELTA DE OBLIGADO 2199.  
PHONE: 4781-8183, 4783-2186.  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:50am., 1:45, 2:30, 4.15, 5:10, 6:50, 7:50, 9:30 & 10:30pm.    
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:40, 8:10 & 10:40pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:50am., 4:40 & 8:30pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:10, 7:10 & 10:10pm.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:50, 2:50, 6:40 & 10:40pm.    
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subt. at 11:50am. 2:30, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:50pm. 

Caballito  

cineduplex  
AVDA. rivadavia 5050.   
PHONE: 4902-5682  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at  1:20, 3:15, 5:10, 7:05, 9 & 10:55pm.  .  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4.30, 7:25 & 10:25pm. 

cinemark 6 - caballito  
AVDA. LA PLATA 96.   
PHONE: 4982-7117  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40 & 10:20pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at  3, 5:20 & 7:35pm.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:55am., 2, 4:05, 6:10, 8:20 & 10:30pm.    
  Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith  (NC13)  Subtitled, at 1, 4, 7 & 10pm.    
 La cada (NC16) at 12 & 10:10pm.      
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:05am., 12:50, 2:15, 3:50, 5, 6:50, 7:50, 9:50 & 10:40pm.   

Palermo

 CINEmark 10  palermo  
beruti 3399 & bulnes.  
phone: 4827-9500.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:50am., 2:20, 4:55, 7:30 & 10:10pm.  Wed.  late night at 0:50am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:30am., 1:40, 3:50 & 6:20pm.   
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13). Subtitled at 11:30am., 2:15, 5:10, 8 & 10:50pm.      Wed. late night at 1:35am.                 
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:20, 2:40, 4:50, 7:10 & 9:40pm.    Wed. late at midnight.    
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11:20am., 1:20, 3:25, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:50pm.  Wed. late at midnight.  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:15, 7:20 & 10:40pm. Wed. late night at 1:45am.  
 De-Lovely (NR) at 8:30 & 11:05pm.  Wed. late night at 1:35am.    
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30, 8:30 & 10:40pm. Wed. late night at 0:35am.  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12, 2:30, 5:10, 7:35 & 10pm. Wed. late night at 0:30am.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:25am., 1, 2:10, 4, 5:20, 7, 8:10, 10:20 & 11pm. Wed. late night at 1:20 &1:45am.  

Recoleta  

VILLAGE CINEMA RECOLETA  
VICENTE LOPEZ & JUNIN.  
PHONE: 0810-444-66843  
& 4800-0000.  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 10:30am., 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50 & 10:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:50am.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 10:10, 11 & 11:45am., 1, 1:50, 2:40, 3:50, 4:40, 5:30, 6:45,7:30, 8:20, 9:45, 10:30 & 11.15pm. Wed. late night at 0:45, 1:30 & 2:15am.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 10:30 & 11:30am., 1, 2, 3:30, 4:40, 6, 7:20, 8:30, 10 & 11:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:40 & 1:45am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at  10:05am., 12:05, 2:05, 6:45, 8:50  & 11pm.   Wed. late night at 1:10am.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 10:20am., 12:20, 2:20, 4:20, 6:20, 8:20 & 10:45pm. Wed. late night at 0:50am.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 10:05am., 12:05, 2:10, 4:15, 6:20 & 11:15pm.  Wed. late night at 1:20am.  
 La cada (NC16) at 10:05am., 1:10, 3, 4:10, 6:10, 7:10, 9:15 & 10:15pm.     Wed. late night at 0:30 & 1:20am.  
 Sahara (NR) at 10:45am., 1:20 & 4pm.   
 De-Lovely (NR) at 12:30, 4:10 & 8:30pm.    
 Cama adentro (NR) at 11am., 12:50, 2:40, 4:30, 6:20, 8:10 & 10:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:30am.  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 10:50am., 1:10, 3:30,  5:50, 8 & 10:30pm.  Wed. late night at 0:40am.    
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at 10:30am., 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 & 10:30pm.  Wed. late night at 1:30am.                 
  Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at 11:20am., 2:20 & 5:20pm.  

Suburbs

cine astro martinez   
 Av. santa fe 1860, martinez.  
phone: 4792-1304.  
astro 1  
 La cada (NC16) at 3:35, 6.35 & 9:40pm.  
astro 2  
 Cama adentro (NR.) at 3:25, 5:30, 8:25 & 10:10pm.

UNICENTER cine Martinez  
unicenter shopping mall  
PARANA 3745 - martinez  
phone: 4319-2999  
 Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at  11:05am,  2, 4:50, 7:30, 7:50, 10:30 & 10:50pm.        
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11am., 1:50 & 4:40pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11:15 & 11:45am., 1:20, 1:50, 3:30, 4:10, 5:45, 6:25, 8:05, 8:50, 10:20 & 11:10pm.    
 La cada (NC16) at 11am., 2, 5, 8 & 11pm.    
 Robots (NR) In Spanish at 11:10am & 6:30pm.   
  Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 11:20am., 1:25, 3:40, 6, 8:15 & 10:40pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 1:10, 3:50, 8:40 & 11:20pm.      
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:15am., 12, 1:40, 2:50, 4:20, 5:40, 7:10, 8:30, 10 & 11:15pm.    
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11am., 1:05, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45 & 10:10pm.   
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 11:10am., 1:15, 3:20, 5.30, 7:40 & 10pm.   
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 10:45, 11:05 & 11:30am., 1:30, 1:55, 2:25, 4:30, 4:50, 5:20, 7:30, 7:50, 8:20, 10:30, 11 & 11:20pm. 

  CINEMA Tuesday June 21, 2005  

Information published is correct to the best of our   
knowledge, but subject to   
unannounced changes.  
Downtown

ABASTO SHOPPING  
Av. cORRIENTES 3200  
Phone: 4866-4800  
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11am., 1:05, 3:35, 5:50, 8:15 & 10:45pm.   
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11am., 12:20, 1, 1:50, 2:40, 4:40, 5:30, 7.30, 8:20, 10:30 & 11:10pm.     
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 1:15, 6:10 & 11pm.      
 Cama adentro (NR) at 11:25am., 4 & 8:50pm.    
 Robots (NR) In Spanish at 11:05am.   
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled   
at 7:50  & 11pm.                   
 Star Wars Episodio III. La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11:05am., 1:45 & 4:45pm.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:10am., 12, 1:50, 2:40, 4:40, 5:30, 7:30, 8:20, 10:30 & 11:10pm.  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 11:15am., 1:20, 3:40, 6, 8:30 & 10:50pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
 La cada (NC16) at 12:15, 3:35, 7 & 10:20pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11 & 11:40am., 1, 1:40,  3:15, 4, 5:40, 6:20, 8, 8:45, 10:30 & 11:15pm. 

ATlas Patio Bullrich  
Posadas 1245. Phone: 4816-3801                            
 Cama adentro (NR) at 1, 4:40 & 10:10pm.  
 De-Lovely (NR)  at 3, 5:20,  8 & 10:30pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:20, 4:30, 7:30 & 10:20pm.   
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30, 8:30 & 10:30pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:50, 3:20, 6, 8:20 & 10:40pm.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 12:30, 2:20, 4:20, 6:20 & 8:20pm.  
  Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12:50, 3:20, 5:40, 8 & 10:30pm. 

ATLAS SANTA FE  
aV. sANTA fE 2015  
Phone 4823-7878   
Sala 1  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:50, 2:50, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.       
SALA 2  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 1:25, 3:40, 6. 8:15 & 10:30pm.  

CINE Electric  
lavalle 836  PHONE: 4322-1846   
sala 1  
 Cruzada (NC13) at 1:15, 6 & 10:35pm.  
 Miss Simpata (NC13) at 4:55 & 8:35pm.    
sala 2  
 La marca de la bestia (NC16) at  1, 5 & 8:55pm.   
 Sahara (NR) at 2:45,  6:45 & 10:40pm.    
Sala  3  
 La llamada 2 (NC16) at 1:05, 5:05 & 8:55pm.     
 Constantine (NC16) at 3, 7 & 11pm.

cinemark 8 Puerto madero  
ALICIA Moreau  de Justo 1960.  
Phone. 4315-3008 .  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 1, 3:20, 5.45, 8 & 10:20pm.   
 Starwars Episode III (NC13) In English at 1:45, 4:45, 7:45 & 10:45pm.  
. La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4:35, 7:35 & 10:35pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1:40.,  3:15,  5:35, 7:55 & 10:10pm.      
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:30, 3:05, 5:40, 8:15 & 10:50pm. .  
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 1:20, 3:40 & 6pm.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:45, 2, 3:55, 4:55, 6:50, 7:50, 9:50 & 10:40pm.   
 La intrprete (NC13) at 8:20 & 11pm.

 COMPLEJO DE CINE TITA MERELLO  
sUIPACHA 442. PHONE. 4322-1195  
sala 1 - mirtha legrand  
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 1, 2:45, 4.30, 6:15, 8 & 11:45pm.  
.sala 2 - AMELIA BENCE.  
 La esperanza (NC13) at 1:10, 4:35 & 8:05pm.  
 Ronda Nocturna (NC16) at 2:50, 6:20 & 9:50pm.  
sala 3 - DELIA GARCES  
 Oro Nazi en la Argentina  (NR) at 3, 6:25 & 9:55pm.  
 Hermanas (NR) at 31:20, 4.45 & 8:20pm.

COMPLEJO MONUMENTAL  
lavalle 739.  phone. 4322-1515  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:45, 2.15, 3:15, 4:15, 5:45, 7:25, 9:45 & 10:45pm.  Sun. late night at 0:15 & 1:15am.  
  Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1:15, 3:40, 6:05, 8:30 & 10:55pm. Sun. late night at 1:10am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 12:30, 3:25 & 6:10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:30, 2:20, 4:10, 6, 7:50, 9:40 & 11:30pm.    
 La cada (NC16) at 12:45, 5.15, 8 & 10:40pm.  
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled   
at 12:55, 3:25,  8:05 & 10:40pm. 

COSMOS  
AV. CORRIENTES 2046   
PHONE 4953-5405   
sala 1  
 Clean (NC16.) at 4:20, 8:20 & 10:30pm.  
 La trama de la vida (NC13)  at 2:20 & 6:20pm.  
sala  2  
 El gran gato (NR) Director: Ventura Pons, Spain 2002.  At  4pm.  
 Ral Sendic, Tupamaro. Director: Alejandro Figueroa, Uruguay 2004 (NC13)  at 2:30, 5:40, 8:40  & 10:20pm.  
 Buscando a Reynols (NR) Director: Nstor Frenkel - Argentina, 2004, at 7:15pm.

GAumont espacio incaA KM 0  
av. rivadavia 1635.  
phone: 4371-3050.  
sala 1  
 Cama adentro (NR) at 1:15  
3, 4:40, 6:20, 8:10 & 9:55pm.  
sala 2  
 Gminis (NC16) at 1, 2:45, 4:30, 6:15, 8 & 9:45pm.  
sala 3  
 Whisky Romeo Zul (NR) at 12:40, 2:55, 5:10, 7:30 &  9:50pm.

LORCA  
AV. CORRIENTES 1428.   
PHONE: 4371-5017.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 2:35, 7 & 8:45pm.  
: La cada (NC16) at 2:05, 4:55, 7:45 & 10.35pm.    
 La vida es un milagro (NC13) at 4.15 & 10:25pm.

Los Angeles  
AV. corrientes 1770.  
phone: 4371-3742.   
 Los Increbles - The Incredibles (NR) In Spanish at 3, 7:10 & 9pm.  
 Bob Esponja la pelcula - Sponge Bob Square Pants Movie (NR)  Spanish at 1:20, 3:10, 5:10, 7:30, 9:10pm.  
 El Expreso Polar (NR) In Spanish at 1 & 5:20pm.  
 El diario de la princesa 2 (NR) In Spanish, at 3 & 6:50pm.  
 La leyenda del tesoro perdido - National Treasure (NR) In Spanish at 12:50, 5 & 9pm.  
 Robots (NR)  In Spanish, at 12:40, 2:20, 4, 5:40, 7:20 & 9:10pm.

SALA LEOPOLDO LUGONES  
TEATRO SAN MARTIN -  
AV. CORRIENTES 1530, 10TH FLOOR. Phone: 4371-0111/8O.  
Joao De Deus Cycle.   
 Va y viene (2003) Portugal, France,  directed by Joao Csar Monteiro. With Rita Pereira Marques, Ligia Soanes. Tuesday June 21 at 2:30 & 7:30pm.  
New Portuguese Cinema Cycle.   
 Portugal S.A. (2004) . Direction: Ruy Guerra, with Diogo Infante, Cristina Cmara, Henrique Viana. Wednesday June 22 at 2:30, 5, 7:30 & 10pm.  
 Mujer polica. (2003) . Direction: Joaquim Sapinho, with Amelia Coroa, Ludovic Videira, Mara Silva. Thursday June 23 at 2:30, 5, 7:30 & 10pm.

Belgrano

Arteplex  
CABILDO 2829 - phone: 4781-6500  
 De-Lovely (NR)  at 1:20, 3:40 , 6, 8:25 & 10:45pm.  
 Como una imagen (NR) at  1, 4:50 & 8:55pm.    
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 1:15, 3:15, 5:10, 7:10, 9:10 & 11pm.  
 Conociendo a Julia (NC13) at 2:55, 3:55 & 10:55pm.   
 Geminis (NC16)  at 1:25, 3:05, 4:55, 6:45 8:40 & 10:30pm. 

ATLAS GENERAL PAZ  
CABILDO 2792 - phone: 5032-8527  
 Cama adentro (NR) at 2:40, 4:30, 6:20, 8:20 & 10:40pm.    
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 12:30, 7:20 & 10:15pm.     
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:50, 8:10 & 10:40pm.   
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 & 9:30pm.  
  Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12:50, 3, 5:30, 8 & 10:30pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 12:40, 3:20 & 5:20pm.

ATLAS solar de la abadia  
luis maria campos & maure  
Phone: 4778-5181   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50 & 10:10pm.  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 1:10, 3:50 6:30 & 9:50pm.

BELGRANO MULTIPLEX  
vUELTA DE OBLIGADO 2199.  
PHONE: 4781-8183, 4783-2186.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:40, 8:10 & 10:40pm.    
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 2:30, 4:40, 6.40, 8:50 & 11pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:10, 7:10 & 10:10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 & 11pm.  
 Sahara (NR) at 12, 4:20 & 850pm.     
  Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled at 11:50am., 2:30, 6.30 & 10:50pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 12, 2:10, 6:40 & 11:10pm. 

Caballito  

cineduplex  
AVDA. rivadavia 5050.   
PHONE: 4902-5682  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at  1:20, 3:15, 5:10, 7:05, 9 & 10:55pm.  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4.30, 7:25 & 10:25pm.

BELGRANO MULTIPLEX  
vUELTA DE OBLIGADO 2199.  
PHONE: 4781-8183, 4783-2186.  
  Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:50am., 1:45, 2:30, 4.15, 5:10, 6:50, 7:50, 9:30 & 10:30pm.    
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:40, 3:10, 5:40, 8:10 & 10:40pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:50am., 4:40 & 8:30pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:10, 7:10 & 10:10pm.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:50, 2:50, 6:40 & 10:40pm.    
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled, at 11:50am. 2:30, 5:10, 7:50 & 10:50pm. 

Caballito  

cineduplex  
AVDA. rivadavia 5050.   
PHONE: 4902-5682  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at  1:20, 3:15, 5:10, 7:05, 9 & 10:55pm.  .  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:30, 4.30, 7:25 & 10:25pm. 

cinemark 6 - caballito  
AVDA. LA PLATA 96.   
PHONE: 4982-7117  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:10, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40 & 10:20pm.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at  3, 5:20 & 7:35pm.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 12:55am., 2, 4:05, 6:10, 8:20 & 10:30pm.    
  Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith  (NC13)  Subtitled, at 1, 4, 7 & 10pm.    
 La cada (NC16) at 12 & 10:10pm.      
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:05am., 12:50, 2:15, 3:50, 5, 6:50, 7:50, 9:50 & 10:40pm.  

Palermo

Atlas paseo alcorta  
salguero & alcorta.  
phone: 5032-8527.   
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 & 10:20pm.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12:50, 3:05, 5:30, 7:50 & 10:20pm.   

 CINEmark 10  palermo  
beruti 3399 & bulnes.  
phone: 4827-9500.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:50am., 2:20, 4:55, 7:30 & 10:10pm.  Wed.  late night at 0:50am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:30am., 1:40, 3:50 & 6:20pm.   
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith (NC13). Subtitled at 11:30am., 2:15, 5:10, 8 & 10:50pm.      Wed. late night at 1:35am.                 
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 12:20, 2:40, 4:50, 7:10 & 9:40pm.    Wed. late at midnight.    
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11:20am., 1:20, 3:25, 5:30, 7:40 & 9:50pm.  Wed. late at midnight.  
 La cada (NC16) at 1:10, 4:15, 7:20 & 10:40pm. Wed. late night at 1:45am.  
 De-Lovely (NR) at 8:30 & 11:05pm.  Wed. late night at 1:35am.    
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:30, 8:30 & 10:40pm. Wed. late night at 0:35am.  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 12, 2:30, 5:10, 7:35 & 10pm. Wed. late night at 0:30am.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11:25am., 1, 2:10, 4, 5:20, 7, 8:10, 10:20 & 11pm. Wed. late night at 1:20 &1:45am.  

Recoleta  

VILLAGE CINEMA RECOLETA  
VICENTE LOPEZ & JUNIN.  
PHONE: 0810-444-66843  
& 4800-0000.  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 10:30am., 12:50, 3:10, 5:30, 7:50 & 10:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:50am.  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 10:10, 11 & 11:45am., 1, 1:50, 2:40, 3:50, 4:40, 5:30, 6:45,7:30, 8:20, 9:45, 10:30 & 11.15pm. Wed. late night at 0:45, 1:30 & 2:15am.  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 10:30 & 11:30am., 1, 2, 3:30, 4:40, 6, 7:20, 8:30, 10 & 11:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:40 & 1:45am.   
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at  10:05am., 12:05, 2:05, 6:45, 8:50  & 11pm.   Wed. late night at 1:10am.  
 El hombre del bosque - The Woodsman (NC16) at 10:20am., 12:20, 2:20, 4:20, 6:20, 8:20 & 10:45pm. Wed. late night at 0:50am.  
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 10:05am., 12:05, 2:10, 4:15, 6:20 & 11:15pm.  Wed. late night at 1:20am.  
 La cada (NC16) at 10:05am., 1:10, 3, 4:10, 6:10, 7:10, 9:15 & 10:15pm.     Wed. late night at 0:30 & 1:20am.  
 Sahara (NR) at 10:45am., 1:20 & 4pm.   
 De-Lovely (NR) at 12:30, 4:10 & 8:30pm.    
 Cama adentro (NR) at 11am., 12:50, 2:40, 4:30, 6:20, 8:10 & 10:15pm. Wed. late night at 0:30am.  
 Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 10:50am., 1:10, 3:30,  5:50, 8 & 10:30pm.  Wed. late night at 0:40am.    
 Star Wars Episode III. Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at 10:30am., 1:30, 4:30, 7:30 & 10:30pm.  Wed. late night at 1:30am.                 
  Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at 11:20am., 2:20 & 5:20pm.  

Suburbs

cine astro martinez   
 Av. santa fe 1860, martinez.  
phone: 4792-1304.  
astro 1  
 La cada (NC16) at 3:35, 6.35 & 9:40pm.  
astro 2  
 Cama adentro (NR.) at 3:25, 5:30, 8:25 & 10:10pm.

UNICENTER cine Martinez  
unicenter shopping mall  
PARANA 3745 - martinez  
phone: 4319-2999  
 Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at  11:05am,  2, 4:50, 7:30, 7:50, 10:30 & 10:50pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 11am., 2, 5, 8 & 11pm.    
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11am., 1:50 & 4:40pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11:15 & 11:45am., 1:20, 1:50, 3:30, 4:10, 5:45, 6:25, 8:05, 8:50, 10:20 & 11:10pm.    
 Robots (NR) In Spanish at 11:10am & 6:30pm.   
  Melinda y Melinda (NC13)  at 11:20am., 1:25, 3:40, 6, 8:15 & 10:40pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16.) at 1:10, 3:50, 8:40 & 11:20pm.      
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:15am., 12, 1:40, 2:50, 4:20, 5:40, 7:10, 8:30, 10 & 11:15pm.    
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11am., 1:05, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45 & 10:10pm.   
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 11:10am., 1:15, 3:20, 5.30, 7:40 & 10pm.   
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 10:45, 11:05 & 11:30am., 1:30, 1:55, 2:25, 4:30, 4:50, 5:20, 7:30, 7:50, 8:20, 10:30, 11 & 11:20pm. 

vILLAGE CINES PILAR  
PANAMERICANA KM 50 ACCESO PILAR. PHONE: 0810-444-66843  
 Una mujer infiel - The Door on the Floor (NC16)  at 11am., 1:15, 3:30, 5.45, 8:10 & 10:30pm.   
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11 & 11:30am., 1:45, 2:20 , 4:305:15, 7.20,  8, 10:15 & 11pm.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12, 2:30,  5, 7:30 & 10pm.  
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 12, 2:15, 4:30, 6:45, 9 & 11:10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11am., 1, 3. 5. 7:10, 9:15 & 11:20pm.        
 La cada (NC16) at 11am., 2 & 5:20pm.     
. Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  With intermission at 11, 1:45. 4:30 & 7:20pm.

CINEMARK SOLEIL  
BERNARDO DE IRIGOYEN 2647, BOULOGNE. PHONE: 4710-4637.                            
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1:35, 3:35, 5:45, 7:50 & 10:20pm.   
 Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at 1 & 6:50pm.   
  Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at  4, 7 & 10pm.    
 Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at  4:25 & 10:40pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16) at 1:50 & 8:05pm.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1:45, 4.45, 7.35 & 10:30pm.    
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 1:20, 3:30, 5:50, 8 & 10:10pm.     
 Slo un Angel (NC13) at  1:25, 3:45, 6:05, 8:25 & 10:45pm.   

CINEMARK 10  
MALVINAS ARGENTINAS  
rUTA 202 & rUTA 8.  
sAN mIGUEL. phone: 4667-3993  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at1:30, 2:30, 4:30, 5:30, 7:30,  8:30, 10:30 & 11:30pm.   
 Contra la pared (NC16, with rest.) at 1:35, 6:25 & 11:10pm.  
 Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at 1:05pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16) at 1:25, 3:45, 8:20 & 10:45pm.      
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 1:40, 3:50, 6.05, 8:15 & 10:25pm.  
 Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled at 10:15pm.                    
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 1:15, 4:25 & 7:15pm.     
 Voces del ms all - White Noise (NC13, with rest.) at           4:10 & 9pm.   
 Robots (NR)  In Spanish  at 6:10pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1:10, 3:20, 5:35, 7:40 & 9:30pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 4, 7:05 & 10:10pm.    
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1, 3:30, 6, 8:35 & 11:05pm.     
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 1:20, 3:30, 5:50, 8:05 & 10:20pm. 

atlas tren de la costa  
lasalle 653.san isidro  
PHONE: 5032-8527-  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1, 3:20, 5:40, 8 & 10:20pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 & 10:10pm.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 1:20, 3:20, 5:40, 8 & 10:40pm.    
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 1, 4, 7 & 10pm. 

CINEmark adrogue  
hipolito yrigoyen 13200. PHONE:4239-1102  
 Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (NC13) Subtitled at  1, 4, 6, 7, 9 & 10pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 2, 4:15, 6:30, 8:40 & 11pm.  
 Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at 2 & 5:20pm.       
 Gminis  (NC16) at 2:40pm.     
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16) at 3:30 & 10:55pm.   
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 1, 2:30, 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30 & 10pm.    
 La intrprete (NC13) at  4:30, 7.30 & 10:10pm.    
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 2:50, 5.20, 8 & 10:40pm.    
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish at 1:30, 3:45, 6, 8:15 & 10:30pm.    
 Slo un Angel (NC13) at  3:30, 4:40, 6:50 9 & 11:10pm. 

HOYTS plaza oeste  
av. gaona & vergara  
moron - phone: 4319-2999  
 Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at  1:25, & 7:15pm.                 
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13) at 11:25am., 2:20, 5:15, 8:15 & 11:15pm.  
 Robots (NR) Spanish 2:35pm.   
 Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at 12:05 & 7:35pm.     
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 1:30, 3:35, 5:40, 7:50 & 10pm.   
 La cada (NC16) at 11:25am., 4:35, 7:45 & 11:10pm.   
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at  11am., 12:25, 2:55, 4:30, 5:30, 8:05, 10:20 & 10:50pm.    
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11 &11:30am.,1:45, 2:15, 4:40, 5:10, 7:35, 8:05, 10:50 & 11pm.    

HOYTS temperley  
hipolito yrigoyen 10699  
temperley - phone: 4319-2999  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 10:50 & 11.40am., 1:40, 2:35, 4:35, 535, 7:35, 8:35, 10:35 & 11.35pm.   
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11am., 12, 1:10, 2:10, 3:25, 4:25, 5:40, 6:40, 8, 9, 10:20 & 11:15pm.   
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16) at  11:30am., 2:50 & 7:15pm.    
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 12, 1:55, 2.35, 4:35, 5:20, 8, 9:50 & 10:40pm.           
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11am., 1:45 & 4:45, 7:35 & 10:35pm.     
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:10am. 

HOYTS QUILMES FACTORY  
CALCHAQUI 3950 - QUILMES  
phone: 4319-2999  
 Batman inicia - Batman Begins (NC13) at 11 & 11:30am., 1:45, 2:15, 4:40, 5:10, 7.35, 8:05, 10:30 & 11pm.      
 Pap se volvi loco (NR) at 11 & 11:40am., 1:10, 1:40, 3:20, 3:55, 5:30, 6:05, 7:45, 8:15,  10 & 10:40pm..  
  Cruzada (NC13, with rest.) at  11:15am. & 8:15pm.     
 La casa de cera - House of Wax (NC16) at 12, 5:20 & 11:05pm.   
 Slo un ngel (NC13) at 1:40, 11:10am., 1:25, 3:40, 5:55, 8:10 & 10:20pm.  Sun. late night at 0:45am..  
 Sr. y Sra. Smith (NC13) at 11:05 & 11:45am., 1:40, 2:20 4:30, 5, 7:15, 7:40, 10, & 10:30pm.     
 Niera a prueba de balas - The Pacific (NR) In Spanish  at 11:20am., 1:30, 3:45, 6:05, 8:30 & 10:45pm.   
 Star Wars Episode III- Revenge of the Sith  (NC13) Subtitled at  2:25 & 8pm.        
 Star Wars Episodio III - La venganza de los Sith  (NC13)  in Spanish at 11:05am., 1:50 & 4:40, 7.35 & 10:50pm  
. Robots (NR) Spanish at 11:10am & 3:25pm.   
 Voces del ms all - White Noise (NC13, with rest.) at 2:05, 4:05, 6:10,  & 11:10pm..  
 Muy parecido al amor  - A Lot Like Love (NC13) at  1:1:10, 6, 8:30 & 10:50pm. 

  Ciudad BA A tie Lomas A with last-minute goal  

FIELD HOCKEY  
Womens First Division A

By Graciela H. Ortiz  
Herald staff

With a last-minute goal, hosts Ciudad de Buenos Aires A tied Lomas A 1-1 yesterday in Nez in the Womens First Division A.  
Virginia Balbuena had opened the score for the visitors, in the 41st minute, while Romina Pzellinsky equalized 30 seconds from the final. Both goals were netted from penalty corner deflections.  
The first half was even with good options in front of goals, but Lomas pressed hard in the last minutes and were close to open the score. But the good saves by Ciudads goalie Magal de Azpiazu prevented it.  
Ciudads best attack came in the 12th minute, when a deflection by Agustina Stagnaro hit Lomas keeper Mariela Antoniskas left post.  
Ten minutes later, a high shot by Lomas striker Alejandra Gulla was saved on the line by Sol Rossi.  
Lomas appeared more accurate after half-time, capitalizing on the first short corner they got. Then, six minutes after the break a powerful shot by Mnica Raffetti was deflected by Balbuena for the 1-0 lead.  
From then on, Lomas played in retreatment while Ciudad increased their attacks.  
Pzellinsky was moved to the front line, looking to strengthen the offensive as Ciudad had lost a key forward  in the 10th minute  when Carla Rebecchi was hit in the mouth by a stick and had to leave the field with a cut in her lip.  
If Ciudad did not equalize earlier, it was thanks to a super performance by national team keeper Antoniska, who saved several penalty corners (Ciudad got seven in the second half), but with 30 seconds remaining and when the victory appeared sealed, Pzellinsky deflected a corner hit by Beln Pallitto for the 1-1 final draw.  
OTHER GAMES  
In spite of a 2-2 draw against hosts Quilmes A, Gimnasia y Esgrima continue leading the womens First Division A standings, just one point ahead runners-up Quilmes A, but with one match in hand.  
Yesterdays Gimnasias goals were netted by Antonella De Bellis and Patricia Fioroni, while Beln Rivas and Dbora Piserno scored for the hosts.  
In other action, San Fernando A tied 1-1 against Banfield with Andrea Peiteado and Mercedes Martnez scoring.  
Visitors Belgrano A beat Nutico Hacoaj 3-1 with goals from Paz Buquete, Mara Cozzi and Daniela Rosales, while Nadia Silva scored for the losers.  
With goals by Karen Andrada and Mara Parma, SIC A defeated BACRC 2-0.  
Lomas B and CASI A tied 1-1 with goals from Laura Acosta and Claudia Burkart.  
Finally, visitors St. Catherines beat Bartolom Mitre A 2-1. Mariana Rossi netted twice for the victors, while Anala Agallano scored for Mitre.

  Classroom teaching - part 1 of 4 Basic steps  

By Pablo H. Scoponi   
FOR THE HERALD 

Many school teachers ask themselves the question, What can I do to improve my classes and guide students along the learning process? Becoming aware of the amazing array of adjustments teachers can make to their classes is a step in the right direction.  Teaching is constantly changing. Year after year, a great number of new tools are discovered all around the globe. This column will provide you with some innovative tools and ideas, which will allow you to seek out and implement the best of the state-of-the-art methods in your classrooms. Being acquainted with whats new gives you the opportunity to use updated teaching material and, in so doing, cater for your students needs. Below you will find a list of some of these tools:   
* Basic steps for classroom teaching  
* Brain gym   
* Yoga applied to teaching   
* NLP techniques   
* Business principles in the classroom    
In this issue we will discuss the first item on the list: Basic steps for classroom teaching. These steps are closely related to the organization of the class. Which organization plan will do most to appeal to students intrinsic motivation? The answer is very simple: There is not a plan, but different student types that require different organization plans. This is a twofold challenge since these steps will provide structure to the material educators have to use in every class as well as help pace students learning process.   Pre-planning Sometimes teachers have to be a whole morning teaching the same group of students. This is a very hard task for teachers. Being able to attract and keep their attention is what must be considered while planning.    
Planning  The target audience will gauge your designing the class. Take into account the following items: age, likes and dislikes, social background, linguistic competence, skills. It is much more effective to lead them in to doing something than to order them to do something appealing to their personal experiences on the topic at stake.    
Students Planning must be mainly based on students map of the world. A class should be designed according to students current knowledge, assumptions, biases, and, perhaps, misconceptions about the topic. In planning the class, teachers will have to build on the knowledge students bring, and also provide a means for students to reflect upon their biased perceptions.   
Other:    
* Write out a class outline   
* Provide students with realia.   
* Carefully select activities according to their interests   
* Change activities every 20 minutes   
* Remember to be process-oriented, consistent and patient. 

Pablo Scoponi is a graduate English teacher from ISP Joaqun V. Gonzlez. Candidate for a Licenciatura en Lengua Inglesa at UADE, he has been an Assistant Lecturer  at Joaqun V. Gonzlez since 1998.   
H e works as an Educational Consultant for a number of institutions and is also working in the development of educational material for SFL. He has specialized in NLP and communication techniques and has been running Teacher Development Courses for the last five years. At present he is working at UADE in Fontica and Expresin Oral. 

Comments? Opinions?   
E-mail us at 

  Cloning reaching maturity  
The experiment, outlined yesterday at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, brings the Belgians to the forefront of human cloning aimed at producing stem cells that would be a genetic match for injured or sick patients.  
The goal of so-called therapeutic cloning of human embryos is not to create babies but to extract stem cells, which are created in the earliest days after conception and give rise to the human body. Scientists hope to use the cells as replacement parts for diseased and injured organs. Cells taken from cloned embryos would be a genetic match and theoretically avoid transplant rejection problems.  
Some experts have said cloning may not become a practical approach for creating tailor-made stem cells because it requires huge numbers of eggs. There arent enough mature eggs left over from infertility treatments to meet that need, which means scores of women would have to be willing to donate them.  
Until now, scientists have only used mature eggs to create cloned embryos, but if immature eggs work too, the egg supply problem may be significantly eased, said Josiane Van der Elst, who conducted the research at Ghent University in Belgium.  
About 10 percent of eggs retrieved from women during infertility treatment are immature. Scientists have matured eggs in a lab before and have reported pregnancies from such eggs, but that is rare and immature eggs are usually discarded.  
As a concept, the idea is great, but unfortunately I think the real capability is limited, said Dr. Gianpiero Palermo, an embryology expert not connected with the research.  
Immature eggs, when matured in the lab and injected with sperm, produce very limited number of embryos already. When you do cloning, you get even less, said Palermo, director of assisted fertilization and andrology at Cornell University.                                (AP)
  Congress backs continued US participation in WTO  
WASHINGTON  Continued US participation in the 148-nation World Trade Organization was strongly endorsed by Congress Thursday in a vote prompted by lawmakers displeased with the course of US trade policy.  
The House voted 338-86 to reject a motion to withdraw congressional approval of the 1994 agreement establishing the Geneva-based trading body.  
As the worlds largest exporter and importer the United States has the most to gain from the lower trade barriers and fairer global trade rules that the WTO brings, said Rep. David Dreier, a Republican.  
While the vote was one-sided, opponents of the WTO did better than they did on a similar measure in 2000, when they garnered 56 votes to end US association with the organization that sets rules for international commerce and mediates trade disputes.  
Opposition came from two sides: those who say the WTO has too often ruled against US interests, such as when it sided with the European Union in a tax dispute that resulted in sanctions imposed on US producers, and those arguing that the general trend toward free trade has hurt American workers.  
Rep. Bernie Sanders, an independent, who introduced the withdrawal resolution, said it was time for Congress to take a tough look at trade policies that have failed the American worker, the American middle class, in a disastrous way.  
Others who said it would be a mistake to pull out of the WTO stressed that their vote should not imply that they are satisfied with WTO procedures or that they backed US trade policy, including the Central American Free Trade Agreement which could come up for a House vote in the next month.  
Rep. Ben Cardin, a Democratic leader on trade issues, said there should be a review of the WTO dispute process, which he said too often goes against US interests. There should also be better enforcement of trade rules in such areas as Chinese manipulation of its currency, protection of intellectual property and European subsidies, he said.  
The White House, in a statement, strongly opposed the withdrawal resolution, saying US participation in the WTO and its predecessor, the GATT, have contributed to the expansion of US exports of goods and services, which have risen by almost $443 billion (euro362 billion) since 1994.  
Pulling out of the WTO, it said, would result in loss of American business and jobs, discrimination against US goods, and loss of leverage in holding other countries to their trade commitments.  
The 1994 legislation authorizing US entry in the newly created WTO requires that the president submit a report on the costs and benefits of membership every five years. At that time, any member of either house of Congress can introduce a resolution seeking withdrawal of congressional approval.  
(AP(
  Crdoba awakens to a new castle hotel  
Born of an old ranch house that was expanded into a castle-like hotel by an Italian in the 1930s, what is now the El Castillo Hotel and Resort in the town of Valle Hermoso in the Punilla Valley was bought and completely refurbished by a family of hoteliers a couple of years ago and now offers all-inclusive packages that put people in touch with them-selves and nature around them.  
The hotels 45 rooms with waxed wooden floors, elegant furniture and private bathrooms are TV- and fridge-free to spare guests electromagnetic fields and noise (for that, there is a communal home theatre). In addition to a heated indoor swimming pool for the winter months, a gym and a bowling alley, the hotel sets itself apart from the rest by having a workshop for artists and a rehearsal room for musicians. Families with children and couples without them eat in separate restaurants. If guests so wish, they can be kept busy by one planned activity after another. Among these are outdoor stretching exercises, a sapo darts championship, folk dance classes, tennis tournaments, and soccer matches between El Castillo staff and guests.  
The packages run from Monday to Thurs-day, Thursday to Sunday, and Saturday to Saturday, costing 230 pesos per person per day during the low season. During the winter vacation period the rate for a week package goes up to 1,852 pesos for residents, and US$926 for non-residents. Information: .  
People who are motor racing fans, and those who arent, should remember that the World Rally Championship that will be run in the Crdoba hills from July 14 to 17, will leave from in front of the hotel on July 15 and 16.
  Could milk be an aid to weight loss?  
The dairy industry would like you to believe the latter. And it may surprise you that most of the evidence supports the industrys contention: that calcium and perhaps other substances in dairy foods can foster weight loss and especially loss of life-shortening abdominal fat.  
The evidence suggests that calcium, especially in dairy foods, can help people lose pounds, if they are on a reduced-calorie diet. There is also evidence that dairy foods can keep adolescents from gaining excessive weight and perhaps help adults control middle-age spread.  
Some studies that support these suggestions were financed by the dairy industry or companies that sell products like Yoplait yogurt. One prominent researcher in the field holds a patent on the claim that dairy products promote weight loss.  
But most studies were done by academic researchers who were supported by government grants or other unrestricted financing. So there is no reason to distrust their findings on the basis of financing.  
While studies of this kind cannot prove cause and effect, they often reveal links between two factors that suggest the need for more carefully controlled clinical trials. Indeed, quite a few studies have found a strong link between low intake of calcium, dairy products or both, and excess body weight, excessive weight gain or health conditions that can shorten life.  
More than two decades ago, the first federally supported National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found a significant association between low intake of calcium and being overweight. More recently, the Heritage Family Study, done at six major medical centers among 362 men and 462 women, found that low calcium consumption was tied to a higher percentage of body fat and especially abdominal fat, particularly in men and white women.  
The relationship applies to children and adolescents as well as adults, including children of Asian descent. Thus, in a study financed by the Department of Agriculture among 323 girls in Hawaii ages 9 through 14, higher intake of dairy products was associated with lower levels of body fat. The more soda the youngsters consumed, the higher their body weight.  
Small wonder that American children are getting fatter. As the Hawaiian study noted, milk consumption among adolescents declined by 36 percent from 1965 to 1996, while consumption of soft drinks and noncitrus juices almost doubled.  
For overweight adults, a major study indicated that dairy foods could protect against certain life-threatening complications. The four-center CARDIA Study (the acronym stands for Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) followed 3,157 black and white adults, ages 18 to 30, for a decade. Among those who were overweight, low levels of dairy consumption were associated with the development of insulin resistance syndrome. This condition, also known as metabolic syndrome and syndrome X, raises a persons risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  
These and other cross-sectional studies with similar findings prompted researchers doing follow-up studies to see whether a similar relationship developed among their participants over time.  
Thus, the Quebec Family Study found that over a six-year period, participants who increased consumption of nonfat or low-fat milk as well as whole fruit were less likely to gain weight and body fat than those who did not make such dietary changes.  
Among 99 children followed for up to 12 years in the Framingham Childrens Study in Massachusetts, those who consumed the fewest servings of dairy foods a day experienced the greatest gains in body mass index, a measure of fatness.  
And among 52 white children followed from age 2 months to 8 years in a study financed by Gerber Products and the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, the more calcium-rich foods the children consumed, the less body fat they acquired over the years.  
Now for the critical question: Can you lose weight by consuming more dairy foods? In research financed by the National Dairy Council, scientists led by Dr. Michael B. Zemel, director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee, spent 24 weeks studying 32 obese adults who consumed 500 fewer calories than they needed to maintain their weight. (Zemel holds a patent on commercial applications of the relationship between dairy, calcium and weight control.)  
The participants followed one of three diets: standard, with 400 to 500 milligrams of dietary calcium plus a placebo; high-calcium, or the standard diet with an 800-milligram calcium supplement; or high-dairy, with 1,200 to 1,300 milligrams of calcium plus a placebo.  
As the researchers reported last year in the journal Obesity Research, those on the standard diet alone lost 6.4 percent of their body weight, those on the high-calcium diet lost 8.6 percent, and those on the high-dairy diet lost 10.9 percent. In addition, more abdominal fat was lost on the high-calcium diet and even more on the high-dairy diet.  
In a 12-week study, supported by General Mills, the maker of Yoplait, and published this year in The International Journal of Obesity, Zemel and colleagues studied 34 otherwise healthy obese adults. Those randomly assigned to eat three servings of low-calorie yogurt a day lost significantly more weight, and a higher percentage of body fat, than those who ate only one dairy serving a day.  
Before you raid the dairy case, consider these findings as well from another study supported by the National Dairy Council and published this year in The American Journal of Nutrition. Among 155 young, healthy women of normal weight, Purdue University researchers found that those who followed a high-dairy diet (1,300 to 1,400 milligrams of calcium daily) for a year ended up with the same changes in body weight and fat as those who consumed a low-dairy or medium-dairy diet.  
Nonetheless, laboratory studies support the claims for weight benefits from calcium and especially dairy calcium. In a study financed by the National Institutes of Health, Dr. E.L. Melanson and colleagues at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center demonstrated in 35 nonobese adults that a high intake of calcium was associated with higher rates of fat oxidation.  
Zemel, who has studied the role of calcium in regulating fat-cell metabolism, also examined the effects of dairy sources of calcium in mice prone to obesity. He reported in the journal Lipids that, beyond calcium alone, dairy sources exert markedly greater effects in attenuating weight and fat gain and accelerating fat loss.  
His findings suggest that additional bioactive compounds in dairy act synergistically with calcium to reduce the risk of obesity.
  CUBA defeat Newman but fail to qualify  

RUGBY  
URBA Tournament

By Marcos Servente  
For the Herald

CUBA defeated Newman 34-17 yesterday in Villa de Mayo but, due to Pucars 44-22 victory over SIC, they were not able to qualify for the Championship Zone.  
The team from Burzaco and La Plata Rugby Club were the last two teams in the Zone A to qualify to fight for the URBA title.  
La Plata lost their match against Rosario AC 22-17 but, with the bonus point, they were able to go to the next round.  
In the Zone B, CASI and Olivos are the two teams that entered the Championship Zone. The Zebras obtained a close 18-13 victory over Regatas Bella Vista, one of the five teams that had chances to qualify, and passed to the next round. While the team from Munro, demolished Los Matreros 38-19.  
At Villa de Mayo, CUBA entered the pitch determined to end up with a victory and with a bonus point. During the first 20 minutes, the hosts dominated the match and did not let Newman control the ball. With this strategy, Martn Urdapilleta reached the in-gaol in three occasions, leaving the score 17-0.  
The rain during the previous days left the pitch very slippery and both teams committed great many handling errors. Due to this fact, the guests had several penalties near the posts that they preferred to play to the line out rather to add points through the kicks.  
With the fourth try, scored by Agustn Ezcurra, the locals lowered their production. We went out to obtain the bonus and then we relaxed, said Agustn Martnez Mosquera.  
During the second half, CUBA knew that they were able to win the match and controlled their opponents, especially because Newman didnt have any clear ideas on how to pass through CUBAs defence.  
The team is not the same as last year, it is still not build up, confessed Newmans locker Toms Basavilbaso. During this first part of the year we didnt played all the matches at the same level. We realized that we could be among the first places, but for that we needed to take advantage of the balls that we obtain, analyzed Martnez Mosquera.  
LINE-UPS & SCORERS  
CUBA: OFarrell (75m, Acua); Urdapilleta (56m, Mndez Tronge), Casas, Martnez Mosquera, Dorado; Ezcurra, Domnguez; Aguirre Zubir, OGorman, Crego Bonhomme; Aranguren, Acevedo; Mato, Tsin, Begino.  
Newman: Cornejo; Elizalde (79m, Erize), Repetto, Raimundi, Simn Padrs; Piccaluga, Masferrer; Huber (50m, Gandulfo), Basavilbaso, Miguens (68m, Daz Aguirre); Maschwitz, Viel; OConnor, Canalda, Monsegur (52m, Ayerza).  
Tries: 8m, 12m & 20m, Urdapilleta (C); 31m, Ezcurra (C); 41m, Cornejo (N); 44m, Piccaluga (N); 67m, Martnez Mosquera (C); 74m, Basavilbaso (N). Penalties: 63m, Martnez Mosquera (C). Conversions: 3 Martnez Mosquera (C); 1 Piccaluga (N). Sin Bin: 11m, Viel (N); 26m, Tsin (C); 37m, Domnguez (C).  
SOUTH AFRICA-FRANCE TIE  
In Durban: Dimitri Jachvili came within the width of an upright of earning France victory in the drawn first test against South Africa yesterday. The match finished 30-30 with France scoring four tries to South Africas three.  
Debutant right wing Julien Candelon touched down with six minutes left to level the scores but replacement scrumhalf Jachvili hit the left hand upright with the conversion that would have given France victory.  
France, whose players are nearing the end of a long domestic campaign that started in September, refused to give up against the fresher South Africans, who began their season last week.  
LIONS BATTLE HARD  
In Dunedin, New Zealand: the British and Irish Lions battled hard to overcome a gallant but outclassed Otago side 30-19 yesterday.  
Wales winger Shane Williams was the highlight of the Lions backline scoring one of their three tries and setting up another for Ryan Jones while flyhalf Charlie Hodgson added 15 points with his boot. Vice-captain Will Greenwood scored the Lions other try.  
Otago flyhalf Nick Evans was the best player on either side, kicking 14 points and providing the attacking impetus for his team. Scrumhalf Danny Lee scored Otagos try.  
The home side had won four of their previous six encounters against the Lions.

  Current US account trade deficit rises to all-time high of US$195.1 billion  

WASHINGTON  The deficit in the broadest measure of international trade rose to an all-time high of USUS$195.1 billion from January through March of this year as the country sank deeper into debt to Japan, China and other nations.  
The Commerce Department reported Friday that the deficit in the current account rose by 3.6 percent from the previous quarterly record, an imbalance of US$188.4 billion in the final three months of 2004.  
The current account deficit has risen to record heights in recent years as Americas demand for foreign goods and servicers has soared, raising worries about the countrys ability to continue financing a trade deficit at such heights.  
The current account deficit for all of 2004 hit a record US$668.1 billion, up a sharp 28.6 percent from the previous record of US$519.7 billion in 2003.  
The current account is the broadest measure of foreign trade because it covers not only trade in goods and services but also foreign aid and investment flows between nations.  
The US deficit must be finananced by investors abroad agreeing to hold more in US dollar-denominated investments, something that so far they have been quite happy to do as they sell Americans more and more foreign cars, television sets and other consumer products.  
However, economists worry that at some point foreign investors may lose their enthusiasm for dollar-denominated investments and begin dumping their holdings in US stocks and bonds. Such a development could cause interest rates in the United States to soar and push the value of the dollar and stocks down sharply. If the reaction was severe enough, it could push the country into a recession.

The rise in the current account deficit for the first quarter meant that the deficit now represents 6.4 percent of the total US economy, also a record as a percentage of the gross  domestic economy.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has called the current account levels unsustainable but he also has said that market forces should be able to deal with the problem in a way that will not seriously disrupt the US economy.  
The rise in the current account deficit for the first quarter meant that the deficit now represents 6.4 percent of the total US economy, also a record as a percentage of the gross domestic economy.  
The deterioration in the first quarter deficit reflected an increase of US$4.15 billion in the deficit in goods which rose to US$186.3 billion. This was offset slighlty by an increase of US$1.62 billion in the surplus in services, which rose to US$14.57 billion in the first quarter.  
The surplus on investment flows increased by US$541 million to US$3.78 billion but the deficit in unilateral transfers, a category that includes foreign aid, increased by US$4.70 billion to US$27.07 billion.  
(AP)  

  Dallas the new Miami for transiting drugs  
A December shooting at a home in the city section was a wake-up call to the threat posed by the northern spread of dangerous Mexican drug cartels, the Dallas Morning News said in yesterdays editions.  
It involved a man who came to the neighbourhood, shot one man dead and injured three others before leaving. Inside two homes, police investigating the shooting found two million dollars worth of cocaine and more than 300,000 dollars in cash.  
Some FBI sources told the newspaper the shooting is believed to be related to the bloody feud between Mexicos Jurez cartel and the archrival Gulf cartel for control of drug routes into the United States. The feud has turned parts of the Texas-Mexico border into a battle zone.  
In early June, a federal task force arrested more than three dozen people  most of them in Dallas  in a major drug bust.  
Former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Phil Jordan said traffickers see Dallas as a hub for moving into cities in the rest of the country. Dallas is at least 650 km north of the Mexican border.  
Dallas is the new Miami for transiting drugs, said Jordan.  
Most of the goods are funnelled up I-35, the drug traffickers route of choice. Lets say you want to transport 2,000 pounds of marijuana, or cocaine, to the US, said Jordan. You get 10 or 20 cars on I-35, and maybe you lose one load, but you still get 1,800 pounds across. The odds are with you.  
 (AP)  

  Day by Day  

Births, Marriages,   
Deaths  
There is a fixed charge for notices in this column ($ 1 p/word plus VAT ). Name, address and identity document number must accompany all announcements. Late Death notices must be rece ived before 9pm for publication the following day

Deaths

THURN Elena Stuart (ne Finlayson). Loving mother of Lynne, Susan (d) and Ian, mother-in-law of Alec and Norma, dear granny of Grace, Cathy, Nadine, Douglas and Melanie and great-granny of Martina and Pauline, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2005. Funeral to be held today at 11am at the British Cemetery (Chacarita). Donations to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Casa Cucchetti e Hijos SRL. Vallejos 4460. Tel 4501-8745.

THURN Elena (Ne Finlayson, Lieutenant Royal Air Force). The Royal Air Force Association regret to announce her death and convey their deepest sympathy to her family. Funeral will take place on June 21st at 11am at the British Cemetery in Chacarita. No flowers by request, donations only to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, phone 4290-1826.

A.B.C.C. 

Olivos and La Lucila District. Musical evening will take place at the W.M. Brightman Hall, Northlands School, Tucumn 3025, Olivos, on Sunday July 3rd at 5pm. The programme will include singing, acting and music by Lucila Gandolfo.Song RUs, Fats Quartet and the Fatsas. Donation  of $10.- can be reservedbeforehand by ringing Anne, 4790-4807 or Nancy, 154069-8970.

B.A.B.S. 

Casi Nuevo & BABS Bookstore. Two second-hand shops at Avda. Santa Fe 512, in Acassuso, in aid of BABS Home for the elderly members of the English-speaking communities. Good selection of clothes, household articles (except furniture), toys,  home-made preserves and books at reasonable prices. Open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am to 6pm. and on Saturdays from 10am to 12:30pm. We need volunteers to help run the shops, or if you are moving or spring-cleaning, please contact: Doreen 4798-4652, Marilyn 4723-6446, Grace 4798-5065 or 

U.W.C.

 University Womens Club. Monthly luncheon today Tuesday June 21st at Hotel Emperador, Av. del Libertador 420. 11:45am to 2:30pm. Speaker: Dr. Vicente Gutirrez Maxwell on Bioethics and Medicine. Make your reservation with Lotte, 47782-1911 or Selma, 4791-1400.

Today Tuesday June 21st: Piano Recital by Martin Perino. 6:30 to 9pm. at Zabala 1900, Belgrano. Contact: Muriel Hussin, 4774-9922. Sissel Lindeman, 4786-6776 or Massako Worshop, 4743-6051.

Friday June 24: Spanish through Experience. Visit to Palacio San Martn, Arenales 761. Contact Shak 4786-6193.

W.D.A.

 Video show at St. Michaels! organized by the Womens Diocesan Association, Martnez Branch, who are back with the all-time favorite The Shell Seekers, starring Angela Lansbury, on Wednesday June 29 at 3p., followed by tea $ 7.- Sarmiento 328, Martnez. For information, contact 4790-5686.

Bridge - Canasta Teas

St. Saviors Church Bridge and Canasta Tea will take place on Friday June 24 at Cramer 1844, from 2 to 6pm. For reservations, please contact Aileen (4781-8726), or Lorna (4781-0862).

The British Hospital Nurses Association is holding a Bridge Canasta Tea at the Nurse Home, Perdriel 74, on Saturday June 25, from 2 to 6pm. Reservations: Malela, 4774-8523 or Alicia, 4821-5660.

Kermesses, Fairs and Rummage Sales

A Caf Artesanal will be held in St. Johns Cathedral Hall on Monday June 27 from 11am to 3pm. Hand-made articles in aid of our sin techo friends,  with books, jams and cakes. Also the Second-hand shop. We hope  to see you for coffee or tea at 25 de Mayo 282, City.

Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners.

Reina Matilde Association. In aid of Caritas, presenting The Natural Treasures of Argentina, by specialist Cristina Bugatti, as a homage to Japan for its ample contribution to the development of these treasures:  pre-Columbian cereals, wild plants, fishing, etc., its generous donations to INTA. Saturday, June 25 at noon at Muoz 2102, San Miguel, Luncheon at 1pm. with Andean food. A contribution of $10.- is expected. For reservations and transport arrangements, contact 4822-0588.

The American Club of Buenos Aires will begin its E-Menu del Club with its classic complete puchero on Tuesday July 5 as from 1pm.  $35. The lunch includes wine, dessert and coffee. Also on the same date, a Dudo Tournament 2005 is announced as from 4:30pm.  (Enrolment $50.-) Please make your reservations with Mrs. Mara Gutirrez before June 29 at  The American Club of Buenos Aires, Viamonte 1133, 10th floor. Tel./ Fax 4373-8801/ 04. 

The American Club of Buenos Aires, the American Womens Club and The American Society of the River Plate announce a cocktail party to take place on Thursday July 7 at 7pm. at the American Club, in celebration of the Argentine and United States independences.  Ambassador Don Lino Gutirrez and his Wife will attend together with distinguished members of his Diplomatic Mission. Card $50.- Make your reservations with Mrs. Mara Gutirrez, Tel. 4373-8801 extension 2, before July 1st. Viamonte 1133, 10th floor.

Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous English-speaking group meets every week night at 7pm in the Evangelical Methodist Church, Corrientes 718, Capital, and in St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church, Sarmiento 328, Eduardo Costa corner, Martnez, every Wednesday at 7:30 pm. and every Sunday at 6:30. The second Thursday each month, Open Meeting.

Highland Heritage Society,  . Conversation group. Practise the English language. Newcomers are welcome. Every  Friday from 6:30 to 9pm. Club del Progreso, Sarmiento 1334, City. For information,     

 Buenos Aires International Newcomers Group - Suburbs.  Are you new to Buenos Aires and living in the Suburban area? Join us on Thursday June 23 at 12.30pm. to meet other English speaking foreigners at our Member Luncheon. For further information, contact Sandy at 15-5766-8686.    

Buenos Aires International Newcomers Group - Downtown invites all English speaking foreigners living in the Downtown area, on Friday June 24, 2 to 4pm. for a Member Meeting. For information, contact Jennifer, 15-5339.1071.                                

Theatre, Music, Arts 

De Romances y Cantares chamber ensemble, conducted by Eduardo Cogorno. Artistic director: Maestro Mario Benzecry. Today Tuesday June 21 at 8pm. at the AMIA, Pasteur 633. Free of charge admission. For information, contact: 4959-8892.

Mademoiselle, 1966 movie directed by Tony Richardson on script by Marguerite Duras, Jean Genet, starring Jeanne Moreau, Ettore Manni, Humberto Orsini, is announced today Tuesday June 21 at 5 & 8pm. at the British Arts Centre, Suipacha 1333. Tel. 4393-6941. 

Arte Criollo exhibition will be inaugurated today Tuesday June 21 at the Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires, 25 de Mayo 350, Ground Floor. On display until June 24. 

Jazzologia Cycle. Show No. 1688 today Tuesday June 21 at 8:30pm. Gipsy Jazz Recital  in charge of Cordal Swing Group (from La Plata) presenting their CD Grappelliana at the Sala A-B, Centro Cultural General San Martn, Sarmiento 1551. Coordination and comments by Carlos Inzillo. Free of charge admission, with tickets available two hours before starting time. 

Exhibition of works by Jorge Dandolo will be inaugurated tomorrow Wednesday June 22 from 9 to 10pm. at Coleccin Alvear de Zurbarn, Av. Alvear 1658. Viewing hours Monday through Saturday from 10:30am to 9pm. and Sundays from 11am to 8pm. until July 17.

The exhibition of paintings by Carolina Otamendi will be inaugurated tomorrow Wednesday June 22 at 7pm. at the Galera El Socorro, Suipacha 1331. Tel. 4327-0746. Viewing hours Monday through Friday from 10:30am to 8:30pm. Saturdays 10:30am to 1pm., until July 11.

Los dos Garaycochea, exhibitionof works by Carlos Garaycochea will be inaugurated  with participation of the Antigua Jazz Band, on Thursday June 23 at 7pm. at the Palais de Glace, Palacio Nacional de las Artes, Posadas 1725. On view until July 10.  

Lectures, Seminars, Courses

Let Us Fight for Life, a civil association starts, for the twelfth year on end, its school workshops promoting awareness and preservation of life on public roads. Primary and EGB schools in Buenos City and Greater Buenos Aires, that would like to receive free of charge the visit of the Road Safety Mobile Team aimed at 6th & 7th form students, can contact the Association on the phone 4637-8090 or 4611-4060. Fax 4637-7899, from 11am to 7pm. Schools & students participating in the workshops will  be presented with teaching material and may expect to be awarded one of the Let us fight for Life 2005 prizes.

Los pensadores judos ante las puertas de Auschwitz, lecture - chat  by Profesor Magali Milmaniere, is announced today Tuesday June 21 at 6:30pm. at the AMIA, Pasteur 633. Free of charge admission. For information, contact: 4959-8892.

Aspectos cientfico-cultura-les de la relacin entre Europa y la Argentina lecture in charge of Ambassador Angelos Pankratis, Chief of the European Committee Delegation in the Argentine Republic is announced today Tuesday June 21 at 11am. at the UADE, Lima 717, Miniauditorio A. Free of charge admission. For further information, contact: 4000-7317, e-mail: 

Discutiendo el presente: la problemtica del mundo actual,round table  organized by the Univesidad Argentina de la Empresa, with participation of Dr. Alberto Lettieri, Professor Elsa Lauro, Lic. Estela Garau,  Fabin Calle, Federico Merke and Lic. Elisa Beltritti, is announced today Tuesday June 21 at 8pm. at the UADE, Lima 717 Classroom 305. Free admission. For further information, contact 4000-7487 or 

Cuadro de Mando Integral, alineando la estrategia con la ejecucin, free of charge Seminar organized by the Colegio de Graduados en Ciencias Econmicas, is announced today Tuesday June 21 and next Tuesday June 28 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. at Viamonte 1592. Prior enrolment essential. For information contact Tel. 4371-0406 or by e-mail: 

.Ciencia, Filosofa y Religin segn Yoga,  by Swami Shivapremananda, is announced tomorrow Wednesday June 22 at 7pm. at Gallo 1251. Free of charge admission. Sponsored by Buenos Aires City Government Culture Secretariat.

Dances 

St. Andrews Society of the River Plate invites  you to have fun practising Scottish Country Dances. The atmosphere is friendly and lively and you can enjoy yourself to the rhythm of lively jigs and reels or more relaxed dances like Strathspeys. Meetings on Friday at 9pm. at Per 352, City. For further information, get in touch with 4959-7566 or e-mail 

Thistle Scottish Dance on Saturday July 2 at 9:30pm. at St. Andrews Punta Chica. For reservations call 4798-7735. No tickets at the door.

S.A.P.As Ball will be held on June 11 at Colegio Belgrano, 9 de Julio 250, Temperley. Grand March at 9pm. Admission $8.- For information or reservations, contact 4244-2825, 1550146281, email: 

Church Notices 

Our Lady of Lourdes, English- Speaking Catholic Community  celebrates Holy Mass on Sundays at 11:30am. at the  Escuela de la Pradre, Av. del Libertador 2895, Victoria, Zona Norte (suburbs). All newcomers are welcome to join our parish and celebrate the Holy Eucharist. After a short Winter travel break, our Masses wil resume on August 7, 2005. For further information, call: 4792-2488 or email .

 Anglican Cathedral St. John the Baptist welcomes visitors and foreign residents to its services in English, Holy Communion at 9:30am every Sunday. 25 de Mayo 276, Capital. Tel.: 4342-4618.

St. Andrews Presbyterian City Church announces its Sunday Services at 10am. in English and at 11:30 in Spanish. All are welcome. Av. Belgrano 579, Buenos Aires.

St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, Sarmiento 328, Martnez. Tel. 4792-8865.  Sunday Services: 9:30am. (English), 11:15am (Spanish) except 4th Sunday of the month, only at 11:15am (Spanish). Healing ministry after the Service on 1st and 3rd Sundays. We warmly welcome you to share.

Holy Trinity Church, Alte. Brown 2577, Lomas de Zamora: Every Sunday at 10:30am: Regular Church Service with Holy Communion.

The Annual Commemoration of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher  will take place on Wednesday June 22nd at 7pm. in the Chapel of the Apostleship of the Sea, Av. Independencia 20 of this city. After the Mass Professor Carol Deannes Choir will offer their Land of Songs, a recital to be followed by refreshments in a Bring and Share buffet. All in aid of the poor chidren in the La Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires run by the Scalabrini Fathers. All most welcome

.International Bible Church  (non denominational), Sarmiento 618, Martnez. We welcome English speakers to join with us on Sunday at 10am: Sunday school at. 11:15am.: Worship service. 4pm: AWANA (K-7th childrens mini story); 6pm: Adult Bible study; 6pm.: Worship Service (in Spanish). Tuesday: Bible study in the downtown area at  7:30pm. Wednesday: North Zone Prayer Meeting: 7:30pm. Friday: Womens Friday morning Bible study: 9am. For location of AWANA Bible studies, prayer meeting/ information, Matt Greco: 4793-0392, 4792-4330

United Community Church,  Santa Fe 839, Acassuso, an interdenominational Christian Church welcomes and invites all those who want to worship in English. Sunday schedule: Worship at 10am. Coffee Fellowship at 11am. Sunday School for all ages at 11:30am. Free bus service on Sunday from Downtown Corrientes 748. Pick up at 9am, return 12:30pm. Midweek activities Pre-school, Youth Groups, Choir, Bible Studies, Alpha Course,  Quilting Groups. Information, contact the Church office, 4792-1375.

  DAY BY DAY June 20, 2005  

Births, Marriages,   
Deaths  
There is a fixed charge for notices in this column ($ 1 p/word plus VAT ). Name, address and identity document number must accompany all announcements. Late Death notices must be rece ived before 9pm for publication the following dayy

A.B.C.C. 

Olivos and La Lucila District. Musical evening will take place at the W.M. Brightman Hall, Northlands School, Tucumn 3025, Olivos, on Sunday July 3rd at 5pm. The programme will include singing, acting and music by Lucila Gandolfo.Song RUs, Fats Quartet and the Fatsas. Donation  of $10.- can be reservedbeforehand by ringing Anne, 4790-4807 or Nancy, 154069-8970.

 Results of Bono Contribution. 1st: No. 0405. 2nd: No. 0461. 3rd. No. 1639; 4th to 17th: 1419, 0611, 0685, 1504, 0125, 0843, 1978, 1382, 1237, 1075, 0511, 2000, 1264 and 0604. The Executive Committee are most grateful to all who have contributed to our charity.

B.A.B.S. 

Casi Nuevo & BABS Bookstore. Two second-hand shops at Avda. Santa Fe 512, in Acassuso, in aid of BABS Home for the elderly members of the English-speaking communities. Good selection of clothes, household articles (except furniture), toys,  home-made preserves and books at reasonable prices. Open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am to 6pm. and on Saturdays from 10am to 12:30pm. We need volunteers to help run the shops, or if you are moving or spring-cleaning, please contact: Doreen 4798-4652, Marilyn 4723-6446, Grace 4798-5065 or 

U.W.C.

 University Womens Club. Monthly luncheon tomorrow Tuesday June 21st at Hotel Emperador, Av. del Libertador 420. 11:45am to 2:30pm. Speaker: Dr. Vicente Gutirrez Maxwell on Bioethics and Medicine. Make your reservation with Lotte, 47782-1911 or Selma, 4791-1400.

Tomorrow Tuesday June 21st: Piano Recital by Martin Perino. 6:30 to 9pm. at Zabala 1900, Belgrano. Contact: Muriel Hussin, 4774-9922. Sissel Lindeman, 4786-6776 or Massako Worshop, 4743-6051.

Friday June 24: Spanish through Experience.  Visit to Palacio San Martn, Arenales 761. Contact Frida 4311-6826.

W.D.A.

 Video show at St. Michaels! organized by the Womens Diocesan Association, Martnez Branch, who are back with the all-time favorite The Shell Seekers, starring Angela Lansbury, on Wednesday June 29 at 3p., followed by tea $ 7.- Sarmiento 328, Martnez. For information, contact 4790-5686.

Bridge - Canasta Teas

St. Saviors Church Bridge and Canasta Tea will take place on Friday June 24 at Cramer 1844, from 2 to 6pm. For reservations, please contact Aileen (4781-8726), or Lorna (4781-0862).

The British Hospital Nurses Association is holding a Bridge Canasta Tea at the Nurse Home, Perdriel 74, on Saturday June 25, from 2 to 6pm. Reservations: Malela, 4774-8523 or Alicia, 4821-5660.

Kermesses, Fairs and Rummage Sales

A Caf Artesanal will be held in St. Johns Cathedral Hall on Monday June 27 from 11am to 3pm. Hand-made articles in aid of our sin techo friends,  with books, jams and cakes. Also the Second-hand shop. We hope  to see you for coffee or tea at 25 de Mayo 282, City.

Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners.

Reina Matilde Association. In aid of Caritas, presenting The Natural Treasures of Argentina, by specialist Cristina Bugatti, as a homage to Japan for its ample contribution to the development of these treasures:  pre-Columbian cereals, wild plants, fishing, etc., its generous donations to INTA. Saturday, June 25 at noon at Muoz 2102, San Miguel, Luncheon at 1pm. with Andean food. A contribution of $10.- is expected. For reservations and transport arrangements, please contact 4814-3516.

The American Club of Buenos Aires will begin its E-Menu del Club with its classic complete puchero on Tuesday July 5 as from 1pm.  $35. The lunch includes wine, dessert and coffee. Also on the same date, a Dudo Tournament 2005 is announced as from 4:30pm.  (Enrolment $50.-) Please make your reservations with Mrs. Mara Gutirrez before June 29 at  The American Club of Buenos Aires, Viamonte 1133, 10th floor. Tel./ Fax 4373-8801/ 04. 

The American Club of Buenos Aires, the American Womens Club and The American Society of the River Plate announce a cocktail party to take place on Thursday July 7 at 7pm. at the American Club, in celebration of the Argentine and United States independences.  Ambassador Don Lino Gutirrez and his Wife will attend together with distinguished members of his Diplomatic Mission. Card $50.- Make your reservations with Mrs. Mara Gutirrez, Tel. 4373-8801 extension 2, before July 1st. Viamonte 1133, 10th floor.

Meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous English-speaking group meets every week night at 7pm in the Evangelical Methodist Church, Corrientes 718, Capital, and in St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church, Sarmiento 328, Eduardo Costa corner, Martnez, every Wednesday at 7:30 pm. and every Sunday at 6:30. The second Thursday each month, Open Meeting.

Highland Heritage Society,  . Conversation group. Practise the English language. Newcomers are welcome. Every  Friday from 6:30 to 9pm. Club del Progreso, Sarmiento 1334, City. For information,     

 Centro Cultural Islmico Rey Fahd, Av. Bullrich 55. Tel. 4899-1144, invites members of Islamic Community to perform the five daily prayers, and welcomes public for free guided visits.

Jabad Lubavitch Recoleta. Religious services, courses, other activities. Bilingual. Guido 1871. For information, phone 4807-7073.   
e-mail:  

Buenos Aires International Newcomers Group - Suburbs.  Are you new to Buenos Aires and living in the Suburban area? Join us on Thursday June 23 at 12.30pm. to meet other English speaking foreigners at our Member Luncheon. For further information, contact Sandy at 15-5766-8686.    

Buenos Aires International Newcomers Group - Downtown invites all Entlish speaking foreigners living in the Downtown area, on Friday June 24, 2 to 4pm. for a Member Meeting. Forfurther information, please contact Jennifer at 15-5339-1071.                                

Theatre, Music, Arts 

Carlos Thays Botanical Garden guided visits are offered Monday through Sunday, in Spanish, English and Italian, for tourists, students and public in general, with the aim of helping people rediscover this unique place in Buenos Aires. For information, contact: 4831-7736, 4833-1520. 

Banderazo Solidario Flag Day Celebration,   today Monday June 20 at the Argentine Artcrafts and Popular Traditions Fair at Av. Lisandro de la Torre and Av. de los Corrales. Free of charge admission.

Las edades/ The Ages, book by architect Ricardo Feierstein, will be launched with participation of Silvia Plager, Marcos Aguinis and Bernardo E. Korenblit;. poems recited by Betty Dimov and coordination by Mosh Korin. Today Monday June 20 at 6pm. at the AMIA, Pasteur 633. Free of charge admission. For information, contact: 4959-8892.

Thrillers, a show in homage to the cinema. 16mm stories narrated with Lalo Bianchi on saxophone and texts by Marcos Silber. Narrator: Martin Andrade. Today Monday June 20 at 8:15pm. at the AMIA, Pasteur 633. Free of charge admission. For information, contact: 4959-8892.

Arte Criollo exhibition will be inaugurated tomorrow Tuesday June 21 at the Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires, 25 de Mayo 350, Ground Floor. On display until June 24.   

Lectures, Seminars, Courses

Let Us Fight for Life, a civil association starts, for the twelfth year on end, its school workshops promoting awareness and preservation of life on public roads. Primary and EGB schools in Buenos City and Greater Buenos Aires, that would like to receive free of charge the visit of the Road Safety Mobile Team aimed at 6th & 7th form students, can contact the Association on the phone 4637-8090 or 4611-4060. Fax 4637-7899, from 11am to 7pm. Schools & students participating in the workshops will  be presented with teaching material and may expect to be awarded one of the Let us fight for Life 2005 prizes.

Jess nos da otra visin, lecture in charge of Dr. Toms Mackey, within the framework of Bible Studies, is announced today Monday June 20 at 8pm. at the Centro Cristiano Bautista Recoleta, Av. Libertador 1140. Tel./ Fax 4806-7699/ 7700. Free of charge admission.

Aspectos cientfico-culturales de la relacin entre Europa y la Argentina lecture in charge of Ambassador Angelos Pankratis, Chief of the European Committee Delegation in the Argentine Republic is announced tomorrow Tuesday June 21 at 11am. at the UADE, Lima 717, Miniauditorio A. Free of charge admission. For furhter information, contact: 4000-7317 or e-mail: 

Discutiendo el presente: la problemtica del mundo actual,round table  organized by the Univesidad Argentina de la Empresa, with participation of Dr. Alberto Lettieri, Professor Elsa Lauro, Lic. Estela Garau,  Fabin Calle, Federico Merke and Lic. Elisa Beltritti, is announced tomorrow Tuesday June 21 at 8pm. at the UADE, Lima 717 Classroom 305. Free admission. For further information, contact 4000-7487 or   

Ciencia, Filosofa y Religin segn Yoga,  by Swami Shivapremananda, is announced on Wednesday June 22 at 7pm. at Gallo 1251. Free of charge admission. Programme sponsored by Buenos Aires City Government Culture Secretariat.

Dances 

St. Andrews Society of the River Plate invites  you to have fun practising Scottish Country Dances. The atmosphere is friendly and lively and you can enjoy yourself to the rhythm of lively jigs and reels or more relaxed dances like Strathspeys. Meetings on Friday at 9pm. at Per 352, City. For further information, get in touch with 4959-7566 or e-mail 

Thistle Scottish Dance on Saturday July 2 at 9:30pm. at St. Andrews Punta Chica. For reservations call 4798-7735. No tickets at the door.

S.A.P.As Ball will be held on June 11 at Colegio Belgrano, 9 de Julio 250, Temperley. Grand March at 9pm. Admission $8.- For information or reservations, contact 4244-2825, 1550146281, email: 

Church Notices 

Our Lady of Lourdes, English- Speaking Catholic Community  celebrates Holy Mass on Sundays at 11:30am. at the  Escuela de la Pradre, Av. del Libertador 2895, Victoria, Zona Norte (suburbs). All newcomers are welcome to join our parish and celebrate the Holy Eucharist. After a short Winter travel break, our Masses wil resume on August 7, 2005. For further information, call: 4792-2488 or email .

 Anglican Cathedral St. John the Baptist welcomes visitors and foreign residents to its services in English, Holy Communion at 9:30am every Sunday. 25 de Mayo 276, Capital. Tel.: 4342-4618.

St. Andrews Presbyterian City Church announces its Sunday Services at 10am. in English and at 11:30 in Spanish. All are welcome. Av. Belgrano 579, Buenos Aires.

St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, Sarmiento 328, Martnez. Tel. 4792-8865.  Sunday Services: 9:30am. (English), 11:15am (Spanish) except 4th Sunday of the month, only at 11:15am (Spanish). Healing ministry after the Service on 1st and 3rd Sundays. We warmly welcome you to share.

Holy Trinity Church, Alte. Brown 2577, Lomas de Zamora: Every Sunday at 10:30am: Regular Church Service with Holy Communion.

The Annual Commemoration of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher  will take place on Wednesday June 22nd at 7pm. in the Chapel of the Apostleship of the Sea, Av. Independencia 20 of this city. After the Mass Professor Carol Deannes Choir will offer their Land of Songs, a recital to be followed by refreshments in a Bring and Share buffet. All in aid of the poor chidren in the La Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires run by the Scalabrini Fathers. All most welcome

.International Bible Church  (non denominational), Sarmiento 618, Martnez. We welcome English speakers to join with us on Sunday at 10am: Sunday school at. 11:15am.: Worship service. 4pm: AWANA (K-7th childrens mini story); 6pm: Adult Bible study; 6pm.: Worship Service (in Spanish). Tuesday: Bible study in the downtown area at  7:30pm. Wednesday: North Zone Prayer Meeting: 7:30pm. Friday: Womens Friday morning Bible study: 9am. For location of AWANA Bible studies, prayer meeting/ information, Matt Greco: 4793-0392, 4792-4330

United Community Church,  Santa Fe 839, Acassuso, an interdenominational Christian Church welcomes and invites all those who want to worship in English. Sunday schedule: Worship at 10am. Coffee Fellowship at 11am. Sunday School for all ages at 11:30am. Free bus service on Sunday from Downtown Corrientes 748. Pick up at 9am, return 12:30pm. Midweek activities Pre-school, Youth Groups, Choir, Bible Studies, Alpha Course,  Quilting Groups. Information, contact the Church office, 4792-1375.

  Days death toll: 30  
BAGHDAD  At least eight car bombs exploded across Iraq yesterday killing about 30 people as insurgents defied a widespread US-Iraqi security clampdown.  
In the Kurdish city of Arbil, a suicide bomber drove his car into a crowd of police recruits, killing at least 12 and wounding about 100 on a soccer field, officials said.  
A second such attack in the normally more tranquil Kurdish region killed the security chief of the town of Halabja while another on an Iraqi army checkpoint in the disputed oil city of Kirkuk, just outside Kurdistan, killed four soldiers.  
Five car bombs blew up in Baghdad, targeting mostly Iraqi police and soldiers. One struck the notorious airport road.  
The wave of violence came as two influential US senators criticized fellow Republican President George W. Bushs handling of the two-year-old war and said people in the US needed to be told that US troops faced a long, hard slog in Iraq.  
Meanwhile a Sunni Muslim militant group said in an Internet statement it had tried to assassinate an Al Arabiya television correspondent in Baghdad for what it said was the channels bias against Sunnis in Iraq.  
We claim responsibility for the assassination attempt of the evil Shiite Jawad Kadhem, said Jamaat Jund al-Sahaba (Soldiers of the Prophets Companions) in a statement posted on a Web site often used by militants.  
The Al Arabiya channel has harmed Sunnis in Iraq and is the tongue of Americans and dirty Shiites in (Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim) Jaafaris government, said the statement, which could not be immediately authenticated.  
The Arbil bombing yesterday was the second time in six weeks that such a big bomb has shattered the relative peace of the north, where a regional president was sworn in last week. In early May a suicide bomber killed 46 police recruits in the city.  
The security chief of Halabja was killed along with three bodyguards when a suicide bomber drove at their vehicle, local security officials said. They died near a memorial to the civilian victims of the 1988 poison gas attack that made Halabja a byword for Saddam Husseins oppressive rule.      
          (Herald staff with Reuters)
  Destination weddings in Mexico  

He wanted something a little more formal.  
In the end we compromised. We got married at the beach, with 70 or so guests, in an event that ended up being cheaper and easier than a traditional wedding, but still unforgettable  with fireworks, mariachis, even a cake fight.  
Two years later  as my husband and I travelled to Tulum, south of Cancn, to witness two friends tie the knot on a secluded strip of white sand  I realized I was attending more and more weddings that felt like vacations.  
In fact, 10 percent of the 2 million US couples who marry each year plan so-called destination weddings  a 200 percent increase in the past decade  according to Conde Nasts Bridal Group Infobank and Modern Bride Magazine.  
I can understand the trend. Watching the sun set on the no-fuss ceremony in Tulum  carried out by one of the couples close friends  I realized there is no better vacation than watching two people start a life together, then celebrating in a setting so spectacular you dont even need to decorate.  
Lots of tequila doesnt hurt, either.  
I thought my wedding was memorable only to me. But friends and family who attended still talk about the weekend at the clifftop Los Flamingos Hotel in Acapulco, where we watched whales swim out to sea over breakfast, then spent the reception dancing on a terrace overlooking the Pacific.  
After attending the Tulum wedding as a guest, I realized that destination weddings can be a gift for those invited.  
We used our friends celebration as an excuse to piece together a much-needed vacation, and the weekend at the Maya Tulum Wellness Retreat and Spa, where the wedding was held, turned out to be much more enjoyable than the following rain-soaked week in Belize (we drove there after the ceremony).  
Between a welcome barbecue and the reception, we snorkelled, napped on the beach, and mingled with other guests. Toward the end of the reception, with everyone sweaty from dancing, several guests went for a midnight swim in the ocean.  
Thats the great thing about weddings in unexpected places: Unexpected things happen.  
At our wedding, a Mexican tradition of having the guest of honour take a bite directly from the cake, usually ending up with a face full of frosting, became an excuse to begin hurling bits of chocolate on the dance floor.  
I left the party for a few minutes to wash my face and returned to find most of the guests covered in cake, and heading to the pool to both cool off and wash up. (A waiter was able to save what remained of the cake, which we devoured the next night.)  
While some people might be mortified by the thought of a food fight at a wedding, it was clear from the beginning of our ceremony  when I walked down the aisle to Elvis Presleys Its Now or Never  that our wedding wasnt exactly traditional.  
Which brings me to the next benefit of marrying in an unusual setting: Its easier to get away with doing things your way. The event we attended in Tulum was the first big wedding the resort had hosted, and the staff was more than willing, at the request of the couple, to cater a vegetarian buffet and even arrange yoga classes between events.  
In both my wedding and friends, acquaintances performed the ceremonies, which made the events both casual and personal.  
Someone who knows you personally can speak from the heart. A member of the clergy hired for the occasion or justice of the peace coming in for an hour may barely remember your name.  
The drawback in having a friend officiate was that Mexican law only recognizes civil wedding ceremonies; I ended up getting my afternoon with a judge after all.  
The other advantage of a destination wedding is that requiring the wedding party to fly to another country will likely trim your guest list to the friends and family you really want to invite  as opposed to your fathers former co-workers.  
And you get to spend a long weekend  not just an evening or afternoon  catching up with the people you love the most.  
Many hotels will plan the entire event for you  right down to music and food. Some will even give you a weekend free to come down and discuss plans. We spent about two hours giving instructions to our hotel, then spent the rest of our free weekend reading in a hammock.  
In Mexico, especially if you stick to the smaller hotels, you can put together a spectacular wedding  one that would cost tens of thousands of dollars in the United States or Europe  for less than 55,000 pesos (US$5,000). Your guests pay for airfare and their room. You pay for food, drinks, music and decorations. I went down to the local flower market a few hours before the ceremony and spent 220 pesos (US$20) on flowers.  
The hotel usually throws in a few extras, and gives your guests a good rate.  
In our case, in exchange for filling Los Flamingos rooms for a weekend during the slow season, hotel management didnt charge us for use of the terrace where we held the ceremony, and even threw in the so-called honeymoon suite, actor John Waynes old room at the hotel.  
I initially felt bad about asking people to fly down to Mexico. But I sent out e-mails with suggested vacations they could tack on before or after the wedding, and everyone seemed happy to have an excuse to come down to the beach for a long weekend in November.  
The best part was that, blaming the warm beach climate, I got away with wearing a simple evening dress  instead of a frothy, white gown. I didnt even have to wear shoes.

If you go  
Hotel Los Flamingos: Located in Acapulco; . Regular (non-group) rates start at 550 pesos (US$50) a night, December 15 to April 15. Otherwise 719 pesos. (US$65).  
Maya Tulum Resort: Located near Cancn; . From the Website, click on Packages for wedding services. Regular (non-group) rates start at 940 pesos (US$85) a night, June to September. 1,270 pesos (US$115) a night October through May.  
RESOURCES: Many hotel chains, large resorts, and some convention and visitors bureaus have on-staff wedding planners; small hotels will often assign a staff member to help you. A new quarterly magazine called Destination Weddings & Honeymoons    offers advice and ideas. For a searchable directory of potential wedding locations, from hotels to gardens, visit 

Destination wedding tips  
 Try to fill the hotel. It will help you negotiate better rates, and you wont have other guests complaining about the loud, late-night reception. In Mexico, youll get cheaper rates May to November, but you risk rainy weather.  
 Check local marriage laws. In Mexico, you arent legally married until you visit a judge, so many Mexicans have two weddings, one religious, one civil. Some hotels can arrange for a judge, and most foreigners can have a Mexican marriage certificate authenticated for use in their home country.  
 Consider alternatives to the beach. A friend was married at a small hotel outside of Guanajuato in central Mexico. The nearby artist enclave of San Miguel de Allende would also be great for a ceremony. Haciendas, with their sprawling grounds and crumbling, stone buildings, also make good settings. And while small towns are easy to move around in, they may be more of a trek to reach. Big cities, like Mexico City, are easy to fly into, but may be more expensive and can overwhelm novice travellers.

  Diping your skin in chocolate  
It was amazing, said John Scharffenberger, a chocolatier in Berkeley, Calif., who retells the legend every chance he gets. The results lasted for weeks.  
As a founder of Scharffen Berger, the maker of famously dense, dark Nibby Bars, Scharffenberger has more than a passing interest in the stuff. So he was moved to follow the womans example by testing a chocolate soak himself, at home. (It worked for him, too.)  
That was nine years ago. No one paid much attention, especially when he went on to suggest that chocolate could work as a softener in skin creams. Back then people bought their chocolate from the drugstore, called it junk food, and blamed it for a host of unflattering problems, including acne flare-ups, bad teeth and a flabby figure.  
But times have changed. Chocolate boutiques have cropped up, Starbucks-like, on every corner. And dark chocolate has a new reputation as health food. It has been found to be a potent anti-oxidant and a boon to cardiovascular health.  
Now cosmetics makers are claiming a spot on the bandwagon. They are increasingly putting chocolate into their formulas, to work as a skin softener, yes, but also to use its anti-oxidant powers to smooth wrinkles. Theoretically cocoa might prevent damage by free radicals to collagen, elastin and other proteins in the skin. And that, in turn, would keep skin looking young.  
Scientific evidence to back up this premise is lacking and some doctors are skeptical that it ever will come along. But that has not squelched the building enthusiasm for chocolate cosmetics. At least 90 new cocoa-infused treatments popped up on beauty shelves in 2004, quadruple the figure from the previous year, according to the Global New Products Database at Mintel, a consumer products market research firm. So far this year 30 more have appeared and many more are in the pipeline. At the Eighth Annual Chocolate Show in New York in November the usual beauty booth will be expanded into a full-fledged spa.  
Even Scharffenberger received his long-awaited call, from the Nob Hill Spa in San Francisco. Its director tapped him to help whip up a chocolate body scrub.  
These treatments are nothing like the $2 fudge-scented lip balms made for schoolgirls addicted to the taste of chocolate. The new products have been cooked up by cosmetics companies like Origins and Bath and Body Works specifically to combat grown-up problems like fine lines and dull skin. Guess what flows from the fountain of youth? beckons the label on the $28 Origins Cocoa Therapy Deeply Nourishing Body Butter. Chocolate.  
Evidently the chocolate-acne myth has all but melted away. Consumers are becoming aware of the healing properties of chocolate, said Carrie Bonner, industry manager of consumer products at Kline & Co., a business consulting and research firm specializing in health and beauty. The beauty industry follows the health industry and the food industry and fashion.  
How well do chocolate skin treatments work? That depends on what you mean by work.  
Chocolate products do seem to soften skin. Perhaps it is because they often contain cocoa butter, the fat that is extracted from the cocoa bean. Cosmetics makers have been using cocoa butter as a moisturizer since the mid-19th century, said Louis Grivetti, a professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis.  
Softer skin is what Siobhan Coen, 41, a meeting planner for Genentech in San Rafael, Calif., got when she recently treated herself to the $115 Scharffen Berger Chocolate Scrub at Nob Hill Spa. Like Bliss spas $70 Double Choc Pedicure in New York, Nob Hills chocolate scrub has gone from being a winter-weather special to a year-round staple.  
When I came out, Coen said of the scrub, my skin was so soft. It was like that for two days.  
But if by work you mean make the skin look younger, then the picture gets a little fuzzy. Makers of chocolate cosmetics do not go so far as to say that chocolate can erase wrinkles. But they do suggest that its anti-oxidant properties can make the skin look more youthful.  
Its the glow, said Dr. Philip Cohen, professor of dermatology at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Bridgeport, Conn., the M.D. behind Ecco Bellas M.D. formulated Organic Dark Chocolate Mask. When you apply this mask, the skin glows, and the glow is an important part of what we perceive as beauty.  
But if the skin really glows after a chocolate treatment, other doctors say, it is not because of any anti-oxidant effect, but simply because other ingredients are working. The aloe and cocoa butter in face creams moisturize, for instance, and the clay in face masks tone the skin. The same goes for spa treatments. Maybe its the massage, said Dr. Leslie Baumann, chief of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami. Maybe its the better light reflection off exfoliated skin.  
As Dr. Steven Pratt, the ophthalmologist who wrote the book SuperFoods Rx, put it, I think the marketing people are ahead of the research folks in this category.  
What researchers do know is that cocoas anti-oxidant potential compares favorably to that of green tea. The anti-oxidant potential of a substance can be measured using something called an ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) assay. Green tea has an ORAC value of 1,686 units per 100 grams. Oranges are just 750. Dark chocolate, it turns out, registers a whopping 13,120.  
Chocolate is considered dark if it is at least 35 percent cocoa (the rest is sugar, fats and emulsifiers), and it is cocoa that gives dark chocolate its anti-oxidant kick. On a chocolate cosmetics label the manufacturer might list cocoa (a broad term referring to refined cocoa beans) or cocoa extract (the bean minus the shell) or cocoa powder (the extract minus the fat).  
All these forms may contain anti-oxidants, but the chemical composition of the cocoa can vary depending on where the beans were grown and how they were prepared. So can the quantity of cocoa in a jar of skin cream. As a rule for cocoa or any other ingredient to be considered significant, it must be among the top three listed on the label, said Laurie DiBerardino, the editor of Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine.  
Even if a skin cream contains plenty of cocoa, and even if you leave it on for a few minutes so that it has time to interact with the skin, it still may not work its anti-oxidant magic. To do that, it would have to penetrate the dermis or lower layer of skin, where free radicals operate, but many doctors do not believe cocoa molecules can soak in that far.  
As sexy and alluring as chocolate is, there are many anti-oxidants available which are more well studied, said Dr. Laurie Polis, the director of dermatological services at SoHo Skin and Laser Dermatology, and those are the ones I recommend to patients. Topical vitamins C and A have shown promising results on humans, for example.  
Perhaps some day scientists will conduct a large-scale study exploring cocoas anti-aging potential for human skin. By the time they do, other once-vilified foods  cream cheese? bacon?  may have found their way into cosmetic jars. By then, we will have already moved on to the next course.
  Downtown, Obelisco area  
Stunning homestay. Gorgeous rooms. Excellent. Monthly US$ 250. Weekly US$ 90. (54-11)4802-1406. Mobile: 15-5859-5151. Photos. 
  Duhalde says no deal yet  

The Olivos Pact was reached in 1993 between the reigning Peronist party of then President Carlos Menem and the Radical opposition to allow a constitutional reform that enabled Menem in 1995 to run for a second consecutive term in office.   
Duhalde, who is technically still Kirchners leading political supporters, has repeatedly said that he is retired from domestic politics. Still, he is still believed to pull most of the strings in Peronist politics in the province of Buenos Aires.  
Yesterday, he said that it is not up to him but up to the Peronist leaders of the province to decide whether there will be two different Peronist factions clashing in Buenos Aires in the October 23 midterm election, which renews half of the Lower House of Congress and a third of the Senate.  
He added that there are no reasons not to hold internal elections to choose candidates.  
Kirchner has said that the October vote will be a plebiscite on his government. In the province of Buenos Aires, he wants his wife, Senator Cristina Fernndez, to run for the Senate. But Duhaldes wife, Hilda Chiche Gonzlez, has also said she wants that position for herself. Mrs. Duhalde said last week that there are 80 percent of chances she will run. Newspaper reports, on the contrary, quoted unnamed sources yesterday saying that Mrs. Duhalde will drop her bid in the coming days.  
Since supporting Kirchners presidential candidacy in 2003, there has been much speculation about a growing political cold war between Kirchner and Duhalde.  
I dont think people are worried about (candidacies); the only ones concerned with the issue are the (Peronist party) officials. What I can say is that I am convinced that in Buenos Aires the national government will be facing a referendum. I dont know if there will be one or two Peronist slates because that is a decision to be made by party leaders; there are so many possible options, said Duhalde in an interview with Radio Del Plata.  
However, he also left a door open for an agreement.  
We have this whole upcoming week, as well as the following one, to talk over these issues. The Peronist party had three candidates in 2003 (Kirchner, Carlos Menem and Adolfo Rodrguez Sa); if we have two this time, it would be an improvement. And if we go with one it means an understanding has been reached, which at this time doesnt seem evident, he said.  
The deadline to present candidates for the October vote is July 8.  
Duhalde added that he does not want to influence his wifes decision on whether to run or not.   
I will accept whatever she wants to do. She is a woman with her own ideas, who is trying to build her own space in the party. But I will give her the same she gave me each time I was a candidate: support, said Duhalde, who was twice governor of Buenos Aires province in the 1990s  
Duhalde declined to say whether the first lady would be a good candidate in the province of Buenos Aires.  
There are different interpretations about that, he said.  
But the former interim president lashed out at Buenos Aires Governor Felipe Sol, who, just as Kirchner did, won office in 2003 thanks to Duhaldes blessing but then pulled himself away from his mentor.   
One should not stop being grateful, he said regarding his former protege.  
  (Herald staff with Tlam)

  Duhalde: no new Olivos Pact  
Earlier in the day, Duhalde had said that he was not seeking to clinch "any sort of Olivos Pact" with Kirchner over candidacies in Buenos Aires province.  
Duhalde, who ran Argentina as interim president in 2002-2003, is the Peronist boss in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentinas largest electoral district. In his effort to score a victory he can call his own in the midterm vote, Kirchner either has to seal an agreement with Duhalde or fight him in the polls. Kirchner (left)  is seen conferring with Duhalde in a 2003 file photo.  
"I want to deny the information indicating that I am working on an agreement," said Duhalde from Asuncin last night, in an interview with the state-run news agency Tlam.  
"I have not spoken with the President in the last two months," he added.  
Kirchner and Duhalde both attended a Mercosur summit yesterday. Duhalde is the head of Mercosurs permanent commission. But Kirchner spent only a few hours in Asuncin, met with Paraguays President Nicanor Duarte Frutos and left without meeting with Duhalde.  
Duhaldes denial that a deal was in the making followed newspaper reports over the weekend that the electoral accord was almost a done deal and that it would be announced once the small print was agreed upon.  

  Early bird  

 He risked being run over more than once, as he seemed to forget that in Ireland cars keep the left side of the road.  He had had just a pint, so his  feeling of elation was not alcohol-motivated but stemmed from the happiness of being in a lovely place he had reached without any particular expectation.  Woods, gardens, varied flora, the greenest smoothest lawns, stately houses and manors and - to the left - a steel-gray sea, ruffled by a chilly wind.  In the light drizzle, a smell of wet soil, leaves and flowers.  He walked on, noticing how tidy and clean everything was.  He mused that the Irish were truly careful about their neighborhoods, and he liked that.  Suddenly, he stopped in front of a sign on a lamppost.  It was a curt, no-nonsense warning in crystal clear English, with no Gaelic translation.  He fished out his black notebook and pen and copied: "Attention Dog Walkers.  Failure to clean up after your dog can lead to E. 125 on the spot fine.  E 3000 in court (Litter Pollution Act 1997-2003).  Bring a pooper scooper or other disposable bag."  He found the warning utterly convincing.  E 125 was steep enough, and the prospect of being fined up to E 3000 was scary.  Irish dog owners are paid in euros, yet even for them that amount of euros is no joke.  No wonder there were no dog droppings anywhere...  He recalled Belgrano R and remembered having to zig-zag on most sidewalks not to step on creamy pet "souvenirs".  A similar sign might stimulate pet "toilet training".  He made a rough calculation: with the euro at about 3.60 pesos, the maximum fine could amount to about 10,800 pesos.  A nightmare!  With that prospect, most Plutos would be kept at home as prisoners, or taken for a walk wearing diapers.  One would hit the jackpot marketing "canine diapers" and - just in case - "pooper scoopers".    
The sea attracted him: he went towards the pebbly beach but later he hated himself as getting to the B&B from there was uphill.   On a cliff overlooking the bay he saw several carved stone benches.  One of them bore a legend: "Rest awhile and remember Tony Darby, who died 30th November 1999.  'Wish you were here'.  Erected by his friends".  He sat on the cold, damp stone: was he ever tired!  As a boat plowed the sea in the distance he thought that these "memorial benches" told much about a warm, thoughtful people.  Who would - even having never met good old Tony - not harbor warm feelings for him and his dear friends who had offered the anonymous passer-by a place to rest watching the sea?  The balding gentleman breathlessly made it back to the main road, risking to be run over by a lorry coming from the "wrong" side. He made it back to his B&B and slipped into bed without bothering to undress.  Bright sunlight woke him up the next morning at 6.  He felt proud: he was an early bird.  Of course, his watch was still on Buenos Aires time...  It was really 10 a.m. in Baile Atha Cliath - er... Dublin!

Please send your thoughts to  

  Editorial Roundup  

Corriere della Sera  
 on the outcome of the Italian referendum on assisted fertility

MILAN, Italy  
With the referendum on assisted fertility, Italians voted in favor or against the transformations of life and man himself that science and technology promised ... in a way that was unforeseen yesterday.  
The domain of men has developed in every sector, making them gods who are able to create life but did not solve the problems of living. Among the worries that threaten the powerful man, theres the sensation of manipulating life and nature, altering ones own identity until it is made unrecognizable. The pathos that characterized the debate (on the referendum) comes from the obscure, irrational, but not unfounded sensation that humanity is living a radical transformation in incredible and dizzyingly fast times.

On the Net:  

Daily Nation  
 on South African presidents   
dismissal of deputy

NAIROBI, Kenya  
By dismissing (his) popular deputy and heir apparent, South African President Thabo Mbeki has demonstrated that he will not let personal friendship and loyalty stand in the way of what is good and proper.  
Deputy President Jacob Zuma has not been tried for crimes, leave alone convicted. But a court found his financial adviser and friend, Mr. Schabir Shaik, guilty of corruption and fraud.  
Mr. Shaik was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison. More importantly the court found that Zuma was not only aware, but was a direct beneficiary of kickbacks sought by his friend for massive weapons contracts.  
There were widespread calls, particularly from the opposition, for Mr. Zumas sacking or resignation.  
But there were also powerful calls, particularly from within the ruling African National Congress, for President Mbeki to retain his loyal deputy. In the end, President Mbeki chose the painful, but correct, path.  
It must have been a difficult call to make. President Mbeki, indeed, noted that he had worked closely with his deputy for more than 30 years.  
Yet Mbeki did not hesitate to take action when dear ally and friend was caught up in corruption allegations.  
This surely holds a lesson for us in Kenya, where it appears that some powerful people are able to get away with all manner of indiscretions simply because they claim some long-standing ties to the seat of power.

On the Net:  

The Irish Times  
 on Michael Jackson

DUBLIN  
If any other 46-year-old had been so open about his friendships with young boys, how he enjoyed inviting them to sleepovers and, ultimately, sharing a bed with them, then his behavior might have seen him face the law years earlier.  
However, there is no other 46-year-old quite like Michael Jackson. No one else who has so traded on the persona of an emotionally stunted man-child; whose life, from childhood to middle age, has been viewed by the public as a bizarre soap opera; and whose questionable habits were so often interpreted by the public as forgivable eccentricities. ...  
As he struggles with his reputation and reported financial difficulties, he is unlikely to slide into anonymity, just as it is unlikely that the public will grow bored of such a singular personality. Yet, the unsavory details revealed in this trial also reminded us that behind the hype, headlines, celebrity, excess and grotesqueness of both Jacksons life and this case, there are real human stories. The singer has returned to his three children, even after testimony revealed the sad details of how the mother of two of them has signed away her parental rights. Jackson himself is someone whose childhood has quite obviously left him psychologically damaged.

On the Net:  

Dagens Nyheter  
 on U.S. double standards

STOCKHOLM, Sweden  
Criticism against the Guantanamo military prison is growing, also in the U.S. And the dilemma is evident: the Americans demand that others respect what they do not live up to themselves. For example, they demand that others must disarm, or refrain from procuring nuclear weapons, while at the same time not living up to their own commitments in accordance with the Nonproliferation treaty. The U.S. is publishing annual reports about the state of human rights in different parts of the world while at the same time the prisoners at Guantanamo live in limbo. To have such double standards is in practice to undermine the possibility to get support from the surrounding world for the rights you consider yourself to have.

On the Net:  

acteristics. The government should also help local governments and private organizations to expand existing programs.  
Many choose death only after thinking long and hard, so we have the opportunity to prevent such tragedies.  

On the Net:  

The Egyptian Gazette, Cairo, Egypt, on Iraq:  
An upsurge of deadly attacks in Iraq are diminishing hopes that the country will recover from the bloody chaos of more than two years. The vortex of violence has become more nightmarish than before since the Iraqi government of Ibrahim al-Jaafari was set up in late April. None is immune to random killings in Iraq.  
Over the past few weeks, civilians have been the target of car bombings, particularly in Baghdad. At the weekend, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a truck carrying laborers. Execution-style killings are becoming rife.  
It is unlikely that spiraling horrendous deeds in Iraq are carried out by locals, though there are many disillusioned among them. The key casualties of the latest bombings have been innocent compatriots braving unstable conditions to make ends meet. Likewise, it is implausible that self-style Arab jihadis (holy warriors) are the perpetrators of such acts, which cannot be described as resistance fighting. They are apparently the work of hither-to-unknown quarters keen to perpetuate Iraqs nightmare. No Iraqi, whatever his/her leaning may be, stands to benefit from seeing the country sliding deeper into such horrifying anarchy. It is a short cut to a civil strife. Such acts also give the U.S.-led occupation troops the pretext to stay in Iraq allegedly to maintain security.  

On the Net:  

 ^MORE<  

  England to face Argentina in final  

RUGBY  
Churchill Cup

EDMONTON, Canada  Argentina A edged the United States 34-30 with a last-second try by Francisco Leonelli and England A downed Canada 29-5 in the Churchill Cup on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.  
Argentina A and England A will meet in the final next Sunday while the host will tackle the US Eagles in the consolation final for a second straight year.  
Argentina sent a second-string side to make their debut in the tournament because the main Pumas side met Italy on Friday, and lost 30-29.  
On Sunday, the lead changed three times in a tense finish, starting with flyhalf Juan Fernndez Miranda kicking Argentina A ahead 29-27, then moments later US fullback Francis Viljoen replying with his own penalty to make it 30-29 in the 77th minute.  
Veteran Pumas back Juan Fernndez Miranda, capped 25 times, set up Leonelli into the corner five minutes into injury time to help Argentina uphold an unbeaten record against the United States.  
It was very by little that we made it, but we made it, said Leonelli, who scored two tries. We have to improve a lot.  
The United States led 20-12 at halftime, and Viljoen finished with 20 points.  
To lose the game on the last play is a heartbreaker, said Viljoen.  
England A, with five senior internationals, led Canada 12-0 at halftime and 24-0 after 68 minutes on tries by winger Paul Sackey, fullback Sam Vesty, replacement back Tom Voyce, and centre James Simpson-Daniel.  
No. 8 Aaron Carpenter barged over for Canadas only try six minutes from the end, but England captain Pat Sandersons try on time completed the expected rout.  
Scores:  
England A 29 (Paul Sackey, Sam Vesty, Tom Voyce, James Simpson Daniel, Pat Sanderson tries; Andy Goode 2 conversions), Canada 5 (Aaron Carpenter try).  
Argentina A 34 (Francisco Leonelli 2, Matas Albina, Francisco Lecot, Miguel Avramovic tries; Juan Fernndez Miranda 3 conversions, penalty), United States 30 (Matt Wyatt, Mike MacDonald, Francis Viljoen tries; Viljoen 3 conversions, 3 penalties).

  English & the City  

Smoking without cigarettes

Pablo H. Scoponi  
For the Herald

Last Saturday morning, I woke up very early so as to have enough time to walk the dog and jog for half an hour or so. I had a glass of water and some fruit for breakfast and then I took the dog out. Yes! Of course! I almost forget! I had to get dressed first, so I put on my jogging. I was ready to take off now. 

As I was heading for the park near my house, I jogged past a man in a spick-and-span smoking on my right and a crowd of teenagers showing the upper part of their slips. You know if you dont do that nowadays, you are not in the swim at all. Now, were these teenagers boys or girls?

The American Way?

Gonzalo J. Camp  
For the Herald

OK, OK. There are many things I can cope with when having dinner at a restaurant, but theres always a limit. A fine diner that claimed to have exclusive American dishes headed the first page of its menu with the word Entrance. I couldnt help thinking Im already in! so I decided to give a try to one of those entrances  which turned out to look (and taste) like a gate to hell.   
Consequently, I left the place without even browsing the choices for the main course (if they ever happen to  be called that way!)  
On my way back home, I felt like buying some sweets , so I approached this small shop that sold things through an open window. Above it, following the trend of the neighbourhood (no doubt), there was a sign which read The American Way. What way? I wondered. Of course, the place was not a kiosk but, in porteo English, a drugstore. The nerve! If you fight for The American Way at least grab a dictionary, dude!

I dont was!

Sergio D. Mobilia  
For the Herald

Somebody please tell me: How did the innocent English word hotline become tainted by sexual connotations in our pampas? Does being hot always imply being on fire? And how did we come to downgrade colleges to high-school level? Still worse: why do we insist that an outlet is the ultimate shrine of low-priced shopping experiences?   
Thank God top models, who are all so busy to go clothes-shopping and demand to get all their flashy attire delivered to their changing-rooms, dont have that kind of problem ... However, a new mindboggling linguistic trend is starting to sweep the catwalks too: if these girls are all so fashion, does that mean that the dresses they wear are to be described simply as eleg- and expens-? All that I can say about the inrush of Mis-English is that ... I dont was (i.e. yo no fui!)    

  Entrepreneur selling  
Last two cars of a foursome. 10 years garaged, in perfect running order and immaculate. Cadillac Hardtop Coupe DeVille, Burgundy, 1984, fuel injected 4.1 Ltr. eng. (55,000 miles). Mercedes Benz 350 SL, 2 door convertible (soft & hard top), light champagne (65,000 km since new). Contacts at Mobile 15-5329-7041.
  Escalada de escraches  

El gobierno est con razn orgulloso de sus esfuerzos por llevar ante la justicia los extremos a los que lleg el orden pblico surgidos de la dictadura militar de 1976-83, pero no nos estamos yendo al otro extremo, a juzgar por los recientes escraches y protestas piqueteras? Durante la semana pasada, figuras tan contrastantes como el poltico de centroderecha Ricardo Lpez Murphy y el empresario Omar Chabn han sido objeto de escraches. Hasta no hace mucho, los escraches, pese a todos sus excesos, se atenan ms o menos a su objetivo originario de exponer a los causantes de la guerra sucia al repudio pblico (fuera del absurdo escrache aplicado al entonces jefe de gobierno de la Ciudad Fernando de la Ra hace varios aos, porque a las Madres de Plaza de Mayo no les agradaba su eleccin del lugar para un monumento recordatorio), mas las agresiones perpetradas contra Lpez Murphy y Chabn demuestran que las protestas, en su totalidad, comienzan a salirse de madre.  
A primera vista Lpez Murphy y Chabn no pareceran comparables, porque el gran pblico asigna un nivel mucho ms elevado de culpabilidad al empresario vastamente tenido por responsable de la tragedia con 194 muertos en el club de rock Croman que a un poltico democrtico en campaa. Pero ambas protestas fueron igualmente reprensibles: sin contar a Chabn, sitiar con escraches el hogar de su madre est hacindoles la vida imposible a sus vecinos totalmente inocentes, con ese constante vandalismo. Lo que hace que el intento del mircoles pasado por detener el lanzamiento del libro de Lpez Murphy difiera de las manifestaciones contra Chabn, es la sospecha de instigacin por parte del gobierno: los mismos piqueteros que se movilizaron para aplicar a Shell el boycott pedido por Kirchner, hace unos pocos meses, entraron en accin para bloquear la campaa de Lpez Murphy un da despus de que el ministro del Interior, Anbal Fernmdez, llamara al lder de Recrear animal, en sospechosa correlacin. No es que Lpez Murphy fuera necesariamente el perdedor con su martirio de bajo costo (lo cual incluso podra haber sido la idea originaria, ya que Kirchner probablemente prefiere tener un adversario de derecha en primer plano, antes que disputar la izquierda con una Elisa Carri). Lpez Murphy no debe ser consi-             d erado ms all de toda crtica (y menos aun por traicionar sus princi- pios de capitalismo moderno al aliarse con Mauricio Macri), pero no era sta la forma de criticarlo.  
Empero, por encima y ms all de la poltica, sin duda la inquietud principal hace al modo en que los mtodos piqueteros estn siendo copiados incluso por escolares, y crecen como hongos a falta de un Estado en modo alguno preocupado por el orden pblico.

  Escalating exposure  

The government is rightly proud of its efforts to bring to justice the extremes of public order arising out of the 1976-83 military dictatorship but are we not going to the other extreme, judging from recent escrache and picket protests? Over the last week such contrasting figures as centre-right politician Ricardo Lpez Murphy and impresario Omar Chabn have been subject to escrache exposure attacks. Until recently the escraches with all their excesses have more or less stood by their original aim of exposing dirty warriors to public repudiation (apart from the absurd escrache against then City Mayor Fernando de la Ra several years ago because the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo did not like his choice of site for a remembrance memorial) but the attacks against Lpez Murphy and Chabn show that protest as a whole is starting to run out of hand.  
At first sight Lpez Murphy and Chabn may not seem comparable because the general public assigns a much higher level of guilt to the impresario widely held responsible for the 194-death Croman rock club tragedy than to a campaigning democratic politician. But both protests were equally reprehensible  quite apart from Chabn, the escrache siege of his mothers home is making life impossible for his entirely innocent neighbours with constant vandalism. What does make last Wednesdays attempt to stop Lpez Murphy launching his book different from the anti-Chabn demonstrations is the suspicion of government instigation  the same pickets who moved to enforce President Nstor Kirchners Shell boycott call a few months ago were in action to block the Lpez Murphy campaign within a day of Interior Minister Anbal Fernndez calling the Rebirth leader an animal, a suspicious correlation. Not that Lpez Murphy was necessarily the loser from his low-cost martyrdom (which might even have been the idea in the first place since Kirchner probably prefers having a rightwing adversary in the limelight to disputing the left with an Elisa Carri). Lpez Murphy should not be considered beyond criticism (least of all for betraying his principles of modern capitalism by his alliance with Mauricio Macri) but this was not the way to criticize him.  
Yet over and above the politics, surely the main concern is the way picket methods are being aped even by schoolchildren and mushrooming in default of a state with any concern for public order.

  EU requests reciprocity from Brazil  
BRUSSELS  The European Union will eliminate farming subsidies for exports, as long as countries such as Brazil and India liberate their industrial product sectors, the blocs trade commissioner said on Thursday.  
EU countries last year promised to gradually stop subsidizing farming exports. It was this commitment that helped resume trade negotiations which the members of the World Trade Organization hope will lead to the creation of new international trade laws by 2006.  
We are prepared to implement our plans regarding farming, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in a speech offered at a trade conference. But this can only be achieved on the base of fair reciprocity, he said. Now we need for developing countries to show a new predisposition to commit in principle to cutting their current industrial fees, he said.  
The EU faces internal opposition, especially from France, to the elimination of subsidies for exports within a 15-year term. France is currently challenging the legality of the promise that was made by Mandelsons predecessor, Pascal Lamy, and the former Agriculture commissioner, Franz Fischler, without consulting with national governments.  
Mandelson said that the European concessions in the farming sector should be met with equivalent moves by developing countries that have shown progress in the industrial products sector. (AP)
  EU, China clinch deal to avert textiles showdown  
SHANGHAI  The European Union and China clinched a deal on Friday limiting the rise in Chinese exports of textiles and clothing to the EU until the end of 2008, averting the imposition of quotas that could have soured ties.  
The overall settlement offers a fair deal for China while giving respite and much-needed breathing space to textiles industries in Europe and developing countries, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in a statement.  
The agreement, thrashed out in Shanghai by Mandelson and Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, came after months of tension over an explosive rise in shipments of cheap exports from China.  
The rise, which has generated fears for the future of the garment industry and millions of jobs in Europe and the United States, was unleashed by the Jan. 1 abolition of a decades-old global system of quotas.  
Resorting to terms agreed when China joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001, the United States has already slapped temporary restrictions on seven garment and textile products, provoking an angry reaction from Beijing.  
The 25-nation EU had been due to follow suit by early next week, limiting shipments of T-shirts and flax yarn to 7.5 percent over the previous year had China not taken voluntary steps to curb exports of these products to this level. These so-called safeguards would have been effective only until the end of this year, making it likely that the EU would have had to seek their re-application in six months time.  
The pact agreed by Mandelson and Bo caps exports on a wider range of products and will remain in effect for a longer period.  
The agreement provides for agreed transitional growth rates between now and 2007, followed by a further year during which both sides will work together closely in the hope that trade is conducted without further interference in this sector, Mandelson told a news conference with Bo in Shanghai.  
Details of the cap on Chinas exports and the number of textile and clothing products covered by the accord were not announced immediately. Officials said the growth allowed in Chinas exports to the EU would be higher than 7.5 percent.  
The agreement will still need the approval of all members of the 25-nation EU, though diplomats said that even France and Italy  which have taken the toughest line on Chinese imports  were likely to back it.  
The alternatives are that Chinese imports keep coming in and disrupting the market, or that we take unilateral action which would give us narrower coverage for a shorter time and a nasty row with the Chinese, an EU official said in Brussels.  
Both Bo and Mandelson had talked tough in public before their talks, with the Chinese minister vowing to protect the rights of an industry that employs 19 million people and is a vital cog in Chinas export-driven economy.  
But at the news conference Bo praised the British EU commissioners profound understanding of Oriental culture and presented him symbolically with a gift of a blue-grey Chinese polo shirt.  
Bo said the agreement would provide a long-term and stable environment for Chinese textiles.  
At the same time it also provides a stable import environment for the EU countries, he added.  
EU imports of T-shirts rose by 157 percent to more than 150 million in the first quarter of this year, but pullovers and mens trousers leapt even more, by over 400 percent.  
Economists fear the tussle over textiles will be the first of many trade rows if Chinas exports continue to boom.  
China on Friday reported a trade surplus for May of $8.99 billion, the third-largest on record.  
(Reuters)  

  EU, China deal holds textile sales growth at 12.5%  
SHANGHAI  Growth in exports of 10 categories of Chinese textiles to the European Union will be limited to up to 12.5 percent a year until the end of 2007, according to an agreement signed by China and the 25-member bloc.  
The limits, ranging from 8 percent to 12.5 percent a year, would apply to key textiles including T-shirts and flax yarn, the European Union said in a statement outlining the terms of agreement.  
The measures added a welcome measure of certainty, officials at Chinese textile mills said.  
For other categories of textiles, and in 2008, the European Union said it would exercise restraint on its right to limit imports under the terms of Chinas entry to the World Trade Organisation.  
This result is better for us than some sort of trade war, said a manager at a textile company in central Hebei Province.  
Commerce Minister Bo Xilai is very good. He supports legal trade and understands the needs of our industry.  
EU quotas could have inflicted about $170 million in immediate losses on the industry and force the lay-off of up to 100,000 workers, an official at the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, told Reuters last week.  
The new textile export deal was hammered out after hours of negotiations between Bo and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson in Shanghai late on Friday, averting the imposition of quotas that could have soured ties.  
Tensions had been running high for months between China and the European Union over this years explosive rise in Chinese textile exports. The European Union had feared the leap in exports threatened its garment industry and jobs.  
These negotiations with Europe are the first round. I personally believe that talks with the U.S. will end up with the same result, said a Shanghai-based manager of a textile firm that exports to the United States.  
The US has imposed safeguard limits on Chinese textile imports since the surge of Chinese products was unleashed by the Jan. 1 abolition of a decades-old global system of quotas.  
Under WTO terms, member countries can limit growth in imports from China to 7.5 percent per year should the imports prove disruptive.  
The new limits took effect on Saturday and will be calculated on the basis of Chinese textile imports in the first two or three months of 2005, the first year in which Chinese exports were not restricted by quotas.  
Textile industry officials said the mechanism by which China would limit export growth hadnt yet been announced.          (Reuters)
  Everything you oughta know  

By JOAN ANDERMAN  
The Boston Globe

On Tuesday, 10 years to the day after unleashing her definitive debut, Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette released a new, all-acoustic version of the album. She reunited with the original discs producer Glen Ballard to revisit the bitter diary entries that she now describes as a blessed passage  and which 30 million music fans have embraced for its tuneful purging. At 21, Morissette became the youngest artist to win a Grammy for album of the year, one of four Jagged Little Pill received. Now 31, the singer and songwriter  whose acoustic tour stops at the Wang Theatre Friday night  reflects on fame, rage, selling songs at Starbucks, and whats changed (and what hasnt) in the 10 years since she exploded onto the music scene.  
You strike me as a person more inclined toward moving forward than looking back. Why revisit these songs?  
Its interesting, because it is my inclination to breeze through and not mark time or reflect. So this is like moving forward in the sense that Im honoring something that Id not done.  
What stood in the way of honouring the music 10 years ago?  
I think in order for me to acknowledge it I had to consciously embrace being famous. At the time I was almost disdainful. I couldnt see the gift and the privilege I had to support and comfort people. Thats a big part of growing up.  
You were barely out of your teens when you wrote Jagged Little Pill. Do the songs mean something different to you now?  
Ten years ago it was a theme of nonrepression, of not apologizing for the stage of life I was in. Id been writing since I was 10 and had always been encouraged to not be autobiographical. I was bursting at the seams to write in my own unique way, and at 19, I was ready to explode. Now if theres a theme in it for me its self-acknowledgement, taking personal responsibility.  
Is there anything on the album that you dont like any more?  
I think the vocal approach I did when I was 20 is something I could never do now. Id be faking. It just doesnt apply. There are some lyrics ... theres a line in Wake Up where I say the granted Im taken for. I changed it to the granted I take it for.  
I dont get it.  
At 19, its interesting to hear someone rage against the proverbial machine. At 31, its sad. Its not very empowering to blame.  
When Jagged Little Pill came out you were characterized as a very angry young woman. Were you full of rage, or were you misunderstood?  
I think labelling in that kind of one-dimensional way is a very violent act. There was an urgency, especially on You Oughta Know. But You Learn and Head Over Feet have no anger. Anger is still to this day an emotion people arent very comfortable with, but its a beautiful part of the life force.  
Were you surprised at the time that so many people connected with the songs?  
I was. I was comforted to learn that I wasnt alone, and also horrified that all these people were relating to these devastated songs.  
I think that part of what people responded to was the unhinged, explosive attitude you brought to the performance. What do these kinder, gentler arrangements offer?  
I think theres a timelessness to the songs. These were inward questions I was asking, and 10 years later I still ask them. At the time I was riding an emotional roller coaster, and theyre still present. But I have more control over my life.  
Whose idea was it to make an acoustic version of the album?  
I was talking with Guy Oseary  and said Id love in some way to honor the 10-year anniversary. I thought I would get away with a reissue. But friends started telling me that anyone who wants a copy of that album already has it.  
Starbucks was given exclusive rights to sell the album in its stores for the first six weeks of its release. Did you participate in that decision?  
I said yes or no. I see it as a great idea. This record is special and unique and I wanted a unique environment for it. I loved the old coffeehouse scene, and Starbucks is like a 2005 version of the coffeehouse.  
Retailers are not so happy about it. HMV Canada pulled all your product from its shelves. Do you sympathize with the record-shop owners who feel that the Starbucks deal is unfair?  
I dont know about unfair. It implies that somehow the whole world is never supposed to change. Artists are coming up with new ways to share their music. This is a big paradigm shift, and I have empathy for the fact that change can be difficult.  
Speaking of change, whats next for you?  
Im going to take August off, and then Im thinking of putting together a CD of songs Ive done since I was 10. A 20-year retrospective  2005 as a self-acknowledgement year. Ill probably do a studio album next year.

  Expo 2005 Argentine mission heads for Japan  

BY MICHAEL SOLTYS  
HERALD STAFF

The mission for next months Argentine Week at Expo 2005 in Nagoya (Aichi prefecture), Japan, could number as many as 30 companies with at least 17 names already confirmed.  
Argentinas first official presence in Japan since the completion of the bond swap earlier this month aims at making a gentle but firm return, bearing in mind some bitter Japanese memories of defaulted Samurai bonds. The missions organizers are convinced that a trade fair is the best path to a new beginning.  
Argentine Week will start on Monday, July 11 (with Independence Day being celebrated a couple of days later since it falls on Saturday) and will run until July 15. Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa will be heading the mission until July 14 when he flies on to India.  
Most of the formal events will be held on the Monday with the business visitors making pre-arranged and open-ended contacts in the following days. Tango shows and wine-tasting will give the week a special Argentine flavour.  
The mission is being jointly sponsored by the Foreign Ministry and the Argentine-Japanese Mixed Committee (headed by Angel Machado with the organizational assistance of Jorge Revello) while consultant Guillermo Izaguirre has been entrusted with the co-ordination.  
The 17 companies already confirmed include two heavyweights with vast Asian experience  Impsa (Pescarmona) and Techint/Tenaris steel and engineering companies. Molinos (food), Aluar (aluminium) and NEC Argentina also belong to the big league.  
Otherwise, the mission breaks down sectorially into tourism (four companies), lumber (two), foods (two), engineering (two), Patagonian wines, architecture, law and medicine with possible recruits belonging to the food, lumber, mining, engineering and health sectors.  

  Favourable ruling for Argentina at the World Trade Organization  
In a new development in the long trade dispute between Argentina and the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO), over antidumping rights imposed by the US on seamless pipes by Tenaris/Siderca, an arbitrator chosen by the two parties determined that the US has to comply with all aspects of the Appeals Agency by no later than December 17, according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry.  
Last November, the WTOs Appeals Agency, the highest international court in commercial matters, confirmed practically all aspects of a panels previous ruling which in June 2004 had backed Argentinas on the inconsistency of the antidumping measures imposed by the US on seamless pipes, of which the Techint corporation is the main producer in the world, through its Tenaris/Siderca company.  
The conclusion of both of these rulings is that the US regulations on certain aspects of antidumping reviews contained dispositions that were inconsistent with those of the WTOs Antidumping Agreement. In both cases, the WTO found that the renewal of antidumping rights on Argentine exports was not founded on appropriate facts, and was in violation with the obligations specified in the Antidumping Agreement.  
Once the cases submitted to the Differences Resolution System are adopted by the Differences Resolution Agency, the two parties have to try to agree on a timetable for solutions to be adopted by the corresponding party. If such an agreement is not forthcoming, the WTOs Understanding on Differences Resolution endorses an arbitration procedure to determine said timetable. Regarding seamless tubes, this is the instance that has just reached its conclusion.  
Between December 2004 and February 2005, Argentina and the US maintained talks to determine the implementation term. But no agreement was reached, since Argentina understood that the 15 month period offered by the US could be shorter, which was confirmed yesterday by the WTOs arbitrator.  
This new instance in favour of Argentina does not imply that the controversy has definitely been resolved. But it is the result that the Foreign Ministry sought in resorting to the Differences Resolution Agency: to achieve a favourable ruling on the inconsistency of the antidumping measures, to allow the Argentine product to enter the US market in the same way that it currently enters 60 other international markets.
  First cargo flight from Rosario  
ROSARIO  The first regular cargo flight left the Islas Malvinas airport in Rosario on a Boeing 737 on Thursday, three years after the inauguration of its deposit warehouse, marking the beginning of the weekly Montevideo-Rosario-Santiago de Chile route.   
Officials from the international airport station, highlighted that the flight, with a capacity of 15 tons, will allow for the export of goods to the United States, Central America, Europe, and for imports from those places, as well as from Asia and Brazil.  
The service will be operated by the LANcargo company, and will arrive to Rosario every Wednesday from Montevideo at 7:00pm, and leave for Santiago de Chile at 9:00pm.  
LANcargo manager in Rosario, Juan Pablo Gonzlez, told reporters that the service will help to place auto parts produced in Rosario, Santa Fe, and Rafaela in foreign markets.  
The main markets to receive these products would be the United States, Europe, Mexico, and Venezuela. Gonzlez added that an attempt will also be made to capture part of the Hilton quota that is bound for Europe, as well as other products, such as equipment used for food production.  
LANcargo has hubs in Miami, Santiago, and Frankfurt, and receives flights from   
Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Chicago, among other markets.
  Fishing Guide  

Dorado and Surub in Argentina "It's great to fish dorados. They put up a great fight, can only be found in the River Plate basin and take a wide range of bait". "Surubes make for great fishing because of their extraordinary size, their fighting power and their preference to swim in shoals". Bilingual version.  
The best 25 river fishing spots. 160 places to lodge. How to get there. 110 fishing guides to hire. Useful information. Updated June 1, 2001.

$ 15 Capital and Greater BA (postage included)  
Interior add $ 5.  
Other countries: U$S 10 (postage included)

  Folk music rekindled  
La Pea del Colorado, one of the most important folk music bars in Buenos Aires, has opened a new branch at Entre Ros 1444, and the Do Coplanacu have been invited to give the opening concerts. The Pea Grande del Colorado, as the new bar is called, opened its doors on Wednesday and the Do Coplanacu (photo) played last night. They will reappear today and tomorrow. Created in May, 1985 in Crdoba city by natives of Santiago del Estero Julio Paz and Roberto Corts, the group went on the become one of Argentinas main folk groups. In 1995 they were joined by Crdoba violinist Andrea Leguizamn.  
(Coplanacu at La Gran Pea del Colorado, Av. Entre Ros 1444. Fri 17 and Sat 18 at 10pm. Tickets $20.
  Former GATT chief Arthur Dunkel dies  
GENEVA  Arthur Dunkel, the former head of GATT  the predecessor of the World Trade Organization  has died, officials said Thursday. He was 72.  
Dunkel, who served as director general of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade from 1980 to 1993, passed away Wednesday, the WTO said in a statement.  
Dunkels most significant contribution was his work on an ambitious free trade package  the Uruguay Round of tariff cuts  even though he left office before the treaty was signed in 1994.  
Arthur Dunkel will always serve as a role model of a selfless public servant with a universal vision, said WTO Director-General Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi. His legacy lives on in the work of the WTO.  
His 500-page compromise text  the so-called Dunkel Draft  was the basis for an agreement that introduced freer trade rules for traditionally protected sectors, such as agriculture and textiles, and newer areas, like services. It also led to the establishment of the WTO, the body which governs global commerce, in 1995.  
(AP)
  Foxs ability to fight war on drugs queried  
MEXICO CITY  In the first four years after Mexican President Vicente Fox took office, he became Washingtons sweetheart in its war on drugs with his crackdown on traffickers.  
But an escalating gangland turf war that has killed at least 600 people south of the US border this year has soured the romance, with serious doubts raised about Foxs ability to rein in the violence.  
A senior US Drug Enforcement Administration official, Anthony Plcido, told Congress last week that Mexicos corrupt police forces were "all too often part of the problem rather than part of the solution" in fighting the drug cartels.  
Fox won office in 2000, ending 71 years of one-party rule and promising to clamp down on the multibillion-dollar cross-border trade in cocaine, marijuana and heroin.  
He won plaudits as the first Mexican leader to seriously tackle the powerful cartels, putting bosses like Benjamn Arellano Flix and Osiel Crdenas behind bars.  
That crime-busting reputation has been undermined by the alarming rise in violence, along with evidence Fox has failed to clean up Mexicos police forces.  
"The honeymoon period following the capture of these top drug traffickers is now over for Fox," said Jorge Chabat, a Mexican security analyst.  
"We are now seeing a return to the relationship we had during the 1990s between Washington and Mexico that was characterized by conflict and reconciliation," he added.  
Analysts say the real problem is the heavy US demand for cocaine and marijuana and the ability of the drug cartels to pay off police, politicians and judges inside Mexico.  
Resurgent gangs from western Sinaloa state are battling to wrest control of key smuggling routes to Texas from the rival Gulf cartel in Tamaulipas state, which borders Texas. Senior police officers have been murdered and corpses appear on a daily basis in cities across the north, the victims of gangland murders.  
Faced with the fallout on its southern frontier, the US State Department has twice issued travel warnings for the Mexican border, where more than 30 US citizens have been kidnapped amid spiraling crime.  
While Foxs government and Washington traded harsh words last week, concern over Mexicos ability to curb the bloodshed on the3,200-km border is reaching financial markets.  
The banking group HSBC said "staggering" levels of violence could raise questions about Mexicos stability in the runup to next years presidential election. Fox is constitutionally barred from running for re-election.  
His approval rating has taken a hit, dropping three points to 56 percent in a poll in May, with many Mexicans complaining of safety fears, particularly in the north.  
Fox has pledged a "mother of all battles" against the drug traffickers he says are openly challenging the government.  
"We have taken on the challenge and we will do battle against all the cartels criminals and against organized crime," Fox said in a speech on Friday.  
He sent hundreds of troops and federal agents to the states of Tamaulipas, Sinaloa and Baja California last week after suspected drug hit men killed the public security chief in Nuevo Laredo, south of Laredo, Texas.  
Despite the move, drug gangs shot and killed at least 11 people across the three states during the week, prompting analysts to declare the operation, dubbed "Secure Mexico," a failure.  
"It wont do anything to stop drug trafficking as its just for international consumption," said Arturo Sols of the Reynosa-based Centre for Frontier Studies and Human Rights.  
With little over a year left until Mexicos next election, Chabat said Fox had played his last card in the drug war.  
"Given the levels of corruption in Mexico, there is nothing more he can do."                  
                                    (Reuters)
  From graded texts to conscious readers  

By Carolina Curtolo  
FOR THE HERALD

The use of simplified, abridged stories in our teaching practice is widespread. Most of these books are reductions in which the content of the original text is significantly altered to match a certain vocabulary range with the purpose of providing students of English with a graded approach to literature. It is a fact that students read them for years and they are among the requirements of syllabi and international exams. What is more, many times, these readers end up being the only literary texts many students who finish their studies in English have ever read.  
In a bid to comply with exam requirements or syllabi, we teachers seem to turn a blind eye to students tastes or interests when using these materials and lose sight of the fact that graded readers are stepping stones for the reading of complete and unabridged books and for the development of critical reading skills. What I would like to offer in this article are some suggestions for the conscious use of   
such graded readers that would

pave the way for the reading of non-graded ones:   
l Awareness: for a start, I think students should know that they are reading a simplified version of a book. They should also know a little about the author of the original text, his/her other works and, if possible, explore the original text itself.   
l Give student-readers a choice: why read just what exam requirements or syllabi demand?  If you want conscious and critical readers capable of making their own decisions, allow students of any level to decide on what to read and face the problems those choices might entail. To do so, you could devote a class to giving students the chance of being in contact with those graded books and to designing a reading programme for the whole class or for different groups. In fact, not all students should be reading the same text. That reading programme could have a clear backbone, for example, a focus on a certain genre, e.g. detective stories.  
l Activities: we want our students to become involved in what they read so answering the questions graded readers propose at the end will not make the experience joyful. Give room for the exchange of ideas about the books on a regular basis and for creative writing activities related to them.   
l Difficulty: to achieve our goal, that is, to get students to read complete and unabridged texts on a regular basis, there should be a gradual increase in the difficulty of the texts chosen. I think we should make certain that by the time our students reach an upper intermediate level, they are able to read non-graded works of fiction.  
I believe that working with graded texts in this way can pave the way for a conscious and constant reading practice. How do you work with graded books? Is there any activity you would like to share? What are the problems you face when teaching literary texts? Let us know at 

Carolina Curtolo is a J.V.G. graduate, Assistant Lecturer in Contemporary English Literature at J.V.G. and a student of Literature at U.B.A..  

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  Galicia: exiles call shots  
MADRID  Manuel Fraga, the last political survivor of Francisco Francos dictatorship, was on the brink of losing power yesterday after 16 years as premier of Spains Galicia region, but emigrant votes could enable him to cling on.  
With all domestic votes counted, the 82-year-old Fragas Popular Party was on course to win 37 seats in the 75-seat regional Parliament while the Socialists would have 25 seats and the Galician Nationalists (BNG) 13.  
That would allow the Socialists and BNG to form a governing coalition, as they suggested they would do during the campaign.  
Galicia is a traditional stronghold of the centre-right opposition PP. Losing control of the regions Parliament would be a serious blow to the party which lost a general election last year and shed seats in Basque elections in April.  
However, the final result may depend on the votes of Galician emigrants, who left the poor rural region to seek a better life abroad, mostly in Argentina and Uruguay.  
They account for 305,000 of the total 2.6 million registered voters and traditionally a majority of them favour the PP. It will take up to eight days to count their votes.  
"Galicia has voted for change, and change has won the elections in votes and in seats," Jos Blanco, Socialist Party coordinator, told reporters.  
But Fraga said it was too early to call. "We have... 37 seats and could well reach 38," a frail-looking Fraga said. "They have called me from Uruguay, they have called me from Venezuela, they all assure me that what has come from there could be 70 percent in our favour."  
Aware of the importance of the emigrants vote, Fraga came to South America during the campaign to seek their support.  
Fraga, who served as a minister under Francos nationalist dictatorship, was sharply criticized in 2002 for his handling of a massive oil spill from the tanker Prestige which wrecked the regions shellfish industry.  
The PP lost a general election in March 2004 three days after Islamic militants killed 191 people in the Madrid train bombings.  
Fraga founded the party after Franco died in 1975, and its current leader Mariano Rajoy, who played a major role in the campaign, comes from the region.  
Fragas possible defeat, in a rain-drenched region famous for shellfish and drug smuggling, comes after a campaign peppered with gaffes and controversy.  
He surprised some by saying he had never worn a condom and never would, and angered feminists by saying the main role of women was to be mothers.  
His age raised doubts about his ability to rule last year when he passed out in Parliament during a televised session.  
Fraga served as interior minister and information and tourism minister during Francos rule.  
 (Reuters)
  Giscard weighs in for UK  
Giscard dEstaing said there was next to nothing in funding for major scientific projects and communications projects and that too much of the EU budget was devoted to the EUs Common Agricultural Policy  as Britain contends.  
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he would consider renegotiating the so-called British rebate worth about 5.5 billion dollars annually, if the EU reduces its old farming subsidies  of which France is the major beneficiary  and accepts economic reform.  
Giscard added, I wont participate in an anti-British campaign.  
 (AP)  

  Guide to Buenos Aires  

The Buenos Aires Herald has published the 5th edition of the traditional Buenos Aires Tourism Guide in English. 

A guide especially designed for tourists, foreigners, expats and newcomers.  Written by local people who know and love BA.

What to visit?, Where to eat?, What to buy?

Find them in a 272 colour-page guide. Read all kind of answers to curiosities, history, details, hints, tips and everything tourists, foreigners, expats and newcomers need. 

The different porteo circuits: Avenida de Mayo, La Boca, San Telmo, Retiro, Banking district, Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano, Abasto and Beyond Downtown. Cultural circuit: Around museums and art galleries, and Jorge Luis Borges tour. 

Shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and  bars. Tango shows and tango academies. Also, the unforgettable BA at night, its architecture, people, secrets  and history. An indispensable tool. Everything you need to know about porteos life!   

$ 25 Capital and Greater BA (postage included)

Interior add $ 5.

Other countries; U$S 18 (postage included)

  Harmison leads England over Aussies  

CRICKET  
One-day International

BRISTOL  Englands Steve Harmison took a career-best five-wicket haul and Kevin Pietersen blasted 91 not out as Australia crashed to a second consecutive triangular series one-day defeat yesterday.  
The world champions, whose reverse against Bangladesh in their opening match on Saturday was one of the greatest upsets in cricket history, produced a much-improved display but lost out by three wickets as Pietersens extraordinary knock sealed the win with 15 balls to spare.  
The South-African born Pietersen hammered his runs off 65 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. His last 52 runs came off 23 deliveries.  
Harmison seemed to have set up victory with five for 33 as Australia were restricted to 252 for nine after opting to bat at Bristols County Ground but Glenn McGrath led the fightback, taking two early wickets and strangling the England top-order.  
England needed seven an over off the last 15 to win and 76 runs off the last 10 as the wickets continued to tumble but Pietersen, in his first one-day innings against the world champions, and Vikram Solanki rattled through several gears to put on 54 for the seventh wicket in just five overs.  
Pietersen, who came into the game with an average of 139.5 after hitting three one-day centuries against South Africa, nearly departed for 34.  
A Ricky Ponting shy at one stump tipped off a bail but Pietersen just made his ground. He responded with a front-foot six off Michael Kasprowicz over square leg as 18 runs came off the 41st over.  
He then brought up his 50 with a leg-side six off wrist spinner Brad Hogg and crashed seamer Shane Watson over extra cover, the two exchanging a mouthful of abuse.  
England suddenly looked favourites until Adam Gilchrist got rid of Solanki, meaning 23 were needed off the last five overs with only tailenders to come.  
But Pietersen did not hang around, blasting Gillespie for a straight four, then hammering him over long on next ball as 17 runs came off the over to make sure of victory.  
It was Australias fourth defeat in a week in all forms of cricket.  
England won the last one-dayer between the sides but had lost the previous 14.

  Herald Learner Booklets in BA schools  
Buenos Aires mayor Anbal Ibarra, US Ambassador Lino Gutirrez, Buenos Aires Secretary of Education Roxana Perazza  and Buenos Aires Herald President Gabriel Mysler presented students of a public bilingual school with 16,000 copies of 5 titles of the Herald Learner Booklets.  
The supplements were developed by the Education department of the Herald, which has been producing classroom materials for young language learners since 2003. the authorities of the Escuelas  plurilinges programme of the Buenos Aires city government, which comprises 26 public schools in which students have intensive language training from specially trained teachers, selected the titles from the Booklets collection which suited their classrooms best. A subsidy from the US Embassy provided the funds to supply the schools with a year's worth of material.  
The ceremony to launch the project took place on May 11 at school number 11, in San Cristbal. Ibarra, Gutirrez, Mysler and Perazza applauded the initiative in their speeches and celebrated this cooperative effort to provide children with better tools for their education.  While Mysler emphasized the importance of learning and knowledge for the future of students and the nation, Ambassador Gutierrez had a conversation in English with the students, quizzing them on their language skills. Ibarra and Perazza highlighted the importance of the Escuelas plurilinges programme, and how it is a model which other Latin American cities are trying to emulate.  
This is not the first time the Herald coordinates efforts to provide public school students with quality educational materials.  Last year, with the cooperation of Audi Argentina, 70,000 copies of a supplement on road safety were delivered to all 4 and 5th graders. Also last year, together with Ford Motors Argentina, the Herald produced San Martn: a man, a sword and ethic, the first educational material in English on the life of national hero Jos de San Martn.
  Hip-hop finds a home in Mexico  

By JEREMY SCHWARTZ  
Cox News Service

MONTERREY  Its 100 degrees outside and even hotter in the hip-hop club, where hundreds of kids in their San Antonio Spurs jerseys and fuzzy Kangol hats nod their heads listlessly to the music.  
That all changes when the Gamberroz take the stage. The crowd surges forward and the whole room seems to throb with the presence of the five MCs, local heroes from a barrio on the outskirts of Monterrey. Everyone knows the songs and raps the lyrics right back along to the backbreaking beats coming from the oversized speakers. The crowd is a sweating mess by the time the Gamberroz are done with them, and even the too-cool-for-school kids are screaming Otra! (encore)  
In an age when bling-bling and R&B-inflected rap fill the US airwaves, a grittier and in some ways more traditional form of hip-hop has taken up residence south of the border.  
Throughout Mexico, a homegrown rap scene has quietly emerged in the past decade, characterized by a hard-edged, underground spirit that stems in part from the fact that hardly anyone is making any real money from it.  
The reality of the MC in Mexico is a hard one, said music journalist Ricardo Bravo, who has started an independent rap record label that has put out several compilations of Mexican rap. They travel on the (subway) and theyre happy because 40 or 50 people see them and applaud. Because rap isnt really a source of income, the only ones that do it are the ones that love it.  
When I first heard rap, I didnt understand it, said Luis Bautista, who goes by the name Boz when he performs with the Gamberroz. But I understood the feeling I got from it, I identified with it. Rap is a complete world. . . . Its an art.  
By some estimates, dozens or even hundreds of hip-hop crews are plying their trade just in Monterrey, which has become a kind of mecca for rap in Mexico and is just two hours from Texas and the US.  
Theres a lot of influence from the other side, said Monterrey rapper Jos Ramn Vsquez, who goes by the name Diablo. Everyone has relatives or friends who have moved there to work, and they bring back a lot of music.  
Monterrey rappers sell their homemade compact discs in the streets and at local pirate markets, which stock rap the way markets in other regions sell corridos and cumbia music. Hundreds or thousands of fans pack tardeadas, traditional Sunday afternoon shows that often feature break dancing crews and graffiti artists.  
The music chronicles life in the gritty, industrial giant that is Monterrey, where hulking factories power Mexicos northern economy. It may be Mexicos richest city  its certainly among the most expensive  but its also home to rough and tumble barrios creeping up the sides of the citys dramatic mountains. In recent months it has been touched by the escalation of the decades-long narcotrafficking war along the border.  
Rap gained a foothold in pockets of Mexico by the mid-1990s. The seminal group Control Machete blew the doors open in Monterrey with its 1997 release Mucho Barato, a classic that sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide.  
The hit affected Monterrey musicians of all sorts.  
It was like the cork popped, said Ricardo Haas, executive producer of Control Machetes first two albums. Rock, punk and alternative acts like Plastilina Mosh, El Gran Silencio, Jumbo, Genitallica and Kinky flooded out of the city and found audiences north of the border. For a time, some considered Monterrey the hottest music city on the continent.  
In 2001, another star rose on the Monterrey rap scene when the major label BMG signed Babo, described by his management group as a former drug dealer and pimp.  
MC Babo started his musical career as an 8-year-old singing for pesos with a buddy on the city buses of Santa Catarina, a hardscrabble industrial suburb west of Monterrey.  
I was always a member of a gang, he says. When rap came, I saw how they dressed, the few words I could understand, and it was like my style  the life in the street.  
He formed Cartel de Santa, a nod to his hometown. The group began as a rap-rock outfit before turning to pure rap. Soon Babo found himself in Los Angeles recording an album with famed producer Jason Roberts, who had worked with US Latino-tinged groups Cypress Hill and Funkdoobiest and produced Control Machetes albums.  
The first Cartel de Santa album got mixed reviews. But with the money, the group built a studio in Santa Catarina, and recorded a second album with the help of a copied beat-making software that Babo brought back from Los Angeles.  
Volume II found almost immediate success, garnering three MTV Latin America music award nominations and cracking Mexicos version of Total Request Live. Its due for US release in December.  
Despite its success, Cartel de Santa still scrapes by. The quartet has sold more than 100,000 discs, considered a commercial success in bootlegging-plagued Mexico but not enough to make anyone rich. Touring, which can provide the biggest payday, has yet to do so, in part because some large concert promoters are wary of booking rap acts.  
The group has played at Austins past two South by Southwest festivals and hopes for more US appearances. But Babo says visa problems have made that difficult.  
Cartel de Santa sells mix tapes on the street to supplement its income, and some members spend nights in their sparsely furnished studio. While his rap counterparts in the US drive Bentleys and Benzes, Babo tools around town in a Honda Civic. The group does own a Cadillac Escalade  a 24-inch remote-control version that they keep on top of the refrigerator and bring out for laughs.  
We have a top 10 (hit) and look at how we live, Babo said.  
Though riches and fame elude the legions of rappers and DJs playing in bodegas in Mexico City or tiny clubs in Merida, many groups take pride in their underground status.  
I think thats why theres more purity, said Bravo, the music journalist. They are dedicating themselves to this hard road.  
Except for Control Machete and Cartel de Santa, major record labels have shied away from Mexican hip-hop acts despite the abundance of talent, a trend exasperated by the financial crisis hitting the industry because of rampant bootlegging.  
Some important groups, like Mexico Citys Sociedad Cafe and Monterreys Lingo Squad, have scored independent record deals. Others, like the Durango collective G Locos, have taken their music directly to the people with a full-service web site.  
Cartel de Santa members are developing a label, Casa Babilonia, that they hope will be a launching point for a slew of Monterrey-area MCs.  
Cartel de Santa is trying to do what they think Control Machete should have done back then for the Monterrey rap scene, said Haas, whose management company now represents Cartel de Santa. Theyre trying to renovate the hip-hop scene for Latin America, not just Mexico.  
But for other underground crews, the lack of industry attention is a blessing. It allows them to focus on the essence of their work  making beats, writing rhymes and performing for hard-core fans.  
We like the independence, said Boz of the Gamberroz, still sweating after his groups Monterrey show. The people make us. The day the people dont like us, well retire.

  Hip-hop thrown into the mainstream  

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY

NEW YORK  The Black Eyed Peas spent years languishing in hip-hops underground before they found the formula to vault them into the mainstream  accessible pop melodies, star collaborations, marketing tie-ins and a sexy young thing to belt out catchy choruses.  
That mix made their 2003 album Elephunk their big breakthrough. Their first two albums failed to sell 500,000 copies combined. But Elephunk  which featured the Grammy-nominated anthems Where Is The Love with Justin Timberlake and Lets Get It Started, which became the National Basketball Associations playoff anthem  went multiplatinum and made them and their music ubiquitous.  
Still, there are plenty of early Peas-heads who remain disgruntled about the groups leap to the pop world.  
But go ahead and call them sellouts. Lead lyricist will.i.am doesnt mind.  
Its cool. It makes me feel good because that means they really liked our first record.  
And then the group breaks out into uproarious laughter.  
The Black Eyed Peas have plenty to be merry about these days. Coming off a Grammy this year and the success of Elephunk (2.7 million copies sold) the foursome should prove that they arent a flash in the pan with their latest album, Monkey Business. The disc, which again features Timberlake, along with the Godfather of Soul James Brown, sold 291,000 copies in its first week of release, according to figures released last Wednesday. And the funky first single from the album, Dont Phunk With My Heart, is already a Billboard top 10 hit.  
Amy Doyle, MTVs vice president of music and talent programming, says the key to the Black Eyed Peas success is their ability to straddle a wide audience... their music is not polarizing.  
Its really all about the catchy songs that they write that get stuck inside everybodys head as well as a real vibrant live performance, she added. And they always deliver really good videos too.  
The Los Angeles-based group, which initially started out years ago as the trio of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo, first came onto the scene as an effervescent band that melded eclectic hip-hop beats with lyrics that were sometimes socially relevant, sometimes irreverent, but definitely apart from the sex and violence that permeates much of rap and hip-hop.  
Critics loved it, and they had a strong following.  
When I go back then, and I think about our careers, I think we were pretty successful, says will.i.am, the most talkative member of the group, as they sit backstage, waiting for perform at an MTV event. It was just a different level of success. We werent waiting, like DUDE, I CANT WAIT TILL WE GO FIVE TIMES PLATINUM!!! It was more like Damn, I cant wait to buy a house. Thats what we were waiting for.  
But they had to wait awhile. Their debut CD, 1998s Back To Front had modest success. But the weak response to the follow-up, Bridging the Gap, left them feeling particularly defeated, and they fell into destructive habits.  
Me and Tab were going out drinking every night, says will.i.am.  
Eventually, the band decided to put all their focus into Elephunk, which they saw as potentially their last album. Though not everyone was quite as willing to straighten up.  
He got mad at us because we took him to rehab, will.i.am says of Taboo, as they all start to laugh.  
Because they told me they would take me shopping! Taboo cries out  to the laughter of the group again.  
Besides getting themselves together, they also decided to tinker with their sound. A previous female vocalist they used on tracks had left, so they found Fergie  a former member of Wild Orchid, which had modest success in the 90s.  
Joining three guys who had been together for years wasnt easy for Fergie.  
It was like a gradual progression for me on stage, because they had been together for years. Im coming onto the stage, not really knowing where I fit in. So I kind of had to sit back and watch and find my niche in the band, she says.  
I think Fergie rounded out the package, says Doyle. They were always a very talented group but when they added Fergie they added another dimension. And then their songwriting definitely got better over time. They were able to capture the lighter side of a hip-hop audience as well as bridge the gap between hip-hop and pop with a very unique sound.  
But some critics saw it as a blatant attempt to cross over. Given that their music has always been more palatable to club lounges than the gritty streets, it added even more fodder to those who considered the group watered-down hip-hop.  
Those criticisms irritate will.i.am a little  but just a little.  
Whats hip-hop? he asks, adding: If hip-hop is Shoot the (expletive), smack the (expletive)... snort the coke, sell the coke, run from the (police) then no, were not. Thats not us.

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  How Haitis future may depend on a starving prisoner  
The former senator and radio talk show host has been jailed for a year without charges under a new government installed by the United States and is slowly starving himself to death in a minimum-security prison cell.   
Last year, Haiti's new government arrested Neptune, 58, accusing him as the mastermind of a massacre in a small northern town, St.-Marc. Prime Minister Gerard Latortue argued that justice was the best way to heal Haiti's wounds, and promoted the case as proof that no one, no matter how powerful, could stand above the law.   
But as the anniversary of Neptune's arrest approaches, his continued detention has become an embarrassment to the Bush administration and a symbol of the failures of what was supposed to be Haiti's transition to a fully functioning democracy.   
From prison, the former prime minister has denounced his case as a "political witch hunt" aimed at seeking vengeance, not justice, against those who supported Aristide. In February he started a series of hunger strikes to demand that the government try him or set him free.   
When a visitor went to the two-story house where Neptune was being held, the former prime minister could not lift his bony body off a foam mattress on the floor of his cell. He was wearing striped boxer shorts and listening to music on a Walkman. His most striking feature was the lines of his rib cage.   
"I feel weak," he said barely above a whisper. "Some days I feel weaker than others. But it was my choice to go on hunger strike."   
The hunger strikes have sent Neptune twice to the hospital in critical condition and brought expressions of concern, even outrage, about the injustices that continue to plague Haiti's justice system. Only about 20 of the more than 1,000 prisoners at the federal penitentiary have been convicted of crimes; many have spent years awaiting trial.   
But Jocelyn McCalla, executive director of the National Coalition for Haitian Rights in New York, said much more is at stake than Haiti's justice system.   
Rather than a political achievement for Haiti's interim government, he said, it has become a serious liability less than four months from the start of important national elections.   
And rather than uniting this violently polarized society, McCalla said, the case against Neptune has seemed only to keep old political hostilities festering, raising questions about the crimes of the past government, and about the legitimacy of the current one.   
"The Neptune case has raised hard questions about the legitimacy of the United States' intervention in Haiti," McCalla said. "The intervention was based on the premise that the United States was ousting a criminal despot, namely President Aristide, who had used his powers to subvert democracy, and that the interim government was going to establish rule of law. That has not happened."   
It is not easy to tell exactly what happened in St.-Marc. Estimates of the dead range from five to 50. But according to rights investigators and reports by the Haitian press, the violence had its roots in the upheaval that ousted President Aristide.   
That rebellion began in early February 2004 in Gonaives, when a rag-tag group of former soldiers attacked police stations and forced officers to abandon their posts. Word spread rapidly to St.-Marc, where Aristide opponents who called themselves Ramicos attacked the police station and set up barricades.   
Neptune arrived there in the presidential helicopter on Feb. 9. Witnesses said he toured the city, summoned police officers back to their stations and vowed in an angry speech that the government would not surrender.   
"What we are doing is to make sure that peace is re-established," he was quoted as saying in a Haitian newspaper account. "We are encouraging the police to get together with the population so that the cycle of violence can cease. We ask all the population that wants peace to mobilize against the spiraling violence."   
In hindsight, some today see those words as giving the police a license to kill. Others see them as a beleaguered prime minister's striving to give confidence to his constituents.   
Two days later, witnesses said, the presidential helicopter returned and circled over the city. Police officers accompanied by pro-Aristide gunmen called Bale Wouze (the Creole phrase describes a cleansing ritual) broke through the barricades around a Ramicos stronghold, setting buildings on fire and throwing people inside to burn alive.   
No one claims to have seen Neptune. In fact, several days passed before anyone dared to enter the area to search for survivors.   
Terry Snow, a missionary from Tyler, Texas, who has worked in Haiti since 1986, recalled that the streets were littered with bodies. He was too scared to take photos of them, he said, but he recalled seeing at least seven in one house and three heads in an outhouse. Others told him there were bodies on the hillside, being eaten by hungry pigs and dogs.   
"By the time the police started looking for the bodies," he said, "they weren't there anymore."   
By then, neither was Aristide. The growing instability in Haiti brought immense pressure by the United States, and Aristide fled the country for exile in Africa.   
Neptune, however, refused to flee, and cooperated with the United States by handing over power to Latortue, whose government repaid the favor with a warrant for Neptune's arrest.   
Three weeks ago, the emaciated prisoner was carried on a stretcher to his first court hearing in St.-Marc and testified for several hours, the latest sign that the interim government had begun to buckle under mounting pressure and was seeking a way to expedite the Neptune case.   
Months earlier, the government offered to fly Neptune for emergency medical treatment to the Dominican Republic, but Neptune refuses to leave Haiti until his name is cleared of wrongdoing.   
(On Tuesday, Justice Minister Bernard Gousse resigned, a move that may clear a final obstacle to Neptune's release.)   
The Haitian government blocked numerous attempts by two reporters from The New York Times to visit Neptune. Last Thursday, a reporter based in Haiti who works for The Times posed as a family friend and was allowed to visit him for seven minutes.   
He was rail thin and could barely speak above a whisper. Still he was clean and well groomed, his hair combed, his fingernails filed and his signature goatee clipped in a neat line around his jaw.   
He did not know for sure whether he was going to be released soon, he said. But if he was, he said, he would go to the United States for a while to recover with his wife and daughter. Still, he said he would not leave Haiti for long.   
"I will be back," he said. "I made the decision that I am never going to live in exile. I am going to stay here. I think I can be a lot more useful in Haiti than in the United States.   
"Haiti needs me more."
  How to teach Spanish: the keys to success  

By Gonzalo J. Camp  
FOR THE HERALD

When I was first offered to teach Spanish as a second language, the first thing that came to my mind was: Am I ready for it? I started reviewing my skills as a foreign language teacher and realized I had many of the most important skills: patience, accountability and the know-how to keep my students motivated. I am also a native speaker of the language. However, I wondered if this was enough. The answer was No.  
Spanish is a very complex language even for us native speakers, so imagine the challenge it presents to someone who just knows how to say Buen da. Consequently, my first step was to start collecting material on Spanish grammar. My God! I was flabbergasted when I realized the way we Argentines misuse the language. What also struck me was how little I knew about Spanish grammar and its bizarre linguistic twists myself. I felt awful: I knew so much about English grammar and almost nothing about Spanish! But that did not stop me. I kept on researching and training so as to heighten my awareness of my own language.  
Collecting information on the Spanish language was just the beginning. The material available to teach Spanish both at bookstores and online is not up to standard. I had to struggle to finally gather materials that could prove useful, but all was in vain. Either the books and e-books were written in Castillian/Peninsular Spanish (which I had decided to discard because of their inadequacy in Argentina) or were not carefully graded. It was then that I decided to create my own teaching material. Along with my colleagues, we came up with a series of practical ideas that helped us to implement our knowledge as English teachers in Spanish lessons.  
l Use of realia: Realia is a key word when teaching languages. Here in Argentina we really have it at hand. Everything we hear or see around us can be used as class material. You just walk out into the street and can easily find shops everywhere with leaflets advertising their own products. This is valuable material to be used in class. Other items of realia: street signs, posters, ads, TV programmes (remember to take into account motivation and student type)  
l Grading and adapting material: Even if the material feels awkward or inappropriate, we can always get something from it.   
Continues on page 5

Continued from page 2

How many times have we had to use a course book we did not agree with (because of its layout or lack of one of the 4 skills, etc) but could manage to adapt it to the level of a certain group of students? Learn to be flexible enough to shape material into your students needs.   
l Training: I believe this is the key to success. Nobody is a born teacher. Some may have the makings that can help them become one but continuous training and research are the best ways to keep things moving. Some people think that being a native speaker of the language is enough to teach Spanish. Not even!   
Now, this is just the beginning. We are going to get even deeper into teaching Spanish. I would like to encourage you to go over your teaching performance. There is always room for change and improvement. Think about what you are tired of, what kind of student you consider difficult to deal with, etc. Send me your questions about teaching Spanish, and I will try to offer possible solutions to your dilemmas. Every issue we will tackle different options to improve lessons and suggest material to be used in class (internet links, books, etc.)  

  Hybrid flowers: she smells me, she smells me not  
NEW YORK  Cleopatra welcomed Mark Antony in a room knee-deep with rose petals. Shakespeare wrote about the Eglantine rose with apple-scented leaves. Victorian women sniffed their violets and nosegays to mask the odors of the street.  
Scent may be the most heady garden element of all, but many of our best-loved flowers have lost their fragrance over the last half-century as hybridizers pursued traits like brighter colours, bigger flowers, compact growth or long stems for cutting. Take a whiff of some hybrid red roses, for example, and youll smell  well, almost nothing: an olfactory blank.  
In cut flower breeding today, the concentration is still on shippability and vase life, and these new flowers have all the romance of an artichoke, said Tom Carruth, research director of Weeks Roses, a wholesale grower based in Upland, Calif.  
But as the gardening community grows more sophisticated, and therefore more appreciative of the sensual and the subtle, smell  the final frontier of the senses  is returning to garden fashion.  
More nursery catalogs have begun to include lists of fragrant plants on equal footing with categories like hardy vines and ground covers, and breeders are starting to take notice.  
In the fall Weeks Roses will introduce a rose named after Julia Child (it has a licorice candy smell) and a purple and lavender rose called Wild Blue Yonder, which has a strong spicy fragrance. Child, who died in August, picked her namesake from a sampling of new hybrids.  
In addition, the company says old-fashioned varieties that never lost their scent, like Sombreuil, a white climber from the late 19th century, are enjoying a resurgence.  
People go for the colour first, Carruth said by way of explanation. Then 99.44 percent of the time, its to the nose.  
Im surprised by how many fragrant flowers are still not promoted, and by how many old or overlooked varieties have yet to make a well-deserved comeback, including native azaleas, bearded iris, clethra and the old-fashioned mock orange.  
Fragrance seems to be what gardeners want to talk about this season. Last week the Parrish Art Museum, in Southampton, NY, will convene a two-day event on scent and the garden, with talks by Stephen Lacey, a British garden columnist and author of Scent in Your Garden (Frances Lincoln, 1991), and Robin Clery, a so-called perfume hunter, who captures botanical fragrances for perfume and other products on tropical expeditions.  
Out here the mentality is, if its bigger, its better, said Perry Guillot, a landscape architect based in Southampton who helped stage the event. Fragrance brings gardeners back to simple earthly delights. Its not just about who can buy the biggest tree. Fragrance is so much subtler. It can be a freshly mowed lawn or a honeysuckle that grew in from a neighbours fence.  
By most accounts, humans can detect only five flavours: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and a fifth flavour, derived from the amino acid glutamate and known to the Japanese as umami. But we can discern some 10,000 distinct smells. Without smell, flavours would be barely detectable. Remember holding your nose when you took medicine as a child?  
Scents may be plentiful, but they are hard to analyze, and even harder to describe. That may account for why smell is often an afterthought in plant descriptions and garden plans.  
Scent is invisible, but its placement is crucial. I wouldnt make a planting themed on fragrance, for example, as I would for spring colour or dwarf evergreens. I prefer to sprinkle the smells like punctuation. The lily is an exclamation point; the scent of Carolina sweetshrub floats on the evening air like a question mark: Whats that smell?  
Unfortunately, its not always easy to find those punctuation marks. After World War II, scent was bred out of roses, for example, as hybridizers worked toward new colours, long stems and durability. Since thick leathery petals do not readily disintegrate, their molecules do not waft into the air. Instead, they remain imbedded and undetectable until the blossom begins to rot.  
In her book A Natural History of Senses, (Random House, 1990), Diane Ackerman surmises that scent seems to be a recessive trait in roses, and two deeply fragrant parents may produce a petal-perfect but smell-less offspring.  
Anticipating the demand for fragrance, David Austin, an English rose breeder, years ago began to cross the hybrid tea roses, desirable for their colours and long periods of bloom, with antique shrub roses, which are known for their fragrance. The company established an office in Texas six years ago. As a result, the roses are available throughout the United States, and they are enormously popular.  
Of course, flower fragrance, like colour, did not evolve for our delight alone; they are sex ploys to attract pollinators in search of nectar. If you smell a petunia during the day, it may have a bit of scent, but at night it releases a rich, heady, lily-and-clove aroma. Thousands of flowers are pollinated by nocturnal insects and therefore do not release their perfumes until their animal allies are active. Evening-scented blossoms are often white, luminous in the fading light of dusk just as the moths begin their rounds. Many of these flowers have tubular or trumpet shapes that evolved along with moths long proboscises.  
(NY Times)
  Hybrid flowers: she smells me, she smells me not  
NEW YORK  Cleopatra welcomed Mark Antony in a room knee-deep with rose petals. Shakespeare wrote about the Eglantine rose with apple-scented leaves. Victorian women sniffed their violets and nosegays to mask the odors of the street.  
Scent may be the most heady garden element of all, but many of our best-loved flowers have lost their fragrance over the last half-century as hybridizers pursued traits like brighter colours, bigger flowers, compact growth or long stems for cutting. Take a whiff of some hybrid red roses, for example, and youll smell  well, almost nothing: an olfactory blank.  
In cut flower breeding today, the concentration is still on shippability and vase life, and these new flowers have all the romance of an artichoke, said Tom Carruth, research director of Weeks Roses, a wholesale grower based in Upland, Calif.  
But as the gardening community grows more sophisticated, and therefore more appreciative of the sensual and the subtle, smell  the final frontier of the senses  is returning to garden fashion.  
More nursery catalogs have begun to include lists of fragrant plants on equal footing with categories like hardy vines and ground covers, and breeders are starting to take notice.  
In the fall Weeks Roses will introduce a rose named after Julia Child (it has a licorice candy smell) and a purple and lavender rose called Wild Blue Yonder, which has a strong spicy fragrance. Child, who died in August, picked her namesake from a sampling of new hybrids.  
In addition, the company says old-fashioned varieties that never lost their scent, like Sombreuil, a white climber from the late 19th century, are enjoying a resurgence.  
People go for the colour first, Carruth said by way of explanation. Then 99.44 percent of the time, its to the nose.  
Im surprised by how many fragrant flowers are still not promoted, and by how many old or overlooked varieties have yet to make a well-deserved comeback, including native azaleas, bearded iris, clethra and the old-fashioned mock orange.  
Fragrance seems to be what gardeners want to talk about this season. Last week the Parrish Art Museum, in Southampton, NY, will convene a two-day event on scent and the garden, with talks by Stephen Lacey, a British garden columnist and author of Scent in Your Garden (Frances Lincoln, 1991), and Robin Clery, a so-called perfume hunter, who captures botanical fragrances for perfume and other products on tropical expeditions.  
Out here the mentality is, if its bigger, its better, said Perry Guillot, a landscape architect based in Southampton who helped stage the event. Fragrance brings gardeners back to simple earthly delights. Its not just about who can buy the biggest tree. Fragrance is so much subtler. It can be a freshly mowed lawn or a honeysuckle that grew in from a neighbours fence.  
By most accounts, humans can detect only five flavours: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and a fifth flavour, derived from the amino acid glutamate and known to the Japanese as umami. But we can discern some 10,000 distinct smells. Without smell, flavours would be barely detectable. Remember holding your nose when you took medicine as a child?  
Scents may be plentiful, but they are hard to analyze, and even harder to describe. That may account for why smell is often an afterthought in plant descriptions and garden plans.  
Scent is invisible, but its placement is crucial. I wouldnt make a planting themed on fragrance, for example, as I would for spring colour or dwarf evergreens. I prefer to sprinkle the smells like punctuation. The lily is an exclamation point; the scent of Carolina sweetshrub floats on the evening air like a question mark: Whats that smell?  
Unfortunately, its not always easy to find those punctuation marks. After World War II, scent was bred out of roses, for example, as hybridizers worked toward new colours, long stems and durability. Since thick leathery petals do not readily disintegrate, their molecules do not waft into the air. Instead, they remain imbedded and undetectable until the blossom begins to rot.  
In her book A Natural History of Senses, (Random House, 1990), Diane Ackerman surmises that scent seems to be a recessive trait in roses, and two deeply fragrant parents may produce a petal-perfect but smell-less offspring.  
Anticipating the demand for fragrance, David Austin, an English rose breeder, years ago began to cross the hybrid tea roses, desirable for their colours and long periods of bloom, with antique shrub roses, which are known for their fragrance. The company established an office in Texas six years ago. As a result, the roses are available throughout the United States, and they are enormously popular.  
Of course, flower fragrance, like colour, did not evolve for our delight alone; they are sex ploys to attract pollinators in search of nectar. If you smell a petunia during the day, it may have a bit of scent, but at night it releases a rich, heady, lily-and-clove aroma. Thousands of flowers are pollinated by nocturnal insects and therefore do not release their perfumes until their animal allies are active. Evening-scented blossoms are often white, luminous in the fading light of dusk just as the moths begin their rounds. Many of these flowers have tubular or trumpet shapes that evolved along with moths long proboscises.  
(NY Times)
  I want my hyphenated-identity MTV: a new global frontier  
Taufiq summed herself up: R&B artist who is bilingual in English and Hindi; news reader for a local ethnic channel on which she conducts phone-in quizzes on Bollywood trivia; frequenter of the late-night desi party scene who thinks that arranged marriages are not such a bad idea; and, well, chemical engineer now working in software development at Hewlett-Packard.   
Azhar Usman, 29, with his knitted skullcap and full beard, presented somewhat differently. An MTV executive, he explained, had recruited him, saying: "We're going to redefine the identity of the MTV host. It doesn't have to be someone sexy and good-looking." A comedian (and lawyer) from Chicago, Usman used the audition to invent an exaggeratedly accented (and quite amusing) character: Vijay the VJ.   
Most of the applicants thanked MTV for thinking of them as a demographic ready for a music-video channel all its own. "It's so nice to be recognized," said Tara Austin, a Sri Lankan-American from Los Angeles. "I am just an American girl at the end of the day, but I have a strong South Asian background. I eat with my hands, you know? We're, like, so hungry for hearing our own culture."   
That's what MTV World is counting on as it introduces three new channels focusing on the growing population of young, acculturated Asian-Americans: first, MTV Desi, which will go on the air in late July; then MTV Chi, for Chinese-Americans, by the end of the year; and MTV K for Korean-Americans next year.   
The channels will not be merely tweaked reproductions of MTV India, MTV China or MTV Korea, three of MTV's 42 channels abroad. Rather, they will, like their target audiences, be hybrids, blending here and there and grappling with identity issues, mostly in English.   
MTV Desi will serve as the prototype. Interspersed among Bollywood videos, electronic tabla music and English-Gujarati hip-hop, it will feature brief documentary clips profiling desis, comic skits about South Asian-American generational conflicts, interviews with bicultural artists and desi house parties, live. MTV Chi will mix up Mandarin rock, Canto pop and Chinese-American rap; MTV K will tap into South Korean hip-hop and the little-known but vibrant Korean-American pop scene. MTV Desi will start on satellite nationally and then move to digital cable systems in various parts of the country.   
MTV World's premise for these new channels was commonsensical: that young bicultural Americans have tastes different from those of youths in their ethnic homelands and therefore need, as it were, a customized MTV.   
In that premise lay a confluence of academic and commercial thinking. For at least a decade, academics have explored the idea that many immigrants possess "transnational" identities. That is, aided by jet travel, technology and global commerce, they - and their children - maintain vital, current links to homelands that are never really left behind. There has been a fervent debate in intellectual circles about the "cultural space" inhabited by the children of recent immigrants and to what extent its very "hybridity" makes it a place of its own.   
MTV's exploration was less theoretical: market research through house parties and minigroups involving Asian-Americans in New York and Los Angeles. MTV concluded that second-generation immigrants not only desire their own age-appropriate connection to their parents' homeland but that they also passionately want to see their struggle to define themselves as hyphenated Americans mirrored on television.   
"If you're a young Chinese-American or Indian-American, what channel do you tune into to see yourself, to see artists that reflect your lifestyle?" asked Nusrat Durrani, 44, senior vice president and general manager of MTV World. He has an almost missionary zeal about this project, but then, as a native of Lucknow, India, who now lives in Brooklyn, he has a firsthand view of hybrid life. As he sees it, the Asian-American population, which is booming, is also coming of age. "This country has had the African-American experience, the Hispanic-American experience, and now it is the time for the third-largest group, the Asian-Americans," he said.   
The Asian-American population grew to 12.3 million in 2004 (or 14 million, when including Asians of mixed race) from 6.9 million in 1990, according to the Census Bureau. The three target audiences for the new MTV channels, especially Indian-Americans, are better educated and more affluent than average Americans, according to the census. The median family income of an Asian Indian in the United States was $70,708 in 1999, compared with $50,046 for all Americans; 64 percent held at least a bachelor's degree, compared with 24 percent for all American families.   
Still, Durrani said, "The Asian-American experience has not been articulated on the national stage, although there are these incredibly vibrant subcultures, artists from all these communities who are entirely untapped."   
Enter MTV, ready to give these artists a platform, to "super-serve" the young ethnic populations of the United States and, then, perhaps, to entice young Americans of all backgrounds to tune in and check out a universe, cultural and musical, that they know little about.   
These channels won't live or die by the size of their crossover audience, said Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom. Initially MTV will be supplementing an investment of what he called "several millions" with some programming from MTV UK, MTV India and other international MTVs.   
But there is nonetheless the hope that these channels will reach beyond their niche audiences, meaning that MTV, which has long exported American pop culture to the world, is trying to import global pop culture into the United States.   
When MTV began to establish channels abroad in the late 1980s, critics viewed the expansion as quintessential cultural imperialism that would homogenize youth culture worldwide. Early on, though, MTV learned that it made better business sense to be "glocal" - their motto is "think global, act local" - than to impose a wholly American cultural product. Young people, wherever they were, would watch international acts for only so long before they wanted to see something of their own. So each of MTV's international channels developed local talent and its own personality: MTV Indonesia has a call to prayer, MTV Italy has cooking shows, MTV Brazil is, visually speaking, extremely colorful and, sartorially speaking, quite bare.   
Still, the MTVs around the world share that distinctive, hyperkinetic MTV footprint, and they are profoundly commercial, and not always profoundly artistic, enterprises. So some second-generation immigrants are leery of MTV's zeroing in on their market potential.   
One young woman hoping to be a VJ, Niharika Desai, 27, declared during her interview that she had auditioned partly out of curiosity to see "what corporate America thinks of me."   
Her comment met poker faces from Durrani, who that day wore all black and studded jewelry, and Lem Lopez, a Filipino-American executive producer for MTV World, who wore his long hair in a slipknot atop his head and his floral shirt loose and half unbuttoned.   
"Not that you're corporate," Desai said to them, pedaling backward. "I know that you're a kinder, gentler version of the Man."   
Projecting a kind of perky punk aesthetic, Desai wore her hair shaggy, with a streak of blond, her jeans folded up and her Converse sneakers faded. A video editor who grew up in upstate New York, she verbally motored on, trying to make amends, sort of.   
"My whole thing coming here, it's really cool that there's going to be a desi channel," she said. "I also have some thoughts. Growing up, I became who I am more from influences in Poughkeepsie than from the Indian community. My parents didn't raise me watching Hindi films and what not. So I implore you, please do something more than Bollywood." Actually, she punctuated Bollywood with an expletive, and then again when she clarified: "Don't get me wrong. I love Bollywood. But desi kids in America would so benefit from having a cool influence and learning hip stuff, too, like M.I.A."   
Desai was referring to Maya Arulpragasam, a Sri Lankan-English performer who goes by the stage name M.I.A. Clearing his throat, Durrani, who seemed to be charmed by Desai's irreverence, said simply: "I want to put you completely at ease. This isn't corporate America. And M.I.A. is so central."   
M.I.A. is the daughter of a Tamil militant whose family fled the violence in Sri Lanka and eventually settled in a housing project outside London. There, she said in an interview that will be shown on MTV Desi, she started over as refugee "scum," with hand-me-down clothes, in special schools, on the lowest rung of the English social ladder.   
For her audition, Taufiq was shown a Bollywood music video, an extravagant number from "Happiness and Tears," a huge hit film in 2001. She knew it well, and her head bounced along. When Durrani exclaimed that the leading man, Hrithik Roshan, was a seriously handsome man, Taufiq recoiled somewhat, saying, "But he has six fingers!"   
Usman viewed the same video, watched it with a progressively widening smile, laughed robustly at the end and said, "Are you finding this ridiculous?"   
Given several minutes to prepare an introduction to the video for a screen test, Taufiq decided to pretend that she was broadcasting from Jackson Heights, in front of Kebab King, whose quality, she said, could be measured by the long line of yellow taxis in front.   
Usman decided to go with: "My uncle in India says desi stands for `doctors earn significant incomes.' My relatives in Pakistan say desi means `Don't ever say India.' Here on MTV, desi means South Asian flavor, style and music. Check this new video out. It's going to knock your socks off. You've heard of a big production budget. How about 500 backup dancers? This is like `Grease' meets desi, making it greasy. No, that doesn't sound right."   
Lopez grinned. "That's absolutely on the money, man," he said, and then Usman broke into broken English as Vijay the VJ.   
"People think in my country everybody so sad, crying, terrorism," Vijay said. "We not terrorism, we dancing. Not dancing like panties falling down. What is this panties falling down" the buttocks? And so on.   
In the end, the choice of a starting VJ was difficult. Durrani said that he worried that Taufiq was too much of an Indian-American stereotype (beautiful overachiever) and that Usman would be straitjacketed in a VJ role. Desai had no experience in front of a camera but she was cute, hip and sassy, and this captivated, as she put it, the Man.   
And so Niharika Desai - a fresh take on Carson Daly, if ever there were one - will be the first face of MTV Desi, the first to introduce this channel to its audiences and then, perhaps, to introduce their vibrant, hyphenated culture to the larger world.
  Illegal rice found again in Chinas food supply  
SHANGHAI   
Genetically altered rice, which is not approved for human consumption anywhere in the world, has been found again in China's food supply, this time in one of the country's biggest cities, the environmental group Greenpeace said on Monday.   
Researchers for Greenpeace say bags of rice purchased in the southern city of Guangzhou were tested by an independent laboratory and found to contain genetically altered rice, which is illegal to sell on the open market in China.   
The findings suggest that China may have inadvertently become the first country where people are consuming genetically modified rice, even though safety testing has not yet been completed. Scientists around the world continue to debate the use of genetically altered crops, but there has been little or no evidence that genetically altered crops are harmful to human health.   
Two months ago, China's ministry of agriculture said it would investigate claims by Greenpeace that genetically altered rice was being illegally planted and sold in the Hubei province of central China. The government's findings have not yet been released.   
Now, Greenpeace asserts that rice that has been genetically altered to resist pests has spread from experimental plots in Hubei to wholesale rice markets in Guangzhou, which is about 90 miles north of Hong Kong.   
"This illegal and unapproved rice has spread out of Hubei province and it is reaching other parts of the country," said Sze Pang Cheung, a Greenpeace researcher in Beijing.   
Sze said that Greenpeace bought the rice from a Guangzhou wholesaler, who buys from Hubei and then resells about 60 tons of rice a day, much of it to Guangzhou restaurants. Last April, Greenpeace said a group of "rogue scientists" in Hubei province had allowed altered rice to illegally seep into a corner of the market by selling it to regular farmers.In the United States, the planting of genetically altered corn and soybeans is widespread. But since the late 1990s, European and American regulators have slowed the approval process over health and safety concerns, as well as consumer fears.         (NYT)
  IMF to review Argentine economy today  

The International Monetary Fund will start its annual revision of the Argentine economy today.   
The revision is the step prior to the negotiations set be held between the IMF and Argentina, in which the government of President Nstor Kirchner will seek to refinance 10 billion dollars in payments to the lender due through 2007.  
The government reportedly takes for granted that, even with the opposition of Japan and Italy, the revision will be approved by the IMF  although the fund is expected to drop a line criticizing the lack of structural reforms.   
England and Canada will probably abstain from voting, government sources said. On the other hand, the US is expected to boost the approval of the Argentine revision, even though it will not speak out on the issue at the IMF board meeting in Washington today.  
The Argentine Economy Ministry wants to accelerate talks with the IMF so as to sign a new agreement before Octobers midterm congressional elections. There is conflicting reports on whether the administration will seek a short-term agreement only seeking to refinance this years payments  which amount to 3.5 billion dollars  or a three-year deal through 2007.  
Some officials in the government are reportedly hoping to postpone the agreement till after the October 23 midterm vote. President Nstor Kirchner considers the elections as a referendum on his administration.  
Last week, Kirchner said Argentina wished to deepen its process of debt elimination with the IMF and said that the country has made all its due payments in time receiving any new loans. We wont accept any new conditions, the President added.  
Meanwhile, members of the Funds Western Hemisphere Department, directed by Indian Anoop Singh, have written a report with a revision of Argentinas main economic, monetary and financial variables and also included certain recommendations.  
The report contains a brief review of the economic and political highlights of the country in the near past, but centres on details relating to fiscal policy, the stability of the financial system and other macroeconomic data.  
The IMF report requests, as it has done before, a reform of Argentinas financial system, especially through a downsizing of the government-owned bank system and a hike in utility rates.

             (Herald staff with Tlam)

  IN AFGHANISTAN  

KABUL  Afghan security forces have arrested three Pakistanis for allegedly planning to assassinate US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Washingtons future envoy to Iraq, an Afghan government official said yesterday. The Pakistanis were suspected of being linked to a Pakistani Islamic militant group.      
                                           (Reuters)
  Ingles  
Traduccin. Interpretacin. Clases todo nivel. Graciela Micpoles. (54-11) 4816-4567. 
  Interview: Dr. Mary Lou Mc Closkey  

BY DESIRE JAIMOVICH AND SERGIO MOBILIA   
FOR THE HERALD  
How and why did you first become interested in teaching?  
I was a reader, and I lived in a very little town in New York State, and I saw the world through books. I was an avid reader and experienced all kinds of things so I became very curious about the world - that was my nature. I had an opportunity of joining an organization called International House when I was in college and had an opportunity to leave university to travel to Mexico for a summer. I remember I had to actually get to 

my little village by mule because it was a rainy season and it was too far to go, so I ended up traveling by mule in the village of Buenavista, Mexico.    
I was going to do community work, I was going to help people, and what I found out is that those people in the village in Buenavista had many more things to teach me than I had to teach them. I said to myself: There are other ways to live beautifully in this world, my way isnt the right way. We ran a little medical dispensary; we did some literacy education, school education. But what they did for us, in terms of teaching us about good living, was incredible.   
Can you tell us about your experience as former member of TESOL?  
I was on the TESOL board for 4 years. So, there was a year when I was President Elect, then there was a year when I was President, then there was a year when I was past President, then there was a year when I was past past President.  
I served as a Board member for all those years, and as an Executive Committee member for three of those years, so I was very intimately involved with what TESOL was doing and where we were trying to go. One thing TESOL is very interested in: many US citizens were involved in organizing the first TESOL forty years ago. We always called ourselves an international organization and included people from outside the US. And weve really in the past several years made a very clear commitment  thats who we want to be as an organization. We dont want to be the US English Language Organization; we want to be the International English Language Organization.  
In fact we are very excited because weve just elected our first non-native speaker president.  Hell be President next year, hes President Elect right now. His name is Jung Yu and he is from China. He teaches at the University of Arizona, but he was born in China. We also have a Board member from Argentina, Mabel Gallo. I served with her for two years.  
How relevant is the work of national and international TESOL organizations to the actual needs of teachers around the world?   
What do you need us to do? One of the things we want to do is to listen, and to be involved, have our members tell us what the needs from people around the world are. We meet needs. Right now we have some excellent periodical publications and book publications that are widely used around the world, and we appreciate it. We have an advocacy program where we let people know about issues that are happening in the world, we take positions on a variety of issues, we take a stance sometimes on issues related to the US, but we try whenever possible to make our statements in a way they can apply in other contexts as well. And people in the TESOL website () can see some of our position statements on various topics   
In which ways do you think TESOL organizations cater for differences in cultures?   
We try to get people from different countries serving in our Board; we try to get them doing all sorts of jobs and responsibilities in TESOL.  Weve established a leadership program, so we can grow our own leaders, and we have an online leadership development course. And there are a few scholarships for that course, we should make sure we get people to apply for those scholarships. You can also pay to take the course. We encourage everyone who wants to have a leadership role in TESOL to go through that program. Ill be teaching a section on leadership in that course when I go back.  
How regionally integrated are TESOL organizations in different parts of the world?   
TESOL has about 100 affiliates in various parts of the world and part of the United States. We have affiliates in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Per. Vivien Morghen is the president of TESOL Argentina.   
What major achievements have you made with TESOL?  
I must confess that my affiliation to TESOL has been connected to almost everything Ive accomplished in my career. I chaired the International Convention in 1993, and because of that people knew me and knew my work, and it opened up all kinds of opportunities. My first publication was in TESOL, and my TESOL presentations allowed me to contact other publishers and be involved with other publications. So, in a way it has been a fabulous network for my life career.  
What are the requirements to become a TESOL member?  
A few dollars. There are absolutely no nationality boundaries, and in fact, in order to encourage international members, we have set up a special program thats based on the gross national income of a country.  If the gross national income is under a certain level, our membership fees drop half, and Argentina is eligible for that price. Thats one of the things were doing to be an international organization. We have also established an inexpensive online membership, so if you have high speed internet you can read everything online, read the journals online, keep up with everything thats going on in TESOL with your online membership.  
How is the expansion of Spanish as a foreign language affecting English Language Teaching worldwide?  
Thats maybe more whats happening here. Whats happening in the US is that we are getting many more Spanish speakers, so theres a great need for people who speak Spanish, people who are bilingual in all kinds of ways. Its a great advantage for working in our country.  We need to meet the Spanish speakers, and we need to start doing better at growing bilingual people from our schools.   
California wants everyone to study English and not Spanish, and its so silly, but they say that, and then they say Oh but we cant find any Spanish teachers for our schools and when theres a good bilingual they justI hope we can continue to see the light in that area.

  Intro  

The devaluation burst the bubble we had been immersed in for over a decade. Since the economic collapse in December 2001 we havent been able to buy expensive perfumes or to travel to exotic destinations every now and then.   
Still, a silver lining broke through the depression as our country became a favorite tourist destination in the blink of an eye. Seduced by the landscape of our country, tourists from different parts of the world flock to the south cone to learn a foreign language at an affordable cost in a friendly atmosphere. This, needless to say, has become an important job opportunity for many English teachers in Argentina. But how much do English teachers know about the teaching of Spanish? There are only a few textbooks to teach Spanish in the market, and most teachers have to simply make do with any sort of material they can lay their hands on. Those who have acquired some experience in the field and have good material are reluctant to share information with their colleges.  
We thought it was our duty to devote space to discussing this topic, that is why this issue includes a new section  that provides useful data and practical tips on the teaching of  Spanish as a foreign language. You are all invited to read it and to share your experiences with other professionals regarding this recent phenomenon. 

Desire Jaimovich and Sergio Mobilia

  Iran elections clean  
TEHRAN  Officials dismissed rigging allegations in Irans presidential election yesterday, clearing the way for a runoff vote that could have a major impact on relations with the West and the future of fragile reforms.  
Fridays run-off will be between the top two candidates in last weeks first round  pragmatic former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and hardline Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  and many political analysts say the result is unpredictable.  
Rafsanjani, 70, bidding to regain the post he held from 1989 to 1997, rebranded himself as a liberal for the campaign, saying the time was right to open a new chapter in Iran-US ties and signalling he would increase social and political freedoms.  
His surprise rival Ahmadinejad, 49, who would be Irans first non-cleric president for 24 years, ran a campaign focusing on the need to tackle poverty and has said resuming talks with Washington would not solve the Islamic republics ills.  
Irans hardline Guardian Council, which has the final word on election results, ordered a recount from 100 ballot boxes in four cities after reformists alleged rigging. It was a tiny fraction of tens of thousands of ballot boxes used last week.  
It has been clarified there was no discrepancy in the election results, the council said after the recount.  
It said fifth-placed reformist candidate Mostafa Moin had asked for a postponement of the runoff. Third-placed reformist cleric Mehdi Karroubi had said some Ahmadinejad votes were paid for with bribes.  
In Washington, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli described the election as highly... unrepresentative and certainly not responsive to what the Iranian people are looking for, which is more participation, not less; more freedoms, not less; and more democracy, not less.  
The United States has accused Iran of having a secret nuclear weapons programme. Tehran denies the charge, saying its nuclear programme is solely for power generation, but has held negotiations with Western officials.  
Addressing hardline lawmakers in Parliament yesterday, Ahmadinejad criticized the present governments approach to talks with the West.  
Those who are in negotiations are frightened and dont know the people, he was quoted as saying by the ISNA students news agency. A popular and fundamentalist government will quickly change the countrys stance in favour of the nation.  
Reformists, some of whom accuse state military organizations like the Basij militia of supporting Ahmadinejad, say he is part of an ultra-conservative, totalitarian plan.  
If he wins Khamenei will really rule everything, said Mohammad Reza Khatami, head of Irans largest reform party. We will not have free elections and opposition voices wont be tolerated, he told journalists.  
Islamic hardliners, many of them former Revolutionary Guards members, won control of many city councils and Irans Parliament in 2003 and 2004 elections which were marred by low turnout.  
Rafsanjani, alluding to organized interference in the vote, urged Iranians to help him defeat Ahmadinejad.  
I seek your help and ask you to be present in the second round of the election so that we can prevent all extremism, he said in a statement published in several newspapers.  
                                       (Reuters)
  Iran: rallying around Rafsanjani  
TEHRAN  Iranian reformists urged their dejected supporters yesterday to rally behind pragmatic cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to prevent his surprise hardline challenger Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from winning a presidential runoff.  
Irans leading reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, said people had to vote to prevent Ahmadinejad, linked to the hardline Revolutionary Guard and Basij religious paramilitaries, from becoming president.  
"Now the country faces the danger of direct involvement by military parties," its statement said.  
Another reformist party, the Islamic Revolution Mujahideen Organization, led by Behzad Nabavi, also threw its weight behind Rafsanjani despite its differences with him.  
It cited the "orchestrated involvement of military bodies and entities... in favour of the most radical anti-reform faction" and said Iran was in peril from fascism.  
Similarly, hardliners called for conservatives to close ranks behind Tehran Mayor Ahmadinejad, who almost overtook elder statesman Rafsanjani, 70, in Fridays first-round vote.  
Hardline candidate Ali Larijani, a former head of state television who limped in sixth out of seven presidential hopefuls, would throw his weight behind Ahmadinejad, one of his aides told the official IRNA news agency.  
But cracks were emerging in the conservative camp, with agencies reporting that fourth-placed former police chief Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf would not back Ahmadinejad and had more sympathy with Rafsanjani.  
Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad, with about a fifth of the vote each, just pulled clear of the pack in a vote damned by Washington as a travesty of the democracy Iranians yearned for.  
(Reuters)
  Iraq mayhem slays 46  
BAGHDAD  A suicide bomber walked calmly into a popular Baghdad kebab restaurant at lunchtime yesterday and killed at least 23 people waiting for plates of lamb and rice  the capitals deadliest attack in just over six weeks.  
It was the bloodiest bombing in a day that saw at least 46 people killed in a series of insurgent attacks nationwide as militants struck back against twin US-Iraqi offensives against their smuggling routes and training centres.  
The attacks came as the US military announced the death of the first US marine since Operations Spear and Dagger began on Friday and Saturday in the restive Anbar province with about 1,000 US forces and Iraqi soldiers in each.  
US marines also killed 15 insurgents in fierce battles near Fallujah, the restive Anbar province town, located 65 km west of Baghdad.  
 The new president of Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region called on Parliament yesterday to recognize the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk, an oil-rich and ethnically mixed city that the Kurds want to annex over the objections of other communities living there.  
Iraqi Kurdistans regional council last week elected Masoud Barzani as president, giving the region its first single formal leader since it became autonomous under US protection in 1991. Barzani had until last week ruled a section of Iraqi Kurdistan, while his one-time foe and now president of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, was in charge of another.  
We have to repeal all demographic and political changes the former (Saddam Hussein) regime implemented in Kirkuk and other Kurdish areas, Barzani told Parliament in Baghdad.  
We must... acknowledge its Kurdish identity, he declared.  
Barzani also called for the implementation of the right to return to Kirkuk by all Iraqis as provided for in an interim Constitution adopted last year. He was alluding to the expulsion by Saddam of tens of thousands of Kurds from Kirkuk under an Arabization policy that resettled thousands of Iraqi Arabs in the strategic northern Iraqi city.  
The question of whether Kirkuk should join the Kurdish autonomous region or stay as part of the remainder Iraq is expected to be settled in a referendum, the date of which has yet to be set. Beside the Kurds, the citys one million residents include Arabs  both Sunni and Shiite Muslims  as well as Turkomen, who are mostly Sunnis.  
(Herald staff with AP)
  Ireland rout Japan 47-18  

RUGBY  
Test

TOKYO  Gavin Duffy ran in two second-half tries yesterday as a below-strenght Ireland defeated Japan 47-18, running in seven tries in an international test match. With the victory, Ireland clinched the two-test series against the Asian squad after the 44-12 win obtained a week ago.  
Japan, which is bidding to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup, got tries in each half from Daisuke Ohata, but were no match for the more experienced Irish team.  
Ireland, seventh on the International Rugby Board world rankings, held a 14-8 lead after the first half at Chichibunomiya Stadium but scored 33 points after the break for the decisive victory over Japan, ranked 17th in the world.  
Duffy gave Ireland a 26-10 lead three minutes into the second half and then added another try in the 52nd minute to make it 38-13.  
Frankie Sheahan also scored two tries, while captain David Humphreys finished with 17 points in another solid performance from the Irish.  
We came here with a lot of young players, obviously with the idea of testing them to see Can they rise up to test match rugby? said Ireland coach Niall ODonovan. We achieved both goals.  
Flyhalf Humphreys went over for a second-half try and added six conversions, while three tries in the opening nine minutes of the second half from Ireland quashed Japans hopes of an upset.

  Ironing it out  
"Yes, the doctor said that the latest blood analysis shows that my blood has too high iron content and I have to reduce it." I tried to cheer her up, so I said: "How is that going to happen  with a magnet?" She did not appreciate my humor and continued: "It can be dangerous for my liver and cause hepatitis, so I have to go on a low-iron diet." She took out a paper from her handbag, and now it was her turn to become humoristic: "Here is a list of foodstuff that is rich in iron. You think you know about food, so tell me what's on the list!"  
What a challenge! Well there was nothing else I could do so I started: "Well obviously, things made with blood are out of the question for you to eat, like morcilla and black pudding. Then you should not eat liver, heart, kidney, brain or other asado organs like chinchulines, molleja and criadillas. Of course you have to avoid red meat, such as beef, lamb and all kinds of game." She looked at her list and nodded in a confirming way." So, you mean, I can not have any asado?" Here, my professional food knowledge took a turn to the positive. "Of course you can! How about proboleta, chivito, chicken and enslalada mixta?" I deliberately omitted pork, as I know she doesn't eat it.  
She looked a bit relieved, so we continued. "Seafood is a big problem, especially oysters, mussels and clams. Sardines and anchovy and other tinned items are also bad, even if there might be a small possibility for an occasional helping of tuna fish. On the vegetable side, you have to eliminate spinach, broccoli and green beans. Herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and oregano have a lot of iron, but you won't consume much of it, so it shouldn't bother you. The same goes for spices like curry powder, garam masala, cinnamon and paprika.  In fruits, I only know of abricots as rich in iron, but I think you should avoid the peels of apples and pears. There are also some cereals with iron, especially oat bran and corn flakes and mixtures of the msli type." I stopped to take a breath.  
This time, she didn't look that concerned, so I prepared to give her a very hard blow. "You have to forget all about dry fruits and nuts. Figs, red raisins, sunflower and watermelon seeds, peanuts, cashew, hazelnuts and almonds are all bad for you." Knowing that she enjoyed picking on such things when reading and watching TV, I was not surprised to see a sad glimpse in her eyes. "You mean I can't eat any dried fruits?" she asked.   
"Well, I believe that moderate amounts of green raisins and dates would not do much harm." I replied, hoping that this would give her some comfort.   
"What should I be eating then?" was her next question. "Fish, chicken and other white meat, vegetables other than those I mentioned, fruits and bread and fresh cheese. Some pasta is not good, but the majority would serve you.   
The same goes for eggs, where you have to be a bit restrictive with the amount of egg-yolk you eat."  
She checked the paper she had been given by the physician and then told me.   
"You have over 95% correct answers. That should give you Summa Cum Laude" I think that is an excellent result, and I can't help wondering how many of my readers would reach the same level.  
My better half was not finished by announcing my test result. "The doctor also said that I should reduce my intake of fat. How do you say that would affect my diet?" I felt that I have had enough of food analysis, and I knew that the added restrictions could make her a bit negative with respect to my advice, so I waved the question aside, telling her: "That's another story!"
  Is e-learning the right fit for every learner?  

By Susana Trabaldo  
FOR THE HERALD 

Perhaps e-learning is more adequate for some learning styles than for others. Good students in the traditional setting may not do well in virtual environments, while struggling students may be successful.   
This can be explained partly due to differences in learning styles.  For example, visual and auditory learners take important advantage from multimedia material. They like graphics that help them process text-based information, or sound files or video clips about the topics they deal with. Besides, some students become more easily acquainted with the basic computer skills required by the modality: files organization, saving documents, email and chat use.    
Online learning is different in many respects from the traditional face-to-face learning we are all used to, mainly in the way we get information and how we interact with teachers and partners. Students need to understand the new paradigm and become familiar with the new learning environment, the tutors role, multimedia material, computer use, and mediated communication.  
Some abilities are necessary to become successful e-learners:    
l Self-directive abilities to manage the learning environment.  Students need to become active learners, manage their own time and learning resources, set goals and plan their work to reach them.  
l Metacognitive abilities to interact with the learning.  It is important for students to be aware of the cognitive processes engaged in learning, to be able to identify and prioritize their learning needs, to reflect on their learning style, to monitor their progress against the set plan.  
l Collaboration abilities to interact with virtual tutors and partners.  Learning is based on cooperative or collaborative experiences rather than individual location of information from a single best source.  Students are offered a variety of materials and different paths to reach the information they need, they are expected to participate in group work interacting in discussion forums and chat meetings.  
These are some of the reasons why e-learning is often perceived simultaneously as both a perfect learning method that fits the new needs and a threat. However, when e-learning pedagogic design is good, this threat vanishes since it takes into account different learning styles, previous knowledge and skills.  In this way, the students? attitude changes when they realize e-learning is a challenge of education in the new millennium. 

Susana Trabaldo, director of Net-Learning, Virtual Learning Environments, is an IES Lenguas Vivas graduate and holds a Masters Degree in e-learning.

 - 

  Israeli Gaza homes to be demolished  
Israel will raze about 1,200 Israeli homes in Gaza to make way for a fresh start with high-rise apartments or other more space-saving housing. The Israeli homes are larger, and much farther apart, than typical Palestinian homes.  
Demolition was the Palestinians preference, said Israels foreign affairs spokesman, Mark Regev. If they wanted them they could have had them, he said.  
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestinians will cooperate with Israel to remove the rubble and may use the debris for construction projects elsewhere in the area.  
But Palestinian militants yesterday ambushed Israeli soldiers doing construction work along the Gaza-Egypt border, killing one soldier in the latest violation of a shaky four-month-old ceasefire. One of the attackers was killed, the army said.  
Abbas told Israel TV that he believes the militant group Hamas is undergoing moderation and suggested the group will recognize Israels existence.   
(Herald staff with AP)  

  Italy win with Argentines  

eric weils  
sportsworld

Argentine rugby continues to complain that in spite of its high standard, it is being left out of the worlds main competitions. Of course, after that worthy draw against the Lions in London, their performance against Italy in the recent two tests at home did not help their cause, mainly because the Pumas team lacked discipline and gave away too many penalties.  
One cannot fail to notice, however that the only three tries obtained by Italy in the series and which made the vital difference in their winning the second test, were all scored by Argentines who emigrated to play as professionals in Italy with EU passports. One cannot say whether these players would have found a place in the Pumas squad, but perhaps in one of three teams now representing the country in different tournaments. Yet that is not the point. They went to Italy to play professionally  which they cannot do here  and for a better life style which they did not have here.  
Meanwhile, Argentine rugby cannot complain this year of lack of international competition although it is not of the strongest which is what the Pumas really want. After the South American Championship  which perhaps cannot be counted because of the lower standard  came the two tests against Italy and almost at the same time (with a virtual second team), a test against the United States and two games for the Churchill Cup in North America with Canada and England A. Later in the year, we have the test at home against South Africa  the strongest opposition for which hopefully all European-based players will be released by their clubs this time  followed by a tour on which they will face Scotland A, Scotland and Italy and possibly an African team on the way back. Finally comes a projected home test against Samoa.  
A NEW PLAN  
At the same time, the Argentine Rugby Union announced that on July 7 it will present a project to the International Rugby Board (IRB) for a tournament between six or eight regional selections in which players would be paid with the idea of stopping the exodus of local players to foreign clubs. The IRB generally subsidizes such tournaments as a help to improve the standard of lower-ranked nations. It is therefore expected that if the IRB approves the project, it will pay 450,000 dollars annually towards its realization.  
Somehow it is hard to imagine that this would stop the exodus  at best slow it down very slightly  as these payments to players are hardly likely to equal those which they can receive in Europe, nor would it include the other ingredient  a better life.  
And doesnt this whole idea sound like  to change a well-known phrase slightly  trying to close the gate after the majority of horses have bolted?

  Its all literature!  

Mercedes Sak  
FOR THE HERALD

The place: Argentina. The year: 2005. The subject: English (or english?). The syllabus: a complete textbook, three readers, a couple of projects, an international exam (why not?), and everything in the midst of celebrations, strikes, Students Day, Halloween, Open Day and so on and so forth. As teachers of E/english we are required to tackle this bit of pandemonium, as it were. Plus, we receive the incomparable gratification of witnessing the metamorphosis our students undergo whenever we choose to enthusiastically exclaim that this year, in addition to the class book we are going to read. Kafka would be left plotless if he happened to be present in the classroom. In spite of this, literature is a highly gratifying component of the working agenda, and one from which we may draw inexhaustible resources once we gather the courage to plunge into it.  
There has been substantial shifting over the last years concerning the issue of what is literature and what literature students should be acquainted with. Indeed, The question of What was, is and can be literature? can  be recognised as a challenge and an opportunity  not a threat and an obstacle (Pope, Rob, The English Studies Book, 1998:56).  Thus, as a starting point, we may loosen the constraints imposed by the status quo notion that it is only novels by renowned English writers the type of reading students should do, and choose material from a wide array of options: songs, poems, proverbs, cartoons, comics, slogans, TV commercials, and such. The study of literature (and by that we understand classic English Literature) has  boiled down to the relation a person can establish with the text. This is communication  above all  between student and text, and thus between receiver and producer, reader and writer ( McRae, John, Literature with a small l, 1991:19). This is the relationship that must be at the heart of all reading, and the basis of all education is reading. Any text can be transformed and revaluated under studentss curious glances. And why not whet their curiosity by presenting them with updated material which is instilled into their daily lives by means of television, the radio and internet?  
The second issue we need to evaluate is what E/english literature we are going to select reading material from. In some cases we are not allowed to include any sort of texts which are not strictly English (i.e. only from England). However, a considerable number of schools and institutes are including texts whose places of origin rank from Australia to India or even Africa. If we take into account the fact that most of these places were British colonies once, and the fact that in most of these places people are expressing their views of the world, feelings and the like using the English language, then their omission from E/english literature bears no reason whatsoever. In addition, as teachers we are able to broaden studentss horizons and assist them in their understanding of various cultures and kinds of peoples. The task appears insurmountable, yet it is not. And it is fascinating, apart from highly rewarding. To start with, we can always count on Benjamin Zephaniahs thrilling poem The British, which would give students a glimpse of who is considered British with ironical exactitude.  
To sum up, we as teachers may serve as some of the enabling tools which our students will use to open their paths into the world of fiction. Let us be as open-minded and flexible as we can, so that we may once and for all witness a metamorphosis from passive readers to active and avid participants of the reading process.  
Mercedes Sak is a Lenguas Vivas graduate and Assisstant Lecturer in Shakespeare Seminar and English Literature II. 

  Its good...but for what?  

 He had come into possession of a wine - a sparkling wine - from Uruguay, which he wanted to share and discuss with me. Shortly after we sat down in Sabot and had the bottles uncorked, to be subjected to our critical attention.  
The wine in question was a Tannat sparkling wine, a most unusual choice in view of the particularly harsh and overpowering character this wine offers when fermented with its skin as a red wine. This sample lived up to its reputation. An incredible red, fresh blood colour, it showed relatively little sparkle, (or rather bubbles, due to its colour) and not much aroma. When tasted it came across with a dry, strong, macho character, quite drinkable, but without any sort of particular flavour. It was not an aperitif by any means, nor was it the sort of wine to drink with food, if the food was of any consequence. Perhaps smoked big game, or good raw ham, but little else. So what to do with this wine? I do not have any ready answer, except to say that as an experience, it has proved interesting. One more item to add to ones store of curiosities that may, or may not, one day come in for some use.  
I have frequently referred to the wines of Ricardo Santos as being a true reflection of what Argentine wine is all about. Ricardo only makes Malbecs when it comes to reds and the other day I once again found proof to back up my assertion that his Malbec wines are amongst the best -if not the best - available. The proof? At a lunch we enjoyed together in Pilar a few days ago, (see Platter Chatter), Ricardo pulled out of his pocket a small bottle of wine and asked those present to taste the contents. It was a remarkably smooth, fruit packed, still rather restless but not unruly Malbec, (it had a remarkable balance between alcohol and acidity), that made it extremely drinkable, in spite of it being a bare two months old, without filtering or any touching up! This is a supreme example of what an Argentine Malbec can achieve when it is made with all the care and technology that a fine wine, (any wine) requires to  
Show off its true character. At table that day we also drank Ricardo?s ?03 and ?04 Malbecs and the ?05 stood up remarkably well in contrast with its brothers. Indeed, when the desserts arrived, I found that the ?05 combined better with the chocolate fondant than the ?04 I still had in my glass.  
When I first started out tracking down and imbibing wine I was given a lot of advice and education by the numerous winemakers that I met. I still recall much of the extremely valuable tips that Don Raul de la Mota gave me when he was running Weinert?s winery. One of these tips was to the effect that a good red wine required at least a year to become drinkable, and several more to become truly great. That was over 30 years ago. How times - and wines - have changed since then! Keep an eye open to spot the Ricardo Santos  
Malbec 2005 when it appears on the streets some time towards the end of this year. It could be Ricardo?s best ever, to date.

  Jeffersonian democracy?  

Lula surmounted (at least for now) a much bigger crisis than any facing our Nstor Kirchner while spending far more time at the 28th Mercosur summit.

michael soltys                        

  latam watch

Buenos Aires Herald

Just not Lulas month, is it? Not only soccer defeats suffered by Brazil at the hands of Argentina and Mexico  a corruption scandal of potentially Watergate proportions forced him to part company with his right-hand man, Cabinet Chief Jos Dirceu, last Thursday.  
Who has just been replaced by a right-hand woman  Energy and Mines Minister Dilma Rousseff, who was named Cabinet Chief yesterday and will take office today.  
Like Dirceu, Rousseff entered politics in opposition to the 1964-85 military dictatorship  whether she shares his skills as a political operator remains to be seen.  
But then again Dirceu may not be so much leaving the scene of battle as switching to the front line. Relinquishing the Cabinet helm to return to Congress has every appearance of a face-saving excuse but may even be the truth, given the way the problems of majority-building in Congress lie at the core of Brazils corruption problem.  
Since those minor parties fishing for the alleged bribes hold Cabinet posts as well as Congress seats, the Cabinet overhaul is unlikely to be limited to Rousseff  Lulas embarrassing allies are likely to be evicted, probably in favour of the centrist PMDB party.  
But one minister at least is likely to stay put  Economy Minister Antonio Palocci (even though he was named by the whistle-blowing Brazilian Labour Party leader Roberto Jefferson as being just as aware of slush fund 12,000-dollar bonuses to legislators as Dirceu). This raises the question of whether the crackdown felling Dirceu was as much as political as ethical and whether Palocci and his orthodox economic policies may be the ultimate beneficiaries (the Bovespa share index perked up by over three percent last Thursday).  
Dirceu (an ex-guerrilla who was freed in exchange for kidnapped United States Ambassador Charles Elbrick back in 1969 before chairing Lulas PT Workers Party from 1995 to 2003) was the main champion of the political wing against Paloccis market policies. An obstacle now disappears but the problem of commanding a Congress majority (where the PT has only 91 of the 513 seats) remains. What the Italians call "trasformismo" had mitigated that problem  thus the Liberal Party of Vice-President Jos Alenar has magically grown from 26 to 53 seats since 2003  but those methods do not seem to be sustainable.  
The PMDB is waiting in the wings as the new allies but at least two questions here: Are they keen? And are they clean?  
The battle for damage limitation is far from lost if opinion polls are anything to go by. Lula still has a 56 percent popularity rating with 73 percent believing in his honesty even if 58 percent are aware of the corruption scandal (including two-thirds of PT voters) while even his less popular government is considered good by 36 percent and bad by only 22 percent  Congress is deemed good and bad by 15 and 42 percent respectively, thus showing where the main damage lies.  
How far the scandal ultimately goes depends on perceptions and Jeffersons credibility. Was the original postal graft scandal actually a defensive move to discredit Jefferson or did Jefferson (self-incriminating but also a disciple of ex-president Fernando Collor de Mello, ousted in 1992 for graft) feel that attack was the best means of defence? He has no physical evidence but witnesses  almost as good. Above all, hardly anybody in Brazil finds the notion of political corruption absurd.  
The political disarray comes amid a sturdy economy  a trade surplus of 17 billion dollars has been posted so far this year out of a trade volume of nearly 78 billion (the trade surplus for all 2004 was 33.7 billion and for 2003 24.8 billion).  
Lula surmounted (at least for now) a much bigger crisis than any facing our Nstor Kirchner while spending far more time at the 28th Mercosur summit in Asuncin over the long weekend  an event attended by all South American presidents save Bolivias brand-new Eduardo Rodrguez even if Kirchner was only there for a few hours.  
Apart from his electoral obsessions (including the presence of his main party rival Eduardo Duhalde as Mercosur Commission chief), Kirchners main justification of his minimal presence would be that Argentinas chief Mercosur issue is its trade differences with Brazil, which are best handled directly. But Paraguay is also starting to make noises about "safeguards" against Brazil while the day may not be too distant when all countries in the region become more worried about China than each other.  
All summits need something to show  in this case it was the creation of a 100-million-dollar Mercosur structural fund (with Brazil providing 70 percent of the money). Energy was clearly at the forefront of infrastructural needs for use of these funds while oil-rich Venezuelas Hugo Chvez promised help.  
A less successful attempt at regional integration came early last week when Economy Ministers Roberto Lavagna, Palocci and Nelson Mirantes (Venezuela) failed to agree on a regional bank. Before too long Latin America will have to start deciding who replaces Enrique Iglesias as president of the Inter-American Development Bank (BID).  
Before leaving Asuncin, some more domestic Paraguayan issues. Granting United States troops legal immunity (in return for FBI help with a rising wave of kidnaps, including the murdered daughter of ex-president Ral Cubas) despite being signatories of the Treaty of Rome for the International Criminal Court is one such issue. Last week Interpol criticized the Triple Frontier with Brazil and Argentina as a hotbed of piracy of intellectual property, as well as contraband. Last but not least, how many people know that little Paraguay is the worlds 4th biggest soy exporter after territorial giants the US, Brazil and Argentina?  
On the energy front, Peru expressed interest in sending gas south as well as north even if NAFTA countries have been the best markets so far. But the price has yet to be settled  this price will presumably factor in the cost of the 2.5-billion-dollar pipeline needed to tap Peruvian gas unless BID foots the bill.  
Incidentally, Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo is the regions least popular leader with 10 percent approval  the other extreme is Uruguays Tabar Vzquez (80 percent) with Kirchner, Colombias Alvaro Uribe, Chvez and Chiles Ricardo Lagos all over two-thirds.  
Long in the eye of the storm, Bolivia had a relatively uneventful week. Divisions between doves and hawks in opposition ranks prevented protests from reaching dangerous levels. President Rodrguez named his new Cabinet (with two names surviving from his predecessor Carlos Mesa). He is pledged to calling elections  the question is whether these elections will be general (they cannot include Congress if called before August 6 without constitutional change) and whether they will extend to a constituent assembly and autonomy referenda. But nobody wants the presidential election decided in Congress any more in the absence of an absolute majority.  
Bolivia was chided for letting coca production creep up three percent last year even if Peruvian production rose 14 percent and Colombia still accounts for half the worlds output (Peru a third).  
In other news, there was an earthquake measuring nearly eight on the Richter scale in the far north of Chile, which killed a dozen people. Also a bloody prison mutiny in Sao Paulo. In Mexico Ral Salinas de Gortari, brother of 1988-94 president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, was released after 10 years in prison for ordering the murder of a chairman of the erstwhile ruling PRI party.  
The European Union has decided against any sanctions against Cuba despite the deportation of Eurodeputies and journalists attending a dissident rally last month. Fidel Castro is offering no concessions in return  on the contrary, a crackdown against microbusinesses and the self-employed is gathering steam.  

  Jittery EU visits  
BRUSSELS  Senior European Union officials meet with US President George W. Bush in Washington today amid uncertainty about the impact that the unprecedented crisis gripping the 25-nation bloc could have on trans-Atlantic relations.  
But as the delegation headed for Washington, EU capitals were just beginning to digest the impact of the collapse of their recent EU summit.  
The leaders failure last Thursday and Friday to agree on a budget for the next few years and signal that the EU draft Constitution remains a viable undertaking has saddled Europe with a crisis of confidence.  
Well beyond the borders of the European Union, there will be concern, not that the EU is now facing some kind of unravelling or disintegration, but that it will be paralyzed as a major force in world affairs, said John Palmer, political director of the European Policy Center, a Brussels-based think tank.  
He said the crisis of confidence will have particular importance in the United States.  
Opinion in Washington seems divided between those who want to see a more united and effective EU and those who openly celebrate its failure to act as an effective player on the global scene, Palmer said in an assessment of the crisis posted on his think tanks web site.  
He said the EU crisis will be closely followed in Asia, Latin America and Africa, where governments will fear the possible weakening of influence of an ally in the cause of a more effective system of law-based, global governance.  
The EU delegation traveling to Washington will be led by Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, whose country holds the EU rotating presidency until the end of the month.  
Juncker will meet with Bush at the White House. The delegation also includes Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, the executive that runs the EUs day-to-day affairs; Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU External Relations Commissioner, and Javier Solana, the 25-nation blocs security affairs chief.  
EU sources said Juncker  who chaired the EU summit  will make clear in his talks in Washington there is a crisis but not one that will aggravate trans-Atlantic ties at a time when both sides are working hard to improve relations.  
Bush made a bury-the-hatchet visit to Europe in February to close the book on intense divisions over the US decision to go to war in Iraq. The two sides agreed to co-host a conference on Iraqs economic and political development that will be held in Brussels on Wednesday.  
The EU-US meeting had been scheduled before French and Dutch voters rejected the draft EU Constitution in votes on May 29 and June 1, setting off a crisis over ever more integration that only got worse when the EU leaders tangled over farm spending as part of a budget deal in the 2007-2013 period.  
The leaders postponed a November 2006 ratification deadline for the EU Constitution, but were unclear on how to undo the rejections of the draft charter by voters in France and the Netherlands. Britain has already put its 2006 referendum on hold, as have Denmark and Portugal.  
 (AP)
  JP Morgan Chase to pay Enron investors $2.2 billion  
The agreement came just days after Citigroup reached a $2 billion settlement. While the settlements with two of Enron's biggest lenders closes one chapter, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse First Boston and other banks still face claims from investors. Combined with earlier settlements, the pool available to compensate investors who lost billions as Enron tumbled into bankruptcy in 2001 has grown to $4.7 billion and could eventually surpass the $6.13 billion that Wall Street firms have agreed to pay WorldCom investors.   
J.P. Morgan Chase clearly rushed to the negotiating table after the Citigroup settlement. That stands in sharp contrast to the WorldCom shareholder lawsuit in March, when J.P. Morgan Chase waited until the night before the trial to settle, agreeing to pay $2 billion to investors. Had it quickly followed Citigroup, which settled a year ago for $2.575 billion, J.P. Morgan Chase may have gotten away paying $1.4 billion in that case.   
"The WorldCom settlement was a disaster for J.P. Morgan," said Tim Ghriskey at money-management firm Solaris Asset Management in New York. "No one on the Street wants to see a repeat of that."   
J.P. Morgan Chase also said Tuesday it would take a $2 billion charge before taxes, or $1.25 billion after taxes, in the second quarter, in part to cover costs associated with the settlement as well as other potential lawsuits. The bank's legal reserves currently stand at about $3.6 billion. The firm said insurance would not cover any portion of the settlement.   
"By settling this case and increasing reserves for our remaining legal issues, the firm can better focus its energies on building our great company and serving our clients and shareholders," William B. Harrison Jr., the chief executive of J.P. Morgan Chase, said in a statement. The bank did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.   
J.P. Morgan has struggled in the last year, underperforming most rivals as it continues to slash costs and merge operations after the $58 billion merger with Bank One last year. Analysts were already forecasting the bank's earnings in the second quarter would come in sharply lower when James Dimon, the bank's president, indicated at a investor conference on June 1 that trading revenue had tumbled. In the first quarter, trading revenue at the bank totaled $2.2 billion. Dimon said that trading revenue would come in below $842 million for the second quarter. J.P. Morgan will report its second-quarter earnings in a month.   
The move to settle quickly also shows that J.P. Morgan Chase is trying to put its past behind it before Dimon ascends to the chief executive suite next year.   
"The pressure has been on for J.P. Morgan to settle Enron," says Richard X. Bove, an analyst at Punk Ziegel & Co. "Jamie Dimon is really trying to sweep the decks pretty thoroughly."   
Shares of J.P. Morgan Chase rose 10 cents on Tuesday, to $35.60. The settlement was announced after the stock market closed.   
Two years ago, J.P. Morgan Chase agreed to pay $162.5 million to settle criminal and regulatory investigations into its dealings with Enron. The bank had been accused of financing and putting together a broad range of partnerships and transactions that contributed to Enron's collapse and hid debt from investors.   
Many of the transactions that came under fire were called prepays, which investigators claimed were little more than loans disguised as commodities transactions with a web of offshore corporations. Over a number of years, J.P. Morgan was accused of participating in seven prepay arrangements, including a deal with an offshore entity called Mahonia that ultimately lent $2.6 billion to Enron. (Citigroup lent it a total of $3.8 billion under similar arrangements, according to investigators.)   

  June 20, 2005  

  june 21, 2005  

  K not involved in bid talk  
President Nstor Kirchner yesterday said that he is not directly involved in the drafting of slates in the province of Buenos Aires for the October 23 midterm election.  
Kirchner sought to defuse expectations fuelled by reports over the long weekend that he was about to obtain an agreement over candidacies with former interim president Eduardo Duhalde, the Peronist strongman in Buenos Aires province, Argentinas largest electoral district.  
I am not involved in the internal provincial discussion and neither am I in charge of the campaign, said the President in the city of Rosario, minutes before presiding over the main official ceremony to mark Flag Day.  
Kirchner and Duhalde are entangled in a cold war for control of the Peronist party in Buenos Aires province. Duhalde, twice governor in the 1990s, has pulled the Peronist strings there for 15 years. The support of Duhaldes political machine catapulted Kirchner to the presidency in 2003.  
But Kirchner is now trying to enhance his political position by scoring a victory he can call his own in the midterm vote. The President has said the October election will amount to a plebiscite of his administration.  
For that purpose, Kirchner wants his wife, Senator Cristina Fernndez, to clinch the high-profile Peronist senatorial nomination in Buenos Aires province. Public opinion polls indicate that the first lady would win by a landslide. (See also Political Beat on this page)  
But Duhaldes wife, Deputy Hilda Chiche Gonzlez, has also said she wants to run for senator.  
Mrs. Duhalde is widely expected to announce what she is going to do in the coming days. If she decides to run, the Peronists will likely feature two candidates in October.  
Eduardo Duhalde, who as Congress-appointed interim president ran Argentina between January 2002 and May 2003, yesterday said that he might leave his current job as head of the permanent commission of the Mercosur trade bloc when his first two year-term in the job expires in December.  
Duhalde got the job with Kirchners blessing after leaving office. But rumours circulated last week that the government would withdraw his support for Duhalde if the domestic political infighting escalates.   
Kirchners Interior Minister Anbal Fernndez, meanwhile, said that an eventual agreement for a single Peronist slate in the province of Buenos Aires should only materialize if there are more coincidences than differences between the two factions.  
If there are coincidences there should be an agreement. If not, there should not be any deal and we should confront in the election. There would be nothing wrong with that, said Fernndez.  
  (Herald staff with DyN-Tlam)
  K: its the IMF against me  
According to the alleged IMF report, the Argentine government "has a certain animosity against private foreign investment and against the companies responsible for operating the privatized public utilities."  
The document also states that Kirchners rigid approach during the negotiations to reschedule the defaulted foreign debt masked "a political bet to gain popularity."  
Now that Argentina has rescheduled its debt it needs to reach a new agreement with the IMF, and the tone of yesterdays review is expected to mark that of the negotiations that lie ahead.  
Analysts believe that negotiations will be far from simple as the Kirchner government is expected to dig in its heels against many of the IMFs demands such as an increase in the fiscal surplus, hikes in utility rates and that banks be compensated for the messy devaluation in 2002, among other points.  
Although analysts consider that it is in Argentinas best interests to reach an agreement as soon as possible, they also tend to agree that an agreement is unlikely until after the October elections.  
I ask you all to help me, and not follow me, as a predecessor said, to push back those interests that encroach on us permanently and prevent Argentina from fulfilling its destiny," Kirchner said.   
(Herald staff with AP)
  Kalmar puts reachstackers in major Brazilian ports  
Kalmar Industries has beaten the competition to land an order from Libra Terminais S/A of Brazil for thirteen ContChamp DRF reachstackers for its container terminal facilities in the Brazilian ports of Santos and Rio de Janeiro.  
Delivery of the first batch of five ContChamps will be to Libras Terminal 37 and Terminal 35 at the Port of Santos in August this year, while the remaining eight units will be delivered in two batches of four, in October and November, to replace other brand rented reachstackers at both Santos and Libras Terminal 1-RIO at Rio de Janeiro.   
With a 45-ton lifting capacity, the ContCamp can stack containers 6 high. Kalmar has recently completed deliveries of the hi-spec ContChamp DRF to Mexico and Venezuela.   
According to Kalmars product manager, Per Rosengren, Libra Terminals decision to invest in the ContChamp DRF serves as an excellent reference for the machines performance and quality.   
We will capitalise on this recent success to further strengthen the presence of our Generation F heavy counterweight trucks in Latin America,  
said Rosengren. Kalmar Brazil will train its staff in Sweden and, together with our significant knowledge of the RTG business in Brazil, we will use our reachstacker expertise to enhance our overall presence in the Brazilian market.  
The Kalmar ContChamp DRF is equipped with Kalmars latest electronic transmission, and is equipped with a low emissions engine that meets 97/68 EC Stage 2 and US EPA Tier 2 standards.   
From a commercial aspect, the ContChamp is an extremely efficient machine, with a monitoring system that controls around 500 measuring points at 50 times a second, ensuring safe operations and rapid alarming in case of problems  all features that help minimise downtime and maintain operational efficiency.   

  Kickback scandal turns into political crisis  
Congressional Deputy Roberto Jefferson, the central figure in the scandal, said in interviews with a Brazilian newspaper over the past week that he warned President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the vote-buying arrangement and that da Silva "broke into tears" at the news. But, he added, da Silva's closest aide "always knew all about it," and, he said, other top officials in the leftist Workers' Party actively participated in the arrangement, which involved a large monthly stipend paid in cash out of suitcases.   
The resulting crisis is the worst to hit da Silva's government since he took office in January 2003, promising the most honest and ethical government in Brazilian history. The avalanche of corruption accusations has so weakened the president's standing that politicians and press commentators have begun openly speculating about his impeachment.   
If the accusations are proven, "that is grounds for impeachment," Cesar Maia, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro and a leader of the conservative Liberal Front Party, said in a radio interview. Maia, a likely candidate in next year's presidential election, added that the allegations are as grave for da Silva as Watergate was for Richard Nixon.   
"We'll cut into our own flesh if we have to," da Silva vowed in a speech last week, after the first wave of accusations were made public in the daily Folha de Sao Paulo. He added, "What is at stake is the respectability of our institutions, of which I am the principal guardian."   
Jefferson has admitted that he can provide no proof of his allegations, which Workers Party leaders have vehemently denied. But he vowed to "tell everything that I lived through, talked about and negotiated" on Tuesday, when he is scheduled to testify before the television cameras to a newly established parliamentary commission of inquiry.   
Parts of Jefferson's account, however, have already been confirmed by other political figures. A state governor who belongs to the main opposition party, for instance, has said that he too had warned da Silva privately about the vote-buying scheme, and a congressional deputy has said that a member of the Liberal Party, a pro-business party in da Silva's coalition, offered her a "monthly allowance" if she would switch to a party allied with the government. She says she declined.   
Brazil's political system makes it almost impossible for a single party to attain a majority in Congress. As a result, da Silva has had to negotiate coalitions with several smaller "parties for rent" whose ideology is nebulous and whose main interest appears to be patronage.   
Jefferson, the congressional leader of one of those parties, said that he turned down an offer of $12,500, to be paid monthly to each member of his party's congressional delegation. But he maintains that at least two other parties allied with the government have accepted the offer, including the Liberal Party, whose delegation in Congress has doubled in size, from 26 to 53, since da Silva was elected.   
According to Jefferson's account, the payoffs were made by the Workers' Party's treasurer, a former mathematics teacher named Delubio Soares. At a news conference in Sao Paulo last week, Soares spoke darkly of "blackmail" and proclaimed, "The Workers' Party doesn't buy votes or support of congressional deputies."   

  Kirchner says pardons are up to the courts  

Dirty war

President Nstor Kirchner yesterday said that the eventual annulment of pardons granted in 1989 and 1990 to military officers accused of atrocities and to former guerrilla commanders should be decided by judges.  
It is up to the courts. Thats the road it should take, said Kirchner in the city of Rosario, where he presided over the main official ceremony to mark Flag Day.  
The President added, however, that he believes some members of the Supreme Court have already hinted they would quash the pardons if the case reaches them.  
I think some Supreme Court justices have been pretty clear (about the future of the pardons), said the President.  
The Supreme Court last week ruled that two immunity laws passed in 1986-87 under then Radical president Ral Alfonsn to shield hundreds of low-ranking military officers from prosecution on human rights violations were unconstitutional. The ruling upholds a government-sponsored law passed by Congress in 2003, months after Kirchner took office, quashing the immunity laws.  
But the pardons, issued in 1989 and 1990 by then president Carlos Menem on grounds this would serve to the countrys reconciliation, benefit higher ranking officers and guerrilla chiefs. Some of them were serving time for the atrocities committed in the 1970s.  
Kirchners Justice Minister Horacio Rosatti had also said last week that the future of the pardons was in the hands of the courts. Rosatti is this week expected to hand the President a report about the issue.  
The pardons will also be debated in Congress today, if a special session called by the opposition to discuss them musters a quorum.  
A group of centre-left and left-wing deputies have been pushing for a special session to quash the pardons for months but have repeatedly failed to get the 129 deputies needed to get the session going.  
But the ruling Peronists, who hold the largest group in the 257-seat Lower House, have already said they would not attend the session.  
The deputy head of the Peronist Lower House caucus, Deputy Julio Gutirrez, said yesterday that he also believes the pardons should be left to the courts. He added, however, that the caucus is yet to formally engage in a debate on the issue.  
               (Tlam)

  La reforma puede esperar  
Todava seguimos esperando la largamente prometida reforma poltica. La primera vctima de este ao, aparte de la verdad, es la democratizacin del sistema de partidos. Ello estaba instaurado por una ley del 2002, que el peronismo decidi dejar en suspenso para poder presentar sus tres candidatos presidenciales en el 2003. Sin embargo, para compensar esa deficiencia impulsada por una crisis econmica e institucional tanto como partidaria, el actual gobierno fij como fecha para las internas de todos los partidos el 7 de agosto, un mes despus que todos registren sus listas internas para competir en busca de una frmula consensuada para competir en las elecciones del 23 de octubre. Por supuesto, el agujero legal existente en esta aparentemente bienvenida pieza legislativa estaba en que, si los partidos lograban ponerse de acuerdo presentando una nica lista de candidatos a tiempo para el cierre del registro de candidatos, sin rivales internos que cuestionaran su derecho a candidatearse para las elecciones de octubre, no habra necesidad de internas.  
Ah es donde estamos ahora. En las dos semanas que quedan para re-gistrar los candidatos representantes peronistas y radicales, as como de los partidos menores, trabajan tiempo completo para lograr acuerdos acerca de los candidatos que cada uno llevar a las urnas, y evitar as las internas. El proceso no augura nada bueno para la renovacin democrtica en la poltica argentina, pero ocurre que pocos parecen estar realmente interesados en el proceso democrtico, salvo cuando les afecta en persona, y la mayora de los partidos son minsculos y carentes de importancia para la vida de la gente. Los mini-partidos han aumentado en quinientos (y la indiferencia probablemente en igual relacin) estas dos ltimas semanas, dado que el decreto presidencial 535/05 autoriz la existencia de 546 agrupaciones que han solicitado su condicin de partidos polticos desde 1983 pero no cumplido con las normas jurdicas electorales sobre el nmero requerido de afiliados y comits ejecutivos. Algunos de estos partidos podrn haber quedado fuera de carrera en estos veinte aos, de modo que es difcil saber cuntos de las siglas y los sellos son vlidos. Pero la autorizacin de ms de quinientos realmente apunta a blanquear a un par de ellos, o quizs un puado, que el gobierno necesita para asegurarse su apoyo en algunas provincias para octubre. Todo lo cual tiene tanto que ver con la reforma democrtica como un poltico con la honestidad. Sin embargo, recientemente se citaron palabras del presidente mencionando que se estaba jugando a su esposa en estas elecciones, de modo que aqul desea tener la victoria (de l y de ella) asegurada.  
En consecuencia, la renovacin, como la honestidad, y como la democracia en la Argentina, tendrn que esperar algn tiempo ms, y nadie puede saber a ciencia cierta cun larga ser la demora.
  Learning to decide rational action in volatile Argentina  
When the economy went bust in 2001-2002 after a four-year-plus recession, a dramatic shortage of resources hit Argentine organizations, whether public or private. Now that the country is back on the path of growth and economic recovery, enterprises of all sorts are looking into better ways to allocate the resources available.  
An academic joint venture involving Argentine, British and German researchers and students will look into strategies to improve the way decisions are made within organizations. One of the goals is to improve efficiency.  
Efficiency increases can become a driver for economic growth, says Cornelius Schaub, one of the coordinators of MARA, a non-profit project aimed at introducing decision science methodologies into the sometimes volatile reality Argentine organizations face every day.  
Starting next week, MARAs research team  manned by graduates from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) School of Economics, the London School of Economics (LSE) and interdisciplinary scholars from the Foundation of German Business  will work hand in hand with decision-makers in businesses, NGOs and government agencies for three months in order to assess the rationale behind the way decisions are made in Argentina.   
The goal of MARA  a Spanish acronym that stands for Resource Allocation Methodologies in Argentina  is to underpin more transparent and predictable decision-making practices by introducing maths-based models and insights.  
The idea is to solve real resource allocation problems. The MARA teams will develop models with the decision-makers, incorporating the subjective views of the stakeholders of the problem and incorporating hard data, explains Martin Schilling, co-organizer of MARA and PhD student at the LSE.  
The MARA project has the patronage of the British and German embassies in Argentina. Some of the organizations that will be taking part include the Argentine branches of Siemens, Volkswagen, BASF and Schering.  
As recession set upon the country in 1998 and through the 2001-2002 economic crash, most Argentine organizations kept a hold-on strategy of survival. Now that the economy is booming, managers are beginning to switch to a more aggressive business strategy. In that context, decision-making becomes crucial for success.  
This is an ideal environment to apply methods to aid decision-makers dealing with risk and/or with multiple conflicting objective when allocating resources, says adds Schilling.   
Decisions set the direction of organizations. It is not what organizations or the people in them say but what they do what counts, says project content coordinator Juan Manuel Duhalde, a lecturer on decision-making theory at the UBA.  
During preliminary talks with Argentine managers, MARA researchers detected a need and a wish for more rational decision-making tools. Intuitive decision-making currently outnumbers technical decision-making in most of the organizations that will be taking part in the project. MARA researchers would like to see technical beating intuition once their work is over come the end of September.  
MARA poses a twofold challenge for the researchers involved. They will, on one hand, seek to merge their different approach in decision-making science to enhance the impact of their work in the organizations involved. Yet a greater challenge lies on melting two worlds which sometimes stand at a oceans distance: academia and real world management.   
      (Herald staff)  
More information at    .
  Leonardo Da Vinci Residence  
1-2 room furnished apartments & loft. Libertad 1224, Recoleta.  
Phone:  (54-11) 4815-8099/ 9610.  

  Life at the top in the US isnt just better, its longer  
Will L. Wilson's heart attack came four days earlier in the bedroom of his brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. He had been regaling his fiancee with the details of an all-you-can-eat dinner. Wilson, a Consolidated Edison office worker, was feeling a little bloated. He flopped onto the bed. Then came a searing sensation, like a hot iron deep inside his chest.   
Ewa Rynczak Gora's first signs of trouble came in her rented room in the shadow of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It was the Fourth of July. Gora, a Polish-born housekeeper, was playing bridge. Suddenly she was sweating, stifling an urge to vomit. She told her husband not to call an ambulance; it would cost too much. She tried a home remedy: salt water, a double dose of hypertension pills and a glass of vodka.   
Architect, utility worker, maid: Heart attack is a great leveler, and in those first moments, three New Yorkers with little in common faced a common threat. But in the months that followed, their experiences diverged. Social class  that elusive combination of income, education, occupation and wealth  played a powerful role in Miele's, Wilson's and Gora's struggles to recover.   
Class informed everything from the circumstances of their heart attacks to the emergency care each received, the households they returned to and the jobs they hoped to resume. It shaped their understanding of their illness, the support they got from their families, their relationships with their doctors.   
Class is a potent force in health and longevity in the United States. The more education and income people have, the less likely they are to have and die of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and many types of cancer. Upper-middle-class Americans live longer and in better health than middle-class Americans, who live longer and better than those at the bottom. And the gaps are widening.   
The advances in medicine have disproportionately gone to people with education, money, good jobs and connections.   
Heart attack is a window on the effects of class on health. The risk factors -- smoking, poor diet, inactivity, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and stress -- are all more common among the less educated and less affluent, the same group that research has shown is less likely to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to get emergency room care or to change habits.   
Miele's advantage began with the people he was with when the lining of his right coronary artery ruptured, cutting off the flow of blood to his 66-year-old heart. His two colleagues knew enough to dismiss his request for a taxi and call an ambulance.   
And because he was in Midtown, there were major medical centers nearby, all licensed to do the latest in emergency cardiac care. The emergency medical technician in the ambulance offered Miele a choice. He picked Tisch Hospital, part of New York University, and passed up city-run Bellevue.   
Within minutes, Miele was on a table in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, awaiting an angioplasty to unclog his artery  a procedure that many call the gold standard. When he developed a heart rhythm abnormality that can be fatal within minutes, the problem was quickly fixed.   
Then Dr. James N. Slater, a 54-year-old cardiologist who had done some 25,000 cardiac catheterizations, threaded a catheter through a small incision in Miele's thigh and steered it toward his heart. Less than two hours after the first symptoms, his artery was reopened and a stent was implanted to keep it that way.   
The damage was minimal. Miele spent just two days in the hospital.   
Things went less flawlessly for Wilson, a 53-year-old transportation coordinator for Con Ed. He imagined fleetingly that he was having a bad case of indigestion, though he had had a heart attack before. His fiancee insisted on calling an ambulance. Again, the medic offered a choice of two hospitals  neither with state permission to do angioplasty.   
Wilson chose the Brooklyn Hospital Center over Woodhull, the city-run hospital that serves three of Brooklyn's poorest areas. There, he was given a drug to break up the clot blocking an artery. It worked at first, said Dr. Narinder P. Bhalla, the hospital's chief of cardiology, but the clot re-formed.   
So Bhalla had Wilson taken to NewYork-Presbyterian in Manhattan. There, Bhalla performed an angioplasty and implanted a stent. Asked later whether Wilson would have been better off if he had had his heart attack elsewhere, Bhalla said, "In his case, yes, he would have been better off had he been to a hospital that was doing angioplasty."   
Wilson spent five days in the hospital before heading home on many of the same high-priced drugs that Miele would be taking and under similar instructions to change his diet and exercise regularly. After his first heart attack in 2000, he quit smoking; but once he was feeling better, he had stopped taking several medications, drifted back to red meat and fried foods and let his exercise program slip.   
This time would be different, he vowed.   
Gora's experience was the rockiest. She hesitated before allowing her husband to call an ambulance; she hoped her symptoms would go away. He finally insisted; but when the ambulance arrived, she resisted leaving. She was given no choices; she was taken to Woodhull, which Wilson had rejected.   
Woodhull was busy when Gora arrived. A nurse found her stable and classified her as "high priority." Two hours later, a physician assistant and an attending doctor examined her again and found her complaining of chest pain, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Over the next few hours, tests confirmed she was having a heart attack.   
She was given drugs to stop her blood from clotting and to control her blood pressure. The heart attack passed. The next day, Gora was transferred to Bellevue, which Miele had rejected, for an angiogram.   
But Gora, who was 59 then, contracted a fever, so the angiogram had to be canceled. She remained at Bellevue for two weeks. Finally, she was sent home. No angiogram was done.   
By any definition, Miele is upper middle class, the son of an architect and an artist. After college, he joined his father's firm, where he built a practice as not only an architect but also an arbitrator and an expert witness, developing real estate on the side.   
He bought a $21,000 house in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, sold it about 15 years later for $285,000 and used the money to build his current house next door, worth over $2 million. In Brookhaven, on Long Island, he took a derelict house on a single acre, annexed adjoining lots and created what a four-acre, three-house compound.   
He had figured out how to live like a millionaire, he liked to say, even before he became one. He had worked four-day weeks for the last 20 years, spending long weekends with his family, sailing or iceboating on Bellport Bay.   
He was also a passionate chef who put great store in the healthfulness of fresh ingredients from his family's vegetable garden or the greengrocers in Park Slope.   
He figured he had something else working in his favor: he was happy. He adored his second wife, Lori, 23 years younger, and their 6-year-old daughter, Emma. He lived within blocks of his two sisters and two of his three grown children from his first marriage. The house regularly overflowed with guests, including Miele's ex-wife and her husband.   
An important link in the safety net that caught Miele was his wife. While he was in the hospital, she was on the Internet, Googling stents.   
She prodded Miele, gently, to cut his weekly egg consumption to two, from seven. She found fresh whole wheat pasta and cooked it with turkey sausage and broccoli rabe. She knew her way around nutrition labels.   
Lunches in Brookhaven went straight from garden to table: tomatoes with basil, eggplant, corn, zucchini flower tempura.   
At the suggestion of his cardiologist, Dr. Richard M. Hayes, Miele enrolled in a three-month monitored exercise program called cardiac rehab, shown to reduce the mortality rate among heart patients by 20 percent. Miele's insurance covered the cost. He even found a class 10 minutes from his country house.   
His weight dropped to 189 pounds, from 211. He had doubled the intensity of his workouts. His blood pressure was lower than ever.   
Miele saw Hayes only twice in six months. He had been known to walk out of doctors' offices if he was not seen within 20 minutes, but Hayes did not keep him waiting.   
Just one unpleasant thing happened. Miele's partners informed him in late July that they wanted him to retire. It caught him off guard, and it hurt.   
Will Wilson fits squarely in New York's middle class. His parents were sharecroppers who moved north and became a machinist and a nurse. He grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant and had spent 34 years at Con Ed. He had an income of $73,000, five weeks' vacation, health benefits, a house worth $450,000 and plans to retire to North Carolina at 55.   
Wilson, too, had imagined becoming an architect. But there had been no money for college, so he found a job as a utility worker. By age 22, he had two children. He considered going back to school but never found the time.   
For years he was a high-voltage cable splicer, but an injury ended that career track. Instead of disc surgery, like Miele had, a doctor suggested that Wilson learn to live with the pain.   
So Wilson became a laboratory technician, then a transportation coordinator, overseeing fuel deliveries.   
Wilson's health was not bad, but far from perfect. He had quit drinking and smoking, but had high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. He was slim, 5-foot-9 and just under 170 pounds. He traced his first heart attack to his smoking, his diet and the stress from a grueling divorce.   
By the time Bhalla encountered Wilson, there was damage to all three main areas of his heart.   
"He has to behave himself," Bhalla said. "He needs to be more compliant with his medications. He has to really go on a diet, which is grains, no red meat, no fat. No fat at all."   
But Wilson's fiancee, Melvina Murrell Green, found it hard to find fresh produce and good fish. At Red Lobster after his second heart attack, Green would order chicken and Wilson would have salmon -- plus a side of fried shrimp. "He's still having a problem with the fried seafood," Green said. In August, Green's blood pressure shot up. The culprit turned out to be a turkey chili recipe that she and Wilson had discovered: every ingredient except the turkey came from a can. She was shocked when her doctor pointed out the salt content.   
Bhalla had suggested that Wilson walk for exercise. There was little open space in the neighborhood, so Wilson and Green often drove just to go for a stroll. In mid-October he entered a cardiac rehab program like Miele's, only less convenient.   
Gora is a member of the working class. A bus driver's daughter, she arrived in New York from Krakow in the early 1990s, leaving behind a grown son. She worked as a housekeeper in a residence for the elderly in Manhattan, making beds and cleaning toilets. Her annual income, she said, was $21,000 to $23,000 a year, with health insurance through her union.   
For $365 a month, she rented a room in a friend's Brooklyn apartment. She was in her seventh year on a waiting list for a subsidized apartment. In the meantime, she acquired a roommate: Edward Gora, an asbestos-removal worker newly arrived from Poland and 10 years her junior, whom she met and married in 2003.   
"My doctor said, `Ewa, be careful with cholesterol,"' recalled Gora, whose Old World sense of propriety had her dressed in heels and makeup for every visit to Bellevue. "When she said that, I think nothing; I don't care. Because I don't believe this touch me. Or I think she have to say like that because she doctor. Like cigarettes: She doctor, she always told me to stop. And when I got out of the office, lights up." She had smoked for 30 years.   
She grew up on her mother's fried pork chops, spare ribs and meatballs  all cooked with lard  and had become a pizza, hamburger and french fry enthusiast. Fast food was not only tasty but also affordable. "I eat terrible," she reported cheerily from her bed at Bellevue. "I like grease food and fast food. And cigarettes."   
Her husband smoked, her friends all smoked. Everyone she knew seemed to love tobacco and steak.   
Her life was physically demanding. She would rise at 6 a.m. to catch a bus to the subway, change trains three times and arrive at work by 8 a.m. She would make 25 to 30 beds, vacuum, cart out trash. Yet she says she loved her life. "Here, I don't have a lot of, but I live normal."   
The nature of Gora's illness was far from clear to her even after two weeks in Bellevue. In her first weeks home, she remained unconvinced that she had had a heart attack. When she arrived at Bellevue for her first follow-up appointment, Dr. Jad Swingle, completing his training in cardiology, asked questions, speaking slowly. Do you ever get chest discomfort? Do you get short of breath when you walk?   
She interrupted: "Doctor, I don't know what I have, why I was in hospital. What is this heart attack? I don't know why I have this. What I have to do to not repeat this?"   
No one had explained these things, Gora believed. Or, she wondered, had she not understood? Swingle examined her, then said he would answer her questions "in a way you'll understand."   
What about the procedure that was never done? She asked.   
"I'm not sure an angiogram would help you," he said. She needed to stop smoking, take her medications, walk, come back in a month.   
Outside, Gora tottered toward the subway, 14 blocks away, on pink high-heeled sandals in 89-degree heat. "Now I worry," she said.   
If Miele's encounters with the health care profession in the first months after his heart attack were occasional and efficient, Gora's were the opposite.   
A growth on her adrenal gland had turned up on a Bellevue CAT scan. An old knee problem flared up; an orthopedist recommended surgery. An alarming rash on her leg led to a trip to a dermatologist. Because of the heart attack, she had been taken off hormone replacement therapy and was constantly sweating. She tore open a toe stepping into a pothole and needed stitches.   
Without money or connections, moderate tasks consumed entire days. One cardiology appointment coincided with a downpour that paralyzed the city. Gora was supposed to be at the hospital laboratory at 8 a.m. to have blood drawn and back at the clinic at 1 p.m. In between, she wanted to meet with her boss about her disability payments. She had a 4 p.m. appointment in Brooklyn for her knee.   
So at 7 a.m., she hobbled through the rain to the bus to the subway to another bus to Bellevue. She was waiting outside the lab when it opened. Then she took a bus uptown in jammed traffic, changed buses, descended into the subway, rode to Times Square, found service suspended because of flooding, climbed the stairs, maneuvered through angry crowds hunting for buses and found another subway.   
If she had had the money she could have made the trip in 20 minutes by cab. Her boss was not there. So she returned to Bellevue and waited until 2:35 p.m. for her 1 o'clock appointment. As always, she asked Swingle to let her return to work. When he insisted she have a stress test first, a receptionist gave her the first available appointment  seven weeks away.   
Meanwhile, Gora was trying to stop smoking. She had quit in the hospital, then started again.   
She tried the free smoking cessation program at Bellevue, where a counselor supplied her with nicotine patches and advice. Over time, her tobacco craving waned, but she was gaining weight. She took steps to take it off, but always seemed to slip back to old habits.   
Meanwhile, her disability payments, for which she needed a doctor's letter every month, came to just half her salary. Once, she spent hours searching for the right person at Bellevue to give her one, only to be told to come back in two days.   
After reaching "maximum benefit" on her insurance, she switched to her husband's insurance plan. Twice, Bellevue sent bills for impossibly large amounts of money, and each times she spent hours traveling to the hospital's business office for explanations. Each time, a clerk listened, made a phone call, said the bill was a mistake.   
By February, Miele's heart attack, remarkably, had left him better off. He had lost 34 pounds and was exercising three times a week and taking subway stairs two at a time. He had retired on the terms he wanted. He was working from home, billing $225 an hour. His blood pressure and cholesterol were low.   
Wilson's heart attack had been a setback. His heart function remained impaired, though improved since May. He still enjoyed fried shrimp on occasion but he took his medications diligently. He graduated from cardiac rehab and was looking forward to retirement.   
Gora's life and health were increasingly complex. She returned to work in November and moved into the subsidized apartment, which gave her a kitchen and a bathroom for the first time in seven years. But she began receiving menacing phone calls from a collection agency about an old bill her health insurance had not covered. Her husband, with double pneumonia, was out of work.   
Her weight hit 200 pounds. Her blood pressure and cholesterol remained ominously high. She had been warned that she was now borderline diabetic.   
"You're becoming a full-time patient, aren't you?" Swingle remarked.   

  Like the jazz orchestras of yore  

By Miguel Bronfman  
For the Herald

The Palacio Moreno shines with the splendour of past times: brand new red carpets, high ceilings, sumptuous stairways, a pianist and a bassist playing low and mellow at the big hallway and a wine bar offering visitors a glass of Malbec.  
In the upper floor, a big hall full of tables. People have dinner or just something to drink among young waiters who rush to and fro. Everybody is a bit nervous. It is their second night since the place reopened after a long time.  
At 65, pianist  and now band leader  Jorge Navarro knows nothing about being nervous.  
I greatly enjoy being on stage. I always try to have fun while playing music, that is my essence. If the day comes when Im not having fun any more, Ill stop doing what I do, Navarro tells the Herald, quite enthusiastic after his Big Band (La Gran Banda)s first weekend at the Palacio Moreno.  
La Gran Banda was born a year ago, when producer Gustavo Levit approached Navarro with this adventurous idea. At the beginning I told him he was just crazy. I had never conducted a big band and, on the other hand, in financial terms it is usually bad business, and not only in this country, where we dont have a solid tradition regarding jazz orchestras.  
But the producer took the risk, and the conductors shoes suited Navarro to perfection: La Gran Banda was born and fifty concerts at the Margarita Xirgu theatre proved Navarros first reaction to be completely wrong.  
A year later, with some lineup changes, Navarros big band is in the spotlight again. Except for Eduardo Casalla (drums), Alberto Fili Savloff (guitar), Richard Nant and Juan Cruz Urquiza (trumpets), who were in the original lineup, the rest of the members are new. Navarro is proud of his musicians, most of them young enough to be his sons.  
I feel honoured to have them in my band, all of them are first-rate players, they really help me to conduct. Most of them had never played before in a big band, so we are all learning together. We used to have our constellation of big bands here in Buenos Aires, but that was like... fifty years ago. Thats why Im happy, I always wanted to have a big band, and the challenge is really thrilling.  
Navarros excitement and love for this music (Ive played Count Basies music thousands of times, and I still enjoy doing it, he says) is evident not only in the repertoire he has chosen, but also in the way it is organized. In the form of tributes, La Gran Banda revisits seminal samples of the genres founding fathers: Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman (the latter features the stellar presence of clarinetist Mauricio Percan as special guest). Every tribute includes about three well-known pieces by the honoured composer, intelligently arranged by Alfredo Wulff Woesten. In the tribute to Duke Ellington, for example, a delicate version of In a Sentimental Mood rendered in duo by Navarro at the piano and trumpeter Rogelio Jurez (one of the few veterans in the band, along with drummer Casalla and saxophonist Vctor Skorupski) is followed by a piano solo version of Dont Get Around Much Anymore, culminating with the potent and jubilant Take the A Train.  
The seventeen-piece band is completed by Carlos Alvarez on double bass, Miguel Hornes on trumpet, Juan Escalona, Juan Canosa, Eduardo Manenti and Maximiliano de la Fuente on trombones, Gustavo Musso, Ricardo Cavalli, Gustavo Cmara and Rodrigo Domnguez on saxophones. Navarro is also happy with the sound the have have achieved. When you play in a section of a big band, it is just like singing in a chorus: its not your individual voice the one that has to be heard, but the voice of the chorus. The sound of a brass or a reed section has to be homogenous, and that is difficult to accomplish. I call it the ego-breaker. Then, when the opportunity to play a solo on the spot comes, thats where the musicians can play the way they like, with their personal sound. And I think we have achieved that too, that balance between the individual personalities and the collective sound, says Navarro.  
As in every traditional band, which always featured one or two singers in a couple of numbers, La Gran Banda features Livia Barbosa and Willie Lorenzo. While Barbosa is an experienced singer with an important jazz background and feels comfortable within the band, Willie Lorenzo might still need some extra time to adjust himself and thus make good use of his talent.  
Like Navarro says, We are playing music that has been played for so many years. Yet, I still feel we have something to offer. For me, every time I play its like the last time Im playing, Im giving all I have. And that intensity, I believe, is noticeable. If somebody tells me that my music made them want to dance, then Im happy. It means that we have reached those peoples hearts  and feet.  
Right after the bands performance last Saturday night some couples moved the tables away and, as though they knew they were paying Navarro back, they began to dance.

  Lots of snow!  
By the second fortnight of May, all the ski centres had been been blessed by snow. At Caviahue (Neuqun) people have been skiing since May 18.  
Blizzards closed the Cristo Redentor pass from Mendoza to Chile and the Seven Lakes Road in Neuqun.  
Things looked so good (to skiers and the hotel industry) at the beginning of June that Cerro Bayo in Neuqun moved its official opening up to June 11 and Chapelco announced a pre-opening discount week starting on the same date  nearly two weeks earlier than the traditional date. (See pages 4 and 5). Last year Chapelco didnt get enough snow to open until July 3.  
Cerro Catedral in Bariloche has been recording every snowfall since May 12 on its Website, but has set its opening date for June 18.  
Las Leas in southern Mendoza, where it has been snowing a lot since May 21, will open on June 17, the same date chosen by Cerro Castor in Tierra del Fuego.  
Keep up with the latest snow news on the ski centres Websites:  altapatagonia.com; . com; ; www. caviahue.com; ; ; . com; ; and  vallecitos. com.
  Maersk raises stake in P&O Nedlloyd to 14.4 pct  
COPENHAGEN  Danish shipping and oil giant A.P. Moeller-Maersk has agreed to buy a 5.0 percent stake in Dutch rival P&O Nedlloyd as part of an ongoing takeover offer, Maersk said on Friday.   
Earlier this week Maersk launched a 2.3 billion euros takeover offer for P&O Nedlloyd to cement its position as the worlds number one container shipper.   
On Thursday, Maersk bought 8.2 percent stake P&O Nedlloyd from Fidelity.   
Maersk said it would hold about 14.4 percent of the shares in P&O Nedlloyd after the latest purchase.  
(Reuters)
  Major ELT events recapped - New Section!  

By Sergio Mobilia  
For the Herald

Is the variety of local ELT events available so overwhelming that you cannot seem to decide on which one course to attend? Or are two of your favourite workshops taking place simultaneously? Maybe you live too far away from  the venue of the seminar of your interest? No problem! Major ELT Events Recapped is the HEN's solution for (some of) your professional troubles.   
In our bimonthly summary of ELT highlights, we offer our read ers a selection of the hottest ideas, tips 

and research updates recently presented in our teaching community.  
Last April 23, Asociacin de Profesores de Ingls de Buenos Aires (APIBA) hosted a double event which brought together an important number professionals at the premises of Instituto de Enseanza Superior en Lenguas Vivas Juan Ramn Fernndez. The menu offered a variety of interesting sessions to attend, including storytelling in the morning and the APIBA SIGs Opening Event in the afternoon. 

Continues on page 5  
Continued from front page

And what better hinge between these professional-development (PD) encounters than an enlightening presentation by Dr Cristina Banfi  precisely on What is What in the Professional Development of English Language Teachers  or Finding Your Way in the Professional Development Maze?  
This self-explanatory title reveals the aims of the talk: to provide the audience with tools to assess the nature of different PD offers flooding the local and international markets. Focussing on Maley's 1992 distinction between TT (Teacher Training) and TD (Teacher Development), participants were invited to reflect on their motivation for PD as well as on the factors which have brought about the so-called TD Explosion. Among the problems generated by this oversupply, Dr Banfi mentioned the overwhelming offer of activities, the lack of direction as well as questions of quality, warning her colleagues not to be taken in by flashy advertising which may mask lack of academic excellence.  
The life-long learning education movement, with its focus on increasing professionalization in ELT, has allowed us teachers to exert autonomy in shaping our own professional development. However, when it comes to choosing a path for PD, informed decisions should be made by considering questions which help us look back (What have/haven't I done before?), look forward (Where do I want to be in 5, 10, 20 years' time), look at the present (What stage am I at in my career?), analyse the state of the art (What is being discussed?) as well as look in (What am I good/bad at?).  
Dr Banfi also discussed specific options available for PD, such as higher education degrees (post/graduate; professional/academic), short courses, conferences, symposia, forums & lists and discussion & study groups. Yet, no serious decision can be taken without evaluating the personal situation of the PD candidate: what is his/her motivation, aims and level of commitment? You are bound to be disappointed if you don't know who  is aimed at, explained the speaker. She also raised issues not always considered by professionals willing to take up PD-related activities: Who are the speakers? Are just a name and a nationality enough? Are they practitioners, researchers, or just tourists giving a talk on the side? In a word ... Does anything go?  
The presentation closed with simple yet powerful advice to evaluate PD proposals:  
l  Be discerning  
l  Be selective  
l  Be open-minded  
l  Be active  
l  Be autonomous  
l  Be consistent  
l  Be reflective  
l  Be responsible

Dr Banfi's presentation certainly left the audience with food for thought: There's a place for everything ... but everything should be in its place. So ... what PD path are you going to take?   

  Making sense (and art) of a glut of information  
A better-than-average example of this ambitious show-hatching and packaging is the latest offering from the Whitney Museum of American Art: "Remote Viewing: Invented Worlds in Recent Painting and Drawing." The savvy brainchild of the curator Elisabeth Sussman, the show presents eight artists who invent "new worlds that exist somewhere between representation and abstraction," as she puts it in the show's catalog.   
The "invented worlds" conceived by these artists are based on the torrents of information that assail us all today. They are swollen by scientific theory and technological data, electronic imaging, geopolitical events and such, along with growing literacy about culture and history.   
There is no thought that the group forms a movement or shares a common style, Sussman says; their work is diverse (although the general rubric "narrative abstraction" might be a handle).   
What the artists do share, it is suggested, is the ability to whip slews of disparate information into their own visual cosmologies, from the architectural plans, site maps, graffiti and comic-book art that inform the explosive worldscapes of Julie Mehretu to the laws of thermodynamics, mythology, religion and such that feed the snaky, jungly compositions of Matthew Ritchie.   
As for the "remote viewing" in the somewhat misleading title, it is an adaptation of a term that described the psychics, known as "remote viewers," who were recruited by U.S. intelligence organizations during the 1960s for their ability to throw light - presumably for our country's benefit  on places or things they hadn't seen.   
The painters chosen represent a wide range, although they all draw from the barrage of information common to us all. Some of them are familiar, like Terry Winters and Carroll Dunham (the two old masters of the group); the others  Ati Maier, Franz Ackermann, Alexander Ross, Steve DiBenedetto, Mehretu and Ritchie are newer to the scene.   
They are a mixed lot, too, in their capabilities. Some have strength and depth as painters; others have the shallow slickness of illustrators. If many of the works lack emotional resonance, that is not the issue here; in this cool show it's not insight, but inflow and outgo that count. It's a bit of a stretch to bring together eight artists of such diverse expression and expect to find a common high of achievement and originality. But overall the work does not lack interest, and Sussman's rationale for putting it together is persuasively argued.   
While there is no dearth of artists who actually employ technological means to fill the bill, the beauty part is that all of the participants here use paint (or colored inks), working unabashedly with old-fashioned implements like brushes, pigment, pens and pencils.   
What's more, the show is well laid out, with each artist given a separate space where the work is displayed without bumping into anyone else's. In several instances artists have painted black-and-white imagery as an accessory to their main exhibits directly on the walls.   
Ackermann, for example, has covered one wall of his niche with a tangle of white lines on black that might symbolize his global wanderings in the service of his politically oriented art. On it he has hung a painting of a face, partially covered by a dense rash of mini-images that seem to consist largely of crumpled futuristic buildings.   
Chief among his other paintings is "Untitled (evasion 1)," whose slick, hard-edge pinwheels and architectural forms in brilliant colors seem abstractly to evoke the seductive lure of luxury living.   

  Market Report  

BUENOS AIRES  
Closed for a public holiday

SAO PAULO  
Brazilian stocks slipped yesterday on higher world crude oil prices and a decline in US stocks. The benchmark Ibovespa stocks index lost 0.18 percent to close at 26,046 points. Volume was high at 2.64 billion Brazilian reals, but nearly half of yesterdays volume was accounted for by the exercise of stock options expiring yesterday. Rising world oil prices took their toll on Brazilian stocks. Brazil is a net importer of crude oil and oil products.

SANTIAGO  
Chilean shares ended lower yesterday, falling from the record high they posted the previous session, as investors booked profits, traders said. The 40-share, blue-chip Ipsa index closed 0.6 percent lower at 2,053.92, from a record 2,063.83 Friday. Volume fell to 17.80 billion pesos from 34.16 billion.

MEXICO CITY  
Mexican stocks rose for a sixth straight session yesterday, led by gains in blue-chip issues. The markets IPC index closed up 0.5 percent, or 63.40 points, at 13,709.36. It was a sixth straight rise for the local index, which closed at a record high 13,877.69 points on March 7. Volume was a moderate 75.2 million shares worth 1.58 billion pesos.

NEW YORK  
Wall Street slipped lower but still held on to most of its recent gains yesterday as investors, their confidence in the economy growing, reacted calmly to oil prices that approached US$60 per barrel. A barrel of light crude settled at a record US$59.37, up 90 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 13.96, or 0.13 percent, to 10,609.11, ending seven straight sessions of gains which saw the Dow rise 140 points. Broader stock indicators were narrowly lower. The Standard & Poors 500 index was down 0.86, or 0.07 percent, at 1,216.10, and the Nasdaq composite index lost 1.98, or 0.09 percent, to 2,088.13. Both indexes reversed five days in positive territory. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies was down 2.35, or 0.36 percent, at 641.84.

LONDON  
Britains top shares fell, retreating from three-year highs as a fresh surge in oil prices unnerved investors, although strength in heavyweight oil firms such as BP and Shell helped cushion the fall. The FTSE 100 blue-chip index closed down 5.6 points or 0.11 percent at 5,072.0, easing after Fridays run-up to a three-year closing high.

  Mercosur summit kicks off  
ASUNCION  Nine Latin American presidents are attending the South American Common Market (Mercosur) summit in the Paraguayan capital. Elvio Venegas, the spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said on Friday that Bolivias head of state had not confirmed his trip, although the corresponding invitation has been sent.  
The list of Heads of State that arrived to this city on Sunday includes Argentinas Nstor Kirchner, Brazils Luiz Incio Lula Da Silva, Uruguays Tabar Vzquez, Venezuelas Hugo Chvez, Panamas Martn Torrijos, Ecuadors Alfredo Palacio, Colombias Alvaro Uribe, Chiles Ricardo Lagos, and Paraguayan host, Nicanor Duarte.  
From Friday to Sunday, different advisor groups and official commissions made up of Economy and Foreign Affairs Ministers met to work on the drafts of the documents that will be signed today.  
A wide range of issues were discussed, according to Venegas, such as the signing of a protocol for the promotion of the defense of human rights, the creation of a Structural Fund with 200 million dollars of working capital for loans, and cooperation agreements for the fight against kidnappings and terrorism.  
Venegas also explained that Torrijos was invited by Foreign Affaris Minister   
Leila Rachid to begin talks in order for Panama to achieve the associated member status, along with Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela.                                    (AP)
  Mexico and Japan take 1-0 victories  

SOCCER  
Confederations Cup

HANOVER, Germany  Mexico joined Germany and Argentina in the Confederations Cup semifinals yesterday, leaving Brazil to battle Japan for the final berth.  
Mexico stunned world champions Brazil 1-0 in Hanover after Japan beat European champions Greece by the same score in the days other Group B match in Frankfurt. Germany and Argentina had clinched spots in the last four with wins on Saturday.  
Jared Borgetti went from villain to hero as his goal gave Mexico their second straight win. Germany and Argentina, who are also unbeaten in their two Group A matches, meet tomorrow.  
Borgetti, who failed to score in the first half despite taking a penalty three times, emerged as the match-winner by glancing home a 59th-minute header when he escaped his marker Kak and left goalkeeper Dida stranded.  
Mexico, who defended superbly and in goalkeeper Oswaldo Snchez had the man of the match, are now unbeaten in 19 matches since losing 4-0 to Brazil in the Copa Amrica last July.  
SUPERB MATCH  
A superb match full of attacking and creative soccer played on a balmy night in northern Germany ended with Mexico top of Group B with six points followed by Brazil and Japan on three and Greece, who are bottom with none.  
Mexico face Greece in their last group match in Frankfurt on Wednesday. Brazil will meet Japan in Cologne, also on Wednesday, to decide who takes the remaining place in the last four.  
All that was missing from a first half full of chances was a goal, although one should have been scored after 30 minutes.  
Mexico were awarded a penalty by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti after Roque Junior clumsily bundled Borgetti over as they chased down a loose ball.  
Borgetti slammed the penalty past goalkeeper Dida but Rosetti ruled that Mexicos Francisco Fonseca had encroached on the kick and ordered a re-take.  
His second penalty slammed against the bar but Rosetti also called it back saying that the Brazilian goalie moved off the goalline before the shot. Dida saved the third one but Borgetti put that behind him and finally had the last word by scoring Mexicos second-half winner.  
BAD FINISHING  
In Frankfurt, substitute Masashi Oguro pounced with 14 minutes left to give Japan a 1-0 win over Greece.  
The Asian champions looked set to pay a high price for bad finishing, with strikers Atsushi Yanagisawa and Keiji Tamada guilty of a series of appalling misses in a one-sided game.  
But Zicos team showed patience as well as masterly technique and took the lead when Oguro ran on to a pass from Shunsuke Nakamura and tucked the ball past Antonis Nikopolidis.  
We were asleep today, said Greeces German coach Otto Rehhagel. You couldnt win a pot of flowers playing like that.

  Michael Jackson faces daunting road back to pop glory  
It's an uphill battle," said Londell McMillan, a longtime music lawyer who has helped guide the careers of Prince and Faith Evans. "Culturally, he'll never be the Michael Jackson that we knew him to be. One thing we do know is his voice is permanently ingrained in the minds of most music listeners. But he'll never be the kind of trendsetter and icon he used to be."  
Sales of Mr. Jackson's albums have dwindled since the explosive success of 1982's "Thriller," which at 26 million copies is the second-biggest-selling record in United States history, behind a greatest hits album by the Eagles. His last studio album, "Invincible," sold just 2.1 million copies domestically after its release in 2001. And Mr. Jackson, 46, must surmount a library's worth of tabloid history that has cast him as a weakened, out-of-touch dance-pop relic - not to mention the prospect of losing control of his music-publishing interests as he struggles with debts recently estimated at $270 million.  
But his advisers have long insisted that he could quickly raise millions of dollars by staging an international concert tour and selling his own recordings. And although it has been many years since Mr. Jackson embodied the youthful energy and innocence that earned him endorsement deals from Pepsi, he remains a worldwide star, one who inhabits a culture where criminal charges do not seem to worry hard-core fans. The rhythm and blues singer R. Kelly, for example, has enjoyed a run of commercial success even as he faces charges of child pornography.  
Even people close to Mr. Jackson do not seem to know exactly what he would do next. His brother Jermaine, asked whether the singer would be picking up his career again, said in an interview with Larry King on Monday night that Mr. Jackson "is going to rest right now." He went on to say: "It's in his blood. It's in his blood."  
Music executives said Mr. Jackson could even make a run at his old pop throne.   
"You almost need a cultural anthropologist to figure this one," said Richard Rosenberg, who retired this year as head of the music division at the William Morris Agency. "I would think most of the people who were neutral about his guilt are now going to say, 'The system worked; 12 people in this conservative town came up with not guilty.'   
"He's not that different from most celebrities who they go to see, who might have personal lifestyles different from theirs, who might be drug addicts or public adulterers," Mr. Rosenberg said. "They don't care."   
Mr. Jackson has not toured the United States in more than 15 years, although he has appeared on MTV and performed on a 2001 CBS television special. He last toured in 1997, playing stadiums overseas, and grossed more than $90 million, according to Pollstar magazine, which tracks the concert industry.  
For Mr. Jackson to mount a serious effort to regain his past glories, even supporters say he must return to the energetic performances that display the dancing and singing talent that once electrified audiences.  
"He's always been a genius; now he just needs to maximize his gift," said Rodney Jerkins, the producer who worked on "Invincible." Attracting today's young fans "is a hard mission to accomplish at his age," Mr. Jerkins said. "I think he should really tour, focus on the fans he has and pick up new fans through word of mouth."   
A return to performing may not be enough to shield Mr. Jackson from his debts. He is already finding himself reduced from a king to a mere pawn in a complex financial chess match over the fate of his prized stake in Sony ATV Music, the music publishing venture that owns and administers the copyrights to more than 250 songs by the Beatles, one of the most treasured catalogs in music. Mr. Jackson's stake is the collateral for a part of his loans, which Bank of America sold to a New York private equity company last month.  
Mr. Jackson and his advisers have long waved off suggestions that he might have to sell his stake in the venture - valued by some at $500 million - to cover his debts. But people in Mr. Jackson's camp say that with the loan's acquisition by a possibly less patient creditor, it has become far more likely that he will have to sell the publishing catalog or reduce his stake in it.   
However Mr. Jackson chooses to deal with his financial problems, there is still no end in sight to his legal troubles, some of which may once again cast him in an embarrassing light. In a lawsuit filed in November and halted pending the outcome of the criminal case, a former Jackson adviser, F. Marc Schaffel, contends that Mr. Jackson owes him more than $2 million for personal loans he made to the singer.   
Mr. Schaffel says Mr. Jackson was "desperate for cash to support his uncontrolled spending habits" and never reimbursed him for expenses, or for loans used - among other purposes - to pay Marlon Brando for appearing at one of Mr. Jackson's concerts and to provide jewelry for Elizabeth Taylor, as compensation for her appearing in a Jackson television documentary.  
Having delivered the last new studio album owed under a lucrative 1991 contract with the Sony Corporation's music unit, Mr. Jackson can strike virtually any deal he likes for financing and distribution of his future recordings. His last CD, a greatest-hits collection called "Number Ones," has sold an estimated 906,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. It was released the same day the authorities raided his ranch seeking evidence for the criminal case.  

  Mideast violence grows on eve of key summit  
JERUSALEM  Palestinian gunmen yesterday killed an Israeli motorist in a West Bank ambush and Israeli troops nabbed an alleged female suicide bomber with explosives hidden in her pants, escalating a wave of violence that has strained an already shaky ceasefire.  
Palestinian officials condemned the violence, which also included the shooting death of a Palestinian man by Israeli troops, but Israel angrily demanded tougher action.  
The growing tensions cast a cloud over a meeting set for today between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, where they are expected to discuss coordination for Israels upcoming withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank.  
The violence has raised doubts over whether Abbas can keep his pledge to maintain calm during the Gaza withdrawal, which is scheduled to begin in mid-August.  
Todays summit is just the second time the two leaders have met since Abbas election in January. At their first meeting, in February, the two men declared an end to more than four years of fighting.  
While the truce has brought a drop in bloodshed, sporadic violence has persisted. Yesterday marked the third consecutive day of deadly incidents.  
Early yesterday, Palestinian gunmen hiding in an alley ambushed an Israeli minivan driving through the northern West Bank near the town of Jenin, killing one passenger and slightly wounding a second, the army said. The gunmen escaped.  
Also yesterday, Israeli troops stopped a Palestinian woman with 10 kilograms of explosives hidden on her body who unsuccessfully tried to blow herself up at a crossing from Gaza into Israel.  
Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man and wounded another as they tried to climb over the fence from the Gaza Strip into Israel, Palestinian hospital officials said.  
In Cairo yesterday, Israeli Vice-Premier Shimon Peres said he made significant progress in talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak toward an agreement to turn security on the Gaza-Egypt border over to Egypt. Israel is concerned about Palestinian arms smuggling from Egypt into Gaza.  
                  (Herald staff with AP)
  Monkeyshine  
LONDON  Three tempera paintings by Congo the Chimp, including the one above, went yesterday for a joint  25,600 dollars at Bonhams in London. Congo (1954-1964) produced about 400 drawings and paintings. Pablo Picasso is reported to have hung a Congo painting in his house. Theres no precedent for things like this having been sold before, an auction house official said. (AP)
  Nation at a Glance  

Galeano trial starts today  
The impeachment against suspended Judge Julio Galeano begins today. Galeano is facing 13 charges, all related to his performance as investigative judge in the AMIA case. Among other wrongdoings, Galeano is accused of having authorized a 400,000-peso illegal payment to Carlos Telleldn, an ex-suspect in the case. The payment was allegedly made so that Telleldn would incriminate a group of members of Buenos Aires provinces police force of taking part in the July 18, 1994, terrorist attack against the Jewish community centre, in which 85 people died and around 300 were wounded. Today, the Impeachment Court of the Council of Magistrates will open the trial by reading all the charges against Galeano, who is expected to testify on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Court will begin to hear the testimony of the 50 witnesses. A verdict must be reached before August 9. Galeano is also accused of illegally keeping and destroying evidence, having ordered the torture of a suspect, telephone bugging and witness coercion, among other things. 

Picketers murder trial resumes today  
The trial on the murders of picketers Daro Santilln and Maximiliano Kosteki will continue today with the testimony of Ral Roda, former chief of the Marea Roja (Blue Tide) special police group. Roda is an important witness who the prosecution believes worked aside the main suspect, ex-police chief Alfredo Fanchiotti during the June 26, 2002, picket demonstration in which Kosteki and Santilln were murdered. The prosecution says Roda must have seen at least one of the murders in what has been labelled the Avellaneda Massacre. Kosteki and Santilln were murdered in Avellanedas train station after the police broke up a protest at the nearby Puente Pueyrredn. Fanchiotti was photographed hitting and kicking them, as well as shooting them from close range.

Argentina investigates Pinochet accounts  
The Argentine Central Bank and an Argentine court began an investigation into whether or not former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet or any members of his entourage did any money laundering in the country, the daily Clarn reported yesterday. The Argentine investigation results of a US Senate report, which says that over the past 25 years Pinochet has had several secret multi-million accounts. The Senate report specified that since 1998 Citibank opened several accounts in different countries, one of which was Argentina, for relatives of Pinochet. Clarn explained that Prosecutor Carlos Stornelli started the preliminary investigation to determine if there were any money-laundering operations by Pinochet in the country. Just over two weeks ago, a Chilean appeals court stripped Pinochet of legal immunity to allow for a case to be opened against him on tax fraud charges.

Zamora bashes leftist religion  
Leftist deputy Luis Zamora, leader of the Self-Determination and Liberty (AyL), yesterday questioned the paradox that the left has highly religious concepts, since every leftist party considers that it is the one who can truly understand the socialist texts. This make them unable to unify. Also, the left doesnt debate a project for the country and unity disappears in two or three months and it all end up being very frustrating, said Zamora. Zamora, a national deputy, is a former Trotskyist who is widely expected to run for the Lower House of Congress in the October 23 vote. Yesterday, however, he did confirm he will run but said that there is evidently a vast portion of people who back us. 

K to celebrate Flag Day in Rosario  
President Nstor Kirchner will head an official ceremony at midday today in Rosario as part of Flag Day celebrations. Santa Fe Governor Jorge Obeid and Rosario Mayor Miguel Lifschitz will be among the government officials who will join Kirchner. 

14 kilos of coke  
Some 14 kilograms of topnotch cocaine worth 140,365 pesos were found yesterday by members of the border guard in the northwestern province of Salta, near the border with Bolivia, reports said. The drug was found after two smugglers left it and escaped after seeing the guards.  
            (Herald staff with agencies)

  Nation at a Glance  

Ten inmates escape from Buenos Aires prison  
Ten prisoners escaped late Sunday night from a police precinct in the Buenos Aires town of Lobos. Police sources said that 24 cell inmates were held at the precinct before the escape and the capacity is much lower than 24. The prisoners escaped through a window, after filing the security bars. Several of the escapees were facing murder charges. Police only recaptured one man arrested for armed robbery.

Fasting Castells in hospital  
Picket leader Ral Castells, who has been on a hunger-strike for 11 days, was taken to the prison hospital yesterday in the Greater Buenos Aries Marcos Paz jail where he is under arrest. The leader of the Independent Movement of Pensioners and Unemployed (MIJD) began the hunger strike after being transferred from Resistencia to Buenos Aires. Castells wife, Saturnina Nina Peloso said that her husband was suffering from blood pressure problems after losing more than six kilos. Police arrested the hardline picketer in the northern province of Chaco last week on charges of extortion in connection with a protest last year outside a McDonalds restaurant in downtown Buenos Aires.

Virtual protest for whales  
An Argentine environment activist yesterday screened images of whales at the 57th International Whale Commission Assembly in South Korea, saying that thousands of whales will be killed this year for scientific purposes. World experts assembled to discuss the future of whales. Marcelo Iarra Iraegui presented thousands of photos coordinated by Greenpeace of whales taken along Argentinas coastline. 

Sntora to appeal               life sentence  
The defence team of former police officer Oscar Sntora, sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of killing former Radical senator Regino Maders, said yesterday that they will appeal the ruling. On Friday, a Crdoba court found Sntora guilty of the 1991 murder. The court said that Sntora acted as a hit-man who shot Maders in the back for money.

Trucks jammed  at border crossing  
Nearly 3,000 trucks lined up yesterday to get through the Cristo Redentor border crossing in the Mendoza province, which links Argentina and neighbouring Chile, after clear skies indicated favourable weather conditions. However, avalanches hampered travellers plans to cross the border, but did not cause any injuries. Truck drivers are lining  the way to the tunnel on National Route 7, under clear skies, after weather forecasts predicted the crossing might be reopened today. Meanwhile, the border guard said that the crossing will continue to be closed to all vehicles due to heavy snow storms in the past days. The crossing has been closed for over 10 days.  

Protesting against hunger  
More than 1,500 children and adults yesterday started a march in Tucumn to protest against poverty and malnutrition among children as part of a nationwide campaign against hunger. The Peoples Children National Movement organized the march and will lead a caravan in several northern provinces. This national march will draw to a finish on July 1 in Plaza de Mayo, across the street from Government House. The march set off from the neighbourhood of El Trula, the poorest neighbourhood in the capitals suburbs. Tucumn was emblematic for its cases of starved children after Argentinas 2001 economic meltdown. 

Boxing champion in a coma  
Former middleweight world champion Jorge Locomotora Castro underwent a medical induced coma yesterday in the Argerich Hospital, where he has been hospitalized since Friday after a car accident. Doctors said that Castros condition deteriorated and they induced the coma to help him cope with the pain. The Santa Cruz native crashed into a tree while driving in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Puerto Madero. One lung was seriously damaged. 

Record visitors at falls  
Over 10,000 tourists visited Iguaz Falls over the long weekend to witness a spectacular waterfall thanks to the water level rise in the Iguaz river. Tourism board officials said that 50 percent more travellers visited Iguaz than last year. National Park officials said that on Saturday, over 4,200 visitors toured the park. Iguaz Mayor Claudio Filippa said at a National Flag Day ceremony that an ecological hot balloon will be installed in the park.

Mendoza shakes  
A 4.5 Richter scale earthquake was reported yesterday in the western province of Mendoza, causing no injuries or damage. 

Commando group in supermarket hold up  
A group of at least eight armed people robbed a Makro supermarket chain in the Greater Buenos Aires town of Ituzaing, making a getaway with cash from check out registers and customers, police said yesterday. The robbers beat up the private security guards and held up cashiers. 

Freight train union  threatens to strike  
The Fraternidad train workers union chief, Omar Maturano, said yesterday that freight workers will stage a 24-hour strike on June 29 if a salary increase agreement is not reached. Maturano added that a strike would seriously effect cargo companies profits. The union has also threatened a full nationwide train strike if a favourable agreement is not reached. He added that cargo train companies were not willing to negotiate a wage increase.   
(Herald staff with news agencies)

  Near-empty track  
AP  
Just six racING cars start the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis yesterday  an unprecedented low number  after the tyremaker Michelin advised the teams it supplies not to race because of safety concerns relating to the type of tyre for the tracks conditions.
  Negotiations between debt-ridden Varig and TAP collapse  
LISBON  Negotiations between Brazils flagship carrier Varig and Portugal airline TAP for a plan to rescue Varig from financial collapse have failed, TAP Chief Executive Fernando Pinto was quoted as saying in an interview published yesterday.  
The operation has ended, although TAP is still interested in a partnership with Varig and will now see if it makes sense to apply the same kind of plan to the process, Pinto told the Dirio Econmico financial newspaper.  
TAP representatives could not immediately be reached for comment yesterday. Portuguese officials would not comment.  
TAP and Varig had been discussing a plan under which Portugals state-owned airline would invest an undisclosed sum in Varig and get a stake of up to 20 percent in the Brazilian carrier. The companies have overlapping trans-Atlantic routes between South America and Europe, and already have a code-sharing agreement on some flights. The two airlines would not have merged under the deal being discussed.  
                    (AP)  

  New releases  
slo un ngel  Murdered by his greedy partners, engineer and construction company owner Gonzalo (Osvaldo Laport) returns from death in the form of an angel who has the ability to modify things in order to avenge his death. Running time: 95 minutes. NC 13.  
batman begins (batman inicia)  Following in the Hollywood Star Wars-style trend of prequels, Christopher Nolans Batman shows the superheros early days. Christian Bale plays the young Bruce Wayne, who inherits his parents fortune after they are murdered in front of his own eyes. The movie tells us how Waynes desire to revenge his parents deaths transforms him into Batman. Running time 138. NC13.  
the door in the floor (una mujer infiel)  Director Tod Williams states that the film, which is based on a John Irving novel, analyzes how love is defined by its dark side and by loss. After the family of a successful writer loses two of its three children in an accident, a young aspiring novelist is hired as the writers assistant. But the wannabe novelists inclusion in the household awakes restrained sexual fantasies in the writers wife. Running time 110. NC16.
  New sight in Chernobyls dead zone: tourists  
Much was as the children and their teachers had left it 19 years ago. Tiny shoes littered the classroom floor. Dolls and wooden blocks remained on shelves. Soviet slogans exhorted children to study, to exercise, to prepare for a life of work.   
Much had also changed. Now there is rot, broken windows, rusting bed frames and paint falling away in great blisters and peels. And now there are tourists, participating in what may be the strangest vacation excursion available in the former Soviet space: the packaged tour of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, scene of the worst civilian disaster of the nuclear age.  
A 19-mile radius around the infamous power plant, the zone has largely been closed to the world since Chernobyl's Reactor No. 4 exploded on April 26, 1986, sending people to flight and exposing the Communist Party as an institution wormy with hypocrisy and lies.  
For nearly 20 years it has been a dark symbol of Soviet rule. Its name conjures memories of incompetence, horror, contamination, escape and sickness, as well as the party elite's disdain for Soviet citizens, who were called to parade in fallout on May Day while the leaders' families secretly fled.  
Now it is a destination, luring people in. "It is amazing," said Ilkka Jahnukainen, 22, as he wandered the empty city here that housed the plant's workers and families, roughly 45,000 people in all. "So dreamlike and silent."   
The word Chernobyl also long ago became a dreary, shopworn joke, shorthand for contaminated wasteland. But Chernobylinterinform, the zone's information agency, says its chaperoned tours do not carry health risks.   
This is because, the agency says, radiation levels here have always been uneven. And most of the zone is far cleaner than it was in 1986, when radiation levels were strong enough in places to kill even trees.   
A lethal exposure of radiation ranges from 300 to 500 roentgens an hour; levels in the tour areas vary from 15 to several hundred microroentgens an hour. A microroentgen is one-millionth of a roentgen. Dangers at these levels, the agency says, lie in long-term exposure.   
Still, the zone in northern Ukraine has much more radioactive spots than those where tourists typically go. So there are rules, which Yuriy Tatarchuk, a government interpreter who served as the Finns' guide, listed.   
Don't stray. Stay on concrete and asphalt, where exposure risks are lower than on soil. Don't touch anything. (This one proved impossible. Tours involve climbing cluttered staircases and stepping through debris. Handholds are inevitable.)  
No matter its inconveniences or potential for medical worry, the zone possesses the allure of the forbidden and a promise of rare, personal insights into history. Its popularity as a destination is increasing. Few tourists came in 2002, the year it opened for such visits, according to Marina Polyakova, of Chernobylinterinform. In 2004 about 870 arrived, she said, a pace tourists are matching this year.  
Tourists cannot wander the zone on their own. One-day group excursions cost $200 to $400, including transportation and a meal.   
The tour on June 11 began with a drive through meadows, marshes and forest, belts of green broken by glimpses of gap-roofed houses and crumbling barns.   
It is what Mary Mycio, a Ukrainian-American lawyer in Kiev and author of a soon-to-be released book, "Wormwood Forest: A Natural History of Chernobyl," calls a "radioactive wilderness," an accidental sanctuary populated by wolves, boars and endangered birds. Its beauty cannot be overstated.  
Soon reminders of the grim history appeared. The tour stopped at a graveyard of vehicles and helicopters used to fight Chernobyl's fires.   
Roughly 2,000 radioactive machines are parked here - fire trucks, ambulances, armored vehicles, trucks, aircraft. Two tourists slipped through the barbed wire and wandered the junkyard, taking pictures for a Web site they plan to make of the trip. The rest roamed the edge, awed. "I cannot find words," said Juha Vaittinen, 22.  
The minivans then headed to Chernobyl proper for a briefing on the accident. Next stop: the nuclear plant and "sarcophagus," the concrete-and-steel shell built to contain Reactor No. 4's radioactive spew. Mr. Tatarchuk held up a radiation detector - 470 microroentgens per hour.  
The Finns posed for a group shot.  
Motivations for coming here are many. The Finnish tourists, all in their 20's, said they had an affinity for lonely, abandoned places, and the zone so far exceeded the forgotten homes, farms or industrial spaces in Finland that its draw became irresistible. They flew to Kiev from Helsinki solely for the trip.  
Mr. Tatarchuk said others had turned up because they were curious about the disaster, or wished to enter an accidental preserve of Soviet life. Bird-watchers have visited to catalogue the zone's resurgent life.  
One group came for a hoax. About two years ago, Mr. Tatarchuk said, a Ukrainian woman booked a tour, wore a leather biker jacket and posed for pictures. Soon there appeared a Web site in which the woman, using the name Elena, claimed that she had been given an unlimited pass by her father, a nuclear physicist and Chernobyl researcher ("Thank you, Daddy!" she wrote) and now roamed the ruins at will on her Kawasaki Big Ninja.  
The site, , billed as a tale "where one can ride with no stoplights, no police, no danger to hit some cage or some dog," was a sensation, duping uncountable viewers before being discredited.  
The Finns said they had seen the Web site, and hoped their planned site would be as popular.  
On the day of their tour, the most haunting destination came last: Pripyat, a city left behind. "Heralded as the world's youngest city when it opened its doors in the mid-1970's," Ms. Mycio writes, "Pripyat also turned out to be its shortest lived."  
The city was encased on this day in a silence broken by breezes sighing through rustling trees. A heavier hush resided in buildings, where drops of water plopped loudly into puddles, and glass squeaked as it broke underfoot. Built on marshes, the place smelled of peat.  
At the amusement park, near idled bumper cars, Mr. Tatarchuk's monitor registered 144 microroentgens an hour. He moved four feet away, to a mat of damp green moss. It read 823. "Stay off the moss," he said.   
The moss is all around. Pripyat, both a time capsule of the Soviet Union and a monument to its folly and pain, is being consumed. What looters have not sacked or stolen succumbs now to the elements and time.   
A cafe patio atop the Polissia Hotel, offering views to the reactor that ruined this place, has been colonized by birch trees. One stands roughly seven feet tall, climbing skyward from a crack in the high-rise's tiles.   
Fine views of Pripyat are available from among these misplaced trees, including one in the direction of the reactor that reveals an empty clinic bearing an enormous sign. "The health of the people," it reads, "is the wealth of the country."   
Mr. Tatarchuk, looking down over buckling rooftops, repeated those words in Russian, then allowed himself a knowing, head-shaking smile.
  No-brain orgasm  
COPENHAGEN  New research indicates that parts of the brain that govern fear and anxiety are switched off when a woman is having an orgasm.  
In the first study to map brain function during orgasm, scientists from the Netherlands also found that as a woman climaxes, an area of the brain that governs emotional control is also heavily deactivated, but that fear, anxiety and emotional control zones are not switched off when the orgasm is being faked.  
The fact that there is no deactivation in faked orgasms means a basic part of a real orgasm is letting go. Women can imitate orgasm quite well, as we know, but there is nothing really happening in the brain, said neuroscientist Gert Holstege, presenting his findings yesterday at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.  
In the study, Holstege and his colleagues at Groningen University recruited 11 men and 13 women, together with their respective partners.  
The volunteers laid on a scanning machine bed and were injected with a dye that shows changes in brain function on a scan. For the men, the brain scanner tracked activity during rest, during erection, during manual stimulation by their partner and then during ejaculation, brought on by the partners hand.  
For the women, the scanner measured brain activity during rest, while they faked an orgasm, while their partners stimulated their clitoris and while they experienced genuine orgasm.  
Holstege said he had trouble getting reliable results from the study on men because the scanning machine needs activities lasting at least two minutes to record an activity and the mens climaxes didnt last anywhere near two minutes. Holstege said his results on women were more clear.  
When women faked orgasm, the cortex  the part of the brain governing conscious action  lit up. It was not activated during genuine orgasm.  
Even the body movements made during a real orgasm were unconscious and did not involve the thinking part of the brain, Holstege said.  
The most striking results, however, were seen in the parts of the brain that shut down, or deactivated. Deactivation was visible in the amygdala, a part of the brain thought to be involved in the neurobiology of fear and anxiety. (AP)
  Notice board Forthcoming events  

APIBA SIGs Biennial symposium   
Date: Saturday, June 11th, 2005 (9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.)  
Venue to be confirmed   
In this symposium you may choose to attend the preentation of a paper, a workshop or a demonstration on Applied Linguistics, Computers, Critical Theory & Literature Studies,  Language,  Phonology, Literature &  Cultural Studies, and Second Language Teaching  
 SIG members and paid-up APIBA members / teacher trainee: Free of charge (proof of status required)  
SIG members and APIBA non-members:  $15  
SIG non-memberss and APIBA non-members:  $25.  
For enquiries, please contact:   

Argentina TESOL: 19th ARTESOL Convention  
 Dates: Friday, July 01 - Saturday, July 02  
Venue: Universidad del Aconcagua. Escuela Superior de Lenguas Extranjeras. Lavalle 393, Mendoza  
 Keynote Speaker: Jodi Crandall, University of Maryland Baltimore County, PhD. Georgetown University. Her teaching and research interests include Content based language learning, Second language literacy, Language teacher education, First and second language writing.  
ARTESOL Convention welcomes ARTESOL Members and Non-Membes  
To register visit our web page at:  or 

30th FAAPI Conference: Towards the knowledge society: making ESL education relevant  
Date: 22 to 24 September  
Venue: Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcin, Santa Fe (Santa Fe)  
For further infomartion contact 

ESSARP Good practice in bilingual education  
The first ESSARP Good Practice in Bilingual Education day will take place on Saturday June 25, 2005 in Buenos Aires with the theme: Innovative strategies in the bilingual school  
The ESSARP Good Practice in Bilingual Education day will be a one-day conference in which teachers and school managers are invited to share their experience with colleagues. It is an excellent opportunity to communicate with other teachers and heads in a friendly and professional environment.   
Making a presentation at the ESSARP Good Practice in Bilingual Education day will provide teachers and managers with the possibility of professional growth as well as with the opportunity of making a contribution to the development of their colleagues. Interested teachers may have or have not made a presentation before. The ESSARP Good Practice in Bilingual Education day may be the best place to start with or widen this experience.   
If you are keen on participating as a presenter or a workshop leader, please contact .

Marketing for educational institutions   
Date: June, 4th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.   
Venue:Howard Johnsons Hotel, Capital Federal  
Delivered by Laura Lewin   

(011) 4749-3600

2 Encuentro Mediterrneo de Profesores de Ingls "Contribuyendo al desarrollo profesional"  
Date: June 4, 9 to 16  
Venue: Salones Amerian B y Amerian City, Patio Olmos - Crdoba  
Organized by English Forum; sponsored by ACPI. ACPI members get 20% discount on the fee  
For further information and enrolment:  or phone (0351) 4601875 

The Suburban Players   
 Date: May 21st thru June 5th, 2005. Fridays & Saturdays 9 pm - Sundays 7pm  
Venue: The Playhouse - Moreno 80 - San Isidro   
Presents Agatha Christies The Mousetrap Worlds Longest Ever Run. Directed by Ximena Faralla  
 -Eight performances only-  
 Tickets $12.- Find out about our group discounts!   
 Reservations: 4747-4470   

The Suburban Players Choir  
We are organizing a choir for those who wish to take part in a relaxed and fun loaded activity, singing their hearts out.  
The choir will practice once a week, probably Wednesdays, from 8,30pm to 10,30pm.  The choir will be led by an experienced choir master, and there will be a fee of $ 50.- per month.  
Please e-mail us and let us know if you are interested in participating, and if the day and time are suitable for you.  
The Suburban Players. Telephone: 4747-4470  

Net Learning - Online courses for teachers and translators   
All our courses are delivered via the Internet through the Net-Learning system at .  Visit our campus!  They are aimed at teachers and translators who want to improve their professional practice.  Face-to-face attendance is not required.  These courses are attended from any computer, any where, any time.  They are delivered on-line.  See the courses content and methodology fully described in our web site.  Our coming courses are:   
lLiterature in the ELT class (Tutor: Prof. Claudia Ferradas Moi), starting May 18 - Resolucin del Gob. de la Cdad. de Bs. As. 453/05  
lAspect in English: the key to understanding TENSES and much more (Tutor: Prof. Aldo Blanco), starting May 19 - Resolucin del Gob. de la Cdad. de Bs. As. 3131  
lPortfolio Assessment (Tutors:  Prof. Liliana Luna and Prof. Viviana L. Pisani), starting June 9 - Resolucin del Gob. de la Cdad. de Bs. As. 2265.

Please consult our website for more information:  or e-mail us: . Phones: (011) 4654 8945 / (011) 4791 6009.

On the Road Theatre Company  
Venue: UPeBe Theatre - Ciudad de la Paz 1972 - Belgrano.  
Our shows at UPeBe Theatre in Belgrano.   
Limited seats - Book now!  
Cinderella  
lJune, Tuesday 14th - Showtime: 2:30 pm  
lJune, Thursday 16th - Showtime: 2:30 pm  
lJune, Friday 17th - Showtime: 2:30 pm  
lJune, Thursday 30th - Showtime: 2:30 pm   
Mostly enjoyed by ages 3 to 9  
 Robinson Crusoe  
l June, Tuesday 21st - Showtime: 10:30 am  
l June, Thursday 23rd - Showtime: 2:30 pm  
Mostly enjoyed by ages 6 to 13  
Ticket: $6.-   
Bookings & Info: 4568-7125 -   

International Congress for English Coordinators and Directors of studies    
Venue: Dinasta Maisit Convention Center, Malabia 460, Buenos Aires  
Date: August 25,26 and 27 2005  
Workshops and lectures on educational management delivered by over 40 national and international professionals.  
Limited Vacancies.  
For further information contact ABS International at:  or 

E-teachingonline  
E-teachingonline has reached 90.000 visitors and wants to thank subscribers for their amazing support in 2005. The magonline offered awesome material based on Tsunami, Cromagnon,  John  Paul II, which was vastly appreciated and can still be obtained for work with students in the Special Section.  
In May we added DRAMA in the ELT, Teenage  Nutrition & Eating Disorders. At the Computer, teen students will work on the Lizzie site, kids will delight in a marvellous Fairy Tales website with specially prepared worksheets. Pre-schoolers dental heath and safety are considered in creative activities. The FILM section offers Smallville and Batman Begins as background for motivating EL teaching.  
Music and Dictation, The Da Vinci Code, Writing Poetry (Funny poems included) are some of the updated, fun subjects underlying the mag?s intention to assist teachers in their work.  
Visit our site at:   and check the vast array of material offered in its 3 main sections, all subdivided into multiple areas. Every month we include new, updated, user friendly activities.   
We are already working on the June Issue which will feature new versions of  Dad?s Day and Winter activities, Exam Zone with loads of exercises and mock exams  to train for mid term papers or international exams, among  the many pages we prepare monthly.  
 Let us help you!

British Council  
JUNE 2005   
Young Argentines visit UK Graduates Fashion Week  
Dates to be confirmed  
Two young designers, winners of the Stone Competition held in November 2004, are visiting the UK to attend fashion studios and events at the Graduates Fashion Week.   
JULY 2005  
lVisit by Visual Artist Jeremy Deller   
Dates  to be confirmed  
2004 Turner Prize winner is to visit Argentina.  
lStrategic Planning Seminar  
Dates to be confirmed  
lSpecialists from the UK are participating in a seminar for museum staff from around Argentina. Organised in association with the Argentine National Secretariat of Culture.  
lAnimation workshops and screenings by Barry Purves  
July/August 2005 (exact dates to be confirmed)   
As part of the Ministry of Education programme in Media, animation specialist Barry Purves is offering workshops, lectures and screening of a selection of films.  
lMultiplication Exhibition  
Dates to be confirmed  
Visual Arts exhibition including works by artists such as Mark Wallinger, Anya Gallaccio, Graham Gussin, Dan Hays, Tim Head, Damien Hirst, Nicky Hirst, Paul Hodgson. 

For further infomation contact us at: 

Words on Words  
 Reading groups. dates: may 30th, june 7t, june 16th from 10 to 12   
Venue: I.E.S Lenguas Vivas

The Buenos Aires Players  
lDrama Workshop for teachers by Patricia Gmez   
Date: May, Saturday 14, 21 and 28. From 10 am to 1 pm   
Venue: Capital Federal  
Teatro Santa Mara:  Montevideo 850Contact us at (011) 4812-5307 / 4814-5455  

2nd Special English Language Immersion course for teachers and advanced students of English   
Date 3rd, 4th & 5th June   
Venue: Villa de Merlo, San Luis   
For further information contact us at:02656-476380 or at 

11th National Congress of Teachers & Students of English  
Date: July 7, 8, 9  
Venue: Centro Cultural Bernardino Rivadavia, San Mart   
Contact Miss Florencia Benmuyal - Congress Office Secretary (Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 17:00 to 20:00 hours; Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 12:00 hours)

2nd II IBEC (International Brain and Education Congress)  
Date: July 1, 2  
Venue: Regent Hotel, Buenos Aires  
Join top education experts at the International Brain and Education Congress as they present the most recent findings in brain research and translate them into powerful new paradigms for teaching to enhance learning, foster student development and raise achievement.   
Further information at TWCInternational. Telephone: 4683-6621,email   

  NYK confirms Grand Alliance to call at Amsterdam  
NYK has confirmed that two of the Grand Alliances Asia-Europe Liner services will call at the Ceres Paragon Terminal in Amsterdam. The two services are the existing Loop A service serviced by NYKs 6,000 TEU vessels and the new Loop F service being introduced this summer.   
In other news, NYK recently transferred its Container Cargo Advisory Team (CCAT) to Monohakobi Technology Institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of NYK. The team has been launched as Global CCAT.   
CCAT provides support for domestic sales by giving guidance on cargo stacking for safe transport and advice on preventing damage, while MTI develops ship and logistics technologies and provides technical consulting services internationally. The objective of this transfer is to integrate the domestic sales support functions with the international and technical support functions. MTI previously tied up with CCAT to study and research the effect that impacts and temperature changes have on cargo during transport. MTI applied the multi cargo simulator (MCS) to not only resolve various problems during cargo transport but also worked to develop new technologies that improve transport quality. This decision to integrate CCAT, with its direct line to the work site, and MTI, a specialist in technological development, is expected to lead to quicker R&D that is more in tune with the work site and customer needs.   

  Oil prices set a new record  
NEW YORK  Oil prices set a new record high yesterday as worries about a winter fuel crunch stoked buying by hedge funds and forced OPEC to consider lifting supply quotas again.  
US light crude moved to a record for the second successive session, hitting $59.52 a barrel, before paring gains to settle up 90 cents at $59.37. London Brent futures rose 56 cents to $58.32 a barrel, having hit a peak of $58.58.  
US contracts for the last four months of the year, when oil demand seasonally picks up in the Northern Hemisphere, all traded at $60 or above, with December crude breaking $61.  
The main reasons for the continued momentum remain the same as they have been throughout the strong push up over the past month  the perception of a tight balance for the back end of this year in a market with limited slack, said Kevin Norrish of Barclays Capital.  
That lack of flexibility has also greatly increased the sensitivity of the market to any potential interruption, he said, referring to anxiety over the US Embassy closure in oil exporter Nigeria on Friday after a threat from militants.  
The United States reopened its consulate yesterday.  
Average US crude prices so far this year are up more than $10 a barrel at over $51 despite almost flat-out pumping by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.  
The groups president said yesterday he would consult other member states on releasing an additional 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude.  
If prices continue to increase as now, by the end of this week ... I will start consultation with my colleagues to release the 500,000 bpd, Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahd al-Sabah told reporters in Kuwait.  
But only Saudi Arabia has spare capacity and Riyadh says it cannot find buyers for more crude. OPEC says it is doing all it can to meet demand, blaming high prices on a shortage of advanced refining capacity to meet Western regulatory standards for petroleum products.  
Oil has set new highs following evidence last week that high prices have failed so far to make a dent in US fuel demand, particularly for distillates including diesel.  
While crude inventories are close to six-year highs, stocks of diesel and heating oil are low by historic standards, taking into account rising demand.  
US consumption of distillates, including heating oil and diesel, over the past four weeks was 6.5 percent higher than a year earlier, more than twice the growth in gasoline.  
The strength of the US economy in the face of high prices is a leading factor for the international crude market and some think inflated energy costs may soon start to bite.  
(Reuters)  

  On how the US won the Vietnam war  
WASHINGTON  
Once bitter enemies, the United States and Vietnam now stand as economic and political partners in a relationship barely imagined a generation ago.  
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai of communist-run Vietnam is embarked on a US itinerary that is pure capitalism  the purchase of four 787 airliners from Boeing Co., a meeting with Microsoft Corp.s Bill Gates and a chance to ring in a session of the New York Stock Exchange.  
Today, Khai meets with President George W. Bush at the White House to mark the 10th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties and to press Washington on Vietnams bid for membership in the World Trade Organization.  
It proves that if you live long enough, anything is possible, said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, whose body bears the scars of nearly six years in Vietnamese prisons after his Navy warplane was shot down during the Vietnam War.  
In July 1995, when President Clinton took the bold step of restoring relations, the Republican-controlled Congress, veterans groups and families of servicemen listed as missing in action in Indochina attacked with fierce criticism.  
The president who had been dogged by his avoidance of military service and his opposition to the war needed political cover from decorated veterans such as McCain and Pete Peterson, whose Air Force fighter-bomber was shot down and cost him six years as a prisoner of war.  
McCain praised Clintons action and said, We have looked back in anger at Vietnam for too long. Peterson accepted Clintons appointment as first ambassador to Vietnam.  
Khais visit has produced none of the fury of a decade ago, in part because of Vietnams cooperation in the search for US servicemembers, its steps toward political change and its fertile territory for business; private US companies invested 66 million dollars last year, and two-way trade that year totalled 6.4 billion dollars.  
Khai toured Microsofts offices in Redmond, Washington, offices yesterday, then joined Gates in announcing two agreements to improve information technology in Vietnam including plans to offer computer and software training to more than 50,000 teachers.  
Despite grumblings about Vietnams human rights record, the United States gives the Socialist Republic of Vietnam far more than it has ever granted another communist-run nation in its own hemisphere: Cuba, located just 90 miles south of Florida.  
Its ironic, because Vietnam won the war against us, said Robert Buzzanco, a history professor at the University of Houston in Texas.  
The evolution of the US-Vietnam relationship can be divided into two periods, one associated with the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1995 and the other the economic steps after the Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001.  
Unlike Cuba, Vietnam has carried out far-reaching and successful economic reforms that have been recognized and supported by the international community, including the United States, said Jonathan R. Stromseth, the Asia Foundations Vietnam representative in Hanoi.  
Among Vietnams political reforms, its National Assembly is becoming a stronger and more independent institution, where parliamentarians can grill ministers under the full glare of live television, Stromseth said.  
While the anger over the war has subsided 30 years after the fall of Saigon, the 2004 presidential campaign proved how close to the surface the wounds of the Vietnam War are, McCain said.  
Questions about President Bushs National Guard service during the Vietnam conflict and challenges to Sen. John Kerrys decorated combat record were major issues in the contest for the White House.  
I spent several weeks of the campaign arguing over a war 30 years ago, and nobody can change the outcome, McCain said in a media interview.  
For several generations of students, Vietnam has been a chapter in history textbooks or the subject of college courses. A number of veterans have returned to the country as tourists, including McCain, who took his wife and family.  
Today, the Vietnamese prime minister will visit McCain at his congressional office.  
If somebody had walked up to Lyndon Johnson and said in 40 years, this is what it will look like, he would have said we won the war, Buzzanco said.                 (AP)
  On hybridization  

By Anbal Goi  
For the Herald

Let us begin by tracing an etymology: Hybrid derives from the Latin word Hybrida, the offspring of a tame sow and a wild boar; a Roman father and a foreign mother. Hence a hybrid word describes a term whose basic elements stem from more than one language; a case in point is television, tele from Greek, and vision from Latin.  
Lexical hybridization is particularly common where English is used alongside other languages and should be accepted as reasonable, save perhaps when bizarre combinations occur. Widespread acceptance is the marked tendency nowadays, in view of the steady growth of vocabulary in the 20th century, which added some such words as genocide, hypermarket, microwave, escalator, finalize and a host of others. The result is that in present day usage, concern for classical and linguistic purity is suspect and the increase of hybrids is massive.

At this stage, it might put one in an invidious position to draw a theoretical distinction between UK and US English. However, I trust one should be able to draw attention to differences in the two variations of English, without laying oneself open to criticism for upholding one variant and disparaging another. After all, the extent to which international English reflects the standards of those two Englishes is regarded as of no great practical significance. All national standards of English seem to be close to one another.  
Having set this down, nevertheless, I cant help feeling that the previous arguments might sound plausible to a handbook writer or a linguistic theorist, whereas a teacher might be inclined to define his options and reach the conclusion that in the field of language use, when anything goes, the teaching practice runs the risk of turning incoherent. It is sad that those who defend congruence are often pigeonholed as strict and fussy, while those with a more laissez-faire attitude are considered broad-minded and unbiased.  
Hybridization is not synonymous with neutrality; nor is a hybrid style likely to be a neutral style. It is painstaking enough to train upper intermediate or advanced classes to tackle the written word with  its variations in formality (registers) to saddle the teacher with the extra job of correcting and discussing examples of code-mixing.  
In a broad interpretation, the expression UK English refers to the variation of the language used in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In this way of looking at it, UK English points to an extensive range of accents and dialects together with standard varieties. The other short form, US English, is more acceptable than USA English, which is also the abbreviation of United States Army. The term US English is generally used by those who wish to make a distinction between US and Canadian usage, or avoid the ambiguity in the word American.  
The similarity and discrepancy between two of the principal spelling varieties of the English language are complicated matters, which can only be touched on here. We may say, in passing, that when differences arise, US English spellings tend to be shorter than UK English spellings: catalog, color, jewelry. On the other hand, UK English sometimes uses spellings to distinguish items with the same pronunciation, e.g. tyre and tire; cheque and check, kerb and curb. US English rarely, if ever, does this. A brief remark may be relevant on the characteristic uses of some prepositions and their omissions, a tricky issue for students. Unlike UK people, US citizens live on a street; cater to the party; do things on the weekend; are of two minds about something and can leave Monday, and so on.  
As to vocabulary and idioms, a few examples will suffice: Leave well alone (UK), Leave well enough alone (US); a storm in a teacup (UK); a tempest in a teacup/teapot (US); blow your own trumpet (UK), Blow your own horn (US). Instances are innumerable. The fact remains that, It can take years, says Bill Bryson in Mother Tongue, for an American to master the intricacies of British idiom and viceversa. Besides, in common speech some  4,000 words are used differently in one country and the other.  
Again, it is not merely a question of stark choices, but rather of avoiding having to resort to a metaphorical sitting on the fence and ending up  having the worst of both worlds.  
Next issue will bring you new tips on Use of English. Until we meet again! 

  On screen  
 mr. and mrs. smith (sr. y sra. smith)  The Smiths are a married couple who have the same job  they are hired killers working for rival companies. But they have both kept their jobs as a secret to each other. One day, they receive the same order: they have to kill their partner. A turn of the screw of battle-of-the-sexes comedy, with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.   
the woodsman (el hombre del bosque)  After twelve years in prison on charges of sex abuse, Walter arrives to a city, rents an apartment across the street from an elementary school, and gets a job at a lumberyard. There, Walter finds unexpected solace from Vickie, a tough-talking woman who promises not to judge him for his history. But Walter cannot escape his past as a child abuser. With Kevin Bacon.    
 buscando a reynols  A documentary based on the Argentine music band Reynols. Their discs were produced and released in different countries but remain strangely unknown in their homeland. One of the bands special characteristics is that the drummer, Miguel Tomasn, was born with Downs syndrome.  
 cama adentro  A prize-winning entry at the Sundance independent film fest, the debut feature by local director Jorge Gaggero shows the impact of the economic crisis that rocked Argentina in late 2001. A tender friendship between an upper-class lady who tries to preserve her status despite the economic meltdown and her loyal maid, who has been working for her for more than 30 years.    
  cursed (la marca de la bestia)  Two brothers are driving across a desolated landscape when a strange figure appears before them. They are forced to violently turn and stop the car in a night of full moon. Even though they save their lives, everything changes ever since: their physical strength grows, their senses sharpen and they feel attracted to everything around them.  
 de-lovely  A biopic revisiting the life of legendary US composer Cole Porter, who wrote several perennial classics like the movies name. Starring by Kevin Kline, the film also features Ashley Judd and Jonathan Pryce.   
 downfall (la cada/ der untergang)  This German feature is the first ever to recreate the last days of Adolf Hitler from an everyday point of view. An outstanding performance by actor Bruno Ganz conveys the persona of the Nazi leader as a human being locked up in his bunker with his lover and his closest aides. Based on the memories of Hitlers private secretary.   
 kingdom of heaven (cruzada)  Ridley Scott, who has already demonstrated his deft-hand with epic features like Blade Runner, Gladiator and 1492, now focuses on the Medieval Crusades. The hero is a young Frenchman who travels to the Holy Land seeking personal and spiritual redemption. Once there, however, he disobeys his Christian lords to head the people of Jerusalem, who defend their city from the western army.  
 house of flying daggers (la casa de las dagas voladoras)  Mei, a blind courtesan, turns out to be a member of the Flying Daggers, a shadowy squad of assassins waging a guerrilla insurgency against the government.  A feast of blood, passion and silk brocade set in the twilight of the Tang Dynasty.  
 house of wax (la casa de la cera)  A group of six college students travelling to attend a football match have to make an emergency stop in a small town. The main attraction in town is the wax museum. They soon realize that the museums curator has filled the entire town with wax statues of unlucky visitors and they will try to escape before becoming a permanent exhibit of this weird private collection.   
   hermanas  The 1976-1983 military dictatorship separates two sisters. Later, they will have to acknowledge their own guilt and get over the death of a friend of them, killed during the dictatorship. Directed by Julia Solomonoff, who has also built a consistent career with a series of acclaimed, moving short-films, this feature explores the links among people who love one another yet choose different paths.  
 hitch (hitch, especialista en seduccin)  Alex is a love doctor  someone who makes a living by teaching men how to seduce women who are much better looking than they are. But he hasnt been able to engage in a stable relation after suffering an early heartbreak. Until he meets Sara, a beautiful, clever New York journalist.  
 la esperanza  A man whose wife has recently died travels to a small town in the Patagonia where she spent her childhood and part of her teenage years. There, he meets a young woman whose little daughter has also died recently. The seventh feature by Crdoba province filmmaker Francisco DIntino explores a friendship built upon sorrow.   
  life is a miracle (zivot je cudo/la vida es un milagro)  Moved by his old dream of building a train in his land, Luka returns to a distant town in Bosnia. Luka doesnt notice the signs of the civil war until his teenage soon is recruited by the Army and his wife runs away with her lover.  Directed by the Emir Kusturica.  
 melinda and melinda (melinda y melinda)  US filmmaker Woody Allen is back at his best with a feature where two stories about Melinda  one quite tragic, the other funnier  are interwoven. Played by the same actress, in both plots Melindas presence stirs up latent instabilities within her friends marriages  New Yorker intellectuals and artists, as customary  and causes some upheaval in their social and professional lives    
 pap se volvi loco!  Two married couples fly to a luxurious beach resort in the Dominican Republic as a sort of second honeymoon. But the plan seems to go awry as one of the two husbands (played by comedian Guillermo Francella) comes across a beautiful, young woman.  
 ral sendic, tupamaro  A documentary on the life of Uruguayan unionist and guerrilla leader Ral Sendic, arrested and tortured by the military during the last de facto government in the 70s. Sendic then went into exile in Europe and died in Paris in 1989. He was the contemporary version of Artigas, said the films director, Alejandro Figueroa.    
 robots  The creators of the computer-animated Ice Age now deliver the story of Rodney, an idealistic robot who tries to change the world. But he cant stand alone in his fight against an evil corporation  he needs the support of other robots.  
 sahara  Action movie starting out in Indiana Jones vein  thus a cast filled with treasure hunters, warlords, tribal chiefs and officials from various global agencies as they gallivant across Western Africa. The movie actually turns into a desperate attempt to forestall an environmental catastrophe.    
 star wars: episode III  revenge of the sith (star wars: episodio III, la venganza de los sith)  Everything has an end, and so does the legendary, commercially successful saga written, directed and produced by George Lucas, which started in 1977. The story resumes exactly where Episode II left off, providing a new meaning to the series back and forward. Episode III concentrates on the inner struggle of warrior Anakin, who has to choose between losing Padme, his beloved, pregnant wife, or accept the power offered by the dark forces. Brimming with magnificent outer space battles.    
 the chorus (les coristes / los coristas)  Its 1949 and an unemployed music teacher is hired by a board-school in Frances countryside. There, pupils are subjected to a tough discipline. The old teacher creates a boys chorus as a way to disrupt the oppressive atmosphere.   
 the interpreter (la intrprete)  Silvia is a translator at the United Nations. During a diplomatic summit, she overhears something she interprets as a death threat against the president of her native country. The FBI agent who leads the investigation is fascinated by Silvia, but she is not the person she seems to be.   
 whisky romeo zulu  The story before the accident of LAPAs Boeing 737, that crashed and burned on the middle in the city of Buenos Aires on August 31, 1999. The movie unveils the complex network of complicities between the airline and the air force, aimed at reducing costs, but ultimately leading to the death of 67 people.
  ON TV  

FOX SPORTS  
5am: SOCCER  World Youth Championship: Japan v Australia.  
7am: SOCCER  World Youth Championship: Holland v Benin.  
10am: FITNESS  Catherine 100%.  
11am: SOCCER  Expediente Ftbol, Brazil: Copa Amrica champion 1997, 99.  
Noon: SPORTS NEWS (live).  
1pm: SOCCER  Ftbol para Todos (live).  
7pm: SPORTS NEWS (live).  
8pm: SOCCER  The Last Word (live).  
9pm: MOTOR RACING  Last lap (live).  
10.30: EXTREME SPORTS  CX.  
11pm: SPORTS NEWS (live).  
2am: EXTREME SPORTS  Amrica Extremo.

TYC SPORTS  
Noon: SPORTS NEWS  TyC Sports Noticias (live).  
1pm: SOCCER  Estudio Ftbol (live).  
3pm: SOCCER  European summary (live).  
3.30pm: SPORTS NEWS (live).  
4pm: SPORTS MAGAZINE  Polideportivo.  
7pm: SPORTS NEWS  TyC Sports Noticias (live).  
7.30pm: SOCCER  Lbero.  
8.30pm: MOTOR RACING  Carburando.  
9.30pm: SOCCER  Los Especiales de TyC Sports: River, Opening Tournament champion 1994.  
11.30pm: SOCCER  Club x Club (live).

ESPN CABLE  
4.30pm: GOLF  British Open films.  
6pm: KARATE  ISKA Strike Force.  
6.30pm: BASKETBALL  Streetball.  
7pm: TABLE TENNIS  2005 Veterans Memorial, Arturo Shiu v Adam Hugh.  
7.30pm: SOCCER  Spanish League goals.   
8pm: POKER  2004 US Championship.  
Midnight: SPORTS NEWS  Sports Center (live).

ESPN+  
9am: TENNIS  Wimbledon, opening round (live).  
3pm: SPORTS NEWS  SportsCenter (live).  
4pm: RUGBY  The Churchill Cup, Argentina v US (delayed).  
6pm: BASKETBALL  2005 Argentine Championship final (live).  
8pm: SPORTS NEWS  Sports Center (live).  
9pm: SOCCER  ESPN Report.  
10pm: SOCCER  Hablemos de Ftbol (live).  
11pm: TENNIS  Wimbledon highlights.  
Midnight: EXTREME SPORTS  Gravedad Zero.  
12.30am: FIELD HOCKEY  Womens First Division A, Gimn. y Esgrima A v Quilmes A.

AMERICA SPORTS  
Noon: MOTORCYCLING  Moto Report.  
2pm: MOTOR RACING  Desde Boxes, Ya!  
4pm: SOCCER  River Monumental.  
6pm: RUGBY  Gente de Rugby.  
6.30pm: ROLLER SKATING  Patn Visin.  
8pm: SOCCER  La Cocina de Racing.  
9pm: POWERBOAT RACING  Offshore Magazine.  
11pm: MOTOR RACING  Desde Boxes, Ya!  

  ON TV  

FOX SPORTS  
10am: FITNESS  Catherine 100%.  
11am: SOCCER  Expediente Ftbol, Argentina v Germany special programme.  
Noon: SOCCER  World Youth Championship last 16 preview, China v Germany (live).  
12.30pm: SOCCER  World Youth Championship last 16, China v Germany (live).  
2.30pm: SOCCER  Confederations Cup, Argentina v Germany preview (live).  
3.30pm: SOCCER  Confederations Cup, Argentina v Germany (live).  
6pm: SOCCER  World Youth Championship last 16, Brazil v Syria.  
8pm: SOCCER  World Youth Championship last 16 summary (live).  
11pm: SPORTS NEWS (live).  
Midnight: SOCCER  Confederations Cup, Australia v Tunisia.  
2am: SOCCER  World Youth Championship last 16, United States v Italy.

TYC SPORTS  
Noon: SPORTS NEWS  TyC Sports Noticias (live).  
1pm: SOCCER  Estudio Ftbol (live).  
3.30pm: SPORTS NEWS  TyC Sports Noticias (live).  
7pm: SPORTS NEWS  TyC Sports Noticias (live).  
8.30pm: SOCCER  TyC Sports Special programme: Hernn Crespo.  
10.30pm: SOCCER  El Aguante.  
11.30pm: SOCCER  Club x Club.

ESPN CABLE  
2pm: WINTER X-GAMES  First part (from Aspen, Colorado).  
4.30pm: GOLF  British Open films.  
5.30pm: TABLE TENNIS  2005 Killerspin Tournament, Biba v Ilija Kupulesku.  
6pm: KARATE  ISKA Strike Force.  
6.30pm: WINTER X-GAMES  Second part (from Aspen).  
8.30pm: MOTOR RACING  IndyCar Series.  
9pm: BOXING  Lightweight bout, Damien Fuller v John Brown (live).  
11pm: SPORTS NEWS  Sports Center (live).

ESPN+  
9am: TENNIS  Wimbledon Championships, second day (live).  
3pm: RUGBY  U-21 Tournament second semifinal (live, replay at 9pm).  
5pm: RUGBY  U-21 Tournament first semifinal.  
7pm: SOCCER  Hablemos de Ftbo with Vctor Hugo and Roberto Perfumo.  
8pm: SPORTS NEWS  Sports Center (live).  
11pm: TENNIS  Wimbledon highlights.  
Midnight: FIELD HOCKEY  Mens local match, Banco Provincia v Quilmes A.  
1am: BASKETBALL  Argentine Championship, third-place playoff.

AMERICA SPORTS  
Noon: TENNIS  Tenis Sports.  
1pm: MOTORCYCLING  Moto Report.  
2pm: SOCCER  La Cocina de Racing.  
3pm: ATHLETICS  Triatln.ar.  
3.30pm: POWERBOAT RACING  Offshore Magazine.  
4.30pm: TENNIS  Tenis Sports.  
7.30pm: EQUESTRIAN  Rincn Ecuestre.  
8pm: SOCCER  River Monumental.  
10pm: SOCCER  Vlez Total.  
11pm: SOCCER  Independiente TV.

  Open tournaments at local clubs  

 TODAY  
Open tournaments, 18 holes fourball with handicap for men and women at Lomas AC (4234-8043/3193), Villa Adelina GC (4766-6371).

 WEDNESDAY  
Eighteen holes medal play tournaments with handicap for men and women at Golf Club Gral. Pacheco (4740-9820/8479), Ranelagh GC (4258-8514/3563).

 THURSDAY  
Eighteen holes medal play tournaments with handicap for men & women at Club Privado El Omb (4324-2727), Golf Club Jos Jurado (4605-4706/0623), Ranelagh GC (4258-8514/3563), Olivos Golf Club Copa Garbarino (4463-1507/0035; 15-4-413-9846).  
 FRIDAY  
Eighteen holes medal play tournaments with handicap for men & women at Pacheco GC (see above), Libertad GC (0220-4941225/4940444), Lomas AC (4234-8043/3193).

 SATURDAY  
Eighteen holes medal play tournaments with handicap for men & women at Club de Campo La Orqudea (02322-493537; 15-4-440-3188), Club de Campo Armenia (15-4-414-8729), Club Privado El Omb (4234-2727, Ricchieri-Cauelas freeway, Km 41), Golf Club Jos Jurado (4605-4706/0623), Ranelagh GC (4258-8514/3563), Boulogne GC (4766-7508), Marina Golf (15-4-183-1890), Libertad Golf Club (0220-4941225/4940444), Jockey Club (4743-1001 to 1004), Lomas AC (4234-8043/3193).  
 SUNDAY  
Eighteen holes medal play tournaments with handicap for men & women at Club de Campo Armenia (15-4-414-8729), Ranelagh GC (4258-8514/3563), Lomas AC (4234-8043/3193), Marina Golf (see above), Libertad Golf Club (0220-4941225/4940444), Jockey Club (4743-1001 to 1004), Club de Campo La Orqudea (see above), Smithfield Golf Club (03487-421835).

 MONDAY  
Open Tournaments at Club Argentino de Empleados de Golf, open prizes for men and women for teams & individual (02322-494121/15-4-937-6615), Boulogne GC (4765-7508/7525), Lomas AC (4234-8043/3193), Libertad GC (see above).

  Opposition to CAFTA solidifying  
WASHINGTON  Opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement appears to be solidifying in Congress, with a smattering of Republicans joining nearly united Democrats in urging its rejection, even as President Bush intensifies lobbying for his top trade priority.  
CAFTA, signed by Bush in May 2004, would eliminate most tariffs and import restrictions between the United States and five Central American nations Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua - in addition to the Dominican Republic.  
Republican senators from farm states had harsh criticism for CAFTA at a hearing Tuesday, and the agreement currently lacks majority support in the House and the Senate, according to lawmakers on both sides of the issue. Since Congress must approve or reject the agreement without making changes, such opposition would doom the measure, though Bush and other CAFTA supporters are still seeking to persuade undecided lawmakers.  
If the Republicans had the votes, they would have put this on the floor a long time ago, said Representative Xavier Becerra, a California Democrat opposed to the trade pact. The panic buttons are being pushed by those who want to push this thing through.  
A defeat would be a major setback for the Bush administration. The president sought to rally support for the agreement Monday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pressing Congress to approve a measure he said would foster economic growth in the United States and across the Western Hemisphere.  
CAFTA is more than just a trade agreement, Bush said in a speech to the Organization of American States. It is a signal of the US commitment to democracy and prosperity for our neighbors, and I urge the United States Congress to pass it.  
The congressional opposition that has developed is reminiscent of the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was championed by President Bill Clinton. NAFTA also faced strong opposition particularly from Clintons fellow Democrats - but Congress ultimately endorsed the deal in 1994 as a way to open American products to new markets.  
Now, NAFTA is being blamed for a ballooning trade deficit, the loss of manufacturing jobs, and the persistence of low wages and workplace standards in nations that compete with the United States. The Central America pact, modeled on NAFTA, is coming under fire in part because of lingering disappointment about its predecessor.  
Representative Stephen F. Lynch, a South Boston Democrat who opposes the pact, said the relatively small buying power of the Central American market is not worth the potential loss of hundreds of thousands of US jobs.  
Were competing for a market the size of New Haven, Conn., and were risking quite a bit, Lynch said. On the merits, this bill is not going to convince enough people to take that chance.  
Studies have suggested that NAFTA has cost the United States between 500,000 and 900,000 jobs  mainly in manufacturing - and has not caused Mexican wages to rise. But the pacts supporters point to increased sales of US goods in Mexico as evidence that NAFTA has worked, and contend that the jobs would have been outsourced to other countries even if NAFTA had never been approved.  
By comparison, CAFTAs impact would be relatively small: When fully implemented, it is expected to add $1.9 billion to the $16 billion-a-year Latin American market for US goods. But Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns warned Tuesday that a defeat of CAFTA would hurt the United States in the current round of world trade talks.  
Republican leaders in Congress have delayed a vote because of the threat of defeat. But congressional leaders have vowed to complete action by the end of next month, and committee hearings in the coming weeks are expected to add some momentum.  
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley, a CAFTA supporter, said the vote will be very, very close when his panel considers the agreement next week. He said it has been unfairly criticized because of concerns about job outsourcing, the trade deficit, and US debt held by foreign interests.  
Its an opportunity for people to vent frustration about these other issues, said Grassley, an Iowa Republican. I tell people all the time, theres not any job that can be lost to Central American countries that couldnt get there whether weve got CAFTA or not.  
Backers say CAFTA would boost US sales of everything from apples to DVDs to shampoo. Bush has also touted the ability of free trade to raise living standards in Central American nations and strengthen democracy in the region.  
Unlike other recent trade agreements, Bush has not been able to count on support from centrist Democrats. The New Democrat Coalition, House members who generally favor free trade, has called on Bush to bargain for more labor standards and guaranteed workers rights in Central America.  
Some Republicans are also distancing themselves from the president over CAFTA, reflecting concerns in the agriculture industry  particularly among sugar growers  over cheap imports and the potential for jobs heading south.  
(NY Times)
  Original kings  

I remember a woodworker's shop on a back road by the sea. You could stop in there and wander through the long, light-filled workshop where everything was stained a dusty rose colour by the wood dust. There was a pagoda down a path through the trees where the finished pieces were displayed. The man's name was Espinet. A carved wooden sign on the road proclaimed it.  
We would stop in there once each year on our way to the rugged Northern California coast. I recall the comforting sound of the tires turning off the asphalt and crunching the gravel of the drive. I was glad to be arriving, to be smelling the salt air in the eucalyptus branches, to be returning to a place I had known and which was inhabited by such magic.  
Espinet did not speak; he made things in wood. I do not remember him ever speaking a word. But, of course, every object there, every blade of grass, spoke for him.    
One year they took us out to see monarch butterflies hanging by the thousands in live clumps from the trees and I could not imagine how such fragile creatures had flown all the way from Mexico or why they made such strange colonies in those trees. Back at the house I remember slipping between the covers of a strange bed where the sheets were cold and the odours of the room unfamiliar.  
Sometimes we went walking along the cliffs and saw how the ocean was slowly diminishing the continent and creeping closer and closer to the houses that had dared to build themselves there. Each year, after the storms, the cliffs would be a bit nearer to the porches of those houses.  
One afternoon while walking on the beach beneath those cliffs, my sisters were caught by the rising tide. They were at a loss because they could not go back because the way was covered in water; but nor could they continue on because the way forward was quickly being filled by water. At last they splashed forward and arrived breathless at home full of their recent adventure.  
One morning on a walk, my father slipped a rock into his pocket. In the afternoon with his pocket knife he carved a view of the cliffs into the soft stone, the very same material of which the receding cliffs were made.   
That bay full of water that was slowly devouring the continent was called Drake's Bay after Sir Francis Drake who, it was said, had anchored there to repair his ship The Golden Hind on his way to becoming the first captain to circumnavigate the globe. Several decades ago, someone found a copper plate nailed to a tree purporting to claim the land for the Queen of England.  
But the kingdom was not for the claiming; the plate was a hoax by a group of local pranksters.

Please send your thoughts to 

  Original sin?  
Welcome to the world of globalisation! Welcome, too, to the world of  GI, which stands for Geographical Indication, a claim recognised by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).   
It all started when, in June 2003 a number of producers from all over the world, troubled by the indiscriminate use of traditional denominations, gathered together to try an impose a protective organisation, whereby images and traditions could be protected. Thus was born ORIGIN,  with today ovr 100 members whose aim is to protect products from a given region whose quality, reputation and other features may be directly attributed to those regions.  
ORIGIN stands for Organisation for an International Geographical Indication Network, and it is based in Geneva. Its three basic objectives are: to promote GI as a tool to develop and promote local skills; to demand better international protection of GI?s, and to act as a framework  enabling members to exchange and share their experiences. While this would seem to be a logical and natural objective, it faces a good deal of problems in its way. Not all nations are supportive. Developed nations such as the EU, Switzerland, Hungary, Turkey, and developing nations such as India, Thailand  and Kenya are extremely supportive, but other nations, such as Australia, Canada, the US and Argentina, amongst others, are strongly opposed. These countries look inwards to their domestic factories and producers who live happily off the rewards of copying traditional products They suscribe to the theory that the name of a product belongs to the first person to register it as a trademark.. Historical links to a terroir or a local tradition counts for nothing. Since ORIGIN has set to work in 2003 some positive results have been achieved. The increasing use of  DOC?s and similar appellations in Europe and elsewhere is showing the way, while cooperation between producers has created  some interesting progress. For example Argan oil, (Morocco), Comte cheese (France), Agen prunes (France) and Antigua coffee (Guatemala) are already benefiting from GI protection, and many other products are close to entering the family.  
Meanwhile, when purchasing, take a good look at the label. It could be that the Portuguese port you are selecting is actually made in South Africa, or the Spanish sardines were actually caught in Tierra del Fuego.
  Outraged fans react  
Many Formula One fans were outraged by the withdrawal of all but six cars and reacted by throwing cans and bottles on to the track in disgust.  
A big number of spectators left before the start left before the end and demanded ticket refunds.  
To just give the race away like that is not fair for us, the fans. ... We want out money back, a fan said.  
Another one called it an absolute outrage.  
I have been to this race every year theyve had it here, fan Joe Huling said. My brothers and I have followed Formula One since the 70s and have never seen anything as outrageous as this. As far as Im concerned, if they do have a race here again, I would be questionable about coming here.  
I wanted to see Ferrari win, but not like this, fan James McAden said.
  Paraguay endorses Argentina and presents safeguards for Mercosur  
Paraguay presented a project for the application of special measures on imports within Mercosur, similar to the proposal that Argentina made to Brazil to correct trade unbalances within the bloc, a proposal that has also reached consensus in Uruguay.  
The project was presented last week in Asuncin at the Common Market Groups meeting, in preparation for the Common Market Council and presidential summit, which will take place between the 18 and 20 of this month in Asuncin.  
The proposal, which was part of the agenda of the blocs presidency, which is held by Paraguay this semester, establishes the temporary and unilateral application of a Common External Duty to those products in which case it can be demonstrated that there is a significant imported volume which threatens local production, according to Foreign Ministry sources.  
Sources from the San Martn Palace said that the measures aim to correct economic imbalances caused by a marked alteration of the macroeconomic variables, or important variations in trade volumes that affect local production.  
The proposal is similar to the one that is being currently discussed between Argentina and Brazil; which coincide with the Paraguayan initiative to correct commercial asymmetries, through the application of temporary mechanisms, as an encompassing package that can contribute to the improvement of Mercosur, Foreign Ministry sources said.  
While Argentina had focused the negotiations on a bilateral level, the government hopes that these mechanisms will be applied in the whole bloc, which the Brazilians are trying to avoid. Brazil has not yet given an official response to Argentinas latest proposal to help balance trade asymmetries in different sectors.   
These proposals should now be debated not only between the two largest economies, but among all four member states.
  Pilar, a world apart  

The spark which ignited this spectacular explosion was the setting up of the Industrial Park which quickly attracted a large and varied number of industries. Soon after, the inauguration of the large and luxurious Sheraton Hotel nearby, gave an important stamp of approval to the area which, more recently, was rounded off with the creation of numerous and luxurious country clubs, providing an almost autonomous setting close to, but free of, the monstrous urban blot which is known as Greater Buenos Aires.  
As is natural, such an undertaking requires a complex net of subsidiary services, amongst which is that of providing food for the hungry crowds. Pilar has been no exception, eating places springing up in profusion to satisfy almost all tastes. Almost, I say, because even up to the present the gastronomic panorama has been characterised by the three P?s: parrillas, pasta and pizza. This somewhat boring menu is now in the process of being modified. As I mentioned recently, I visited Beeton?s, a pseudo-English tea-house and restaurant which  offers something totally different and very attractive into the bargain. The other day I returned to continue my survey and was happy to see that a number of alternatives are now springing up. Azul Profundo, Hereford and Lizzies are but three that have opened branches of their successful BA operations, (the latter a sushi restaurant), and are not alone. However, one place where I made a stop prior to lunching, was Stone (Ruta 25, Panamericana Km 53,5, M. 15-4986-3484) which is, in its own words , a Brewpub & Restaurant. Small, austere, devoid of any pseudo decor, this is a pub which brews its own beers according to the Stone Brewing Co. Of California. Most of the brews are ales but an occasional stout and a porter also are available. I tried a Pale Ale, an  India Pale Ale and an Irish Stout and found them delicious, each in their own way. The brewery is part of the pub and is in full sight.. Snacks, pizzas and an interesting main menu are on offer Tuesday to Friday as of 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays as from 7 p.m.  
Having slaked my thirst and curiosity, I then proceeded to investigate what Matilde (Ruta Panamricana Km 49,5, M/ex  02322-474100) had to offer. This new restaurant, opened last February, is situated in the huge, modern Complejo Bureau and is almost  faceless to date. (Some sort of sign on the entrance would make discovery that much easier. an almost anonymous sign on the highway being difficult to see). Inside the place is large, full of light and quietly modern, with a nice reception and coffee lounge at the entrance, semi-separated from the main area by an operational fireplace, (with real logs).  
The menu, (reduced at mid-day), has a strong influence of Dolli Irigoyen, who seems to have trained most of the staff), and is thus innovative but simple, and truly flavouresome. Maria D?Aloisi, wife of Matias Perez Labat, chief partner, is a Dolli graduate and keeps an eye on the kitchen. There is much to choose from, as our party of four soon discovered.. The Wonton with centolla, the Quesadillas con guacamole, (filled with chicken, cheese, onion and roast pimentos) and the Berenjenas parmesanas were the pick of a selection of starters. A Risotto de remolachas and the Ravioles de carne, (large and spectacular - my choice for star rating), preceded the arrival of a quite  incredible Matambrito arrollado and an equally enticing smoked Bondiola. Apart, and probably the most unusual item, was Salmon rosado with a lentil sauce, a curious but perfect combination which deserves better acquaintance.   
Desserts boiled down to a very enticing Flan de dulce de leche, (not at all cloying), a yummy, gooey Fondant de chocolate and Tarta de citricos, (the pastry, alas!. was undercooked but the cream delicious). The wines are varied, reasonably priced and are kept in a temperature controlled "cellar" in full sight of the customers. Matilde is open daily all day except Mondays, when it closes at night.

  Pirates hand Red Sox first shutout of season  

BASEBALL  
Interleague

BOSTON  Dave Williams and two relievers combined on a six-hitter as the Pittsburgh Pirates handed the Boston Red Sox their first shutout loss of the season, 2-0 on Saturday.  
Boston was the last team in the majors to have scored in every game this season as the Red Sox were blanked at home for the first time since September 17, 2003.  
Williams allowed five hits over six shutout innings, but it was reliever Rick White (3-3) who got the win with two shutout innings of relief, allowing one hit. Jos Mesa got the last three outs for his 18th save.  
In Oakland: Kirk Saarloos pitched 6 1/3 strong innings as the Athletics beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1.  
Saarloos (3-4) allowed one run on nine hits and walked four, and Justin Duchscherer got two outs for his first save.  
In New York: Derek Jeter hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, as the Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 8-1.  
Chien-Ming Wang (4-2) allowed one run on eight hits, walking one and striking out five, as the Yankees won their fifth straight game.  
In Anaheim: Vladimir Guerrero homered in the bottom of the 10th, his second homer of the game, to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 victory over the Florida Marlins.  
Francisco Rodrguez (2-1) pitched two innings and struck out one for the win.  
In Toronto: Ben Sheets outplayed Roy Halladay as he pitched eight strong innings to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-2 win over the Blue Jays.  
Sheets (3-6) allowed two runs  one earned  on seven hits, walking two and striking out three and Tommy Phelps got one out for his first save. Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins both homered for the Brewers.  
In St. Petersburg: Matt Morris pitched eight strong innings as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-2.  
Morris (8-0) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six. Jason Isringhausen pitched one inning for his 20th save and Albert Pujols homered for the Cardinals.  
The victory moved Tony La Russa into a tie with Bucky Harris for fourth-place on managerial career wins list with 2,157.  
In Chicago: A.J. Pierzynski homered as the White Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3.  
Cliff Politte (4-0) pitched one inning, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one for the win.  
In Baltimore: Sammy Sosa and Miguel Tejada both homered as the Orioles beat the Colorado Rockies 7-2.  
Sidney Ponson (7-4) pitched one inning, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out one for the win.  
In Cleveland: Travis Hafner homered as the Indians beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1.  
Scott Elarton (4-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits, walking two and striking out three for the win. Bob Wickman pitched one inning for his 19th save.  
In Detroit: Jason Johnson pitched eight strong innings as the Tigers beat the San Francisco Giants 8-2.  
Johnson (5-5) allowed two runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out four. Rondell White and Brandon Inge both homered for the Tigers.  
Kirk Rueter (2-6) pitched four innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits and walking one to take the loss. J.T. Snow had three hits for the Giants.  
In Kansas: Roy Oswalt pitched eight strong innings as the Houston Astros beat the Royals 6-2.  
Oswalt (8-7) allowed one run on seven hits, walking one and striking out four. Willy Taveras had three hits for the Astros.  
In Minneapolis: Ryan Klesko homered and drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2.  
Brian Lawrence (4-6) pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out three for the win.  
In Arlington: Mark Teixeira homered twice as the Texas Rangers beat the Washington Nationals 7-4.  
Ricardo Rodrguez (2-0) pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out two for the win. Alfonso Soriano and Gary Matthews both homered for the Rangers.  
In Seattle: Ryan Franklin pitched eight strong innings as the Mariners beat the New York Mets 4-1.  
Franklin (3-8) allowed one run on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks and Eddie Guardado got the last three outs for his AL leading 19th save. Randy Winn drove in two runs for Seattle.

  Pirates kidnap crew of tanker in Malacca Straits, sixth event this year  
LONDON  Armed pirates have kidnapped two crew from an oil tanker in the Malacca Straits, the fifth such hijacking in the strategic sea lane in three months, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said last Wednesday.  
 There have now been six attacks in the Malacca Straits since the end of February, five have involved kidnappings and two of them have been on oil tankers, deputy director of the IMB, Jayant Abhyankar told Reuters.  
 The Malacca Straits separates Malaysia from Indonesia, with Singapore at its southern tip.  
 The IMB said that a Thai-registered oil tanker carrying 2,000 tons of heavy fuel oil was attacked by pirates wielding guns and knives off Pangkor Island late last Wednesday.  
 It said they boarded and kidnapped the master and chief deck hand, stole ship documentation and then escaped by fishing boat.  
 The second officer navigated the oil tanker to safety.  
 The IMB said the gang have demanded a ransom for the crew members release.  
 There are fears the growing lawlessness in and around the waterway, which carries half the worlds oil and provides passage for 50,000 merchant ships a year, could encourage a terrorist strike.  
 Only last week, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that terrorists were eyeing the strait and that blowing up a ship could block the waterway for weeks.  
 A staunch US ally, Singapore has riled its neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia in the past by calling for American help in policing the strait which they border.  
 Malaysia appeared to soften its stance to policing on Sunday when its defence minister welcomed foreign help managing the straits security.    
                                       (Reuters)
  Political Beat  

First lady still silent         on senatorial bid  
First lady Cristina Fernndez yesterday declined to say whether or not she will run for the Senate in the province of Buenos Aires in the October midterm election.  
A swarm of reporters surrounded the first lady in the city of Rosario yesterday, where she joined President Nstor Kirchner for Flag Day celebrations. She was asked if she will finally accept to run, something most political pundits are already taking for granted.  
But Mrs. Kirchner, who was born in La Plata and is currently a senator for Kirchners home-province, Santa Cruz, again played hard to get and dodged direct political questions.  
Every decision I take is full of hope and idealism, said the first lady, without replying to the question if she will run.  
I am just an ordinary human being with just a little bit more responsibility that the people have given me, she added.   
I dont view politics as a ladder you climb for better positions, but rather as an exercise in responsibility, said the first lady.  
Public opinion polls indicate that the first lady is among the countrys most popular politicians. Mrs. Kirchner, however, has kept a low profile since her husband took office in May 2003, making few public remarks and only appearing in public to preside over official ceremonies.

Buenos Aires City Socialists squabble  
Buenos Aires city Socialists have also locked horns over candidacies for the October 23 midterm election.  
Deputy Hctor Polino and former deputy Norberto Laporta both want to head the partys Lower House slate. The party, however, has yet to decide whether it will seek any electoral alliances.  
In recent statements, La Porta said that he will be the one running for Congress. But Polino said yesterday that the party should hold a primary to decide who will be the leading candidate.  
There is a big group of party members who want me to run for re-election, said Polino.

Workers Party has            a candidate  
Jorge Altamira was yesterday proclaimed to head the Workers Party (PO) Lower House slate in the city of Buenos Aires in the October 23 midterm election.  
Altamira is the head of the left-wing PO. His proclamation was announced after a party convention in the Communications club.  
The PO is currently engaged in talks with other leftwing groups to form an alliance for the midterm vote. But while other fellow leftist parties want unity with more moderate centre-left groups, the PO has said that it would only join a left-wing alliance.  
       (DyN-Tlam)

  Port terminals agreement comes into effect  
The Senates approval last Tuesday of the agreement between the government and the port terminals ensured its ratification on Friday, despite the rejection by a wide spectrum of the opposition.  
The majority peronist bloc did not show for the Lower House sessions due to internal differences that could have put the accord at risk in the Lower House, leaving the lower chamber with no quorum to debate the issue of the dollar rates, which the terminals will now be at liberty to charge.  
The renegotiation of contracts was approved after three hours of debate in the Upper House with 34 votes in favour, 18 against, and one abstention. The automatic sanction of the renegotiation, despite its approval by only one of the two houses is established by a law and a decree, which determine that Congress has 60 days to convalidate or reject agreements between utility companies, after the government has presented the contracts. The 60 day term came to an end Friday, and the agreements were approved by default.  
On Wednesday, the UCR radical party, the Socialist party, the Argentine Workers Union (CTA), and the centre-left ARI party met to criticize the contracts and the way in which they would be approved. The complaints were mainly about the dollar rates and the automatic sanction system.  
The ARI anticipated that it will present a claim before the courts, and request the unconstitutionality of the law that allows the approval of contracts without real support from Congress.  
Claudio Lozano of the CTA said that the companies that took Argentina to court in the World Banks ICSID arbitration court will use dollarization in their favour, because it will be used as an argument to justify that discrimination was implicit in the pesification process.  
In turn, Socialist Representative Hctor Polino aimed straight at the Economy and Planning Ministry officials who signed the negotiation. They are either useless or corrupt, Polino accused.  
This represents a 180 percent increase in port rates and, therefore, more expensive exports and imports from and for Argentina, added ARI member Mara Amrica Gonzlez.  
                                       (DyN)
  Postscript from the US Open  

GOLFING TRAVELLER

By David Mackintosh  
For the Herald

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.  
Last Sunday at Pinehurst found this Charles Dickens opening line from A Tale of Two Cities bouncing around in my head and the more I thought about the way the week had evolved and the final outcome the more appropriate it seemed.  
On the best hand this 105th edition of the US Open was being contested at one of golfs true Meccas (assuming it possible to pluralize divine destinations)  a golf course designed by the gilded hand of none less than Donald Ross, albeit tweaked to accommodate modern equipment. Here an already well-tested Open venue where superior golf skills would surely receive just reward.  
In the ether heart-tugging memories of the late Payne Stewarts ecstatic air-Jordan leap after holing the winning putt in 1999, his subsequent sad death in an unlikely aircraft accident, peeks at his quirky humour, a time of misty-eyed remembrance and dignified tributes.  
A field with the requisite plethora of talent, pepper-dashed with the usual small group of no-name qualifiers destined to become grist to the final day grinding machine, even a new concept of international qualifying (following the R&As example), at every turn a recipe for a memorable championship. Even the weather, super-hot and steamy on practice days, conspired for success by cooling off to the agreeable high-twenties for the days of championship play.  
One question only then and the answer should be pathetically obvious. Would the USGA, remembering recent US Open fiascos at Shinnecock Hills, Bethpage Black, Olympic to name a few, set the golf course up so that, even if tough, it would play fair, produce a worthy champion?  
Thursday: fast and firm, just a hint of black on the horizon but much the leader-board to be expected at a US Open, a few unknowns duped into believing a major championship gets underway before Sunday afternoon, the top echelon shark-circling in range.  
Unknowns, of course, in their freshness to the glamour-end of the business make excellent stories, considerably more interesting than the seasoned experts ducking and weaving real questions, or repeating in-rote the same old tales we heard last week and the week before that.  
Rumblings naturally from those expected to be leaders but because of one unfortunate slip or another, underperforming. Level-par will be a good score by Sunday  Its tough to hit fairways, they are too runny  If it keeps drying out it will be very hard to stop the ball on these greens  On downhill putts you get to thinking how to keep the ball on the green, rather than how to get it in the hole  and the evergreen classic  This course is the toughest ever for a US Open.  
Come Friday, then Saturday, more of the same, but disconcertingly those no-names keep hanging around, indeed all but leading, our saving grace the peerless Retief Goosen, defending champion marching inexorably to his third title and history. Or so we wrote!  
According to his mother, Goosen was always a quiet boy but after being hit by lightning in his South African homeland during his late teenage while playing golf, he became more introvert, possibly due to his hearing being slightly affected by the blast. A measure of how lucky he was to escape with a mild scorching, afterwards his metal clubs were found fused together.  
Sunday: certainly impossible that Olin Browne would become the oldest Open champion; even more unlikely likable linebacker-bodied Jason Gore would survive the heat. Woods was obviously too far back to catch Cool Goose, so too Mickelson, Els and for that matter Singh. All over, we said. It was that chill wind before a storm.  
Did Goosen really card 81, Gore 84, Browne 80? And did a 36-year old from New Zealand, who only made it to Pinehurst via the European qualifier, Michael Campbell, become only one of seven overseas players to win the US Open since the end of WWII? What in the devil happened?  
It was the worst of times. Tiger Woods couldnt get two consecutive run-ups from greenside short grass onto the putting platform. Vijay Singh circled the prey for a brief time, birdied three consecutive holes then putted straight off the next green, bombing out with four putts there.  
Goosen fell apart from almost the get-go, proving that even one of the worlds best putters can occasionally suffer weekend hacker impotence. Of the pack within six strokes of Goosens overnight lead, Campbell and only Campbell found a way to get the ball in the hole when it mattered. So how did he do it? Simply, until the last hole (where taking two putts from four feet was academic) he left himself lengthy putts that he could afford to rap solidly at the hole.  
Nearest contender, Woods, hit the ball much too close to the pins when it mattered and was forced to putt defensively.  
For spectators, adrenalin rushes were only available at concession stands  applauding hard-won bogeys is a thankless affair when repeated incessantly. Sure, Campbell merited and received a warm welcome everywhere in the route to victory but the primary noise on Sundays back-nine was loud adult groaning.  
Where did it all go wrong, if it did? Stewart Cink, who shot one of the four Sunday sub-par rounds (all 69s), offered this salutary thought: Its the ultimate place for an Open but it takes about six years to recover mentally from playing here.  
Summed up, the golf course was a great test but the USGA took pin-positioning too close to borderline. US Open message  par should always be a great score but as well as respect for Old Man Par, there should also be some respect for the public  because finally it is Mr. Everyman who pays the bills. Hard, yes, on the edge of impossible, no!  
Final question: did the 2005 US Open really identify the best player  or just one more good-guy whose putter caught fire at the right time? To answer this honestly, winner Michael Campbell must have been on your best player never to win a major list before the US Open started!

  POWER FOR NICARAGUA  
ap  
Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolaos inaugurates the San Jacinto Tizate power plant, which will initially generate 10 Megawatts of electrical energy, in San Jacinto-Tizate, some 60km west of Managua yesterday. Bolaos said the new source of energy will gradually reduce dependency on oil.
  Presidents pledge greater integration  
ASUNCION  Presidents of the Mercosur trading bloc closed their twice-yearly summit yesterday amid pledges to further integrate their economies in the wake of financial crises that hit the region in the past decade.  
Uruguayan President Tabar Vzquez, who took over the rotating presidency of the union for the next six months, warned that trade disputes, economic crises and deep poverty in the region have left Mercosur in a lull in recent years.  
I take charge of a Mercosur in crisis but with great prospects for growth, said Vzquez, vowing to bring the economic policies of the Mercosur nations into closer harmony.  
Leaders also discussed the possibility of an eventual Mercosur parliament and the seats representing each country. A deadline has been set for 2006 to create such a parliament.  
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva exhorted Mercosur nations to extend trade agreements as far afield as Canada, Egypt and Morocco  as well as hasten a long-sought accord with the European Union.  
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos noted that countries in the region have yet to advance fully on integrating economic policies while Venezuelan President Hugo Chvez, a populist, used the occasion to urge members to pull back from US-style free market policies.  
Neoliberalism is the highway to hell, said Chvez in a fiery discourse even as others such as President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia exhorted the Mercosur nations to seek commercial agreements throughout Europe and Africa.  
Among steps, the Mercosur countries agreed to create a US$100 million fund to shore up the smallest Mercosur economies, Paraguay and Uruguay. The funds are to be earmarked for job creation and education programmes as well as infrastructure programmes in both countries.  
The Mercosur members are Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay along with six associates, including Chile, Venezuela and Colombia.     
                              (AP)
  Puerta, Acasuso depart quickly, Daz Oliva only Argentine winner  

TENNIS  
Wimbledon 

WIMBLEDON  French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta of Argentina quickly lost in the first round of Wimbledon yesterday, falling to Lars Brgsmuller of Germany 6-1 6-1 6-4. His compatriot, Jos Acasuso also lost in the first round and Argentinas only success was obtained by Mariana Daz Oliva who won her first round singles match.  
Daz Oliva beat Anne Keothavong of Britain, 6-3 6-4, while Tomas Zib of the Czech Republic beat Acasuso 7-5 6-3 6-3.  
Puerta has not played since he lost to Rafael Nadal on June in the final at Roland Garros. He pulled out of the Queens Club grass-court tournament with a groin strain but was seeded 16th at Wimbledon. Puerta didnt get past the first round at Wimbledon in 1998, 01 and 03.  
The Argentina has climbed to 11th in the rankings from 440th last August thanks to the French Open, which was his first major event since serving a nine-month doping suspension.  
In keeping with custom, the defending Wimbledon mens champion played the opening match on Centre Court. Roger Federer was ready. Back on his favourite stage, the top-ranked Federer hit four aces in his first service game and successfully began his bid for a third consecutive Wimbledon title by beating Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4 6-2 6-4. Federer hit 18 aces and extended his grass-court winning streak to 30 matches, including 15 at the All England Club.  
Third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion, hit 19 aces and beat Christophe Rochus 6-3 6-3 6-1. Hewitt is playing in just his second tournament after being sidelined for 11 weeks by foot and rib injuries.  
No. 5 Marat Safin, twice a first-round loser at Wimbledon, overcame his aversion to grass and beat Paradorn Srichaphan 6-2 6-4 6-4.  
I felt really comfortable, actually, and really confident, Safin said. I wish I could play this level of tennis every day. Im trying.  
Safin will next play 2003 runner-up Mark Philippoussis, who received a wild card into the draw and beat Karol Beck 7-5 6-4 6-2.  
Anastasia Myskina, the 2004 French Open champion, was on the verge of her second successive first-round exit at a major event when she rallied to beat 18-year-old qualifier Katerina Bohmova 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.  
No. 10 Patty Schnyder instead became the first seeded player to be eliminated. She was upset by Antonella Serra Zanetti 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-3.  
DAVENPORT SEEKS ONE MORE GRAND SLAM   
Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport, the 1999 champion, needed just 41 minutes to beat Alina Jidkova 6-0 6-2. Davenport had 29 winners and just nine unforced errors. Davenport, 29, thought her loss in last years semifinals would likely be her last match at Wimbledon, but she decided to delay retirement after staging a career resurgence.  
Im still out there because Im enjoying it, she said. The ultimate goal is to try to win another Slam, and I still feel like Im knocking on the door of having that happen. Its hard to walk away when you feel like you can achieve the ultimate goal in tennis.  
Davenport next plays 18-year-old Jamea Jackson of the US, who beat Marta Marrero 6-2 6-3. Other womens winners included No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo, No. 15 Kim Clijsters and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.  
No. 28 Amy Frazier lost to fellow US player Mashona Washington 6-4 4-6 6-4. No. 25 Karolina Sprem, who upset two-time champion Venus Williams last year, was beaten by Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2 6-2.  
Taylor Dent of the US, seeded 24th, lost serve just once and beat qualifier Dick Norman 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-7 (7-9) 6-1. Dent hit 23 aces, Norman 25.  
Wild card David Sherwood, an Englishman ranked 261st, delighted the home crowd by winning his Wimbledon debut against Ricardo Mello, 6-3 6-4 6-4.  
No. 10 Mario Ancic, a semifinalist last year, beat qualifier Tobias Summerer 6-3 7-5 6-1. No. 13 Tommy Robredo lost to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-1 6-2 7-5.  
Following morning thunderstorms, the tournament began in sunshine with temperatures heading into the upper 20s C and as usual, grass brought out the best in Federer. He came to the net infrequently but played with polish from the baseline, hitting 33 winners with just 15 unforced errors.  
I didnt want to storm too much to the net too quickly, Federer said. I wanted to get my rhythm first.  
Federer is trying to become just the third man since the 1930s to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles.  
Hewitt said hes still rounding into form after slipping down stairs at home in Sydney and cracking two ribs. He returned to the tour two weeks ago at Queens, where he reached the quarterfinals.  
The first round of any Grand Slam is tough, Hewitt said. Its a match you just really want to get under your belt and get through as quickly as possible. It was a good hit without wasting a lot of energy.  
Hewitt will next play Jan Hernych, who rallied past James Blake of the US, 1-6 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-4).  
Myskina struggled against Bohmova, ranked No. 146 and playing in her first Grand Slam event. Myskina overcame deficits of 4-1 in the second set, 4-3 in the tiebreaker and 3-0 in the final set.  
Maybe if I play more matches like this, then its easier for me to come back and play my best tennis, Myskina said. Im really happy that I fought back and that was a happy end for me.  
Seeded ninth, she broke a four-match losing streak. Last month she became the first defending champion at Roland Garros to be eliminated in the opening round when she was beaten by Mara Snchez Lorenzo.  
The Russian received treatment on her right shoulder from a trainer at least twice during the match and lost serve nine times.  
Mauresmo beat lucky loser Melinda Czink 6-3 6-2, and Clijsters swept Katie OBrien 6-2 6-3. Kuznetsova, seeded fifth, drubbed Rebecca Llewellyn 6-0 6-1.  
No. 23 Ai Sugiyama lost to Roberta Vinci 6-2 2-6 6-4.

  Quilmes women fall to 3rd  

FIELD HOCKEY  
Womens & Mens First Division A

Three womens and four mens First Division A postponed matches were played yesterday which produced some changes at the top of the standings.  
In womens section, visitors Lomas A defeated Belgrano A 2-1 with goals by Mariana Lategana and Virginia Balbuena, while Daniela Rosales scored for the losers. With this victory, Lomas A climbed to the second spot with 32 points, two behind leaders Gimnasia y Esgrima A.  
Meanwhile, the leaders obtained a 1-0 victory over Banfield with Antonella De Bellis scoring the winner, which allowed the Palermo team to keep the first spot with 34 points.  
In other game, visitors Ciudad de Buenos Aires A beat BACRC 2-1 with goals from Romina Pzellinsky and Mariela Scarone, while evergreen Gabriela Pazos converted for BA.  
In the mens section, San Fernando A climbed to the top by defeating hosts Gimnasia y Esgrima A 2-0 with goals from Rodrigo Saliva and Carlos Retegui.  
Now San Fernando A have 31 points along with Quilmes A.  
Banco Provincia are in third position with 29 points after yesterdays 3-1 victory over tailenders Quilmes High School A. Two goals from Rodrigo Vila and another by his brother Matas gave the win to the Vicente Lpez team, while Leandro Melgarejo scored for the losers.  
In other action, visitors Ducilo A beat Banco de Desarrollo (BANADE) with goals by Alejandro Pasquali and Roberto Proficio, while Pablo Pessolano netted for the Martnez squad.  
Ciudad de Buenos Aires A defeated Santa Brbara 3-2. Nicols Gutirrez, Santiago Capurro and Ignacio Manes gave Ciudad victory, while Federico Giuliano netted twice for the southern team.  
National E Clubs Championship  
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL RIO CUARTO CHAMPIONS  
In Crdoba: Universidad Nacional from Ro Cuarto gained promotion to the D1 category by defeating Crdobas La Salle on penalties in the final. Universidad Nacional won the shutout 5-4 after the match had finished 1-1 in regulation time.  
Final standings: 1. Universidad Nacional Ro Cuarto; 2. La Salle (Crdoba); 3. Crdoba Athletic B; 4. La Tablada B (Crdoba); 5. Colegio Taborn (Crdoba); 6. Barrio Parque (Crdoba); 7. Social La Rioja; 8. Atltico Chilecito (La Rioja).

  Quilmes, San Fernando and Provincia keep their positions at the top of table  

FIELD HOCKEY  
Mens First Division A

The top three kept their places after yesterdays mens First Division A postponed matches.  
Quilmes A continue at the top, with 31 points and one more match than runners-up San Fernando, who have 28 points.  
Quilmes A tied hosts Banco Provincia 3-3 with goals from Gabriel Encinas, Juan Manuel Saladino and Guillermo Muir. Nicols Diamante, Juan Manuel Esparis and Lucas Vila netted for Provincia.  
Meanwhile, second-placed San Fernando A trounced Ciudad de Buenos Aires A 4-2 with a hat-trick by Juan Gilardi and other goal from Agustn Corradini. Facundo Callioni and Santiago Capurro scored for the losers.  
In other action, Banco de Desarrollo (BANADE) defeated Sociedad Alemana de Gimnasia 3-0 with goals by Pablo and Matas Pessolano and other from Agustn Alende.  
With goals from Matas Recabarren, Alejandro Pasquali and Roberto Proficio Ducilo A beat Gimnasia y Esgrima A 3-2. Fernando Bonet and Patricio Cammareri netted for the Palermo team.  
In a tailenders duel, Asociacin Alemana de Quilmes and Quilmes High School A tied 1-1 with Leonardo Di Federico and Leandro Melgarejo netting.  
Today, at 4pm, another postponed round will take place as follows: Banco Provincia v Quilmes HS A (2.30pm); Gimn. y Esgrima A v San Fernando A; BANADE v Ducilo A; Ciudad BA A v Santa Brbara.  
WOMENS ACTION  
Three womens postponed matches will be also held today according, at 4pm, to the following schedule: BACRC v Ciudad BA A; Gimn. y Esgrima A v Banfield A; Belgrano A v Lomas A.

  Racing overcome Lans to keep leaders under siege  

Other games

Racing began the 17th round in third place, aside Arsenal and three points behind leaders Vlez. Arsenals loss to Gimnasia earlier in the weekend, and Estudiantes tie with Independiente allowed Guillermo Rivarolas men to move into second place after they defeated Lans 2-0 at home yesterday.  
Forwards Marcelo Guerrero and Martn Cardetti put Racing ahead, with goals in the 46th and 86th minutes respectively.  
Racing showed themselves willing to win from kick-off, with a strong defence spearheaded by Diego Crosa, great midfield pressure and good ball passing with Diego Barrado and Sebastin Romero, but were out of shape when it came to striking.  
Had forwards Lisandro Lpez and Guerrero (who was replaced in the 74nd minute by Cardetti) been more efficient, the advantage would have been greater at half-time  
With Lans unable of getting near to keeper Cristin Lucchetti  they had only one opportunity in the first half  Rivarola decided to replace injured back Cristin Grabinski with playmaker Maximiliano Moralez a minute before the break.  
A minute and a half after the second half began, Lpez passed for Guerrero to end the play with the opener. Thus, the Uruguayan scorer put an end to keeper Carlos Bossios 370 minutes with clean sheets.  
Cardetti scored in the 86th after Moralez set him up.  
CHAMPIONS BEAT BOCA  
In Rosario: as they enjoy their last few games as champions, Newells Old Boys beat out-of-grace giants Boca Juniors 1-0 with a counterattack goal by substitute Ivn Borghello.  
Under interim coach Abel Alves, and with most of the starters on paid-leave, Boca fielded a mainly youth-team.  
Newells had their first opportunity when Damin Manso fired wide in the sixth minute.  
Yet Bocas youngsters were full of energy and attacked Newells immediately, taking the ball away from them and creating several chances.  
Two minutes after the interval, Newells scored with their first counter-attack of the match. Keeper Justo Villar passed to Manso, who set Borghello up for the game-winning strike.  
From then on, Boca tried a few times but were unable to capitalize.  
QUIROZS GET SAD BIRTHDAY  
In Crdoba: yesterday was Instituto coach Fernando Quirozs 37th birthday, but Rosario Central took care of ruining his day with a 2-1 defeat that complicates the hosts relegation condition. Before the game, Instituto were four points ahead of Almagro in the relegation contention, but the loss shortened the gap to one with only two matches left.  
Central were in control for most of the match, with Emiliano Papa creating a lot of trouble on the left side.  
Yet it was the losers who struck first, when Santiago Raymonda scored in the 46th minute.  
In 72nd, Centrals frontline pair connected and Emanuel Villa headed the equalizer off a pass by Germn Alemano.  
Nine minutes later, the visitors got an arguable penalty, but Pablo Ferraris was very much self-assured and netted.  
ARGENTINOS CRUSH  HURACAN  
Argentinos Juniors crushed relegated Huracn (Tres Arroyos) and put themselves out of the automatic relegation zone, although they could still be pushed into the play-offs.  
Gastn Machn twice, Silvio Carrario, Leonardo Pisculichi and Gustavo Mornigo scored for the Buenos Aires side, while Jeremas Caggiano struck for the visitors.  
Argentinos had the game under control from end-to-end and their only soft point were their defensive mistakes.  
Argentinos superiority was so big that Machns 22nd minute opener came as no surprise. Neither did Carrarios goal, nine minutes later.  
Caggiano shortened the gap in the 43rd through one of Argentinos bad backline moves.  
In the second half, Argentinos were better once again and Pisculichi stretched the advantage 25 seconds after the break. Machn scored his second in the 62nd and Mornigo closed the scoreboard in the last minute of play.  
BANFIELD and cOLON battle to goalless TIE  
Banfield and Coln Santa Fe both aspire to earn a spot in next seasons South American tournaments. But the goalless tie between the two yesterday in Banfields stadium only complicated their plans.  
Banfield, knocked-out of the Libertadores Cup last week by River, were in need of a victory to boost their spirits and, even though coach Julio Falcioni fielded several substitutes, they were better than their visitors. Jess Datolos very good performance of the left side was a key factor in this sense.  
Twice the crossbar stopped Falcionis side from scoring, once in the 14th minute and once following a header in the 62nd.  
OLIMPO RETURN TO      RELEGATION ZONE  
Visitors Olimpo Baha Blanca only managed to draw 1-1 with Quilmes and returned to the relegation play-off zone, which they had left ten rounds ago.  
Ivn Velsquez set the hosts ahead, in the 35st minute, when he hit in after Miguel Caneo brushed a corner kick by Leandro Bentez.  
A minute before the break goalie Marcelo Pontiroli was unable to get hold of a free-kick by Hernn Bujn and Pez pushed in for Olimpo to equalize.  
In the second half Olimpo improved, under the leadership of Gonzalo Choy Gonzlez, who replaced Maximiliano Estvez.

  Ranch Guide  

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This guide represents another demonstration of the Heralds commitment to Argentina.

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  Raworth: words never read before  

By Matas Serra Bradford  
For the Herald

As the temperature of a star increases, it becomes more and more luminous. Tom Raworths life has become keener and sharper, and so has his work, both literary and artistic. He belongs to a crew of British poets legendary in their home ground but mostly unknown to the rest of a world that thought it all ended with Eliot, Larkin and Hughes. His fellow practitioners include the magnetic and unpredictable JH Prynne, Tom Pickard, Lee Harwood, John James, Bill Griffiths, Wendy Mulford and the late Barry MacSweeney, among others.  
But first things first, lets get Raworths surname right. Its pronounced Ray-worth, though of course we purists despise those weaklings who inserted a y to make things easier. My paternal grandfather flung a pot of ink at a schoolteacher who insisted hed have to put a y in his name and ran away to sea that day as a cabin boy, under sail. He was washed off one ship by a giant wave while rounding Cape Horn and washed back on board by another one.  
After leaving school in 1954, Raworth the grandson took on a variety of jobs, insurance clerk, builders labourer, packer, assistant transport manager, and continental telephonist. Then he taught himself how to set type and to print, and between 1959 and 1964 produced a magazine and a series of small books by Edward Dorn, Anselm Hollo and Piero Heliczer. In 1965, he started the Goliard Press and worked there until 1967 when he went on to the University of Essex, where he was awarded an M.A. in translation. Between 1970 and 1972 he visited the US and Canada on reading tours, and from the summer of 1972 until the autumn of 1977 lived with his family in the US and, briefly, in Mexico.  
Since the end of 1977 his home has been in Cambridge, England. Off to China this week on a reading trip, Raworth has occasionally tried his hand at teaching, in Europe, the US and even Africa. But does he believe it possible to teach literature? Having detested school myself and being vain and stubborn enough to never be convinced of anything  especially to read something  I didnt feel, by anyone elses argument... I was clearly the wrong person. So the teaching Ive done since then has always been in the Creative Writing area. And no, I dont think theres very much to be taught. All Ive tried to do is not create little writing clones of myself or my personal tastes; not discourage any student from writing, whether or not Im sympathetic to what theyre doing; put in front of them material that I think they might not otherwise see, and might be interested in, either as a direction they havent thought of, or to show them dead ends; praise specifically what I like, even if just a couple of words; and reinforce the levels of play and chance.  
An amateur photographer of considerable skill  check out the images in his impressive website  , Raworth also makes a living through his measured, glowing paintings and collages, exhibited not only in the UK but also Italy, Switzerland, France. Tempting to inquire what his art and poetry envy each other. Painting and photography envy the invisible voice and poetry envies the silence of the eye. So is photography, perhaps, a testing ground for the writing? I like photography for itself, and the possibility of playing with a wordless image. On the other hand I tend to see the collages as a form of writing (perhaps ridiculous)... but I tend to read them (perhaps as landscapes), even as a narrative, rather than observe them. I dont think either particularly help with writing. Perhaps boredom is more help.  
Raworths work has been widely anthologized and his translations include The Penguin Book of South American Verse. Published by Equipage, Etruscan and others, he has been a small-press man all along. Recently, though, he has finally been given his due with a Collected Poems brought out by Carcanet, one of a good number of British publishers  like Bloodaxe, Salt and Shearsman  forcefully devoted to poetry. Also, the smart Canadian review The Gig edited by Nate Dorward has dedicated a whole issue in book form to Raworths radiant oeuvre. The poetry itself, in fact, works wonders. In the subtlest and strangest manner, Raworth offers the best sort of originality, self-effacing, agile and daring. His lines are sown with a wise treatment of breath and meaning, place and space, tone and temperament. He has got a quick nose for letters sent and sought, rain and snow, trains, stasis and speed, physical detail, domestic particulars and children: Childrens toys: dreams from repetition. But also lamps and photographs, light in all its faces & phases: as light has speed we are always / visually in the past. Though the writing deploys a sustained intensity, Raworths approach is light-handed, never attempting to press a point: expectation a centre / you can shop around. There is an Italian term that would fit Raworth like a glove  sprezzatura  just as the Italian poet and essayist Cristina Campo defined it: masterly nonchalance, elegant easiness, the music of an inner grace, a formidable attention combined with something a bit distracted, like all seers.  
Its astonishing to watch how he makes the moment swing and interruption work, the way he cuts from image to image, word to word, line to line, a cloudless syntax of powerful rocks. Likewise, the strange logics and synapses: thunder is them turning in their sleep. Raworth urges new forms upon his lightning perceptions and affections: subtlety is only what you see looking around inside your head with a torch. Note his belief in chance, and in verses that may bring forth a unique sort of knowledge, the unexpected expression of a truth Id always known.

  Recoleta  
Near best restaurants/ cinemas. Beautiful 2 room apartment. 2-3 people. Fully equipped. Internet, cable TV. 
  Recoleta  

One of a kind designer apartment. Great location. Fully equiped with all new high end furnishings, appliances, etc. Large master bedroom, 2nd bedroom/ office, balcony. All expenses and maid service included. Helpful U.S. owner and local assistance. US$ 1450. 4823-6737. 

  results  
US OPEN  Final scores (United States unless stated): 280  Michael Campbell (New Zealand); 282  Tiger Woods; 285  Sergio Garca (Spain), Tim Clark (South Africa), Mark Hensby (Australia); 286  Rocco Mediate (United States), Davis Love III, Vijay Singh (Fiji); 287  Nick Price (Zimbabwe), Arron Oberholser; 288  Bob Estes, Corey Pavin, Peter Hedblom (Sweden), Retief Goosen (South Africa); 289  David Toms, Fred Couples, Stewart Cink, Ernie Els (South Africa), Ryuji Imada (Japan), John Cook, Peter Jacobsen, K.J. Choi (South Korea); 290  Fred Funk, Justin Leonard, Paul Claxton, Kenny Perry, Olin Browne; 291  Steve Allan (Australia), Jim Furyk, Matthew Every, Geoff Ogilvy (Australia), Adam Scott (Australia); 292  Lee Westwood (Britain), Tim Herron, Ted Purdy, Bernhard Langer (Germany), Brandt Jobe, Steve Elkington (Australia), Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Shigeki Maruyama (Japan); 293  Rob Rashell, Peter Lonard, Mike Weir (Canada), Chad Campbell, Tom Pernice Jr., Colin Montgomerie (Britain), Paul McGinley (Ireland); 294  Jason Gore, J.L. Lewis, Nick OHern (Australia); 295  Nick Dougherty (Britain), Richard Green (Australia), Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark), Thomas Levet (France), Thomas Bjrn (Denmark); 296  Keiichiro Fukabori (Japan), Luke Donald (Britain), Steve Jones, Lee Janzen, Ryan Moore, Frank Lickliter II, J.J. Henry, Tommy Armour III, Jonathan Lomas (Britain), Ian Poulter (Britain); 297  Michael Allen, Steve Flesch, John Mallinger, Bill Glasson; 298  D.J. Brigman, Stephen Ames (Canada), Rory Sabbatini (South Africa), J.P. Hayes; 299  John Daly, Omar Uresti, Charles Howell III; 300  Jeff Maggert, Bob Tway; 301  Graeme McDowell (Britain), Chris Nallen; 303  Craig Barlow; 305  Jerry Kelly.
  Results & standings  
LOCAL CHAMPIONSHIP (Intermediate divisions in brackets):  
Postponed rounds  
WOMENS First Division A: BACRC 1 Ciudad BA A 2 (3-5); Gimn. y Esgrima A 1 Banfield A 0 (2-2); Belgrano A 1 Lomas A 2 (2-2).  
First Division C: Reg. Avellaneda 1 Bco. Provincia 0 (0-1); SITAS 1 Lic. Naval A 1 (0-4). Standings: 1. Reg. Avellaneda played 13-31 points; 2. Bco. Ciudad 13-27; 3. Asoc. Alem. Quilmes 13-25; 4. Lic. Naval A 13-24; 5. Bco. Provincia 13-23; 6. HC Andersen 13-18; 7. Quilmes HS 13-17; 8. Hind A 12-15; 9. Gimn. y Esgrima B 13-15; 10. CASI B 13-15; 11. SITAS 13-15; 12. Arquitectura 13-11; 13. Est. La Plata 12-8; 14. Nahuel 13-1.  
First Division D: Campana 0 Lomas C 3 (1-3). Standings: 1. Ducilo played 13-28 points; 2. Belgrano B 13-27; 3. Lomas C 12-27; 4. Sta. Brbara B 13-22; 5. Mitre B 13-22; 6. Bco. Hipotecario 13-22; 7. M. Moreno 12-18; 8. Ob. Sanitarias 13-17; 9. San Martn B 12-17; 10. Los Matreros 12-10; 11. Campana 12-9; 12. Vlez A 12-7; 13. Los Cedros 11-7; 14. Arrows 11-2.  
First Division E: SAG Lomas 2 Bs. As. Rowing 1 (0-4). Standings: 1. SIC B played 13-28 points; 2. SAG Lomas 13-26; 3. Italiano 13-25; 4. Reg. B. Vista B 12-21; 5. San Cirano 12-20; 6. Bs. As. Rowing 12-18; 7. Lic. Naval B 12-18; 8. BANADE 13-18; 9. St. Albans 11-15; 10. Gimn. y Esgrima C 13-14; 11. DAOM 12-12; 12. San Marcos 12-12; 13. Porteo 13-8; 14. Pueyrredn 13-0.  
First Division F: Manuel Belgrano v San Carlos, susp; Lujn 1 CASI C 2 (0-3). Standings: 1. Univ. La Plata B played 12-27 points; 2. San Lorenzo 11-27; 3. Mun. Vte. Lpez 11-24; 4. Pucar B 13-21; 5. Champagnat 12-19; 6. San Carlos 10-17; 7. St. Catherines B 13-17; 8. La Salle 13-14; 9. M. Belgrano 10-12; 10. Newman 12-12; 11. Quilmes B 11-11; 12. CASI C 10-11; 13. Lujn RC 12-7; 14. Los Pinos 12-5.  
First Division G: Lans 1 Hind B 0 (1-0); Hebraica v Sta. Brbara C, susp; Huracn 3 Barkojba 0 (0-2); Macabi 2 Almafuerte 1 (2-0); St. Andrews v Banfield B, susp. Standings: 1. St. Andrews played 11-30 points; 2. Univ. Bs. As 12-27; 3. Ctro. Naval 12-25; 4. Banfield B 11-24; 5. Belgrano DS 12-24; 6. Bco. Provincia 12-23; 7. Berazategui 13-22; 8. Huracn 12-20; 9. Hind B 10-15; 10. Lic. Militar 12-15; 11. Lans 12-15; 12. MACABI 10-13; 13. Almafuerte 12-11; 14. Vlez B 11-9; 15. Hebraica 11-6; 16. Barkojba 12-3; 17. Sta. Brbara C 10-2; 18. Univ. La Plata C 11-0.  
MENS First Division A: Banco Provincia 3 Quilmes HS A 1 (2-3); Gimn. y Esgrima A 0 San Fernando A 2; Banco de Desarrollo 1 Ducilo A 2; Ciudad BA A 3 Santa Brbara 2.  
First Division B: San Fernando B 1 Ciudad BA B 2 (2-4). Standings: 1. San Martn played 12-36 points; 2. Quilmes B 12-28; 3. Banfield 12-27; 4. San Fernando B 13-25; 5. Ciudad BA B 12-24; 6. SAG Lomas 13-23; 7. Gimn. y Esgrima B 12-21; 8. Univ. La Plata 12-17; 9. Ducilo B 12-17; 10. Lans 12-13; 11. Vlez 12-13; 12. Martn Gemes 12-8; 13. Quilmes HS B 12-5; 14. Porteo 12-5; 15. Berazategui 12-0.
  Reynolds Propiedades - Real Estate & Relocation  

Olivos (54-11) 4794-4100

* Martinez. 500 sqm exc. quality home in prime location. Hall, L. & D., study w/bar, toilet, kitchen, double mds qrtrs., lndry. Dble. gge. Lift. 4 bedr. (1 en ste., dressingr.), 3 bathr., playr. in 2nd level. Landscaped garden, pool. Veranda. Central heat. Sec. US$ 5000. Code: M10947. * Acassuso. Unique, substantial 600 sqm residence in extensive grounds, 600 sqm land. Hall, L. & D., toilet, kitchen w/brkfst. area, double mds qrtrs., lndry. 5 bedr. (2 stes.), 3 bathr., study, toilet, playr. 4 car gge. w/aut. gate. Garden, sprinklers, heated pool, changingr., BBQ. Central heat, cooling source. US$ 5000. Code: M10934. * Boating Club. Charming 280 sqm home. Exclusive nautical gated comm. Hall, L. & D., toilet, kitchen, brkfstr., mds qrtrs., lndry., family room w/toilet, 3 bedr. (1 ste. w/firepl., dressingr.), 2 bathr., study or 4th bedr. Garden, pool, veranda w/BBQ. Double gge., driveway. Central heat. A/C units in bedr. 24 hr security. US$ 2900. Code: M10960. * Vicente Lopez. Beautiful traditional 380 sqm home, 800 sqm land, close to bilingual schools. L. & D., toilet, kitchen w/breakfast area, maids qrtrs., laundry area, family room, 4 bedrooms (1 suite), 2 bathrooms. Garden, pool, changingr., cov. BBQ area. Double gge. & driveway. Central heating. Security. US$ 1400. Code: M10891. * San Isidro Chico. Spacious, stylish 700 sqm famioy home in extensive gorunds. Exclusive gated comm. L. & D., family rm., toilet, kitchen w/brkfsst. area, 4 bedr. en suite (master w/firepl.), bathr. w/jetted tub, dble. dressingr., maids qrtrs., laundry. Fitness area, sauna, garden, pool, BBQ. 3 car gge. Central heat. 4 split A/C units. US$ 6500. Code: M10963. * San Isidro Chico. Spacious, stylish 700 sqm famioy home in extensive gorunds. Exclusive gated comm. L. & D., family rm., toilet, kitchen w/brkfsst. area, 4 bedr. en suite (master w/firepl.), bathr. w/jetted tub, dble. dressingr., maids qrtrs., laundry. Fitness area, sauna, garden, pool, BBQ. 3 car gge. Central heat. 4 split A/C units. US$ 6500. Code: M10963. * La Lucila. Substantial recently refurbished family home. 430 sqm land. Prime location close to Lincoln School. L./D., study, toilet, kitchen w/dinette area, family room, maids qrts., 4 bedr. (1 suite w/dressingr.), 2 bathr., playr. or 5th bedr. Garden, fenced pool, veranda w/BBQ. Gge. Indiv. heating & A/C units. US$ 1800. Code: M10839.  
San Isidro & Country Clubs (54-11) 4737-1010  
* Barrio Parque Aguirre. Impeccable 9 yr old chalet. Grand recep. area, bar, study, bright family room, 4 bedr. (1 en ste.), mds qrtrs. Exc. garden, cov. BBQ area, pool. $ 10,000. * La Caballeriza neighbourhood. Spectacular Italian villa style house, prime quality, rec. area with hardwood floors, 4 bedr. (2 en ste., 2 semistes.), large family room, mds qrtrs. Awesome garden, pool, cov. BBQ area. $ 6000. L10538. * Nuez. 51 sqm bright upper floor apartment w/terraced balcony & open view to the river. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen w/integrated bar & laundry. Day: US$ 40. Week: US$ 200. Month: US$ 600. T10950. * El Trebol neighbourhood. Impeccable, comfortable house in gated community. 3 bedr., playr., mds qrtrs. Lovely garden, veranda, BBQ area. $ 3900. L10777. * Nuez. 51 sqm bright apartment on high floor flat w/terraced balcony & open view to the river. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 bathr., kitchen w/integrated bar & laundry. Day: US$ 40. Week: US$ 200. Motnh: US$ 600. T10950.  
Downtown (54-11) 4801-9291  
* Barrio Norte. 160 sqm bright duplex close to Coronel Daz & Las Heras Ave. Hall, L./D., guest bathr., 2 bedr. (1 en ste.), full bathr., 2 balconies, kitchen, lndry., mds qrtrs. BBQ area. US$ 900. C10900. * Recoleta. 45 sqm impeccable studio w/view, balcony on to core of the block. 1 complete bathr., kitchenette w/integrated bar. Sec. 24 hrs. A/C. Internet. Day: US$ 35. Week: US$ 170. Month: US$ 500. T10949. * Plaza San Martin. 236 sqm top quality apartment. L. & D., study, 3 bedrooms (1 en suite), 1 bathroom, kitchen w/brkfst. area, laundry, maids qrtrs. Storage. US$ 320,000. C10924. * Recoleta. 190 sqm beautiful flat in great location, excellent quality. L. & D., guest bathr., study, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and breakfast area, laundry, maids qrtrs. US$ 3000. C10921. * San Telmo. French style building. 85 sqm very attractive loft in excellent condition. Very nice L./D., 1 bedroom, study, walk-in closet, nice kitchen w/bar. US$ 125,000. C10828. * Puerto Madero. 75 sqm modern apartment w/balcony. urnished and equipped. L. & D., guest bathr., 1 large suite, kitchen. Carport. US$ 1200. C10840. * Palermo. Las Caitas. 57 sqm lovely duplex, with 2 open view balconies. L./D. w/kitchen, 1 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Day: US$ 65. Week: US$ 310. Month: US$ 910. T10936. * Recoleta. 54 sqm comfortable apartment, full of light. In excellent location. Hall, living/ diningr., 1 complete bathroom, 1 bedroom, kitchen, laundry. Storage. US$ 76,000. C10885.  
View all our listings at  - Updated daily

  Rise. Fall. Repeat. Oribes second act  
"I just wanted to touch their faces like this," he recalled with the sweep of a palm across his cheek. "The makeup was going to be genius."   
The regular makeup artist stalked away. "I was feeling crazy, but it was good crazy," Oribe said. "The models were running away from me. They were scattering in all directions." Like a mad Pygmalion, he lurched after them, smearing their faces with gobs of paste.   
When the show was over, Polly Mellen, a famously effusive editor at Allure, rushed backstage demanding, "Who did the makeup?" Oribe stepped up. "The moment was fabulous," he recalled, then added flatly, "Afterward I checked into rehab."   
It was one of many times during his Cyclone ride of a career that Oribe, a champion of high-volume hair with wrist-to-shoulder tattoos like a biker from "The Wild One," was compelled to reinvent himself. In his glory years, during the decadent, high-octane 1980s and early '90s, he traveled with an entourage, waving a curling wand over the likes of Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista, whom he helped transform into fashion's reigning divas.   
"Oribe did for hairdressing what Arnold Schwarzenegger did for bodybuilding," said Brad Johns, the creative director of the Avon Salon & Spa in New York, and a former protege. "He took it out of commonness, made it respectable, an art. In his hands it wasn't hair, it was sculpture."   
In 1991 Elizabeth Arden gave Oribe his own salon on Fifth Avenue, a gilded $3 million shrine to glamour modeled after a Venetian palazzo. There he ruled, arguably the most influential stylist of his day. Then it all fell away.   
Dogged by personal problems  a dodgy manager, substance abuse and a reluctance to adapt to changing styles  Oribe began a slide into quasi-obscurity. He continued to work, but the designers, photographers and high-powered editors who had doted on him dropped him. Disenchanted with New York, he walked away from the Arden salon with no explanation two years ago and decamped for Florida. His sudden early fame and his long eclipse seemed to mark him as another casualty of the volatile fashion world, in which careers can ignite and flare out in the space of a few seasons.   
"Oribe's hair legacy," wrote Lindsy Van Gelder in Allure magazine in 2001, "is that he took an old (and at the time tacky) idea  big hair  and made it into an over-the-top fashion statement."   
Inspired by the girls he knew growing up in Charlotte, N.C.  all dolled up like Ginger on "Gilligan's Island"  he made his name as part of a powerful triumvirate, with the makeup artist Francois Nars and the photographer Steven Meisel, that created influential advertising campaigns and editorial spreads for fashion magazines in the '80's and early '90s. Oribe's apotheosis came during a shoot for a Comme des Garcons ad campaign with Christy Turlington. "I did her hair really curly with leaves in it, and everyone flipped," he recalled. "It put me in a different category as a hairdresser."   
His audacity earned him a reputation that soon eclipsed that of Garren, his mentor, and other reigning stylists of the day. A wizard with props, wigs and greasy pomades, Oribe earned $20,000  then an astronomical sum  to style the hair on the runways of Chanel and Versace, painting the models' hair blue, braiding it with tennis balls and using extensions to transform chin-grazing bobs into Rapunzel-length manes. "I would always be reaching for those extensions," he mused. "I used to call out, `Where are my puppies?' just like Cruella De Vil."   
Susan Arnot Heaney, who was communications director for Elizabeth Arden at the time Oribe opened his Fifth Avenue salon, remembered the aura he projected. "You would have to go the whole length of the place past the chandeliers and the sweeping drapes, and there at the end of it all was this attractive biker-looking person in black leather and jewelry with studs."   
Bayley Ledes, a senior editor at Life & Style Weekly, a celebrity magazine, said: "In those days everything was larger than life, the fashion shows, the models, the designers. It was the era of bad-boy designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler, and people threw caution to the winds."   
Ledes, who was the beauty editor of American Elle at the time, recalled venturing backstage before a show in Paris and discovering Oribe soaring on a cocktail of high spirits and cocaine. "He was completely frenetic, running around, sweating like a dog. I thought at the time, `Oh, my God, he's going to have a heart attack,"' she said.   
In 1993, shortly after the manic episode at the Manolo show, he checked into the Hazelden drug rehabilitation clinic, he recalled last week, to be treated for cocaine and alcohol abuse. He stressed that his substance abuse never reached epic dimensions. "It was never tragic," he said. "I was functioning for years." He has been drug-free since then, he said.   
Paradoxically, it was not drugs or drink that undermined him as much as the advent of a new look in fashion, that willfully slovenly anti-style known as grunge, which eventually gave way to a minimalism that reigned through much of the '90s.   
"I was in a terrible period of my career," Oribe said. Marc Jacobs "would say, `Just throw this barrette in the model's hair and let it hang,"' he recalled. A devotee of the glossy, fastidiously maintained Rita Hayworth manes of the late 1940s and '50s, Oribe was shocked. "A barrette is supposed to pull back the hair and show the face," he said. He was equally stunned when during a shoot for Calvin Klein someone noticed a pimple on the model. " `It's genius, let's leave it,' someone said," Oribe remembered with a roll of his eyes.   
He continued to pick up magazine and runway assignments, but the pace slackened. "I had this Fifth Avenue salon, and all of a sudden without warning Steven Meisel replaced me" with another hair stylist on his shoots, Oribe recalled ruefully. Johns, then Oribe's chief colorist at Arden, chimed in with his own reflections: "Grunge was a sad day for all of us," he said. "We made the best of it, but I prayed every night as I kneeled by my bed, `God, let it be over."'   
There were also problems on the business side of his New York salon. Oribe said that Omar Ismail, a manager whom he entrusted with his finances, had drug problems of his own and let the business slide. Ismail died last year. "Omar was a good manager, but he had some drug challenges that did impact his functioning," Heaney recalled.   
When Oribe left the business, Oribe at Elizabeth Arden, in 2003, he said he received no financial settlement. "Emotionally it was a horrible period for me," he said.   
He moved part time to Miami and opened a series of salons  two in New York, two in Miami, all of them now closed  as he struggled to regain his footing.   
Gradually he has made a comeback, a return he credits in no small part to the singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. He engineered her metamorphosis from "Jenny from the block" to the glamorous plutocrat she portrayed in a recent Louis Vuitton ad campaign. He gave her a controversial retro-socialite bouffant for the 2002 Oscars, but chose a simpler, straight shoulder-length look for the April premiere of "Monster-in-Law."   
In turn Lopez has been Oribe's champion. "Jennifer is fearless and adventurous," he said, bestowing on the pop star his highest fashion compliment. "She is," he said, "a big-hair kind of girl."   
Six months ago Oribe borrowed the money to open a $1 million salon in Miami Beach at the tourist-clotted intersection of Euclid Street and Lincoln Road. It is a futuristic, beam-me-up-Scotty kind of space. In recent months his client list has expanded to Celine Dion, Gwyneth Paltrow and Penelope Cruz. He is also receiving high-profile print assignments again, flying off for a shoot for Elle, collaborating on campaigns with Redken.   
And there are also the loyal customers who have stuck with him over the years, women for whom Miami is just a suburb of New York. "Even in New York it was always the crazies who loved me," he said. One in particular, whom he declined to name, presents him on each visit an envelope stuffed with the cuttings from her previous haircut. "This is what fell the last time," she tells him, then weeps. "She starts crying with the first snip, every time, and she doesn't stop until I've finished," Oribe said, imitating a high-pitched wail. "It's always, `Stop, oh stop, you cut it too short!"'   
Poised over the reception desk in the new salon is a poster-size photo of Lopez with Oribe. In the picture his arms are visible, embellished with the scrollwork of tattoos that have long been his signature. Today his hair, which used to crest in a slick James Dean pompadour, is combed back in a modified brush that is streaked, just perceptibly, with gray.   
"Years ago I used to be the cool one," he said. "I used to be crazy at the clubs, living day by day, always into doing something wild. But when you're older, all of that isn't so cute anymore."   
The recollections of the old days can still rankle. Last month he was one of 30 or so style-world luminaries invited to Donatella Versace's 50th birthday party at Mr. Chow in Manhattan. "After leaving that party, I was so happy I moved to Miami," he said. "I no longer have to depend on these people. They will eliminate you."
  Sad return of the BBs  

By JOAN ANDERMAN  
The Boston Globe

Heres a teen-pop conundrum: If you cant rewind time and you cant move into the future, whats a boy band to do?  
For clever quintets such as N Sync, the answer is to stay out of the studio. But the Backstreet Boys, always the dopier of the two, are stuck in a musical quagmire. Neither rigorously nostalgic nor capable of change, the group returned this week after a five-year break with the hopefully titled Never Gone, a collection of songs that blends the trademark harmonies and frothy cheer of its glory days with crunchy pop-rock guitars and a singer-songwriter vibe.  
The result is not so much bad as sad. Everything good about the Backstreet Boys  the sweetness of their balladry and the effervescence of their dance-pop is gone, replaced by the efforts of a large team of experts to mold them into something along the lines of matchbox twenty or Maroon 5.  
The concept isnt entirely without merit. Beneath the new jack/R&B/hip-hop posturing beat the mainstream hearts of five middle-class boys. But Never Gone is built around lead vocals, not harmonies, and the problem, or one of them, is that Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean, and Kevin Richardson were originally cast in this production for their blended vocals and synchronized dance steps. None of them is a frontman and, for all the good pitch and trained licks, none can carry a tune.  
Incomplete, the albums inoffensive first single, is in Top 40 radios Top 10, so its not as if the Backstreet Boys  most of whom are in their 30s now, post-nuptials and post-rehab  have dropped off fans radar screen. But commercial viability and artistic merit are two different things.  
Swedish teen-pop Svengali Max Martin returns to lower the bar with a pair of Bon Jovi-esque rockers, Just Want You to Know and Climbing the Walls, and anonymous midtempo sludgefests, I Still and Siberia. By comparison, the snappy piano ditty Weird World, penned by Five For Fightings John Ondrasik, is exhilarating. Poster Girl mines a similarly perky vein and hints at the unabashed pop pleasures this group churned out so shamelessly back in the 90s. But then a genuinely horrid power ballad such as Lose It All or Crawling Back to You or Safest Place to Hide arrives to suck the life out of the disc.  
And then theres the arena-reggae disaster My Beautiful Woman, which was surely included to suggest creative latitude. What the song really does is shine a glaring light on a bunch of poster boys with nothing to offer beyond pretty voices and the dubious choices of their misguided handlers.

  Saddam, from dictator to prison clean freak  
NEW YORK   
Saddam Hussein loves Doritos, hates Froot Loops, admires President Ronald Reagan, thinks Bill Clinton was OK and considers both Presidents George Bush no good. He talks a lot, worries about germs and insists he is still president of Iraq.  
Those and other details of the deposed Iraqi leaders life in US military custody appear in the July issue of GQ magazine, based on interviews with five Pennsylvania National Guardsmen who went to Iraq in 2003 and were assigned to Saddams guard detail for nearly 10 months.  
The magazine, which reached newsstands yesterday, said the GIs could not tell their families what they were doing and signed pledges not to reveal the location or other details of the US-run compound where Saddam was an HDV, or high value detainee, awaiting trial by Iraqi authorities for mass killings and other crimes.  
However, the five soldiers told GQ of their personal interactions with Saddam, saying he spoke with them in rough English, was interested in their lives and even invited them back to Iraq when he returns to power.  
Hed always tell us he was still the president. Thats what he thinks, 100 percent, said Spc. Jesse Dawson, 25.  
A Pentagon spokesman had no comment on the article.  
The Pentagon did not immediately yesterday Monday to a request for comment on the article.  
The GIs recalled that Saddam had harsh words for the Bushes, each of whom went to war against him.  
The Bush father, son, no good, Cpl. Jonathan Paco Reese, 22, quoted Saddam as saying.  
Spc. Sean OShea, then 19, said Saddam later mellowed in that view. Towards the end, he was saying that he doesnt hold any hard feelings and he just wanted to talk to (George W.) Bush, to make friends with him, he told the magazine.  
Their description of the man who once lived in palaces and now occupies a cell with no personal privacy matched recently published photos, apparently smuggled out of prison, showing Saddam in his underwear and a long robe.  
The story said that once, when Saddam fell during his twice-a-week shower, panic ensued. No one wanted him to be hurt while being guarded by Americans. One GI had to help Saddam back to his cell, while another carried his underwear.  
Saddam was friendly toward his young guards and sometimes offered fatherly advice. When OShea told him he was not married, Saddam started telling me what to do, recalled the soldier. He was like, You gotta find a good woman. Not too smart, not too dumb. Not too old, not too young. One that can cook and clean.  
Then he smiled, made what OShea interpreted as a spanking gesture, laughed and went back to doing his laundry in the sink.  
The soldiers also said Saddam was a clean freak who washed after shaking hands and used diaper wipes to clean meal trays, utensils and table before eating. He had germophobia or whatever you call it, Dawson said.  
The magazine said Saddam told his guards that when the US invaded Iraq in March 2003, he tried to flee in a taxicab as the tanks were rolling in, and US planes struck the palace he was trying to reach instead of the one he was in.  
Then he started laughing, recalled Reese. He goes, America, they dumb. They bomb wrong palace.  
                                                (AP)
  San Telmo  
Luxurious ** Hotel. Daily from pesos 50. Monthly from pesos 660. (54-11)4362-0519. 
  Schiavo: debate over legislative actions is renewed  
Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said that in his five years in office, he saw Congress do its "worst job communicating" during the Schiavo episode.   
The case has reverberated politically for months, contributing to a sharp drop in approval ratings for the Republican-controlled Congress, whose leaders convened an extraordinary emergency session in March to pass legislation protecting Schiavo, a dying Florida woman.   
With the autopsy concluding that no treatment could have improved her condition and that she was unaware of her surroundings when her feeding tube was removed, lawmakers backed away from their earlier comments and said they had simply wanted to give her family proper access to the courts.   
The case has also given Democrats ammunition to use against the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, a transplant surgeon who, on the Senate floor, voiced his opinion about Schiavo's condition based on videotapes in which she appears to react to some stimuli.   
Aides to Frist, a likely presidential candidate in 2008, angrily said he had never made a formal diagnosis and thus had nothing to retract.   
Democrats cited the autopsy results as proof that Schiavo's husband  and critics of federal intervention  had been vindicated.   
"I think it will be seen at some point as a turning point in America about what's going on with the Republican Party - namely that you have this fanatical party willing to impose its own views on people, and frankly, powerful enough to do it," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., who was among the most vocal critics of the Schiavo bill. "This is particularly a problem for Dr. Frist. This is a direct refutation of his TV diagnosis."   
Frist did not respond to questions about the autopsy findings, saying he had not had time to review them. His spokeswoman, Amy Call, sought out reporters who asked about the case to assert that Frist "never made a diagnosis."   
Throughout the floor debates on Schiavo's fate, Republicans asserted that she was responsive to external stimuli and that the removal of her feeding and hydration tubes would lead to the murder of a conscious woman. Emotional speeches on the floors of both chambers took her mental state into account, portraying her as alert and lively.   
Frist, in his floor statement on March 17, said that after viewing videotape of Schiavo, it was clear she was responsive. "To be able to make a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state - which is not brain dead; it is not coma; it is a specific diagnosis and typically takes multiple examinations over a period of time because you are looking for responsiveness  I have looked at the video footage," Frist said. "Based on the footage provided to me, which was part of the facts of the case, she does respond."   
After a seven-year legal struggle, Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for the last time on March 18. Three days later, in a bid to bring her case into federal court, Congress held its emergency session and passed the Terri Schiavo bill, which allowed her case to be considered by a federal judge. President Bush flew back from his ranch Texas on Palm Sunday to sign it into law.   
Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the House majority leader who broke a long silence during ethical troubles to speak out for Schiavo, called it the "Palm Sunday compromise."   
"Ms. Schiavo's condition, I believe, has been misrepresented by the media," DeLay said on March 20. "Terri Schiavo is not brain dead; she talks and she laughs, and she expresses happiness and discomfort. Terri Schiavo is not on life support."   
On Wednesday, a spokesman for DeLay declined to answer any questions about the autopsy, except to say that his "thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Terri Schiavo."   
A similarly muted message came from the White House. "It doesn't change the position that the president took," said its spokesman, Scott McClellan. "The president believes we should stand on the side of defending and protecting life."
  School tells teachers to cover up  
NEW DELHI- Women teachers at a school in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar have been told to wear aprons so that senior male students do not get distracted by their bodies.  
The unconscious exposure of a body by a lady teacher during teaching could be an object of amusement for male students inside the classroom, K.C. Satpathy, the principal of DAV Public School, was quoted in The Times of India newspaper as saying. By wearing an apron, the quality of teaching could improve.  
Satpathy said the decision by the school was the result of a two-year study that showed adolescent boys in higher classes were losing concentration inside the classrooms of some female teachers. In India, many women teachers wear saris which can cover up as well as reveal a womans figure, depending on how they are worn.               Reuters
  Schumacher claims win as only six cars start race  

MOTOR RACING  
Uinted States Grand Prix

INDIANAPOLIS  World champion Michael Schumacher claimed a hollow victory at the US Grand Prix yesterday after only six cars started the race because of a fiasco over tyre safety.  
Seven of the 10 teams pulled out after the warm-up lap. They had pleaded in vain for an extra chicane to slow down the cars because of concern over the durability of Michelins tyres.  
Boos rang out from the stands at the Brickyard track, which were packed with an estimated 120,000 spectators, during and after the race.  
Germanys Schumacher claimed his first win of the season by 1.5 seconds from Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello of Brazil.  
They were never troubled by the much slower Jordan and Minardi drivers who finished one lap and two laps behind respectively. The six finishers were all on Bridgestone tyres.  
It was a bit of strange grand prix and it was not the way I wanted to win my first one this year, said Schumacher. He is now third in the drivers standings on 34 points behind leader Fernando Alonso of Renault on 59 and McLarens Kimi Raikkonen on 37.  
A Formula One race had never previously started with so few cars on the grid. The previous lowest number was 10 for the Argentina Grand Prix in January 1958.  
SECOND FIDDLE  
Drivers and team officials said the debacle could kill interest in Formula One in the US where it has played second fiddle to other forms of motor racing including NASCAR.  
Many blamed the sports supremo Bernie Ecclestone for not sorting out a problem he had been aware of since Friday.  
Schumachers younger brother Ralf was forced to miss the race after crashing heavily in Fridays practice when his Toyotas rear left tyre suddenly deflated on the high-speed banked final corner before the pit straight.  
The sports governing body ruled out the chicane while champions Ferrari were also against the idea.  
The Michelin teams deeply regret the position that they have been put in today and would like to apologize to all the spectators, TV viewers, Formula One fans and sponsors for not being able to take part, they said in a joint statement.  
New tyres brought in by Michelin from France overnight after the failures on Friday had been ruled out after tests by the company.  
The drivers in cars with Michelin tyres took part in the warm-up lap before being ordered by their teams to pull into the pits. They sat in their cars for a few minutes before getting out and walking into their pit garages.  
Its a big frustration for the whole team, the drivers, for Formula One in general, especially in front of the US fans, said Italian Jarno Trulli who had taken his Toyota to pole position but never started.  
But we couldnt avoid this situation  we were in danger and we knew it. It was very clear that Michelin runners couldnt race today.  
Ecclestone pointed the finger of blame firmly at Michelin.  
You cant tell people to do something when their tyre company said you cant race on those tyres, he told reporters on the grid minutes before the race.  
Asked about the future of Formula One in the United States, and the future of Michelin in Formula One, Ecclestone said: Not good, on both counts.  
Nine teams had originally said they wanted a new chicane. Minardi boss Paul Stoddart said he had decided to race his two cars after Jordan broke ranks over the tyre issue.

Le Mans  
KRISTENSEN MAKES HISTORY  
In Le Mans, France: Dane Tom Kristensen made history at Le Mans when he clinched a record seventh win in the motor racing classic in searing heat yesterday.  
Kristensen, sharing with German Marco Werner and Finn J.J. Lehto in an Audi R8, beat the previous record of six wins set by Belgian Jacky Ickx between 1969 and 1982.  
The 37-year-old won the worlds most famous endurance race at his first attempt in 1997 and every year from 2000.  
A Pescarolo driven by Frenchmen Eric Comas, Emmanuel Collard and Jean-Christophe Boullion finished second two laps behind.  
German car maker Audi has now won at Le Mans five times in the last six years.  
World rally champion Sebastien Loebs hopes for Le Mans honours on his debut were dashed when his Pescarolo was damaged in an accident.  
Frenchman Soheil Ayari, one of the cars three drivers, was at the wheel when he missed a curve and crashed into a tyre barrier after 288 laps.  
There were reminders of less happy times this weekend, the organizers commemorating the 50th anniversary of the most serious accident in the races history.  
On June 11, 1955, Pierre Leveghs Mercedes hit Lance Macklins Austin Healey before flying into the crowd. Seventy-nine people died.

  Searching for a reason to buy Google  
So is it different this time, or are investors partying like it's 1999?   
Its supporters point out that Google is no concept stock. Unlike pre-millennial Internet darlings, Google makes money. But parallels with the late 1990s should make investors wonder whether there is more room above today's price than below it.   
"On a risk/reward basis, how much upside do you want to be betting on?" asked Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst at Janco Partners in Denver. His answer amounts to not much, but when it comes to Google the business, not Google the investment, he joins in the acclaim.   
The run-up in the stock reminds him of the Internet bubble. "Where it is different and better," he said, "is that Google is profitable."   
Its earnings grow at a sensationally fast clip  they more than tripled last year  and it has very high profit margins  nearly 30 cents of each dollar of revenue last year percolated down to the bottom line.   
The California company is the dominant provider of "paid search" services, the key word being "paid." By aligning the display of advertisements with the search criteria entered by users of its Web site, it commands premium rates. Google is also an innovator, perpetually building on its technology and brand.   
"It's a big, open-ended growth story," said Jerry Jordan, a fund manager at Hellman, Jordan, a Boston money manager. He described Google as "one of our largest positions."   
What separates admirers of Google's stock from skeptics is its price. Based on its close of $282.50 a share, it trades at 88.3 times earnings in the most recent four quarters.   
Jordan estimates that Google will earn $6 this year and $8 to $10 next year. He comes up with a multiple in the 30s, saying this justifies a forecast of $400 for the stock.   
This contrivance  make prodigious growth estimates far enough into the future to generate a less yikes!-inducing valuation  became popular during the bubble. Forecasts are just that, and in the case of Google they have been soaring as analysts outdo one another in anticipating unceasingly rosy hues.   
Jordan's estimates are not off the charts. Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley, the doyenne of Internet analysts, predicts $5.20 in earnings this year. Douglas Anmuth at Lehman Brothers forecasts $5.47, and Benjamin Schachter at UBS ups the ante further, to $5.66.   
Forecasting good fortune seems a safe bet, given Google's margins, but here is where another late '90s phenomenon makes a return engagement: Investors are betting on stability  technological, commercial, economic  in a field where change is constant.   
As the bubble inflated, investors grossly underestimated the ability of other companies to come along and compete with the companies they invested in. Could the same thing happen to Google?   
"Tech-wise, barriers to entry are a lot lower than people think," Pyykkonen warned.   
If Microsoft decided to challenge Google in paid search, he said, it could "do it now and do it bigger than anyone expected," eroding Google's margins.   
Then there's the bolt from the blue that can render forecasts obsolete. Users of Google's new Desktop Search service will surrender information about what's in their computers. What if a precocious high school kid hacks into the system?   
"The privacy issue could hit" the company, Pyykkonen said, adding that "advertisers are aware of it" and may not want to risk becoming associated with a perceived threat.   
As for the stock, he said, "If you don't own it, I wouldn't buy it." He prefers Yahoo and a small paid search company called ValueClick.   
He advised shareholders to stay put, but cautioned that they could take a hit when Standard & Poor's decides  either way - whether to include Google in its 500-stock index. Anticipation of its inclusion accounts for much of the recent rise, he said.   
"There's no new information" to explain the stock's advance, Pyykkonen said. "It's a classic momentum stock priced for perfection." Is it a price worth paying? Sure, if it really is different this time.   

  Ships and Schedules  

Wallenius Wilhelmsen  
Roxanne BR 514, due Santos 24/06  
pro line  
- Far East Service -  
TBN, due Buenos Aires 01-05/07  
LINEAS FEEDER S.A.  
Paraguay Feeder, due Buenos Aires 13/6  
Parana Feeder, due Buenos Aires 11/6  
      - International Freight Forwarders,   
covering all trades  
- Air / Sea / Road  
- NVOCC Services Worldwide  
- Isotank & Flexitank operators  
- Consolidation & LCL Services  
- Customs brokerage  
- Insurance  
- Golf of Usa,  Mexico & Venezula -  
Libra Santos, due Bs.Aires 1906  
TMM Guanajuato, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Libra Rio, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
-East coast of Usa service -   
CSAV New York, due Bs.Aires 17/06  
Libra Santa Catarina, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Montebello, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
- North of Europe -  
CSAV Santos, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
CSAV Montreal, due Bs.Aires 24/06  
Monteverde, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
- Mediterraneo -  
MSC Edna, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
MSC Magali, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
MSC Anahita, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
L.Oriente / Sudafrica / Australia /N.Zelanda  
Ever Given, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Ever Goods, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Hanihe, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Faith, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Ever Gaining, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
CANADA / U.S.A. / BRASIL / ARGENTINA  
Cap S.Lorenzo, due Bs.Aires 07/06  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
ASIA Service  
Cap Bonavista, due Bs.Aires 29/05  
NYK Fantasia, due Bs.Aires 05/06  
Cap Carmel, due Bs.Aires 13/06  
NYK Freesia, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 27/06  
GOLFO/ CARIBE/ MEXICO Service  
Cap S.Lorenzo, due Bs.Aires 07/06  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
NORTE EUROPE / BRASIL / ARGENTINA  
PONL Maxima, due Bs.Aires 04/06  
Monte Rosa, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Santos Express, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
Alianca S.Paulo, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
General Cargo - Reefer Cargo -    
Reefer/Dry Containers -  
Car Carriers - Air Cargo  
FAR EAST SERVICE (NGX)  
NYK Freesia, due Bs.Aires 19/06  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Alianca Hong Kong, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Cap Castillo, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
Conti Malaga, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
Cap Frio, due Bs.Aires 24/07  
Commodere, due Bs.Aires 31/07  
Alianca Singapore, due Bs.Aires 07/08  
Cap Bonavista, due Bs.Aires 14/08  
NYK Fantasia, due Bs.Aires 21/08  
Cap Carmel, due Bs.Aires 28/08  
NYK Freesia, due Bs.Aires 04/09  
EUROPA Service (SAS)  
Monte Olivia, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
PONL Lambada, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
Monte Sarmiento, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
PONL Salsa, due Bs.Aires 16/07  
Monte Rosa, due Bs.Aires 23/07  
Monte Olivia, due Bs.Aires 30/07  
US EAST COAST SERVICE (ANS)  
Cap Carmel, due Bs.Aires 12/06  
NYK Freesia, due Bs.Aires 19/06  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Alianca Hong Kong, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Cap Castillo, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
Conti Malaga, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
PCC RORO SERVICE (Feast/USEC/Carib)  
Astro Venus, due Zrate 13/05  
Kohjin, due Zrate 24/06  
Pacific Leader, due Zrate 14/07  
FAR EAST SERVICE + JAPAN (MOL)  
MOL Wisdom, left Bs.Aires 16/06  
PONL Chusan, left Bs.Aires 23/06  
MOL Bravery, left Bs.Aires 30/06  
MOL Strenght, left Bs.Aires 07/07  
PONL Olinda, left Bs.Aires 14/07  
MOL Pride, left Bs.Aires 09/07  
ECUADOR-PERU SERVICE (MOL)  
Maruba Aconcagua, due Bs.Aires 17/06  
Maruba Huascaran, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Maruba Petrohue, due Bs.Aires 06/07  
Maruba Fitz Roy, due Bs.Aires 21/07  
HAPAG LLOYD SERVICE ORIENTE)  
CMA Lastrolabe, left Bs.Aires 21/06  
Clan Amazonas, left Bs.Aires 06/07  
Maruba Cathay, left Bs.Aires 14/07  
CMA Jaguar, left Bs.Aires 20/07  
HAPAG LLOYD SERVICE NORTH  EUROPE  
Monte Olivia, left Bs.Aires 20/06  
Ponl Lambada, left Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, left Bs.Aires 02/07  
Monte Sarmiento, left Bs.Aires 09/07  
HANJIN SHIPPING VIA RIO GRANDE  
San Felipe, p/Rig. 20/06  
Hansa Commodore, p/Rig. 24/06  
Zim Sao Paulo II, p/Rig. 03/07  
MOL Americas, p/Rig. 15/07  
S.E.A.S. SERVICE  
Cma Cgm  Lastrolabe, due Bs.As. 22/06  
Clan Amazonas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Maruba Cathay, due Bs.Aires 14/07  
MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE - (Seagull Joint Con.)  
Cala Palamos, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Calapadria, due Bs.Aires 17/06  
Cala Paradiso, due Bs.Aires 24/06  
PACIFIC SERVICE - (SACS)  
Maruba Fitz Roy, due Bs.Aires 10/06  
Maruba Aconcagua, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Maruba  Huascaran, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
PATAGONIA EXPRESS SERVICE  
Centurion, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Centurion , due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Centurion , due Bs.Aires 20/07  
Ever Given, due Bs.Aires 08/06  
Ever Goods, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Ha Ni He, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
Faith I, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
Ever Gaining, due Bs.Aires 06/07  
LT Genova, due Bs.Aires 13/07  
COSTA CONTAINER LINES & Grandi Traghetti  
Calapalamos., due Bs.Aires 29/04  
Calapadria, due Bs.Aires 06/05  
Calaparadiso, due Bs.Aires 13/05  
Maruba Tango, due Bs.Aires 20/05  
EAST COAST USA SERVICE, CANADA, MEXICO  
MSC Belem, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
MSC Magali, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
MSC Rio Plata, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
MSC Uruguay, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
MSC Tasmania, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
NORTH EUROPE SERVICE  
MSC Maria Laura, due Bs.Aires 12/06  
MSC Suez, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
MSC Carla, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
MSC Tina, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
MSC Serena, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE  
MSC Edna, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
MSC China, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
MSC Anahita, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
MSC Chile, due Bs.ASires 05/07  
MSC Trinidad, due Bs.Aires 12/07

NORTH EUROPE SERVICE  
Luna Maersk, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Lica Maersk, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Laust Maersk, due Bs.Aires 23/06  
Lexa Maersk, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
SAMBA SERVICE  
Msk. Volos, due Bs.Aires 10/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Maersk Ventspils, due Bs.Aires 22/06

WEST COAST AFRICA  
Msk. Vienna, due Bs.Aires 08/06  
Msk. Volos, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
EAST COAST USA SERVICE  
Safmarine Cunene, due Montevideo 10/06  
Msk. Newark, due Montevideo 17/06  
Msk. Nassau, due Montevideo 25/06  
Safmarine Zambezi, due Montevid. 02/07  
Msk. New Orleans, due Montevid. 09/07  
Msk. Valencia, due Montevideo 16/07  
EUROPE SERVICE  
Luna Maersk, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Lica Maersk, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Laust Maersk, due Bs.Aires 23/06  
Lexa Maersk, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Leda Maersk, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
Laura Maersk, due Bs.Aires 14/07  
SERVICIO SAWA DIRECT  
Maersk Vienna, due Bs.Aires 08/06  
Maersk Volos, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
Maersk Ventspils, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
SAMBA SERVICE   
- South Africa  
Pluto, due Santos 20/06  
Saf.Amazon, due Santos 27/06                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Orion, due Santos 04/07  
Msk. Hong Kong, due Santos 11/07  
Sirius, due Santos 18/07  
SERVICIO MAERSK PATAGONIA  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 09/06  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 15/06  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 22/06  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 29/06  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 06/07  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 13/07  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 20/07  
Msk. Funchal, due Motevideo 27/07  
ECA SERVICE  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap. S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Cap S.Augustin, due Bs.Aires 12/07  
GEC SERVICE  
TMM Colima, due Bs.Aires 12/06  
Libra Santos, due Bs.Aires 19/06  
TMM Guanajuato, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Libra Rio, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Lykes Flyer, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
GrimAldi Lines  - North Europe Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07

- Mercosur Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07

West Africa Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
Oceanbulk Line  
Obl Leader, due Houston 13/06  
Obl Tonnage, due Campana 12/06  
Obl Leader, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Ausonia, eta Bahia Blanca June 19th   
Arabella, eta San Lorenzo June 10th   
Alabanda, eta Recalada June 20th   
Ayrton II, eta Recalada June 15th   
Antonis A, eta Recalada June 09th   
Aditi, eta Recalada June  10th   
Biz, anchored at Common zone   
City of Dubrovnik, ldng at San Lorenzo   
Clipper Sussex, eta Recalada June 16th   
Commuter, at km 171   
Darya Geeth, eta Bahia Blanca June 11th   
Enias, ldng at Bahia Blanca   
Father F, eta Recalada 09th   
Genco Beauty, ldng at Rosario   
Gertrude Oldendorff, disch at S. Nicolas   
Henfield, eta Necochea June 11th   
Island Skipper, eta Recalada 26th   
Jacaranda, eta Recalada 13th   
Jimilta II, eta Recalada 10th   
Kalliopi L, eta Recalada 27th   
Luni Castle, disch at San Nicolas   
Mauro I, ldng at Rosario   
Moondance, ldng at San Lorenzo   
Nordic Blossom, eta Recalada June 11th   
Ocean Ever, eta Recalada June 09th   
Paragon, ldng at Bahia Blanca   
Pacific Prospect, eta Recalada June 20th   
Primrose, eta Recalada June 11th   
Prince of Ocean, eta Recalada June 15th   
Pos Dignity, eta Recalada June 12th   
Sardegna, ldng at San Lorenzo   
Sea Charm, eta Recalada June 12th   
Shan King, eta Recalada June 14th   
Shun Ji Xing,  eta Recalada 20th   
Sirocco Breeze,  ldng at San Lorenzo   
Sofia III,  ldng at Rosario   
Quinn J, eta Mar del Plata June 28th   
Voc Pioneer,  ldng at San Lorenzo   
Universal Chall., eta Recalada June 23rd   
YM Virtue, eta Recalada June 20th   
-K Line - ECAS (East Coast Americas Service)  
Service to/fm Buenos Aires via Rio Grande  
San Felipe, Bue 14/06   
Hansa Commodore, Bue 14/06   
Zim Sao Paulo, Bue 28/06   
MOL Americas, Bue 05/07   
CARIBBEAN SERVICE  
MSC Magali, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
Cap San Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap San Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap Uruguay, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
Cap San Agustin, due Bs.Aires 12/07

Servicio a/desde Costa este Sudamerica-L.Oriente  
CSCL Longkoul, due  Bs.As. 14/06  
Cma Cgm Astrolabe, due Bs.As 22/06  
CSCL Yantian, due Bs.As. 29/06  
Clan Amazonas, due Bs.As. 06/07  
Maruba Cathay, due Bs.Aires 14/07

  Ships and Schedules  

Wallenius Wilhelmsen  
Roxanne BR 514, due Santos 24/06  
pro line  
- Far East Service -  
TBN, due Buenos Aires 10-20/07  
LINEAS FEEDER S.A.  
Paraguay Feeder, Montevideo   
Parana Feeder,  Montevideo   
      - International Freight Forwarders,   
covering all trades  
- Air / Sea / Road  
- NVOCC Services Worldwide  
- Isotank & Flexitank operators  
- Consolidation & LCL Services  
- Customs brokerage  
- Insurance  
- Golf of Usa,  Mexico & Venezula -  
TMM Guanajuato, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Libra Rio, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Lykes Flyer, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
-East coast of Usa service -   
Nordatlantic, due Bs.Aires 23/06  
Libra Santa Catarina, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Montebello, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
- North of Europe -  
CSAV Montreal, due Bs.Aires 24/06  
Monteverde, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Lykes Pilot, due Bs.Aires 08/07  
- Mediterraneo -  
MSC Anahita, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
MSC Chile, due Bs. Aires 05/07  
MSC Trinidad, due Bs.Aires 12/07  
L.Oriente / Sudafrica / Australia /N.Zelanda  
Ever Given, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Ever Goods, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Hanihe, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Faith, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Ever Gaining, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
CANADA / U.S.A. / BRASIL / ARGENTINA  
Cap S.Lorenzo, due Bs.Aires 07/06  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
ASIA Service  
Cap Bonavista, due Bs.Aires 29/05  
NYK Fantasia, due Bs.Aires 05/06  
Cap Carmel, due Bs.Aires 13/06  
NYK Freesia, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 27/06  
GOLFO/ CARIBE/ MEXICO Service  
Cap S.Lorenzo, due Bs.Aires 07/06  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
NORTE EUROPE / BRASIL / ARGENTINA  
PONL Maxima, due Bs.Aires 04/06  
Monte Rosa, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Santos Express, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
Alianca S.Paulo, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
General Cargo - Reefer Cargo -    
Reefer/Dry Containers -  
Car Carriers - Air Cargo  
FAR EAST SERVICE (NGX)  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Alianca Hong Kong, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Cap Castillo, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
Conti Malaga, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
Iwashiro, due Bs.Aires 24/07  
Cap Frio, due Bs.Aires 31/07

EUROPA Service (SAS)  
PONL Lambada, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
Monte Sarmiento, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
PONL Salsa, due Bs.Aires 16/07  
Monte Rosa, due Bs.Aires 23/07  
Monte Olivia, due Bs.Aires 30/07

US EAST COAST SERVICE (ANS)  
Cap Norte, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Alianca Hong Kong, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Cap Castillo, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
Conti Malaga, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
Cap Frio, due Bs.Aires 24/07  
Commodore, due Bs.Aires 31/07

PCC RORO SERVICE (Feast/USEC/Carib)  
Kohjin, due Zrate 24/06  
Pacific Leader, due Zrate 14/07  
FAR EAST SERVICE + JAPAN (MOL)  
PONL Chusan, left Bs.Aires 23/06  
MOL Bravery, left Bs.Aires 30/06  
MOL Strenght, left Bs.Aires 07/07  
PONL Olinda, left Bs.Aires 14/07  
MOL Pride, left Bs.Aires 22/07  
PONLL Surat, left Bs.Aires 29/07  
ECUADOR-PERU SERVICE (MOL)  
Maruba Aconcagua, due Bs.Aires 17/06  
Maruba Huascaran, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
Maruba Petrohue, due Bs.Aires 08/07  
Maruba Fitz Roy, due Bs.Aires 21/07  
Maruba Aconcagua, due Bs.Aires 27/06  
HAPAG LLOYD SERVICE ORIENTE)  
CMA Lastrolabe, left Bs.Aires 22/06  
Clan Amazonas, left Bs.Aires 06/07  
Maruba Cathay, left Bs.Aires 14/07  
CMA Jaguar, left Bs.Aires 20/07  
HAPAG LLOYD SERVICE NORTH  EUROPE  
Ponl Lambada, left Bs.Aires 25/06  
Alianca Bahia, left Bs.Aires 02/07  
Monte Sarmiento, left Bs.Aires 09/07  
PONL Salsa, left Bs.Aires 16/07  
HANJIN SHIPPING VIA RIO GRANDE  
Hansa Commodore, p/Rig. 24/06  
Zim Sao Paulo II, p/Rig. 03/07  
MOL Americas, p/Rig. 15/07  
San Fernando, p/Rig. 18/07

S.E.A.S. SERVICE  
Cma Cgm  Lastrolabe, due Bs.As. 22/06  
Clan Amazonas, due Bs.Aires 06/07  
Maruba Cathay, due Bs.Aires 15/07  
MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE - (Seagull Joint Con.)  
Cala Paradiso, due Bs.Aires 24/06  
Maruba Tango, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Cala Parana, due Bs.Aires 08/07  
Cala Pintada, due Bs.Aires 15/07  
PACIFIC SERVICE - (SACS)  
Maruba Aconcagua, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
Maruba  Huascaran, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
Maruba Petrohue, due Bs.Aires 08/07  
Maruba Fitz Roy, due Bs.Aires 23/07  
PATAGONIA EXPRESS SERVICE  
Centurion, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Centurion, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Centurion, due Bs.Aires 20/07  
Ha Ni He, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
Faith I, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
Ever Gaining, due Bs.Aires 06/07  
LT Genova, due Bs.Aires 13/07  
Yu Gu He, due Bs.Aires 20/07  
LT Trieste, due Bs.Aires 27/07  
COSTA CONTAINER LINES & Grandi Traghetti  
Calapalamos., due Bs.Aires 29/04  
Calapadria, due Bs.Aires 06/05  
Calaparadiso, due Bs.Aires 13/05  
Maruba Tango, due Bs.Aires 20/05  
EAST COAST USA SERVICE, CANADA, MEXICO  
MSC Magali, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
MSC Rio Plata, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
MSC Tasmania, due Bs.Aires 04/07  
MSC Shannon, due Bs.Aires 11/07  
MSC Pride, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
NORTH EUROPE SERVICE  
MSC Suez, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
MSC Carla, due Bs.Aires 25/06  
MSC Serena, due Bs.Aires 04/07  
MSC Germany, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
MSC Levina, due Bs.Aires 17/07  
MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE  
MSC China, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
MSC Anahita, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
MSC Chile, due Bs.ASires 05/07  
MSC Trinidad, due Bs.Aires 12/07  
MSC Nilgun, due Bs.Aires 19/07

NORTH EUROPE SERVICE  
Luna Maersk, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Lica Maersk, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Laust Maersk, due Bs.Aires 23/06  
Lexa Maersk, due Bs.Aires 30/06

SAMBA SERVICE  
Msk. Volos, due Bs.Aires 10/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Maersk Ventspils, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
WEST COAST AFRICA  
Msk. Vienna, due Bs.Aires 08/06  
Msk. Volos, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 22/06

EAST COAST USA SERVICE  
Safmarine Cunene, due Montevideo 10/06  
Msk. Newark, due Montevideo 17/06  
Msk. Nassau, due Montevideo 25/06  
Safmarine Zambezi, due Montevid. 02/07  
Msk. New Orleans, due Montevid. 09/07  
Msk. Valencia, due Montevideo 16/07  
EUROPE SERVICE  
Luna Maersk, due Bs.Aires 09/06  
Lica Maersk, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Laust Maersk, due Bs.Aires 23/06  
Lexa Maersk, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Leda Maersk, due Bs.Aires 07/07  
Laura Maersk, due Bs.Aires 14/07  
SERVICIO SAWA DIRECT  
Maersk Vienna, due Bs.Aires 08/06  
Maersk Volos, due Bs.Aires 15/06  
Helene Rickmers, due Bs.Aires 16/06  
Marie Schulte, due Bs.Aires 22/06  
Maersk Ventspils, due Bs.Aires 29/06  
SAMBA SERVICE   
- South Africa  
Pluto, due Santos 20/06  
Saf.Amazon, due Santos 27/06                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Orion, due Santos 04/07  
Msk. Hong Kong, due Santos 11/07  
Sirius, due Santos 18/07  
SERVICIO MAERSK PATAGONIA  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 09/06  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 15/06  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 22/06  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 29/06  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 06/07  
Msk. Funchal, due Montevideo 13/07  
Msk. Ferrol, due Montevideo 20/07  
Msk. Funchal, due Motevideo 27/07  
ECA SERVICE  
Cap S.Marco, due Bs.Aires 14/06  
Cap. S.Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap S.Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap S.Nicolas, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Cap S.Augustin, due Bs.Aires 12/07  
GEC SERVICE  
TMM Colima, due Bs.Aires 12/06  
Libra Santos, due Bs.Aires 19/06  
TMM Guanajuato, due Bs.Aires 26/06  
Libra Rio, due Bs.Aires 03/07  
Lykes Flyer, due Bs.Aires 10/07  
GrimAldi Lines  - North Europe Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07

- Mercosur Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07

West Africa Service -  
Grande Bs.As., due Bs.Aires 01/06  
Grande Amburgo, due Bs.Aires 11/06  
Grande Brasile, due Bs.Aires 20/06  
Grande San Paolo, due Bs.Aires 30/06  
Rep.Argentina, due Bs.Aires 09/07  
Oceanbulk Line  
Obl Leader, due Houston 13/06  
Obl Tonnage, due Campana 12/06  
Obl Leader, due Bs.Aires 05/07  
Aditi, sailed from S.Lorenzo June 16th    
Alabanda, eta Recalada June 24th  
Antonis A, loading at San Lorenzo  
Arabella, sailed from S.Lorenzo June14th  
Ausonia, eta Bahia Blanca June 19th    
Ayrton II, loading at Rosario   
Biz, loading at San Lorenzo  
Buena Vista, eta Recalada July 4th   
Cilipper Lis eta Recalada July 1st  
Clipper Sussex, loading at Rosario   
Fetish, eta Recalda June 28th   
G. Beauty, sailed fr. B.Blanca June 16th  
Genco Knight, at San Lorenzo roads  
Genco Pionner, eta Recalada June 22nd  
Happy Clipper, eta Rosario June 17th   
Henfield, eta Necochea June 11th   
Island Skipper, eta Recalada 26th   
Jacaranda,loadin at Bs.Aires  
Jimilta II, sailed fr. S.Lorenzo June 16th   
Kalliopi L, eta Recalada June 25th   
Nordic Blossom, anch. at Recalada P.S.  
Norna, anchored at Common Zone  
Ocean Ever, sailed fr.S.Lorenzo June 15th  
Pacific Prospect, eta Recalada June 27th   
Pemi, eta Recalada June 28th   
Pos Dignity, loading at Rosario  
Primrose, eta Bahia Blanca June 17th  
Prince of Ocean, eta S.Lorenzo June 17th  
Produce, eta recalada June 29th  
Quinn J, eta Recalada June 28th  
Rainbow, eta Recalada tbc   
Sea Charm, loading at San Lorenzo  
Sea Master, eta San Lorenzo June 18th  
Sea King, sailed from Rosario June 16th  
Sun Ji King, eta Recalada June 22nd  
Sirocco Breeze, discharg. at San Lorenzo  
Sofia III, eta Necochea June 17th  
Tenacity, eta Recalada June 22nd  
Universal Chall., eta Recalada June 24th  
Voc Pioneer, loading at Bahia Blanca  
YM Virtue, eta Recalada June 20th   
-K Line - ECAS (East Coast Americas Service)  
Service to/fm Buenos Aires via Rio Grande  
Hansa Commodore, Bue 21/06   
Zim Sao Paulo, Bue 28/06   
MOL Americas, Bue 05/07  
San Fernando, Bue 12/07   
CARIBBEAN SERVICE  
MSC Magali, due Bs.Aires 18/06  
Cap San Raphael, due Bs.Aires 21/06  
Cap San Antonio, due Bs.Aires 28/06  
Cap Uruguay, due Bs.Aires 02/07  
Cap San Agustin, due Bs.Aires 12/07

Servicio a/desde Costa este Sudamerica-L.Oriente  
CSCL Longkoul, due  Bs.As. 14/06  
Cma Cgm Astrolabe, due Bs.As 22/06  
CSCL Yantian, due Bs.As. 29/06  
Clan Amazonas, due Bs.As. 06/07  
Maruba Cathay, due Bs.Aires 14/07

  sidelights  
WIMBLEDON  Mariano Puerta of Argentina lost in the first round at Wimbledon yesterday, falling to Lars Burgsmller of Germany 6-1 6-1 6-4.  
It was difficult to play a good match, especially in the first and second sets, he didnt make a mistake, Puerta said. Grass is very different, its faster. I only practiced for four days. But Im happy because Im No. 11 in the world and 10 months ago, nobody knew me.  
Puerta returned to Argentina after the French Open and then came to England last Wednesday.  
It was crazy, unbelievable, I couldnt go outside my house, Puerta said of the reception he got at home.  
Puerta will get more practice on grass when he plays in the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Australia in Sydney on July 15-17. I think Ill just play doubles, he said.  
LACK OF AUSSIES: Lleyton Hewitt is worried about the state of Australian tennis. Hewitt, the 2002 champion, is one of four Australians in the mens draw along with wild card Mark Philippoussis, the 2003 runner-up, Wayne Arthurs and Scott Draper.  
Definitely somethings changed or gone wrong for Australia, Hewitt said. On Australias part, we dont have enough players. Its really not good enough for our country.  
Australian men have won Wimbledon 21 times.  
NEW BRITISH HOPE: Britain has a new tennis star  for a day at least.  
David Sherwood advanced to the second round at Wimbledon with a 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Ricardo Mello of Brazil. Sherwood, who is Britains No. 8, is ranked 207 places below the 54th-ranked Mello.  
I started off serving well, although I had a bit of nerves towards the end, Sherwood said.  
Greg Rusedski also won, beating Alberto Martn 6-3 4-6 6-2 6-1, but four other British men lost. All five British women playing yesterday lost their first round matches. Five more Brits  three men and two women  play today. Tim Henman is the best chance for Britain to win their first mens title since Fred Perry in 1936. The last womens winner was Virginia Wade in 1977.
  Simulations in Business English teaching  

By Laura Pantelakis  
For The Herald

Communicative approaches to language teaching encourage the replication of every day situations in the classroom in order to infuse a sense of purpose to language practice. Among the real life skills that students of Business English need to develop, communicating concisely and effectively is uppermost. There is therefore no better activity type that can lend itself to the creation of the necessary conditions for the full exploitation of communication skills and all its related subskills than simulations.  
By definition simulations differ from role-plays in that the former involve the students enacting their real-life roles by introducing an element of make-believe (Ur, P. A course in Language Teaching: Theory and Practice.1996). Students are businesspeople trying to solve a work-related problem rather than playing the imaginary role of a receptionist being requested a service as is the case with role-plays. Consequently, through this activity type students are challenged to draw on their own knowledge and experience to achieve success in the completion of the task and thus derive a sense of fulfillment even when the simulation is a classroom activity. In addition to the high motivation levels aroused by simulations, a further advantage of this activity type is that it leaves room for the integration of all four skills since, besides the practice of structural aspects of the language (particular areas of vocabulary and grammar), reading, writing, listening and speaking  blend easily. Further still, there is the fact that simulations are not teacher- directed activities so student talking time is greatly increased. The forum for discussion and negotiations generated by simulations enables students to learn about their strenghts and weaknesses not only from a linguistic but also from a personal viewpoint.  
Broadly speaking, simulations consist of three phases: the setting up, the situation itself and the feedback stage. The degree to which each phase is exploited will depend on the depth which the teacher wants to reach: if simulations are an ordinary part of the course, then the teacher may wish to focus on the refinement of one skill in particular at a time or on the accuracy and range of grammatical structures involved in the outcome. It must also be borne in mind that on average simulations can take at least an hour and a half to complete, which can render them time-consuming if there are syllabus constraints.   
As mentioned before, there are three phases to a simulation. The first phase has to do with the background details that contextualize the business problem (the setting-up). At this stage students receive the necessary input that enables them to gain an insight into the problem and they also familiarize themselves with the key vocabulary associated with the problem itself. For the second phase of the simulation (the situation itself), it is crucial to allow students the time to analyse their roles and completely understand the implications their specific stance should have in the simulation. Teachers should monitor this stage extremely carefully because any misunderstanding can lead to serious breakdowns in communication for the correct enactment of the situation. This analysis should precede the simultion itself and must be alloted the necessary time for students to gather their thoughts and plan their arguments to support their standpoint. Finally, the third phase - feedback -  can be geared in two different directions: students self-assessment of their performance in the negotiation and an evaluation of  the outcome of the negotiation. Otherwise, the teacher can select the specific area on which s/he wants to provide feedback and thus decide on the appropriate follow-up or remedial work on accuracy, reinforcement of the language for persuasion or further skills practice.   
Complex though this activity type may seem, it is certainly an enjoyable and fruitful classroom task. It must be admitted that it can be difficult for both the experienced and inexperienced teacher to design a simulation. The recommended course of action is to use the published materials available to gain an insight into the task type and then design one accordingly taking into account students specific needs.

Laura Pantelakis is a graduate English teacher from J.V. Gonzalez. She Holds an MA from Kings College London,University of London. She has Many years experience teaching Business courses and training students for BEC exams (ESOL).She works at AACI.

  Skiing in a winter wonderland when winter is barely upon us  

Located 18 kilometres from San Martn de los Andes and a further 20 kilometres from the towns airport, Chapelco usually opens two to three weeks later, but by Saturday morning there was already an overall snowfall of 2.15 metres at the mountains base (1,260 metres above sea-level) and six metres at the summit (1,980 metres). The whitewash was so great that one lift barely peaked out above a snow drift and the upper areas of the mountain were closed, leaving seven trails and three lifts available for opening weekend.  
Chapelcos total of 22 trails and eleven lifts make it a relatively small complex, but there is a wide variety of terrain to enjoy when all runs are open. The peak areas around Cerro Teta offer the greatest challenges, with 32-degree grades, plenty of moguls, and winds that whip across the face often gusting above 100 kilometres per hour. The back side of Cerro Teta is available for off-trail skiing and boarding, though it is not serviced by the mountains lifts. Anyone wishing for that adventure must hike.  
The lower areas of the mountain offer more options for less advanced skiers. At midmountain, reached via a gondola that connects to the base, the short 63 lift goes to the easiest trails. The extra few metres also provide clearer views of spectacular Lago Lcar, nestled among the mountains that surround San Martn de los Andes.  
Graeff lift, accessible from the gondola as well, is excellent for intermediate levels. Though one can descend directly from the top of the gondola, Graeff is a fast quad lift, extends the run for those going to the base, and connects to wider-reaching trails, including the highly-recommended Italianos, which stretches out farther than other trails and has a manageable incline that is not indicative of its difficult rating.  
The runs below the gondola are also challenging but possible for intermediates, despite the fact that, if current conditions persist, the profundity of the powder makes the entire lower half more difficult.   
Still, the width of most trails allows for broad manoeuvring.  
Among Chapelcos specialty features are a snowboard park and Snowgarden. The latter is used exclusively by 3-to-5 year olds, the youngest participants in the resorts well-regarded ski school.   
Asked why Chapelco is considered among the best places to learn to ski in Argentina, instructor Jorge Audisio, a 21-year-old from Buenos Aires who is in his third year at the school, said, We are like a big family here, making reference both to the close-knit nature of the teaching team and the emphasis placed on skiing as a family event. With Snowgarden, the mountain has its bases covered.  
Though they are not run by the resort staff, there are opportunities for non-skiers at Chapelco as well, including guided showshoeing treks and rides powered by Siberian sled dogs.   
There is also a snowmobiling trail that winds through one of the mountains many forests and is easily reached from the top of the gondola.  
The only drawback to Chapelcos layout is one that plagues most ski resorts  a number of flat areas that require hiking by the skier and are a particular burden on poleless snowboarders. Be especially aware of the base arrival, where one must climb a small hill to reach the gondola.     As nagging as this problem is, the resort seems to be doing everything it can to make the mountain as convenient as possible. The Manolo lodge, one of eight concession and rest spots at Chapelco, was expanded and relocated to a higher point this year to increase accessibility and ease congestion. There are also plans to have a new quad lift running by next year in order to increase the current capacity of 12,000 skiers per hour. Marlene Toledo, a representative at the Chapelco office in San Martn, estimates the mountain hosts up to 7,000 people daily during peak season, so the expansion is aimed towards an anticipated increase in visits.  
San Martn de los Andes appears to be aware of its role as host to an expanding resort, too. Unlike many North American mountains, Chapelco does not have extensive accommodations, so the city must house most visitors. According to the Tourism Office, the town sleeps a maximum of 5,677 guests, but construction sites dot an already attractive skyline of wooden, Swiss-style buildings that match the beautiful mountain surroundings, most especially Chapelco. Prices listed are in pesos and are for high season only (July 9-29). Check online at  for low and midseason rates and more details, including student and youth discount packages, trail maps and ski conditions.

Lift passes  
Under four and over 70 years old ski free  
One-day  adults (12-59 years old): 96; youth (5-11)/seniors (60-69): 77  
Weeklong  adults: 533; youth/seniors: 433  
There is a 20 percent discount on all passes until June 17

Equipment rental  
One-day ski set  51  
One-day snowboard set  51  
Weeklong ski set  266  
Weeklong snowboard set  266  
Lessons  
Three-day group class  adult: 165 (2.5 hours); youth (6-15 years old): 278 (5 hours)  
Individual class  one hour: 77; six hours: 439; 10 hours: 693  
Snowgarden  one-day: 85 (5 hours); three-day: 214; six-day: 330

Other services  
Day care for three-month to three-year-olds (open 9:30am to 5:30pm)  half-day: 44; one day: 66; six days: 281  
Roundtrip shuttle service from San Martn de los Andes to the Chapelco base - 20  
In addition to services at the resort, most purchases can be made at Chapelco sales offices in Buenos Aires (Suipacha 612 1st Floor, tel: 4328-4988/4998/4996, ) and San Martn de los Andes (Av. San Martn and Elordi, tel/fax: 02972 427845, )   

  Socialist support for K  

Socialist support for K  
The Socialist mayor of Rosario, Miguel Lifschitz, said yesterday that President Nstor Kirchner has the whole support of the people of Argentina. A Socialist-led coalition is leading in polls ahead of the October 23 midterm election in Santa Fe province.

The longest flag  
Hundreds of people yesterday carried the longest flag in the world during the Flag Day celebrations in Rosario yesterday. The flag has been growing in size for years and is now 10,000 metres long.

30,000 people  
Around 30,000 people attended the Flag Day ceremony presided by President Nstor Kirchner in Rosario yesterday, police reported.

  South Africa fields trade mission  

By Herald staff

A South African trade mission arrived in Buenos Aires last week from Chile and held a two-day event of seminars and one-on-one business meetings.  
The event, opened last Thursday by South Africas Ambassador to Argentina, Professor Mlungisi Makalima, had a large predominance of mining company executives, both South African and Argentine.  
As Makalima said, from the perspective of the embassy this meeting is another milestone in developing business ties between Argentina and South Africa.  
Both the Southern African Customs Union and the Mercosur are in the final stages of setting up a preferential trading agreement, an issue that drew keen interest from those present. Entailing the preferential tariff treatment of some 1,500 items in two-way trade, officials at the meeting said that negotiations are entering their final stage with talks centering on rules of origin among other items.  
Although bilateral trade totalled some 690 million dollars in 2004, with Argentine exports totalling 600 million dollars that year, officials from both countries emphasised the potential to boost ties further.  
The Undersecretary for international trade, Ambassador Jorge Lapsenson, pointed out that South Africa is one of Argentinas priority countries and is part of Argentinas foreign trade policy of gradually developing a new trade axis, especially South-South.  
The relevance is that South Africa is now Argentinas 11th largest trading partner, Lapsenson pointed out.  
Stressing that Argentinas exports have risen by 36 percent in the last two years, Lapsenson also forecast that exports this year should total some US$38 billion.  
Lapsenson and South African Trade and Industry Department Director-General Iqbal Meer Sharma coincided on the issue that small and medium-sized enterprises were becoming the engine room of economic development in both countries, with some 10,700 small companies in Argentina now exporting regularly.  
Other speakers at the Thursday seminar included businessman Kenneth Manners (who had the auto industry in common with Sharma despite coming from the public and private sectors respectively), Argentine-South African Chamber of Commerce President Oscar Hansen and Alberto Ibez, head of the Argentine Industrial Union (UIA) trade department.  
Sharma gave an overview of the South African economy and how 10 years of consistent policies are beginning to pay off despite a volatile exchange rate, while Hansen pointed out that Argentina has more to offer than foods and commodities and should be viewed as a gateway to the rest of the continent.  
Manners pointed out the challenge of turning around an inward-looking economy with an underskilled workforce since South Africas first majority government was elected in 1994. Since then South Africas car market has grown from 150,000 to 460,000 vehicles with two-thirds produced locally  South Africa now makes world-class BMWs. Manners praised the resourceful way in which South African businessmen have coped with 50-60 percent devaluations and revaluations alike in the last few years. He gave the government full credit for allowing business to define the skills needed at training centres.  
Ibez forecast a trade surplus of 10 billion dollars this year (needed to service the debt) and claimed a balanced mix for Argentine exports, both in terms of sector and destination. He also sang the praises of small companies, saying that the economies of scale do not apply in countries like Argentina.  
Pointing to investment opportunities in South Africa, officials said that while South Africa has a first-class logistics chain, its infrastructure is working at full capacity and further investments will be required to expand capacity at ports and airports  Ibez likewise said that Argentine industry was near capacity after two years of nine percent growth.  
An added enticement was that the return on investments in South Africa last year was 34 percent, one of the highest in the world.  
Companies taking part in the trade mission included those from the mining, defence, wine, health, financial services and car manufacturing sectors.    
              PJ-MS

  Sports in Brief  

Volleyball  
In Novi Sad, Serbia & Montenegro: Argentina were beaten again by Serbia & Montenegro 3-2 in the eighth round of the Group C of the World League at the SPC Vodjvodina stadium.  
Serbia & Montenegro won 25-21, 32-30, 27-29, 17-25 and 34-32.  
Argentina had been defeated also in Saturdays match 3-1.  
With this result Argentina close the standings of Group C with 10 points, while Poland lead with 14 followed by Greece and Serbia & Montenegro, two points behind.  
Argentina have a slight chance of qualifying to the next stage if they beat Greece on July 8-10 in Belgrado.  
In Sao Paulo: Olympic and world champion Brazil defeated Portugal 25-21, 25-20, 25-23 yesterday to increase its lead in Group A.  
Brazil, which beat Portugal in four sets a day earlier, improved to a 7-1 record, while second-place Portugal fell to 5-3.  
The Brazilians dominated in front of almost 20,000 fans at the Nelson Piquet Arena in Brazils capital, Brasilia.  
Earlier yesterday in Tokyo, third-place Venezuela (4-4) routed last-place Japan (0-8) for a second straight day.  
Cuba lead Italy in Group B.

Polo  
Foxcote Wildmoor  featuring Bautista Heguy and Jos Ignacio Araya  defeated Oaklands Park (with Eduardo Heguy and Gastn Laulh) 11-10 in the fifth qualifying round of the Warwickshire Cup at the Cirencester Park Polo Club in England.

Athletics  
In Tokyo: a 95-year-old Japanese man shattered the 100 metres world record in the 95-99 age group at a seniors athletics meeting yesterday, organizers said.  
Kozo Haraguchi splashed through the rain to clock 22.04 seconds in Miyazaki, southern Japan, slicing almost two seconds off the previous world record of 24.01.

  Sports in Brief  

Basketball  
In New York: significant progress was reported on Friday in NBA labour talks after the sides met for more than 11 hours. Commissioner David Stern, union director Billy Hunter and several owners and players met at a Manhattan hotel, the first substantive talks in weeks on a new labour agreement to replace the seven-year deal expiring June 30.  
Among the major issues the sides were trying to resolve were a proposed age limit of 19 for rookies, a tougher drug-testing programme and the maximum length of long-term contracts. Owners were known to be seeking several other changes, including a new luxury tax (dubbed a supertax) for the highest spending teams, reductions in the size of annual salary increases in long-term contracts, a shortened rookie wage scale and adjustments to the so-called trigger percentages that activate the escrow and luxury taxes designed to curtail spending on player salaries.

Horse racing  
In York, England: Cape of Good Hope set a course record to win the Golden Jubilee Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot on Saturday, held at Yorks Knavesmire race course.  
The 6-1 shot, ridden by Mick Kinane, finished in one minute, 8.58 seconds to become the first Hong Kong-based horse to win in Britain. It beat Galeota by a head in the six-furlong race, with 9-2 favorite Balmont finishing third.  
Cape of Good Hope, which beat the previous record by .24 seconds, was fourth in the Kings Stand earlier this week.  
Its a great day for me to come home and have a winner. It means an awful lot, British-born trainer David Oughton said. Hes so tough, and a marvelous horse to train. Hes been all over the world  to Australia, Japan and England twice  and hes just a really tough horse.  
Iffraaj upset the form book in winning the five-furlong Wokingham Stakes by two lengths.  
Iffraaj was originally rated at 9-1 by bookmakers when the handicap opened, but was 9-4 by the start. Beckermet, at 16-1, was second, with Peter Paul Rubens in third.

  Spurs take 3-2 series lead with overtime  

BASKETBALL  
NBA Finals

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan  Robert Horry nailed the decisive three-pointer with 5.8 seconds left in overtime as the San Antonio Spurs moved to within a game of the NBA title with a 96-95 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.  
Tim Duncan scored 26 points to lead San Antonio to victory in the first tight game of the series as the Spurs took a 3-2 lead over the defending champions in the best-of-seven Finals.  
Duncan also had 19 rebounds, but missed six free throws in the final quarter, almost costing the Spurs the win.  
Boasting five NBA title victories in his career and renowned for his clutch shooting ability, Horry added 21 points for San Antonio and went five-for-six on his three-point attempts.  
He was unbelievable, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of Horry. Hes just got a great sense about him. Hes a really smart player.  
After two sub-par games, Emanuel Ginbili had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Spurs, including an assist on Horrys game-winner.  
He made an unbelievable shot, Ginbili said.  
Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 34 points, Richard Hamilton had 15 and Ben Wallace added 13 with 12 rebounds.  
The Pistons had one more chance to win the game, but Hamiltons last shot missed, making Horry the hero.  
He (Horry) was big, thats what he does, Billups said. Thats why he has so many championship rings. He made all the right plays at the right time.  
BROWN DEJECTED  
Detroit coach Larry Brown was clearly dejected after the loss.  
This was tough, Brown said. We had a great opportunity. Its the kind of a game where you hate to see anybody lose, so weve got to bounce back.  
The teams now return to San Antonio for Game Six this evening and if necessary, a seventh and deciding contest two days later.  
Champions in 1999 and 2003, the Spurs scored the first four points of the game before the Pistons took an early 13-6 lead. However, San Antonio cut the margin to 23-21 after the first quarter and led by as many as nine points in the second, before Detroit rallied to tie the game 42-42 at halftime following a 13-4 run.  
After four lopsided games to start the series, Game Five was close throughout, with the lead changing hands several times in the third quarter before Horry gave notice of what was to come with a final-second three-pointer that put the Spurs 64-63 ahead with 12 minutes remaining.  
That set the stage for a tension-filled final quarter, with the game knotted on nine different occasions before the extra period.  
Detroit scored the first four points of overtime, but the Spurs stayed close enough to give Horry a chance to seal a memorable victory.

  Taliban murder eight policemen plus others  
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan  Taliban guerrillas said they killed a district police chief and seven other policemen yesterday out of 31 police they were holding prisoner in the troubled southern Afghan province of Kandahar.  
The US military meanwhile said it killed 15-20 militants with air strikes yesterday in Helmand province, also in southern Afghanistan, after a joint patrol of US and Afghan troops came under attack in the latest in a wave of violence to rock the country.  
The capture and killing of the policemen has created a fresh crisis for authorities in Kandahar, the province worst hit by the surge of violence in recent months that has raised fears for parliamentary elections on Sept. 18.  
In separate violence in Helmand, guerrillas killed a judge, an intelligence official and a guard in the district of Anad-i-Ali to the west of the provincial capital Lashkargah on Friday night, a provincial spokesman said.  
Overnight, three rockets hit the city of Kandahar, one of which seriously wounded two children, police said.  
A senior police officer said on Saturday that Taliban guerrillas had captured 30 policemen and a district chief in attacks on Thursday and Friday on Mian Nishin, a district in the north of Kandahar province, and taken over the main government building.  
Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi said district police chief Nanai Khan, the senior policeman captured, was shot dead with three bullets on the orders of Taliban religious leaders.  
At 8.30 this morning we executed Nanai Khan after a fatwa from the mullahs, he said. They said his crime was high so he should be executed.  
The officers body was dumped at a village in Mian Nishin named Shai Khan, Hakimi said. The government can come and pick up his body, he said.  
Hakimi told journalists later We have killed seven others and 23 are still alive and in our custody.  
Officials in Kandahar said they were not immediately able to confirm the killings.  
General Salim Khan, the deputy provincial police chief, said only 13 people had been captured.  
(Herald staff with Reuters)
  Tandanor debate postponed on political differences  
The Lower House of Congress postponed for at least fifteen days, the debate on the expropriation of the Northern Basin Naval Workshops (Tandanor), due to differences between the Peronist party and the opposition.   
The majority bloc intended to debate this initiative last week which was presented by the speaker of the house, Eduardo Camao, but the differences between the blocs and some discrepancies within the Peronist party made it impossible for the bill to be debated during the session.  
The controversy revolves around the make up of the new company and, because of this, the majority bloc decided to accept the oppositions claim to open a round of talks with the Defence Ministry and the workers that are running this ship repairs firm.  
In addition, the UCR radical party and other opposition parties would like to see a bill that deals not only with the expropriation of the of the firm, but one that also proposes the creation of the new company to replace Tandanor, which is currently bankrupt.  
The representatives seek to set up the Sapem Argentine Shipyard company, with the state as a majority shareholder, but with private capital participation of up to 49 percent of shares.  
The decision to postpone the bills debate was taken in the Parliamentary Labour commission, and following a three-hour debate in the Budget and Finance Commission, which was attended by the general director of naval matters, Gustavo Lepron. The naval official said that the resolution of Tandanors legal framework was paramount, and added that the company was currently recovering.  
Various representatives requested the attendance of the companys workers and managers, and the justice commission put a 50 million peso limit on the cost of the expropriation and subsequent bidding.                               (Tlam)
  Tati confronts modern times  

By DAVE KEHR  
The New York Times

When Jacques Tatis comic masterpiece Mon Oncle opened in New York City on Nov. 3, 1958, it was presented in two versions: Patrons of the Baronet Theater could see Mon Oncle with English subtitles, while at the Guild patrons could see My Uncle, a substantially different version of the film prepared by Tati for English-speaking audiences.  
Mon Oncle has since become a classic, but My Uncle was filed away and forgotten, at least until last year, when its original negative was discovered in Tatis archives. The badly damaged negative was restored by Tatis estate, and the resulting print  in bright, beautiful colour  had its second worldwide premiere yesterday at the Museum of Modern Art. After a celebratory screening at 8:30 pm, presented by Jerome Deschamps and Macha Makeieff, the Tati estates caretakers, the film will return tomorrow for daily screenings through Sunday.  
One of the most painstaking, meticulous artists the movies have produced, Tati obsessed over every detail of his creations, making only five theatrical features between his 1949 debut, Jour de F      te, and his final film, Trafic, in 1971. Though My Uncle doesnt fully qualify as an independent work, it does represent a thorough rethinking of Mon Oncle.  
A first viewing suggests dozens of variations between the two films. Most obviously, Tati reshot several scenes, using English signs  School, Way Out  instead of the French Ecole and Sortie. But there are many other, more subtle differences: Entire sequences appear in one version but not the other, and scenes are shot and edited for different effect.  
Mon Oncle imagines a culture in transition between the cluttered, chaotic and pleasure-oriented old Paris neighbourhood where Tatis character, the reedy, pipe-smoking Monsieur Hulot, maintains his bachelor residence, and the sterile, modern, oppressively efficient suburbs where Hulots beloved 12-year-old nephew (Alain Becourt) lives with his parents, the upwardly mobile Arpels (Jean-Pierre Zola and Adrienne Servantie).  
The French version seems evenly balanced between the two realms, though Tatis sentimental preference for the litter-strewn streets of the old quartier is clear. There appears to be less of that litter in the English version, and less occasion for the two worlds to meet: The scruffy, rotund greengrocer who calls on the Arpels in the French version does not appear in the English film at all, and the stray dogs that freely and gleefully cross the border seem to have had their range curtailed.  
In place of these elements, the English version builds up the satire on modern life. A brief scene in which Madame Arpel dresses in a nurses uniform to serve her son a hygienic meal is extended in the English film to include a few more swipes at such burdensome so-called conveniences as hand-held plate sterilizers.  
Most tellingly, perhaps, Tati largely restricts the English dialogue to the world of the Arpels. They and their friends now speak almost exclusively in British-accented English, while French remains the language of the old city: of Hulot, his neighbours, the children and (one feels strangely certain) the dogs. Fifty years ago, Tati had already recognized English as the language of globalization, of the erasure of the cultural quirks and individual eccentricities that were his principal objects of delight.  
In the end, My Uncle seems as much a gentle rebuke of the English-speaking audience as a friendly gesture toward it. Though dialogue is not a crucial element in either version (Mon Oncle can be fully enjoyed without subtitles), Tati is using it here to draw a line of demarcation, another border between the Old World and the New, between a waning Europe and an economically emerging United States. For Tati, a supreme visual artist, language is just another part of the image.

  The Herald in action Entrance Exam to Universidad de la Plata  

Nie Activity 

By Adriana Vega  
For the Herald

Education and its myriad forms undoubtedly provides food for thought. What is quality education? What are we entitled to expect from our students? Theres plenty of such challenging, discussion-inducing springboards for many people in the education arena to air their most diverse views. Yet, this is in general confined to teachers, for as far as education goes, I guess that students know better than we think at times. Could we find anything more relevant to reflect on than the educational dimension  inside the classroom?    
Last month university applicants hit the headlines. Once again, an overwhelming majority of prospective Medicine students proved unable to pass the admission examination for Universidad de la Plata. That posed a rather hackneyed question: should universities require an entrance examination? All instances of debate even in the media have centred around this and, regrettably in all cases, they seemed to have reached a stalemate. Maybe its just a matter of setting our sights on answering some of the central questions as much as some of the peripheral ones to broaden the scope, so to speak: Does medicine stand out as a different discipline?, What are our representations about what a good doctor is?, How much is the secondary school to blame for this outright failure?, How should these students be trained?, Can the university accept students that scraped through?, What are the standards in other countries like?.  
Heres a task that might come in handy.   
1. Plan some research work for your students. Each group should explore the admission system in universities located in a specific country. They should bring in all the information they have gleaned to the class.    
2. With all the material at hand, have the whole class analyse the different systems and brainstorm their upsides and downsides. Students should take notes.   
3. As an awareness-raising activity, ask your students to analyse their own system by answering similar questions. You might provide some topic-related articles from former issues (either informative articles or editorials)  
4. Have your students outline the main characteristics of the best admission system possible for this country in groups in order to make a class presentation at a later stage.   
5. At the report stage, they will put forward their plan and defend it. The others will adopt a critical stance.

Adriana Vega is a Lenguas Vivas graduate teacher. She is currently specializing in American History and is about to graduate as a Literary and Scientific Translator

  The language clinic  

by Theodore McNabney  
For The Herald

We love to play games with our language and one of the most common and amusing is the use of puns and altered phrases in advertising signs. One of the first I remember was encountered while on a family outing one Sunday many years ago. My father was driving the car and we approached a small truck at an intersection. On the back of the truck was a sign reading A Blind Man is Driving this Truck. Of course we became interested and my father accelerated in order to pass the truck and take a look at this most peculiar chauffeur. On the side of the truck we found the answer to our question.  It was explained that this was the delivery vehicle for a company that made window blinds. We then understood the play on the word blind; instead of meaning a person who cannot see it referred to a window covering.  
Here we will look at some other examples of similar slogans:   
l On a Podiatrists office: Time wounds all heels, a reworking of the phrase Time heals all wounds.  
l On a tire shop: Invite us to your next blowout. Blowout in this case means a flat tire but it is also a vernacular expression referring to a party.   
l A plastic surgeon asked in a sign May we pick your nose?. This does not refer to the practice of cleaning ones nose (considered not a polite action in public) but rather to selecting a change in this facial feature.  
l At a towing company: We do not charge an arm and a leg, we want tows. Here the pun is the word tows, referring to pulling an automobile that will not start and playing with the anatomical reference to toes.   
l On an electricians truck: Let us remove your shorts. At first we may think they are being rude and want to divest us of an article of clothing but then we realize they mean an electrical short circuit.  
l In an optometrists waiting room: If you dont see what you want, you have come to the right place. This is a rewriting of a common phrase in stores If you dont see what you want, please ask.   
l In front of a funeral home: Drive carefully, we can wait. Here the meaning is quite obvious, I think.  
l On a pizza delivery van: 7 days without pizza make one weak. We all know that seven days make one week and then we see what this food service is saying, hoping, of course, that we will purchase one of their pizzas to give us energy.  
One of my favorites appeared in the non-smoking area of a restaurant: If we see smoke we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action. That should make someone who wishes to light a cigarette think twice!  
Of course there are many more examples of this kind of advertising humor and perhaps in the future we will list some more. If you have seen any that you would like to share please contact us and we will be happy to include them.   
It would be a pleasure to hear from you. If you wish you may write me at   
Until next time heres hoping you take a healthy, open approach to English, and have fun doing so.  

  The list  
black comedy. Actors Repertory Theatre presents Peter Shaffers play, directed by Hugo Halbrich. Thur/Fri/Sat 9pm at British Arts Centre (BAC), Suipacha 1333. $10 on Thur and $12 Fri/Sat. Until June 25.  
little voices. A biographical theatre piece based on the life and works of one of the greatest short story writers in the English language: Katherine Mansfield. Using her poetry and love letters and adapting two of her most acclaimed stories, The Daughters of the Late Colonel and The Singing Lesson, US playwright Chris Longo explores the writers final days in France and the connection between life and art. Fri/Sats 9pm - Suns 7pm at The Playhouse, Moreno 80, San Isidro.  
de la guarda. A rerun of Villa Villa, the innovative show which had successful runs in the worlds most important capitals. Dancing, music, and a lot of different atmospheres, with 15 artists interacting with the audience. Weds 9pm ($20)  Thurs 9pm ($30)  Fri/Sats 8/11pm ($30)  Suns 8pm ($30) at Centro Cultural Recoleta, Junn 1930. Tickets there or calling Ticketmaster: 4321-9700.  
el graduado. Local version of the international stage show The Graduate, which saw different stars as Mrs. Robinson. Starring singer-actress Nacha Guevara, Felipe Colombo and Mercedes Funes. The sexual odyssey of a young and naive student who refuses to follow the rules of the adult world. At Teatro Metropolitan, Av. Corrientes 1343.  
el caso casandra (The Casandra Case), a play written by Jorge Zima, opens at the Teatro Garganta, Jorge Newbery 3565, today at 9pm. Admittance is 8 pesos (Reservations: 455-5596). The play, featuring Claudia Zima and Pablo Schapira, is directed by Mariana Brisky, the well-known actress who has starred in television shows. Zima and Schapira are also actors highly regarded in the local theatre scene. Mariana Sosa is the plays co-director.  
slaughter. A political thriller on violence and terrorism in modern society. Fris 11pm at Korinthio Teatro, Junn 380. $10.  
te voy a matar, mam. One-woman show performed by Mnica Villa. Waiting to kill her mother, a woman rehearses the murder. The plays probes the reasons why people feel unable to forge their own destiny. Sats 11pm - Suns 8pm at Teatro del Pueblo, Roque Senz Pea 943. $10.  
guachos. Carlos Pais work directed by Manuel Iedvabni. Starring Manuel Callau and Magela Zanotta. In a desperate situation after a power cut, a writer calls on a homeless man. Trying to solve the problem, they will find they have something in common: the state of defencelessness in Argentina. Wed ($6) to Sun 8.30pm at Teatro San Martn, Av. Corrientes 1530. $12.  
las cartas que no llegaron. Presented by Uruguayan Institucin Teatral El Galpn de Montevideo. Based on Mauricio Rosencofs novel of the same title. A man narrates the story of his life, with snapshots of Nazi concentration camps and the torture cells of the Uruguayan dictatorship. Performances: June 17/18 9pm - 19 8pm at Teatro San Martn, Av. Corrientes 1530. $12.  
mscaras. Set in the 50s, a dramatic comedy on hypocrisy and the distortion of the values of humankind. Fris 9pm at Teatro De La Fbula, Agero 444.  
ad-lib match. The opportunity to meet some of the best ad-lib actors in the context of the 2005 championship. Fris 11.30pm at Teatro Liberarte, Av. Corrientes 1555.  
el 3340. An original variety show. Weds 9pm at Anfitrin, Venezuela 3340.  
objeto mujer. Written and directed by Fabin Politis, a one-woman show performed by Laura Brauer. In the context of a therapy session in which the analyst is a doll, a woman tries to understand her life, but first she must get rid of the things that suffocate her. Fris 10.30pm at Aktuar, Gascn 1474. $7 ($5 for pensioners and students).  
van gogh. Directed by Daniel Marcove and written by Pacho ODonnell, play narrates the story of the talented artist and his relationship with his brother Theo. Starring Ral Rizzo, Juan Vitali, Stella Matute and others. Thur/Fri/Sats 9pm - Suns 8pm at Teatro Regina, Av. Santa Fe 1235. Tel: 4812-5470. Starting at $8.  
sueo de una noche de verano. Manuel Longueiras work based on William Shakespeares classic. The frantic desire to escape the tyranny of power, and the search for true love. Suns 7pm at El Portn de Snchez, Snchez de Bustamante 1034. $10.  
visitando al sr. green. Jeff Barons work about the confrontation of two men plunged into loneliness. A story about friendship, family and forgiveness. Starring Pepe Soriano and Facundo Arana. Santiago Doria directs. Wed to Sat 9pm - Sun 7pm at Multiteatro, Av. Corrientes 1283.  
a slight ache (un leve dolor). Harold Pinters play about a married couple pondering their destiny. Alfredo Martin directs. With Martin, Natacha Mndez and Flix Tornquist. Fris 11pm at El Camarn de las Musas, Mario Bravo 960. Tel: 4862-0655. $10.  
no s qu decir. An ad-lib musical theatre play by Carlos Gianni. Suns 8pm at Teatro La Comedia, Rodrguez Pea 1062. $15 ($12 for pensioners and students).  
terapia - comedia en tres sesiones y un diagnstico. On a psychiatrists couch, the Oedipus Complex as never seen before. With Luis Gianneo and Eduardo Poli. Sats 11pm at Teatro Belisario, Av. Corrientes 1624. $8 or 2 x $12.  
con la cabeza bajo el agua (el nico lugar del amor imposible). Written and directed by great actor Norman Briski. The story of an impossible love in the abandoned ward of a mental hospital. Four characters: a schizoid young boy -the son of a missing guerrilla-, a former police woman, an old poet and a male nurse that protects and at the same time exploits them. Fris 10pm at Teatro Caliban, Mxico 1428. $10 ($8 for pensioners, students and making a res).  
aos difciles. Roberto Cossas comedy turns into tragedy  a depiction of Argentinas middle class struggling to stay afloat. Sats 8.30pm at Teatro IFT, Boulogne Sur Mer 549. $10 ($6 for pensioners and students).  
juicio a lo natural. In a musical-comedy style, the difficult situation a young gay man faces when coming out to his mother. Thurs 8.30pm - Sats 11.30pm at Teatro Margarita Xirgu, Chacabuco 875. Starting at $12.  
las amaro. A mother and her three daughters sing, dance and play music together. In the dressing room, things never said before alter what they thought were calm and clean relationships. Sats 11pm at Sala 420, Balcarce corner Carlos Calvo.  
requiem. Jorge Palants play directed by Daniel Surez Marzal. Arbitrary requiem for two superimposed deaths. With Ana Mara Castel and Sergio Surraco. Fris 10.30pm at Teatro Del Borde, Chile 630. Tel: 4300-6201. $10.  
justo en lo mejor de mi vida. Enzo, a typical middle-aged man, exemplary father and husband, starts to question many aspects of his life. A tender comedy by Alicia Muoz, directed by Julio Baccaro and starring Luis Brandoni, Mara Fiorentino, Daniel Miglioranza, Claudio Rissi and Mariana Echeverra. Wed to Fri 8.30pm - Sat 8pm/10pm - Sun 6.30pm at Multiteatro, Av. Corrientes 1283. Starting at $25.  
felis. Seven people with different abilities sing, dance and, primarily, survive. Handicaps as a poetic metaphor and not as clinical cases. Fris 11pm at Belisario Club de Cultura, Av. Corrientes 1624. $10.  
ltima noche en la disco. Musical-theatre show written and directed by Mauro Debans. According to Debans, his play is a modest portrayal of the current world, people who live to work, with the sole aim of accumulating more and more money. Acid, thought-provoking humour, set to soul, funk and disco music. Weds 9pm at Chacarerean Teatre, Nicaragua 5565. Starting at $10.  
el que las hace, las paga... Claudio Ferraro narrates revenge stories inspired by chilling stories originated in the UK and the US. Fris 11pm at Finis Terra, Honduras 5200. $3.  
criaturas de aire. Luca Laragiones play directed by Luciano Cceres. After WWII, Osorio offers refuge to Rudin, a German geneticist. In return, Rudin is asked to prepare a race horse for a competition. Sats 8.30pm at Teatro Anfitrin, Venezuela 3340. $10 ($5 for pensioners and students).  
el mundo ha vivido equivocado. Comic actors Atilio Veronelli and Carlos Sturze perform texts by renowned cartoonist Fontanarrosa. Sats 9/11pm at La Sodera, Vidal 2549. $12 (discount for pensioners and students).  
el pan de cada da. German author Gesine Danckwarts play about life in todays postmodern society, the members of which know how to compete but are still soul illiterates. Fris 9pm at Teatro I.F.T., Boulogne Sur Mer 547. $10.  
morir tres veces. What was supposed to be a party of five friends ends up with one of them dead and the other four involved in the murder. A frantic, black-humour comedy directed by Ezequiel Molina. Fris 11pm at Teatro del Artefacto, Sarand 760. $10.  
la fiaca. Musical comedy directed by Valeria Ambrosio. With Diego Reinhold and Elena Roger. Is it possible to get off, at least for a while, from the rat race imposed by globalization? Wed to Sat 9pm at Teatro Broadway 2, Av. Corrientes 1155. Starting at $25.  
cuando te mueras del todo. Daniel Dalmaronis work directed by La Jelin. Starring Hilda Bernard, Csar Bordn, Julieta Novarro and others. A man kills his wife with his parents help. Things get worse when the victim decides not to leave this world. Sats/Suns 9pm at Chacarerean Teatre, Nicaragua 5565. Starting at $10.  
la carreta fantasma... (o los ngeles con cara sucia). Directed by Gonzalo Hurtado and inspired by Eduardo Pavlovskys work Cmara lenta. About the effects of exclusion and defencelessness. Sats 9pm at Teatro Garganta, Jorge Newbery 3563. $10.  
cmico standup 2. Comedy show based on the US standup genre. With Javier Lombardo, Peto Menahem, Diego Reinhold, Martn Rocco and Sebastin Wainraich. Monologues adapted to local uses and expressions. Fri/Sats midnight at Sala Pablo Neruda of Paseo La Plaza, Av. Corrientes 1660. Starting at $20.  
te matar ramrez. BAs only aphrodisiac restaurant features erotic stage performances and music. TMR Palermo, Paraguay 4062 (Tel:4831-9156) and TMR San Isidro, Primera Junta 702 (Tel: 4747-8618). New menu in hard cover, with plenty of reproductions of erotica from all times, also available as souvenir. Shows: Tue/Thurs 10.30pm at TMR Palermo - Sats 10.30pm at TMR San Isidro. Every Sat at TMR San Isidro: tarot card reading. Fri 17 10.30pm at TMR SI, and Thur 16 at Palermo: So Cool, jazz, blues and bossa nova sung by Anita Bacci, with Cristian Jerez on piano and Matas Socoratto on double bass. Sat 18 at TMR SI: Ardiente Pars, French songs from the 30s and 60s, sung by Patricia Belieres, who also launches her new CD El otro Brasil; with Nacho Abad on piano and Rodolfo Snchez on percussion.  
Sun 19: TMR Palermo celebrates Fathers Day with a special menu. The dishes have such strange and appealing names as I rejoice over sending you into ecstasy, outbursts and spams (actually, grilled sweet bread on Tangerine coulis, with focaccia, hazelnuts and greeneries). Main course: Drunkenly in Love under your exciting curves (pig meat on mango chutney, with salad rocket and parmesan cheese). For dessert: His/Her mouth imbibes my swollen whispers (souffle crepe on peach, orange and dates compote, vanilla ice cream on chocolate sauce, with roasted almonds).  
maldito salvador. Arty Nights Fris-Sats. Pre-dance dinner with creative dishes and drinks, live performances, art shows, videos and warmup electronica by DJ Francisco Decono. From 10pm. At El Salvador 4960. Tel: 4832-1765.  
malaquita. Womens wear for every occasion, following the latest fashion trends. Highlights: shawls in knits from the Puna, leather items, and a wide assortment of ponchos. Av. Alvear 1598.  
medea. The Teatro San Martns Contemporary Ballet premieres the Greek tragedy, choreographed and directed by Mauricio Wainrot. With dancer Adrin Herrero. Tues 8.30pm - Sats/Suns 5.30pm at Sala Martn Coronado of Teatro San Martn, Av. Corrientes 1530. Starting at $10. Until June 26.  
fito pez / gerardo gandini. Rocker-pop musician coalesces with classical composer-performer Gerardo Gandini plus a string orchestra. June 17, 18 and 19 at Teatro Coliseo, Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125. New show: Monday 20 at 8pm. Tickets at the Gran Rex 4816-3789, or from Ticketek 5237-7200.  
patricia sosa. Former heavy metal queen turned pop songstress presents Toda, reviewing her work as a solo singer. Sat 18 10pm at Teatro Gran Rex, Av. Corrientes 857. Starting at $20.  
pedro guerra. Spanish singer-songwriter presents Bolsillos. June 17/18 9pm at ND Ateneo, Paraguay 918. Starting at $25.  
walter malosetti. One of Argentinas best jazz guitarist presents Relax. June 23 9pm at ND Ateneo (see above). Starting at $10.  
falta y resto. Great murga band presents La televisin est viva. Fri 17 9.30pm at La Trastienda Club, Balcarce 460. Starting at $18.  
swing timers. Tribute to writer Julio Cortzar. Juan Carlos Cirigliano on piano, Jorge Negro Alvarez on double bass, Roberto Junior Cesari on drums and Mauricio Percan on clarinet play writer Julio Cortzars favourite jazz songs. Fris 10pm at Clsica & Moderna, Av. Callao 892. Tel: 4811-3670. $20.  
ral garello - noelia moncada. Sat 18/25 9.30pm at Club del Vino, Cabrera 4737. Noelia Moncada presents Un momento. Thur 23 9.30pm at La Revuelta, Alvarez Thomas 1368. $10.  
orquesta tpica fernndez fierro. La Fernndez Fierro tackle the typical issues of tango  exile, infidelity, loss  in its dashing, exuberant way. A different way of feeling tango  classical yet contemporary. June 27 at La Trastienda Club, Balcarce 460. $10.  
tanguera. Mora Godoys world acclaimed tango extravaganza back in BA, now at the Teatro Liceo, Rivadavia & Paran.  
guillermo galv. Renowned singer back. Galv reviews his 25 years tango career and performs new songs from his forthcoming CD. Sats 11.30pm at Porto Sirena, Chile 2349. Starting at $15.  
bernardo baraj  mirta braylan. Presenting Desde el alma, a journey through tango classics. Every Sat in June 10pm at Bellsimo, Mxico corner Piedras.
  The multicultural sources of the English language  

By Sergio Mobilia  
For the Herald

What is there in the English language that has attracted so many speakers over the centuries? What are the secret ingredients of that special recipe which have made it so tempting on the assorted menu of world languages? How is the language evolving from English to englishes?  
Acknowledging the diversity of the English language is crucial for a thorough understanding of the forces at play in the development of the tongue. If we have a close look at written records from different stages of history, not only will we be surprised to perceive apparently different languages, but also awareness of the new coinages and borrowings from other languages will give us significant clues as to the kinds of societies which evolved hand in hand with English, i.e. of the parallel development of language and society.  
Early Celtic survivals such as geographical terms (crag) or names of rivers (Avon, Thames) evidence a society very much connected to the natural world, while Anglo-Saxon lexis reveals a family-based culture structured round the concept of cynn and settled in small villages. Medieval French incorporations such as master, castle and bailiff point to the rise of feudalism, which together with food-related doublings such as pig/pork point to a hierarchical society. Furthermore, words of Latin origin which found their way into the English language in the Middle Ages (encyclopaedia, prosecute, testimony) show a culture concerned with law and learning.  
Verbal traces from early modern English reveal the internationalisation of the language as well as British Imperialistic policies: words such as banana or cannibal borrowed from Spanish link with the colonisation of the Americas, just as boomerang, safari or kiwi hide a past of oppression of foreign cultures.   
So from the early Celtic village to the contemporary Global Village, English has been morphing into different english(es). Still, the question remains: will the forces of linguistic integration continue to counterbalance the forces of fragmentation? Will cultural multiculturalism ever match linguistic multiculturalism?  
Comments? Feedback? E-mail us at: 

  The Pina Bausch-Paris love affair  

By ALAN RIDING  
New York Times

France fell for Pina Bauschs German-based dance company when it first travelled here in 1977. Twenty years later, a different affair began between Bausch and the Paris Opera Ballet when, for the first time, she allowed a troupe other than her Tanztheater Wuppertal to perform one of her early creations, in that case her raucous rendering of Stravinskys Rite of Spring.  
In fact, so happy were choreographer, dancers, public and critics with the experience that she has now introduced another 1975 work to the repertory of the Paris Opera Ballet. Bauschs interpretation of Glucks opera Orfeo ed Euridice will have 15 performances at the Palais Garnier through June 19, and she says: Its one of the most beautiful experiences I have known.  
Admiration is evidently mutual. Its a love story with the dancers that began with The Rite of Spring, Bausch said in an interview with Le Figaro. Their spiritual openness and their appetite for a profound experience made me want to work again with them. After Orfeo ed Euridice, I still have a strong desire to return here.  
Dance is, of course, only part of the show. Gluck wrote the opera in 1762 to include ballet, but the story of Orpheus heroic bid to rescue his dead bride, Eurydice, from the underworld is told in recitatives, arias and choruses. And as in George Balanchines 1936 and Mark Morris 1996 versions of the work, here again the roles of Orpheus, Eurydice, Cupid and chorus are doubled by dancers and singers.  
Bausch has placed the 26-member chorus behind the musicians in the orchestra pit, which has been raised higher than usual for the occasion. (The Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble and Choir are conducted by Thomas Hengelbrock.) The singing Orpheus, Eurydice and Cupid  all women  are onstage and interact with the dancers, creating the impression that while divided in body and voice, each personality is in fact one.  
In Rolf Borziks original set and costumes, the singers are dressed in black, while the female dancers are in multicoloured chiffon gowns, flowing magically when the ensemble move like reeds in the wind. All the dancers are barefoot. Orpheus, however, is entirely naked except for skin-colored shorts, a decision that serves to underline his fragility in a story that, in Bauschs version, ends in tragedy.  
In the classical Greek version, the gods allow Orpheus to bring Eurydice from Hades but warn that she will die if he looks back at her. He cannot resist and she promptly disappears. Like Monteverdi before him, Gluck added a happy ending, with Cupid forgiving Orpheus and reawakening Eurydice. Bausch, in contrast, ends her work two scenes earlier, when Eurydice dies a second time.  
My Orpheus is not a hero, but a man with all the vulnerability of love, she told Le Figaro.  
That is not a recent whim. The new production aims to be as close as possible to that of 1975, which was revived and brought to Paris by the Tanztheater Wuppertal in 1993. In both cases, Bauschs principal dancer, Dominique Mercy, was Orpheus. Now, under Bauschs strict supervision, it has been Mercys job to transmit his memory and experience to the two new Orpheuses, Belarbi and Yann Bridard.  
They were not necessarily used to the moves so it took a lot of work, Mercy, 54, said over coffee at the Palais Garnier. Some things are difficult because they are simple, because the dancer has to be open, readable, naked before the public. This is a work that goes beyond fashion. It has an inalterable simplicity.  
Belarbi, now 42 and close to retirement as a principal dancer, said that Bauschs emphasis on upper body and arm movements gave him the feeling of being pulled up and down, between earth and sky. Its the most naked I have ever felt onstage, he said in an interview in his dressing room in the opera house. Naked internally and externally, in body and soul.Belarbi, who is himself a choreographer, said he struggled between imitating Mercy and finding his own spontaneity. Dominique has carried Orpheus inside him for 30 years, and I had to do this in two months, he said. I asked him for my own space, my own voice, even if it was a bit tense at times. But he added: Im glad to have done this. It was my last chance to work with Pina.  
Abbagnato, 26, brought valuable experience to the role of Eurydice, having danced Bauschs Rite of Spring in three seasons, most recently as the Chosen One. There are many of the same movements, but not the same violence, she explained. But she too found rehearsals taxing. It is very tiring for the head, she said in a telephone interview. Every movement is worked out in the tiniest detail. She keeps going until it is right as she sees it. Only then does she give you freedom.  
Bausch told Le Figaro that the Paris dancers already have technique. I look for something else, she said, the possibility of making them feel what each gesture means internally. Everything must come from the heart, must be lived.  
The result is highly lyrical and sensual choreography, very much in harmony with Glucks mystical instrumental and choral music as well as the arias, both mournful and lively, sung here by two casts: the mezzos Charlotte Hellekant and Elisabeth Kulman as Orpheus; the sopranos Sunae Im and Jael Azzaretti as Eurydice; and the sopranos Aleksandra Zamojska and Cassandre Berthon as Cupid.  
Brigitte Lefevre, the director of dance for the Paris Opera Ballet, could not be happier. For our company, I think there is a before and an after The Rite of Spring, she said. Pina Bausch can be danced by classical dancers, but they must be open to the emotional expression of the physical gesture. With The Rite, there was a mutual understanding. With Orfeo, we were confident there would be a new alchemy.

  The present of the past  

Politics & press

By Marcelo Garca  
Herald staff

Argentine politics are intricate. Take Peronism, the ambiguous political movement which has dominated the local scene since its very creation in 1945. Former president Carlos Menem made it neo-conservative in the 1990s. President Nstor Kirchner now hopes to turn Peronism into the Argentine version of the New Left.   
The local press is no less puzzling. Not keen (with only a few exceptions) on issuing head-on opinions in editorials, most of the press resorts to more subtle ways when it comes to playing their political games  which they do play in big quantities.  
But there are times when the news is so drama-charged that definitions are hard to avoid. The leading news of the past week was the past  excuse the redundancy. Specifically the 1976-1983 military dictatorship, the darkest years of Argentinas political history and a wound which is still wide open.  
The Supreme Court ruled that immunity legislation passed in 1986-1987 which saved hundreds of military officers from prosecution on human rights violation charges were not constitutional. The move stirs the past as much as it affects the present. See what local newspapers had to say about the past to find out what the local opinion-makers believe about 2005 Argentina and its future.

The government, the past and the media

Indifferent Clarn

Clarn is the biggest-selling newspaper in the country. Its front pages frequently set the discussion topics in morning radio shows and feed the opinion of the average Argentine. To many critics Clarn amounts to the media version of the Peronist party  the paper was actually founded in the early Pern government years in the 1940s. With a broad market in target, Clarn messages are ambiguous enough to please the mood of as many of its readers as possible.  
And Clarn does not seem interested in the past, especially if that means looking back into its own behaviour during the murder-ridden dirty war years.  
As all newspapers did, Clarn splashed the news of the Supreme Court ruling on the immunity laws, but it went back to more down-to-earth issues the very next day, first blowing up the news of a minimum pension hike of 42 pesos (from 308 to 350 pesos) and later pompously announcing, even without a single named source to quote, an electoral agreement between Kirchner and his main political ally-foe Eduardo Duhalde for the October 23 midterm vote.  
Clarn is not only a newspaper but also the countrys largest media conglomerate. It owns TV channels, producing companies, a news agency, web sites and radio stations. It is also one of the three owners of Papel Prensa, a company which monopolizes the manufacturing of paper for the press in Argentina. Papel Prensa SA was created during the dictatorship  Clarn and La Nacin have equal stakes in the company, while the State has kept a minority share.  
Eduardo Van der Kooy, Clarns leading political editorialist, pays little attention in his Sunday column (Between the IMF, Duhalde and the pardons) to the immunity laws ruling. He notes that the ruling caused some unrest in the armed forces and in a minority fraction of the public.   
There is an underground tension underlying the national scene, says Van der Kooy, without further elaboration.  
Although it is never openly stated in its wishy-washy editorials, Clarn has been broadly supportive of the Kirchner administration, something it shows in its headlines and news coverage. It has actually been pro-government since January 2001, when then interim president Duhalde decreed the devaluation of the peso after a decade-long peg to the US dollar and then passed crucial legislation that allowed the Clarn conglomerate to avoid financial disaster (one of these bills barred foreign creditors from taking over heavily-indebted cultural Argentine companies. Critics said was taylor-made for Clarn and its subsidiaries).

Angered La Nacin

The daily La Nacin is the last-standing broadsheet in Argentinas newspaper market. It sells much less than Clarn but has political clout. Kirchner has often criticized La Nacin in heated public speeches.  
Since the end of the dictatorship (which La Nacin staunchly endorsed back then), the paper founded in 1870 by former president Bartolom Mitre has stuck to the theory that Argentina was in the 1970s the victim of two evils, one coming from the right and one from the left, that led to a civil war showdown finally won by the military during the dictatorship (not many historians support this idea anymore, and neither does the Supreme Court, but, true to form, the so-called two evils theory is still embraced by many Argentines, at least those who call morning radio shows).  
Mariano Grondona, a law academic and one of La Nacin public faces, complains in his Sunday column yesterday (The construction of a new official story) that the Supreme Court ruling on the immunity laws is yet another example of President Kirchners unilateral historic memory.   
Kirchner, argues Grondona, wrongfully believes that in the 50s, the 70s and the 90s a group of evil people tried to destroy Argentina: in the 50s and the 70s the military overthrew elected Peronist governments, in the 90s an elected Peronist president turned Argentina neo-liberal, only to disastrous economic and social consequences.  
(The President) does not say that prior to military coups there were two violent actors, or that some good things happened in the 1990s. All the blame is placed on the enemy, writes Grondona, only to add that Kirchner is not taking the right road toward reconciliation and national unity.  
A biased look at the past is not justice but revenge, reads yesterdays La Nacin editorial, headlined Justice for All.  
This good-and-evil interpretation of past manifests itself in the present, according to La Nacin. The daily has said that an escrache (exposure demonstration) organized by a pro-government picket group last Wednesday against Ricardo Lpez Murphy, an opposition leader in the centre-right, amounted to government-fuelled violence against the opposition.   
The brutal persecution of Lpez Murphy by a group of pickets... shows that it is about time that the government at least ceases to finance the organizations that spend their time breaking the law, writes Joaqun Morales Sol (There is always a deal before the breakup), the other La Nacin Sunday columnist.

Pleased Pgina/12

Argentinas progresista  as pinkos are known in Argentina  newspaper, Pgina/12 has been a die-hard backer of the Kirchner government. It is the first time in the history of the paper  founded in the late 1980s  it sides with a government.   
Just like human rights organizations, Pgina/12 has had nothing but words of praise for Kirchners human rights policy, which included taking the building of the ESMA navy school of mechanics, one of the most notorious torture centres during the dictatorship, away from the hands of the military to turn it into a memory museum.  
Justice, read its banner headline the day after the Supreme Court ruling. The government should claim much of the credit for the ruling, the daily argued, because it revamped the Supreme Court.  
The next day, Pgina/12 was calling for the quashing of the pardons issued by Menem to benefit high-ranking military officers and guerrilla commanders of the 1970s. Yesterday, the daily leads with interviews with two Supreme Court justices explaining the historic ruling.  
That said, Pgina/12 has found less evidence to applaud Kirchners economic record. The dailys headlines frequently splash Kirchners verbal outburst against the IMF or against vested economic interests and the restructuring of the countrys mammoth public debt was marked as a huge achievement, but Pgina/12 editorialists have sometimes mentioned lack of a real income redistribution policy.

Also said

The Sunday newspapers are taking for granted that Kirchner and Duhalde have already reached an electoral deal for October. Clarn says only the small print is yet to be agreed on. Pgina/12 says, however, that the agreement is not one by two politicians on equal footing, but a sign that Duhalde stands alone and powerless and will soon be a has-been in major-league politics. La Nacin says the deal means that both Kirchner and Duhalde have realized that a head-on electoral confrontation would cause them both nothing but harm.

Not said

The President again engaged in a finger-pointing brawl with businessmen over wages. They are trying to extort us, Kirchner said on Friday, just hours after a group of businessmen warned wage increases could push inflation dangerously up. No editorialist wrote about that.

  The reform can wait  
So much for the long promised political reform. The first casualty, apart from the truth, this year is the democratization of the party system. This was enshrined in a law in 2002, which the Peronists decided had to be left in abeyance to run their three presidential candidates in 2003. However, to make up for that deficiency prompted by economic and institutional as well as partisan crisis, the present government set dates for primaries in all parties for the seventh of August, a month after all parties must register their candidates to compete among each other in pursuit of one slate produced by consensus to compete in the elections on October 23. Of course, the loophole in that apparently welcome piece of legislation was that if the parties managed to agree on a single set of candidates in time for the registration deadline, without rivals within to challenge their right to run in the October elections, there would be no need for primaries.  
Which is exactly where we are right now. In the two weeks remaining for registration of candidates Peronist and Radical, and in smaller parties as well, agents are working overtime to secure agreements on the candidates each will take to the polls and thereby avoid primaries. The process does not bode well for democratic renewal in Argentine politics, but then few people are really interested in the democratic process except when it affects them personally, and most of the parties are minuscule and irrelevant to peoples lives. The mini parties have grown by five hundred  and the indifference probably as well  in the last two weeks, since the presidential decree 535/05 authorized the existence of 546 groups that have applied for party status since 1983 but have not complied with the electoral court rules on required number of members and executive committees. Some of these parties may well have dropped by the roadside in twenty years, so it is hard to know how many of the labels and rubber stamps are valid. But the authorization of more than five hundred really aims to whitewash two, or maybe a handful, which the government needs to secure support in some provinces in October. All of which has as much to do with democratic reform as a politician has with honesty. However, the president was recently quoted as saying that he was gambling his wife in this election, so he wants to get his/her victory assured.  
Hence, renewal, like honesty, like democracy, in Argentina, will have to wait some more, and it is anybodys guess how long the delay will last.  

  The troubadours of Brazils backlands  
"Like so many other folk forms, cordel transforms an old vocabulary to fit new situations," said Candace Slater, author of "Stories on a String" and professor of humanities at the University of California, Berkeley. "What has not changed is that cordel poets are still writing for the group, and that what they write continues to touch a nerve in the people of northeast Brazil, no matter where they happen to be living."   
"Cordel" literally means string or twine, a reference to the way the cheap paper booklets containing the poems, with up to 32 pages, are hung at markets or newsstands. Verses typically have six lines, and though a variety of rhyme schemes is permitted, the most common is probably abcbdb.   
Originally, cordel was an extension of the European troubadour tradition. Cordel poets and singers would roam the vast interior of northeast Brazil, an area larger than Alaska and home today to 50 million people, showing up at markets such as the one held here every Saturday, or at fairs, saint's-day commemorations and other public events, to recite their ballads, bringing both news and entertainment to peasants who were often illiterate.   
"Popular literature in verse form developed here in Brazil as in no other place in the world," said Audalio Dantas, a collector of cordel and curator of "A Century of Cordel," an exhibition that was held in Sao Paulo in 2001. "The cordel pamphlet was for decades practically the only vehicle of information that the people of the backlands could count on."   
But with the rise of radio, then of television and now of the Internet, the main focus of cordel gradually shifted to amusing the reader or listener. Nevertheless, when a lion devoured a young child at a circus near here not long ago, the incident quickly became the subject of a cordel, and within days of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, cordel pamphlets interpreting the event were circulating in the hinterland.   
"We are minstrel poets, because what we write is in rhyme and comes from our imagination," said Jose Joao dos Santos, who under the pen name Azulao, or Big Blue, has written and published more than 300 cordel titles. "But I'm a journalist too, bringing the news to the poor and the unlettered in a form that they understand and trust more than newspapers or television."   
Most of the poets come from the same background as their audience does. For instance, Jose Francisco Borges, who dropped out of school at the age of 12 and is today perhaps the most celebrated master of the art, has worked as a bricklayer, herb seller, farmhand, carpenter and potter.   
Whatever they lack in schooling, cordel poets are creative and quick-witted. When Abraao Batista was asked what made him become a poet, he replied, "Well, I went to the moon, found St. George and the saints conversing, and they gave me their benediction. Ever since then, I've been jumping about in time and space."   
As indicated by pamphlets like "The Girl Who Beat Her Mother and Was Turned Into a Dog" and "The Girl Who Married 14 Times and Continued Virgin," cordel often imparts a moral, with clearly defined heroes and villains. Other titles, such as "The Woman Who Put the Devil in a Bottle" or "The Man Who Married a Donkey," are meant to be fanciful or comical.   
Another favorite topic is the adventures of Lampiao, a Robin Hood-like bandit who eluded police for more than a decade before he was hunted down and killed near here in 1938.   
Cordel poets say, though, that the best-selling title ever is "The Romance of the Mysterious Peacock." Set in the distant Mediterranean, it tells the story of a young man who, frustrated that his beloved is being held captive by her father, obtains a mechanical peacock that enables him to rescue her. The two elope, his father-in-law dies, and the couple become his heirs.   
"Some of the most popular stories can be traced back to European legends, to Charlemagne in the 10th century, but most originated in Iberia in the late-16th and 17th centuries," said Mark Curran, a professor at Arizona State University who has written several books on cordel. "Yet the genius of these stories is that even the ones that come from the Orient have been totally adapted and re-created to suit the circumstances of the Brazilian northeast."   
Jose Ferreira da Silva, a poet here who writes under the name Dila, said, "Certain subjects just never go out of style in cordel and will always sell. I've written so many pamphlets about Lampiao that I've lost count  at least 200."   
Educated Brazilians originally looked down on cordel and the rough woodcut covers associated with it as something vulgar and declasse, a symbol of the country's backwardness. But today, intellectuals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are collectors or admirers of the pamphlets, and the aesthetics of cordel can be detected in nearly every corner of Brazilian popular culture.   
"The cordel poets will all say that the interest in their work has grown mostly because of foreigners," Curran said. "But I think Brazil has reached a time of change, in which there is more of an awareness of and hunger for seeking the country's cultural roots, and cordel is a major part of Brazilian culture in the 20th century."   
In pop music, for instance, cutting-edge composers much admired outside Brazil have drawn on cordel in songs like Tom Ze's "The Arrival of Raul Seixas and Lampiao at the I.M.F." and Chico Science's "Isaac Asimov and Santos Dumont's Meeting in Heaven." In literature, Jorge Amado's novel "Tereza Batista: Home from the Wars" and Ariano Suassuna's play "The History of the Headless King Who Wandered the Wilds of the Backlands" are heavily influenced by cordel in subject and form.   
With titles such as "The Cordel of Sexually Transmitted Diseases" and "Agrarian Reform Has to Be the Right of Every Brazilian," the federal and state governments also have been using the form to promote health, traffic safety, political awareness, AIDS avoidance and other official campaigns. And politicians and businessmen in small towns in the northeast often turn to cordel to promote their candidacies or their products.   
"Not long ago, a lawyer whose daughter was about to get married even came to me and asked me to write the invitations in cordel verse," said Jose Severino Cristovao, a poet here.   
As for the woodcuts that adorn the covers of cordel pamphlets, they have evolved into a full-fledged art form. Borges' work has been shown at the Louvre and the Smithsonian. But at his market stand here, he also sells T-shirts and ceramic tiles stamped with images from the woodcuts.   
"People have been saying cordel is doomed since the 1920s," Slater said. "But the creative energy is still there today; it's just being channeled in different ways. Cordel has always been a hybrid form, able to incorporate new influences. Its ability to become different things may disappoint people who want it to be what it was back in the 1940s or 1970s, but that adaptability is exactly where its creative survival resides."
  The US needs more of Toyota and less of GM  

Thomas Fiedman                         

foreign affairs

The New York Times

So I have a question: if I am rooting for General Motors to go bankrupt and be bought out by Toyota, does that make me a bad person?  
It is not that I want any autoworker to lose his or her job, but I certainly would not put on a black tie if the entire management team at GM got sacked and was replaced by executives from Toyota. Indeed, I think the only hope for GMs autoworkers, and maybe even our country, is with Toyota. Because lets face it, as Toyota goes, so goes the US.  
Having Toyota take over General Motors  which based its business strategy on building gas-guzzling cars, including the idiot Hummer, scoffing at hybrid technology and fighting congressional efforts to impose higher mileage standards on US automakers  would not only be in the US economic interest, it would also be in its geopolitical interest.  
Because Toyota has pioneered the very hybrid engine technology that can help rescue not only our economy from its oil addiction (how about 500 miles per gallon of gasoline?), but also our foreign policy from dependence on Middle Eastern oil autocrats.  
Diffusing Toyotas hybrid technology is one of the keys to what I call geo-green. Geo-greens seek to combine into a single political movement environmentalists who want to reduce fossil fuels that cause climate change, evangelicals who want to protect Gods green earth and all his creations, and geo-strategists who want to reduce our dependence on crude oil because it fuels some of the worst regimes in the world.  
The Bush team has been MIA on energy since 9/11. Indeed, the utter indifference of the Bush team to developing a geo-green strategy  which would also strengthen the dollar, reduce our trade deficit, make the US the world leader in combating climate change and stimulate US companies to take the lead in producing the green technologies that the world will desperately need as China and India industrialize  is so irresponsible that it takes your breath away. This is especially true when you realize that the solutions to our problems are already here.  
As Gal Luft, co-chairman of the Set America Free coalition, a bipartisan alliance of national security, labour, environmental and religious groups that believe reducing oil consumption is a national priority, points out: the majority of US oil imports go to fuelling the transport sector  primarily cars and trucks. Therefore, the key to reducing our dependence on foreign oil is powering our cars and trucks with less petroleum.  
There are two ways we can do that. One is electricity. We dont import electricity. We generate all of our needs with coal, hydropower, nuclear power and natural gas. Toyotas hybrid cars, like the Prius, run on both gasoline and electricity that is generated by braking and then stored in a small battery. But, says Luft, if you had a hybrid that you could plug in at night, the battery could store up 20 miles of driving per day. So your first 20 miles would be covered by the battery. The gasoline would only kick in after that. Since 50 percent of the people in the US do not drive more than 20 miles a day, the battery power would cover all their driving. Even if they drove more than that, combining the battery power and the gasoline could give them 100 miles per gallon of gasoline used, Luft notes.  
Right now Toyota does not sell plug-in hybrids. Some enthusiasts, though, are using kits to convert their hybrids to plug-ins, but that adds several thousand dollars  and you lose your Toyota warranty. Imagine, though, if the government encouraged, through tax policy and other incentives, every automaker to offer plug-in hybrids? We would quickly move down the innovation curve and end up with better and cheaper plug-ins for all.  
Then add to that flexible-fuel cars, which have a special chip and fuel line that enable them to burn alcohol (ethanol or methanol), gasoline or any mixture of the two. Some 4 million US cars already come equipped this way, including from GM. It costs only about 100 dollars a car to make it flex-fuel ready. Brazil hopes to have all its new cars flex-fuel ready by 2008. As Luft notes, if you combined a plug-in hybrid system with a flex-fuel system that burns 80 percent alcohol and 20 percent gasoline, you could end up stretching each gallon of gasoline up to 500 miles.  
In short, we dont need to reinvent the wheel or wait for sci-fi hydrogen fuel cells. The technologies we need for a stronger, more energy independent America are already here. The only thing we have a shortage of now are leaders with the imagination and will to move the country onto a geo-green path. 

  The wondrous world of entertainment...  
Under the headline reading Una vida sin libreto (A life without a script), one might expect that this book by Enrique Pinti tells the story of his life. Not quite so, actually, except for his childhood at the heart of a rather well-to-do family of Italian descent, but for the most part concentrating on his professional career in the world of entertainment. As a child, he already knew he wanted to be an actor and, come what may, he was resolved to make a living as such  from the independent Nuevo Teatro all the way to his success as humorous entertainer on stage (as attested by shows extending from Salsa Criolla to Candombe Nacional, with many titles in between, and now in the Argentine version of Mel Brooks The Producers, in a role that seems to fit Pinti to a t).  
As an entertainer often writing his own scripts (as well as the author of over half a dozen books, including telling titles like La democracia que nos pari among others), political humor is often at the heart of his job. Part of it is also featured in this book, with articles referring to different periods in Argentinas political life (from La palabra subdesarrollo no exista to Pagar or no pagar, that is the question). With an anti-Peronist father and a staunch Peronist uncle, Pinti is not one to be easily deceived by politicians  and while he can be critical of former Presidents Menem and De la Ra, he can also see that the default abruptly announced by caretaker President Rodrguez Sa during his very brief period, and devaluation and the skewed pesofication under Eduardo Duhalde, actually did not do much to improve the situation (with Argentine salaries sunk to the level of cheap labour, one may add). Also, he decidedly defends the passing of the divorce law under President Alfonsn (which did not result in so many separations as critics would argue, but rather in regular marriages for couples unable to marry before due to their previous marital status).  
But actually, rather than dealing with politics, most of this book is devoted to Pintis genuinely great passion: the world of entertainment, including the cinema, theatre and even television. Whats more, his chronicles in this respect are so delightful, that you may enjoy them greatly even if you may not agree with some of his preferences. Also, Pinti should be praised for speaking his own mind about them: in an article entitled Soy cinfilo, for instance (A m me gusta el cine desde que tengo uso de razn..., he starts), he acknowledges he has always been devoted to Hollywood comedies like The Naked Gun and others of the sort  while he was never too fond of Ingmar Bergmans films so highly lauded by local intellectuals, and valiantly states that when you see them after so many years, you realize that they are neither more nor less than psychological movies with a lot of concepts that, today, have been all left behind.  
Regarding comedies, too, Pinti was from early on able to enjoy the very best English-language playwrights, like Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.  
Also, Pinti tells of his early liking for musicals (starring the likes of Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers or Gene Kelly); which made him quarrel with people who had little patience with the singing or dancing routines (why on earth come to see such movies then, he would ask).  
Regarding the use of four-letter words (which he himself uses) on television and elsewhere, he believes they reflect real language in Argentina; and while being decidedly against censorship, he wonders what would happen if in one of his monologues he began tackling more truly serious Argentine problems which far exceed the realm of blasphemy (like child prostitution today, for instance).  
Nobody could seriously accuse Pinti of being anti-American (he goes once a year to the US, mostly to see whats new on Broadway, and since early childhood he has been in love with many Hollywood movie stars). However, precisely owing to his fondness for Hollywood and things American, including the yearly ceremony of the Oscar awards, he should be taken very seriously when he turns critical: for instance, when he defends his admired Michael Moore, awarded an Oscar for one of his documentaries one year, only to be entirely blasted the following year due to his opposition to Bushs foreign policy. At heart, Pinti (though rather conservative in the matter of clothing) is a rebellious admirer of that perennial rebel without a cause that was James Dean.  
Yes, as said above, any film fan can truly enjoy Pintis film chronicles.  
Even if one may disagree with some of his opinions. For instance, he found Cold Mountain boring (and this is a movie which, though perhaps not the best among those directed by UK filmmaker Anthony Minghella, at least is one of the few recently taking an anti-war stance, with the Iraqi war, as Londons Sight & Sound magazine pointed, easily come to mind even if the film is about the Civil War in the US). On the other hand, Pinti was absolutely delighted when, many years after its release, he saw Gone with the Wind  which this reviewer now finds absolutely reactionary, both in its treatment of African-Americans and, most particularly, in its treatment of women, with the Scarlet OHara character (wonderfully played, in this one agrees with Pinti, by a matchless Vivian Leigh) made to submit to a taming of the shrew treatment meted by a man she did not love, the abusive Rhett Butler(Clark Gable)!
  Theatre Tuesday, June 21, 2005  

Teatro Coln  
Libertad 621  
Switchboard: 4378-7100  
Boxoffice: Tucumn 1171, 4378-7344/ 7315. Open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 8:30pm. Sundays from 10am to 5pm.   
Web:    
Guided Tours. Viamonte 1171.  Prior reservation advisable. Tel. 4378 -7132 & 7133. Monday through Saturday 11am. to 4pm. Sundays: 11am. to 3pm. Tickets $12.- Residents $7.- Students and Children $2.-  
Main Auditorium  
 Tuesday June 21 at 8:30pm. Abono Nocturno Tradicional - Traditional Evening Subscription  Lucia di Lammermoor. Opera by Gaetano . Donizetti. Direction: Antonio Pirolli.  Rgie: Constantino Juri. Teatro Coln Resident Orchestra & Teatro Coln Resident Choir, direction: Salvatore Caputo. Main performers: Eglise Gutirrez, Daro Schmunck, Luis Gaeta.  Scenography and Costumes: Chenault Spence. Surplus tickets on sale.  
 Thursday June 23 at 8:30pm. Abono Nocturno Nuevo. New Evening Subscription  Lucia di Lammermoor. Opera by Gaetano . Donizetti. Direction: Antonio Pirolli.  Rgie: Constantino Juri. Teatro Coln Resident Orchestra & Teatro Coln Resident Choir, direction: Salvatore Caputo. Main performers: Leah Partridge, Blez Bezduz, Omar Carrin.  Scenography and costumes: Vernica Cmara. Lighting: Chenault Spence. Surplus tickets on sale.  
 Sunday June 26 at 5pm.  Ballet Afternoon subscription. Abono Vespertino. Balanchine 100, a Celebration. Stravinsky, Debussy, Ginastera. Minkus - Petip. Surplus tikets on sale.

Complejo Teatral de la   
Ciudad de Buenos Aires.  
Teatro San Martn  
Avenida Corrientes 1530.                     Information and telephone sale: 4373-4245/ 0800-333-5254.  
Sala Martn Coronado  
 Sueo de una noche de verano, by William Shakespeare, translated and adapted by Miguel Abeledo Pieiro. Direction by Alicia Zanca.  Wed. through Sunday at 8:30pm.  
 Medea by the Teatro San Martn Contemporary Ballet.  Music by Dmitry Shostakovich. Choreography and direction by Mauricio Wainrot.    Tuesday at 8:30, Saturday & Sunday at 5:30pm.  
 Fulanos (alguien, algunos, nadie, ninguno) a show for children and adults on Gerardo Hochmans idea and direction. Sat. & Sun. at 3pm.  
Sala Cunill Cabanellas  
 Guachos. Author Carlos Pais. Direction: Manuel Iedvaabni. With Manuel Callau and Magela Zanotta.  Wednesday through Sunday at 8:30pm.

Teatro de la Ribera  
Avenida Pedro de Mendoza 1821. Information & sale: 4302-9042.  
 El caballero vacilante, la espada y el dragn, by the Teatro San Martn Cast of Puppeteers. Author and director: Rafael Curci. Saturday & Sunday at 3:30pm.

 Teatro Regio  
Avenida Crdoba 6059  
Information & sale: 4772-3350.  
 La profesin de la Seora Warren. By Bernard Shaw directed by Sergio Renn. With Claudia Lapac, Eleonora Wexler, Juan Manuel Tenuta, Aldo Barbero, Claudio Tolcachir and Juan Carlos Puppo.  Thursday through Saturday at 8:30pm. Sunday at 8pm.   
 Granadina, el Mundo de Federico. On Federico Garca Lorcas texts. Idea: Daniel Casablanca. Direction: Mara Romano.  With: Daniel Campomenosi, Maqui Figueroa, Mara Ucedo, Leo Heras, Brian Chambouleyron, Pablo Bronzini, Esteban Quintana, Josefina Rialand Cecilia Cdega. Saturday & Sunday at 4pm.

Nacional Cervantes  
Libertad 815. Phone: 4815-4224  
Sala Mara Guerrero  
 Cita a ciegas by M. Diament with V. H. Vieyra, E. Claudio, A. vino, B. Dellacasa and T.  Gallimany. Thursday at 8:30pm. Friday & Saturday at 9pm. Sunday at 8:30pm.  
 Hidalgo Caballero te muestra el Cervantes.  Guided visit by  F. Gmez and E. Dumont. Friday at 2pm. Details and Reservations: 4815-8883/6 Ext. 119, from 1 to 8pm. 

Casa Azul  
 Tucumn 844.  
Reservations: 4322-1550.  
 Los Invisibles by Gregorio de Laferrre, with Hctor Sandro,  Walter Bergs, Marcelo Fiorentino, Alicia Mller and cast. Director: Rodolfo Graziano.  Sunday at 6pm. Last month. Free of charge admittance, voluntary donation expected.

Centro Cultural Borges  
Viamonte & San Martn corner  
Phone: 5555-5359.  
 Tango, Postales by Lilian Belfiore, with 25 artists on the stage. Singer Carlos Varela. Dancers: Lilian Belfiore and Gullermo Torres. Friday at 9pm.  
La Carbonera  
Balcarce 998. Phone: 4362-2651  
 Hotel Melanclico, by Mariela Asensio, author and director.  Friday June 24 at 10pm.  
 Terapia, by David Lodge. Direction: Gabriela Izcovich, Saturday June 25 at 9pm. Please, phone your reservation in advance. 

La Manufactura Papelera  
Bolvar 1582.  Phone: 4307-9167.  
 Aparicin de Ofelia.  Theatrical performance on Juan L. Ortiz poems. Director: Martn Domecq. Thursday June 23 at 8:30pm.

La Scala de San Telmo  
Pasaje Giuffra 371.  (Defensa 800/ Paseo Coln 800). Reservations: 4362-1187.  
 Ciclo de Grandes autores del teatro musical. Saturday June 25 at 10:30pm.: Richard Rodgers, with Guido Napp, Marina Tamar (singers) and Esteban Rozensain at the piano. Free of charge admission. Voluntary donation expected. 

  This is a short list of announcements published during June 2005  

 BIRTHS  
 Craig- Thomas, to Fabiana and Martin Neale. 03-06-2005.  
 Cervio- Sofia, to Bunny (ne Norris) and Tols. 04-06-2005.  
 Coutris- Santiago, to Sofa (ne Pechar) and Costa. 08-06-2005.  
 Handley- Sean Patrick, to Andrea Molina and Richard.  
 Spalding-Comini- Milagros, to Lucila and Nicholas. 12-06-2005.  
 Tahata- Toms, to Valeria (ne Amelio Ortiz) and Andrew.  
 16-06-2005.  

 DEATHS  
 Barr- Marta (ne Moesle). 09-06-2005.  
 Bindon- Hugh Tovey (Sonny). 11-06-2005.  
 Chinton- Margarita (Torcasa). 08-06-2005.  
 Clark- Douglas Searle. 08-06-2005.  
 Crisp- Roland Clifford (Sunny). 03-06-2005.  
 Hough- Mary Rose (ne Tyler) 29-05-2005.  
 Hufnagel- Anna Brita (ne Sahlin). 07-06-2005.  
 Hughes- Ethel (ne Gibson). 14-06-2005.  
 Kraepelien- Firia (ne Eberle). 04-06-2005.  
 Murray- Adie.  

  To ease crisis, South African president fires deputy  
Speaking in Cape Town, Mbeki told a joint meeting of Parliament's two houses that Zuma's dismissal was in the best interests not only of Zuma but of "the government, our young democratic system and our country."   
Zuma, who may now face indictment on corruption charges, insisted he was innocent but said he would resign his seat in Parliament.   
He added, however, that he intended to remain deputy president of the African National Congress, the nation's governing party, where he is also second-in-command to Mbeki.   
The dismissal averted a looming crisis over the integrity of South Africa's justice system, which has been under political assault during its long inquiry into the bribery scandal and the trial that followed.   
In his speech to Parliament, Mbeki said he expected that his decision would underscore the need for accountability in public office and strengthen confidence in government.   
But the firing set the stage for a political battle within the ANC, where Zuma, a charismatic politician and an icon in the struggle against apartheid, maintains a devoted following.   
At a news conference on Tuesday, Zuma said he had not ruled out a bid for the presidency when Mbeki's term ends in 2007.   
"My conscience is clear," he said. "I have not committed any crime against the state or the people of South Africa. I need to be given the opportunity to tell my side of the story, and bring finality to these accusations and speculations."   
Zuma's political appeal is strongest precisely where Mbeki's is weakest, in his party's left wing and in the two left-leaning groups  the South African Communist Party and the trade-union movement  that have allied themselves with the ANC. There has long been talk of a split between the left, which argues that government favors a stable business climate over the needs of the huge underclass, and Mbeki's loyalists. Mbeki now faces the delicate task of keeping the alliance together even as his government considers prosecuting one of its favorite sons.   
South African political parties generally applauded Mbeki's decision, saying it promoted the rule of law while giving Zuma an opportunity to defend himself. Had he not dismissed Zuma, Mbeki probably would have faced criticism from the West, which is increasingly requiring governments to rein in corruption and misfeasance as conditions of receiving aid.   
For South Africans, the decision lifted a cloud that has hung over the nation for months.   
The National Prosecuting Authority, which has investigated the bribery scandal, has come under sustained attack during its inquiry, including a tempestuous period in which its former director was falsely accused of having spied for South Africa's old apartheid government.   
In recent months, as it became apparent that Zuma was deeply implicated in the bribery scheme, the agency has refused to say whether it would consider prosecuting him. A leading expert on corruption, Hennie J.J. van Vuuren at the Institute for Strategic Studies in Cape Town, said Mbeki's decision was "a classic example of how we expect the state to function" when confronted with corruption in its ranks.
  Tokyo remains most expensive city  
LONDON  Tokyo remains the worlds most expensive city, followed by Osaka, according to the latest cost of living survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting released yesterday.   
London moves down one position in the rankings to take third place, followed by Moscow which also drops a place this year. Asuncin in Paraguay is the least expensive city in the survey.  
With New York as the base city scoring 100 points, Tokyo scores 134.7 and is more than three times costlier than Asuncin, which has an index of 40.3.   
Mercers survey covers 144 cities across six continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. It is the worlds most comprehensive cost of living survey and is used to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees.  
Currency fluctuations and exchange rates can have a huge impact on how much expatriates receive and what they can buy with that money, commented Yvonne Sonsino, Partner at Mercer. The challenge for multinational companies is to ensure their expatriate compensation packages remain fair and attractive enough to retain key employees, while making sure they do not pay over the odds and find themselves at a competitive disadvantage.  
While there has been significant investment by multinationals in traditionally low-cost countries, the gap appears to be closing and local salaries are shooting up as a result of higher living expenses and an increased demand for skills, she said. Companies need to keep pace with the changes, and we find that many are now seeking guidance as they make regular review of their expatriate compensation packages a standard procedure.  
There have been some significant changes in the rankings this year which are primarily due to exchange rate fluctuations, particularly of the US dollar and Euro.  
Europe  
London remains the most expensive city in Europe, with a score of 120.3. Steep accommodation and transport costs together with the appreciation of the pound against the US dollar have contributed to the citys high ranking, said Marie-Laurence Sepede, Research Manager at Mercer. Scores are based on the cost of living for expatriates who are likely to stay in Central London, where accommodation is more expensive. Other UK cities are less costly, with Glasgow in 40th position and Birmingham in 47th place (scores 87.5 and 85.8).  
Moscow is the second most expensive city in Europe ranked in 4th position (119), followed by Geneva in 6th place (113.5) and Zurich in 7th place (112.1).  
Other high-scoring cities include Copenhagen ranked 8th (110), Oslo, which has moved up from 15th to 10th place due mainly to the appreciation of the Norwegian Krone against the US dollar, and Milan ranked 11th (104.9).   
Budapest in Hungary ranks in 24th position (score 93.3) and is the costliest city of the countries that joined the EU last year. Many cities in the new EU accession countries have risen sharply in the rankings this year, as they make strides to bring their economic infrastructure up to EU standards. Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly attractive for investment by multinationals, commented Sepede. Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava have all risen by more than ten places.  
Bucharest in Romania is the least expensive European city in 103rd place (71.4), followed by Limassol in Cyprus ranked 100th (71.9).   
The Americas  
New York remains the most expensive city in North America, at 13th position in the rankings (score 100). Other costly cities include Los Angeles ranked 44 (86.7), San Francisco in 50th place (84.9) and Chicago in 52nd position (84.6). Washington DC takes 78th place (77.4). Winston Salem is the cheapest US city surveyed, ranked 119th (66.6). Many of the US cities surveyed have fallen in the rankings due to the weakening of the dollar against the Euro, Canadian dollar and Asian Pacific currencies, commented Sepede.  
 Though still relatively inexpensive, Canadian cities continue to move up in the rankings due to the strength of the Canadian dollar. Toronto is the most expensive city and takes 82nd place (76.2) in the rankings, while Ottawa is the least expensive Canadian city and takes 122nd position (66.4).   
Following the devaluation of the Argentine currency in 2002 and the subsequent financial crisis, cities in South America remain among the cheapest in the survey. Asuncin is the least expensive city globally, at 144th position with a score of 40.3. Other cheap cities include Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Caracas in places 142 (score 50.3.), 140 (53.5) and 138 (54.4) respectively. Lima in Peru is still the most expensive city in South America at position 118 with a score of 66.9.  
San Juan in Puerto Rico is the costliest city in Central America and the Caribbean, ranked 74th (score 77.7). San Jos is the least expensive in 135th place (58), replacing Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic which has moved up to 99th place (72.3) due to the appreciation of the Dominican Peso against the US dollar and low inflation last year.   
Asia  
Four of the worlds ten costliest cities are in Asia, with Tokyo being the most expensive city globally. Osaka takes 2nd position due to the strengthening of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar, (121.8) followed by Seoul in 5th place (115.4) and Hong Kong ranked 9th (109.5).  
Chinese cities have dropped significantly in the rankings as the currency is pegged to the US dollar and has therefore been affected by its depreciation, said Sepede. Beijing is at position 19 (score 95.6) followed by Shanghai in 30th place (90.4).  
Australasia  
Auckland and Wellington move up in the rankings this year to positions 69 and 76 respectively (scores 79.6 and 77.5) due to the significant appreciation of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar. Sydney is still the most expensive city in the region at 20th place with a score of 95.2. Other high-scoring cities in Australia include Melbourne in 68th position (80) and Brisbane in 84th place (74.9).   
Top 25 cities (with last years ranking):  
1. Tokyo, Japan (1)  
2. Osaka, Japan (4)  
3. London, Britain (2)  
4. Moscow, Russia (3)  
5. Seoul, South Korea (7)  
6. Geneva, Switzerland (6)  
7. Zurich, Switzerland (9)  
8. Copenhagen, Denmark (8)  
9. Hong Kong, Hong Kong (5)  
10. Oslo, Norway (15)  
11. Milan, Italy (14)  
12. Paris, France (17)  
13. New York City, (12)  
14. Dublin, Ireland (14)  
15. St. Petersburg, Russia (10)  
16. Vienna, Austria (19)  
17. Rome, Italy (21)  
18. Stockholm, Sweden (22)  
19. Beijing, China (11)  
20. Sydney, Australia (20)  
21. Helsinki, Finland (23)  
22. Douala, Cameroon (25)  
23. Istanbul, Turkey (18)  
24. Amsterdam, (26); Budapest,      
Hungary (34) (ranked equally).
  Tom Raworth: words...  

Continued from front page

Not surprisingly for a Cambridge still haunted by the neighbour spirits of Wittgenstein and Francis Crick, Raworth presents a kind of forensic register of the workings of a brain, trusting marginal thoughts, renaming states of mind. His blueprint for consciousness welcomes foreign words and technical and scientific lexicon. I suppose vocabulary comes from whats heard and read. Could even be an overreaction to my distaste of the like a pink kitten poetical language.  A keen collector of immediacies and simultaneities, Raworth reignites the readers attention and grants never a dull moment, said the sun. A searcher-out of minute phenomena, he awaits you with a find round every corner: follow me into the garden at night / i have my own orchestra, or the noise of a bicycle freewheeling downhill. That said, how much does the poet know about a poem before he starts on it? More and more Ive headed towards not having the slightest idea of where its going, and taking the pleasure from that. Dancing on hidden stepping stones in the flood.  
Raworths recorded readings  available by Carcanet in two CDs  reenact the moment of creation and, while conveying the feeling of cards being shuffled, cut and dealt again, leave the reader with new ports of entry. They somehow remind us of Basil Buntings dogma: Poetry, like music, is to be heard... Reading in silence is the source of half the misconceptions that have caused the public to distrust poetry. Raworth recalls and reports: I knew of Bunting from books in my fathers library (when I was growing up there were pretty much only books in the house. A table and four chairs. Two small coal fires downstairs and ice on the inside of the windows of the bedrooms). But had totally forgotten him by the time Tom Pickard hauled him back into the light and he wrote Briggflatts, the first edition of which I set the type for, for Fulcrum Press, so I used to know the text physically. I liked him, the few times we met. He still enjoyed wine and young women and I was amused by the story of him, in Iran, slipping out the back way to join the mob shouting Death to Bunting! outside his house. I partly agree with his remark. His reading aloud of Briggflatts augments the page. But I dont think its a universal and I dont think its the cause of the distrust. His view implies a definitive reading of the poem, almost as a performed piece of music. Im happy with varied and varying readings, either aloud or interiourly.  
In fact, Raworths swift voice advances like a plough overturning land, and yet the lapses between words are clearer, the ellipses better drawn. I never thought I read quickly (I still dont... I think I read the poems as they are) until people started making a point of mentioning it. My bitchy reply the first time someone said why do you read so fast? was why do you listen so slow? but I think Ive mellowed. For me, I can play the syntax better at speed. In no instance do I think my reading is definitive... its simply how I myself read aloud what Ive written. Naturally, next question in line would be what sort of reader Tom Raworth is. I read less now than I did, though Im still unable to NOT read anything that presents itself to my eye as language... shop signs, newspapers over peoples shoulders, instructions on medicines. I remember reading when I was four and a half at school during the war... I mean I have a clear image of the moment, and the book, and the word signals. On my way home from the library or from school I would read while walking. Years later I learned my father, going to work when he was 14, had done the same, reading a book while walking from Hammersmith to the City of London. My taste has been varied. My favourite book as a child was Kiplings Kim and I can still re-read Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh with pleasure, as I can Philip Whalen and Ed Dorn.  
His only novel, A Serial Biography  originally published by the notable Fulcrum Press together with volumes by Bunting, Dorn, Harwood, Roy Fisher , is soon to be reissued by Salt together with texts from Visible Shivers. It is a true time mosaic which sets out to investigate the shape of a life, of parallel lives, bypassing predictable plotting and through perfectly spaced leaps back and forth and across the seasons: If I blink in time with him now, will we blink in time for ever... When did encounters cease to be random? One wonders how such a hypnotic and mysterious high-wire act could have remained out of print for nearly 40 years. Raworths prose sounds like the making off of a poet, a half-hidden yet potent B side. Poetry or prose has never been a conscious decision, he explains, writing winks and beckons and I go along for the adventure.  
A devoted family man, Tom Raworth seems to suggest that writing is a home no authority can evict you from. He knows his own idea of literature and, no doubt, has achieved what Doctor Johnson praised in Thomas Browne: Flights which would never have been reached but by one who had very little fear of the shame of falling.

On the web

  Trial time for Galeano  
dyn  
Beinusz Szmukler, a member of the Council of Magistrates, walks out of the central courthouse in downtown Buenos Aires, where an impeachment trial opened yesterday against suspended Federal Judge Juan Jos Galeano. Galeano is facing charges of malfeasance over his work at the helm of the probe into the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community centre. Szmukler, who wrote the accusation against Galeano, said that there is enough evidence to remove the judge. Galeano, meanwhile, said before entering the courthouse that he worked very hard and for the good in the AMIA bombing case. I will do my best to prove that I am not guilty, said Galeano. The AMIA attack killed 85 people on July 18, 1994, to become the worst terrorist deed in the countrys history.
  Turbulent Bolivia is producing more cocaine, UN reports  
Eradication efforts bankrolled by the United States had until recently wiped out much of the coca in Bolivia and Peru, the two countries that in the 1990s supplied much of the raw material used to produce the world's cocaine. But in Bolivia, the eradication has come with a high social cost, with displaced coca farmers joining protests that led two presidents to quit in the past 20 months, including Carlos Mesa last week.   
In its annual survey of coca production, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime says the acreage devoted to coca was up 17 percent from 2003 to 2004, while cocaine output rose 35 percent to 107 tons. The numbers raise questions about the effectiveness of anti-drug programs, and they suggest a link between the continuing political turbulence and increased coca production.   
"We are very concerned about the situation in Bolivia," Antonio Maria Costa, director of the anti-drug office, told reporters in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday in releasing the report. "We strongly believe that the international community should engage in massive support to Bolivia."   
The report showed that neighboring Peru registered a 14 percent increase in coca plantings and a 23 percent rise in cocaine production. The only good news, the United Nations said, was that cocaine production in Colombia, the world's main source of the drug, had fallen.   
Much of the growth in coca cultivation in Bolivia has come in the Yungas region, where Mesa's government prohibited forced eradication for fear of angering organized cocaleros, or coca farmers. It is an approach unlikely to change with the new president, Eduardo Rodriguez, who faces simmering anger from a range of anti-government forces, including the cocaleros.   
Coca farmers from the Yungas, where the United States would like to spray, said they would fight if efforts were made to destroy their crops. In the Yungas, many farmers grow coca for traditional use, as permitted by Bolivian law, though U.S. and Bolivian officials say much of the new growth goes toward drug trafficking. "This would be like taking our daily bread," said Valentin Quispe, 42, a farmer who on Tuesday was selling his coca leaves in Bolivia's main coca market in La Paz. "We have to defend our source of income, to the last consequence."   
Jeffrey D. Sachs, a Columbia University economist who has advised Bolivian governments, said the problem was that the United States had done little to provide real options to coca farmers whose livelihoods were wiped out by Bolivian forces under U.S. supervision. Indeed, Sachs noted, rising anger against the eradication and the Americans helped make Evo Morales, the leader of the cocaleros, a national figure who now has a shot at winning the presidency in the next election.   
"If you want to deal with this in a sustainable way, you need to have a sustainable approach," Sachs said by phone from New York when told of the spike in coca production. "If you think you can solve this militarily, then you've got it wrong."   
Sachs said alternative development programs financed by the United States amount to a "ludicrously small investment" that cannot replace coca farming. The State Department contends that the programs, which total $212 million over a generation, have helped thousands of families switch to legal crops.
  Two sides are better than one  

Where is my Holy Grail?  
By Pablo Toledo

Some day, I am gonna find the perfect textbook. I am talking about a textbook that matches my teaching style, that knows when my students need to speed up and when they need to slow down, one that teaches everything I needed and then some things I didn't know I needed. One that has so much extra material I won't need anything else. One that will put a smile on my face every time I step into a classroom, one that I will pick up confident that I can't go wrong as long as I follow it. A textbook that watches my back. A textbook my students will enjoy. A textbook that will get me a pay raise. Have you found one of those yourself? No? Didn't think so   
My quest for the perfect textbook is like my quest for the perfect slimming method (no diets, no pills, no exercise, just weight loss): a dream that won't come true. Moreover, anyone who expects that from a textbook is either clinically insane or seriously unprofessional. Textbooks won't do the teaching for you, they are recipes for lazy teachers who cannot be bothered to plan a syllabus and design their own material. They don't know your students' needs, their background, their styles - they don't even know their mother tongue! They don't know you, how many hours a day you teach, what kind of training and professional background you have, what your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher are, what your bosses (and students) expect of you.   
Given the right amount of time and resources, there is nothing in a textbook that you cannot do better yourself. The problem is we don't have the time or resources, so we settle for "syllabus design by page turning": we choose the least bad book and teach units 1 through 12, in the prescribed order and without skipping, praying that everything turns out right. The course becomes a train: you can get on or off, but there's not much of a steering wheel in it.   
This is merely our fault. It is us who have given up essential components of our teaching role to the hands of something that should be merely a tool. Textbooks do not make the good teacher (do you choose a doctor based on the brand of stethoscope they use?), but used wrongly have the capacity to turn any teacher into a mediocre teacher. This is OK for the lousy teachers who can fake a minimum degree of competence by following the steps of a coursebook, but who wants to be one of those? Teachers who can select or produce their own materials are the ones that make a difference. All you need is skills and hard work not a shopping list!

Books: the Teacher's friends  
By Caroline Gwatkin

At the beginning of the year I seem to spend hours wandering around bookshops sniffing around the myriad of books stacked up on tables and spilling off the shelves. And as I meander around I cannot help but eavesdrop teachers stridently discussing the pros and cons of the different course books they have used.   
The audacity of some of these teachers never ceases to amaze me. It's just that they consider themselves to be experts in every area linked to the business of teaching, including coursebook writing, test designing and even running the English Department!  
Why is it that teachers waste (yes, I said 'waste') so much time "writing" their own course content?   
The answer is, of course, they don't actually write the material themselves, they haphazardly 'cut and paste', or more likely photocopy, whole chunks from different books (with different lexical input and different methodological approaches catering for different types of learners) and cobble them together to make a huge folder full of (the infamous) photocopies. If teaching and learning is measured by the centimetre, then these teachers are leaders in the field.   
And don't get me started on plagiarism!   
Is this  patchwork of photocopies really so much more efficient and effective in teaching language than following  a well written, widely trialled, programme of learning complete with cds, web-links, videos and resource material, all wrapped up in a coursebook? Does the Photocopy Approach provide all types of learners with valid input?  
Not to mention plagiarism!  
Or is it that these teachers don't know how to match different coursebooks to different learners? The art of matching coursebooks to learners (not learners to coursebooks!) is sadly neglected and there is such a choice available, a coursebook for every type of learner if teachers only knew how what criteria to use when selecting them.  
The confusion seems to arise from the very concept of using a course book. I am in no way suggesting that teachers should slavishly adhere to the book and nothing but the book. But I am strongly suggesting the baseline the course is built on should be the coursebook, this way every Head, DOS or co-ordinator would know the minimum language (there is no maximum in language learning) the learners have been exposed to, if not taught. The teacher would then spend his/her valuable preparation time supplementing and extending from the baseline to cater for the learners needs and interests, instead of wasting time trying to personalise every single exercise!  
So away with clipping and snipping and wasting money copying and plagiarising, why not just sit down and work out your criteria for coursebook selection? It's certainly not as difficult or time consuming as reading through piles of coursebooks and picking out exercises, readings, listenings and finding choices to write about and, at the same time, ensuring that you are recycling, structuring, enriching and revising incrementally! 

CG runs Teacher Development courses both at her institute, The Place, and for institutes and schools in Argentina and abroad. Contact her ar   

  UK: detaining asylum seekers unjust?  
LONDON  Human rights group Amnesty International yesterday criticized Britains detention of asylum seekers as unnecessary and unjust.  
A report by the international human rights group found that 27,000 people who had sought asylum in Britain were detained in jail-like conditions during some stage of 2003, despite the fact many had shown no sign of attempting to abscond.  
This represents a very significant use of detention and immediately raises the question of whether such prolific use of detention is in compliance with international human rights law, the Amnesty report said.  
Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said the group found that being held in detention with no release date in sight had led to mental illness, self-harm and suicide attempts.  
Seeking asylum is not a crime, it is a right. Thousands of people who have done nothing wrong are being locked up in the UK, Allen said.  
The human cost of this policy is frighteningly high.  
The lawfulness of the decision to detain someone should be reviewed automatically by a court or similar independent body, Allen said.  
The report recommended the British government change rules on how detention is imposed and ban the detention of elderly or sick people, torture survivors and unaccompanied children.  
A spokesman for Britains Home Office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the power to detain individuals was an essential part of protecting the integrity and effectiveness of immigration controls.  
It is also central to our drive to increase the number of failed asylum seekers we remove and ensuring the public can have confidence in a system that is both robust and  fair, the spokesman said.  
  (AP)
  Unmanned russian delivery ship  
AP  
The International Space Station is seen yesterday from a Russian cargo ship, the unmanned Progress M-53 spacecraft, while making its slow approach, in this  image from the television provided by Russian Mission Control. The Russian cargo ship successfully docked with the international space station yesterday, delivering supplies and equipment for its US and Russian crew, Russian Mission Control said.
  Unmanned russian delivery ship  
AP  
The International Space Station is seen yesterday from a Russian cargo ship, the unmanned Progress M-53 spacecraft, while making its slow approach, in this  image from the television provided by Russian Mission Control. The Russian cargo ship successfully docked with the international space station yesterday, delivering supplies and equipment for its US and Russian crew, Russian Mission Control said.
  US custody boon  
WASHINGTON  President George W. Bush yesterday defended the US treatment of detainees and said the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks should stay in secret custody because he could provide valuable information to help protect US citizens and Europeans.  
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, regarded by US officials as the brains behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, has been held at an undisclosed location since he was captured in Pakistan in March 2003.  
And he is being detained because we think he could possibly give us information that might not only protect us, but protect citizens in Europe, Bush said at a press conference after meeting with European Union leaders.  
And at some point in time he will be dealt with, but right now we think its best that he be kept in custody, Bush said. We want to learn as much as we can in this new kind of war about the intention, and about the methods, about how these people operate.  
While a number of senior al Qaeda members have been captured or killed, the networks leader, Osama bin Laden, and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, have evaded a US-led manhunt.  
We are receiving good cooperation from the government of Pakistan. They are a partner in the global war on terrorism and they have been working with us to go after al Qaeda and Taliban remnants, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.  
Bush defended the treatment of terrorism suspects being held at the US detention facility at Guantnamo Bay, Cuba, and challenged reporters to go and see for themselves.   
                                         (Reuters)
  US endorses strong Europe  
WASHINGTON  Despite political and economic fights that have brought to the brink of crisis, the European Union is not hobbled, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker said yesterday, speaking as the current president of the organization.  
Appearing after a meeting with US President George W. Bush, Juncker sought to reaffirm that the United States and the EU were linked in a strategic partnership aimed at promoting the spread of freedom and democracy.  
We made clear in our frank and open talks with the president that the EU is not on its knees, he said. The Europeans are playing their role in the international scene.  
As an example, both Juncker and Bush cited a conference that the US and the Europeans are holding this week in Brussels on promoting development in Iraq.  
There have been past differences over Iraq, Bush said. But as we move forward there is a need for the world to work together so that Iraq as a democracy will succeed.  
Bush said the United States continues to support a strong European Union as a partner in spreading freedom and democracy and security and prosperity throughout the world.  
Juncker reference to Europe continuing to play a role in world affairs came after an EU summit last week collapsed in disagreement over a budget for the next few years. Earlier EU leaders postponed a deadline to ratify a new constitution that voters in France and the Netherlands rejected.  
Jos Barroso, the president of the European Commission, the EUs executive arm, also said Europe was not paralyzed because of political and economic differences among its members.  
Some think the EU is blocked and cannot work, he said at a news conference after taking part in talks with Bush at the White House. The EU is in business and taking decisions. We have a problem and I am not underestimating the difficulties. It will take time to resolve them.  
He said he did not get a sense from the talks that the US secretly welcomed disarray in Europe.  
The US administration understands that it is in the US interest to have a strong Europe, he said.  
                                                (AP)
  US-China trade gap: What is it, really?  
NEW YORK  Chinas persistent trade surplus with the United States has some US leaders complaining Chinas currency is too weak, giving an unfair trade advantage to its exports.   
But how big is Chinas trade surplus? The data tell wildly different tales.   
A recent paper by two Federal Reserve analysts found that in 2003, the United States reported a trade deficit of US$124 billion, while China disclosed a trade surplus with the United States of just US$59 billion, a difference of US$65 billion.   
Why the discrepancy? Blame it on Hong Kong.   
The primary reason for the discrepancies in the bilateral data is the unique trade relationship that exists between China and Hong Kong, Federal Reserve Staff Economist John Schindler and Research Assistant Dustin Beckett said in a report.   
Much of Chinas trade passes through Hong Kong, which historically had been the gateway to China, and remains a key point of transfer even as mainland China becomes more open to the rest of the world.   
Hong Kongs participation makes accurate reporting of bilateral trade difficult. A Chinese exporter may mistakenly log goods as exported to Hong Kong, when in fact they are then re-exported to the US or some other country. A US or other exporter, meanwhile, may send goods to Hong Kong, not knowing they will eventually land in China.   
Such misreporting can have a significant distorting effect on reported bilateral trade, the economists said.   
Schindler and Becketts study was separate from efforts by the US Treasury Department and the Fed to determine reasons for the divergence in the data, a Fed spokeswoman said.   
WEVE GOT LABELS   
Shipping conventions, in which the exporter records the shipment on an FOB basis (free on board or excluding freight costs) and the importer on a CIF (including cost, insurance and freight), distort values by a couple of percent, but such distortions are not peculiar to China.   
Far more important to China trade are the price mark-ups slapped on the goods in Hong Kong, which Schindler and Beckett estimate at around 30 percent of the value of the goods.   
Why so much? In many cases, the goods are not changed at all, except to affix a label. But economists say that branding is worth something.   
The end result is goods exported to the United States from China through Hong Kong may be logged by China with a value of US$100 but may end up being valued at over US$143 by the U.S. buyer once the mark-up and various freight charges are added, according to the economists calculations.   
But that calculation assumes China knows the goods are only making a temporary stop in Hong Kong. If China logs the goods as staying in Hong Kong, China would carry in its trade statistics a US$100 export to Hong Kong and US$0 in exports to the United States, while the US buyer would log the goods as a US$143 import from China.   
Either way, the end result is a big discrepancy between how China and the United States see the trade balance.   
According to Schindler and Becketts calculations, by accounting for the Hong Kong connection and the freight differentials, the discrepancy between what China and the United States reported for 2003 can be reduced from US$65 billion to US$24 billion.   
For Chinas 69 trading partners, the same exercise narrows the discrepancy from about US$312 billion to about US$125 billion. In some cases, as in trade between China and Japan, the difference is reduced by almost 90 percent.   
DOES IT TELL US                 ANYTHING?   
What does it mean? It depends how you spin it. With the new calculations, Chinas reported trade surplus climbs, but the deficit the rest of the world reports with China falls, giving ammunition to both those people charging that Chinas yuan is too weak and those who say its not.   
While the revised calculations narrow the discrepancy by a lot, it doesnt disappear.   
What the data do suggest is that its dangerous to make assumptions about the proper value of Chinas currency based on trade data, especially bilateral trade figures.   
(Reuters)
  Vlez win and walk toward first title in eight years  

SOCCER  
National Tournament

Vlez Srsfield gave a giant step towards their first championship since 1998 when they defeated a second-string River away yesterday 1-0 in only their tenth win at the Monumental in 74 games after the 17th round of the National A Division Closing Tournament ended.  
The winning goal was scored by one of the only three remaining players of the 98 Closing Tournament, midfielder-cum-forward Lucas Castromn, in the 13th minute off a penalty goal, something he achieved in the last three matches. The other two players who remain from the 98 squad are forward Rolando Zrate and midfielder Fabin Cubero.  
River are more preoccupied with playing their Libertadores Cup semifinal match against Brazilian Sao Paulo at midweek and thats why Leonardo Astrada lined-up his reserves, who were unable to avoid a third defeat in a row on the domestic front.  
Vlez had a solid backline, were disciplined at midfield and quick upfront, while River were unable to come up with any breaking ideas.  
This might have been highly due to referee Daniel Jimnezs early and arguable penalty call after Javier Gandolfi handled the ball.  
Castromn placed his shot against the lower end of goalie Franco Costanzos right post. From then on Vlez controlled the game at will.  
Leandro Somoza dominated the central-field, Marcelo Bravo was tireless on the left side, Jons Gutirrez did just as much on the right and Leandro Gracin was the cornerstone of every offensive move as the forwards combined smartly to face-off Rivers defence.  
River didnt get a single chance to approach Gastn Sessas woodwork in the initial half and their first chance arrived in the second part when Gandolfi headed far above the crossbar.  
By then Vlez moved at ease and regulated their efforts and even missed a couple of clear opportunities.  
Intelligently, Vlez never allowed the advantage to get to their head and always kept River on a short leash.

  Vestey Group loses more farms  
CARACAS  Venezuelas government will take over two more cattle ranches run by Britains Vestey Group after targeting two of its farms earlier this year under President Hugo Chvezs land reforms for the poor, officials said.  
The National Land Institute ruled the La Bendicin Ramera and Hato San Pablo Paeno ranches could be used for state agrarian projects under a law allowing government confiscation of farms failing to show land titles and proper production.  
Agroflora, Vesteys Venezuela subsidiary, said it had no comment on the latest decision, but the company has already appealed against government moves to confiscate another cattle ranch it operates.  
We still havent been officially notified, Agroflora President Diana Dos Santos told Reuters.  
La Bendicin Ramera, which covers around 27,273 hectares, located in southern Apure state, failed to show documentation proving it was private property and that the farm was productive, the land institute said on its Website.  
Hato San Pablo Paeno occupying about 18,803 hectares in Apure was declared idle land and of public origin, which will allow the state to use the territory for agrarian development projects.  
Since winning a referendum last year, Chvez has promised to speed up redistribution of idle farmland to state-sponsored rural cooperatives as part of his self-described socialist revolution against poverty.  
But farm owners, ranch associations and opposition leaders say the land law tramples over private property rights. They fear former army officer Chvez is dragging Venezuela closer to the communist model of his ally Cuban leader Fidel Castro.  
The farms were the third and fourth Vestey ranches in Venezuela to be subjected to such a ruling this year. Vestey, which has worked in Venezuela for about a century, operates 14 farm areas in Venezuela.  
Agroflora has filed in an agrarian court against a government ruling to confiscate most of the El Charcote farm it operates in central Cojedes State. Officials have also ruled part of its Los Cocos ranch in Apure State is public land.  
British officials say they are monitoring the case.  
Agroflora, which says it produces four percent of Venezuelas beef, complains pro-Chvez squatters have invaded its farmland and forced it to slash production. Critics say Chavezs aggressive campaign has promoted illegal land grabs.  
But supporters praise the populist leader for spending billions of dollars in oil revenues on social programmes to end years of neglect. They say the land program will combat rural poverty and increase national food output.   
(Reuters)
  Vietnam p.m. in u.s.  
ap  
One of 300 protesters is seen across the street from the hotel in Seattle where Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was visiting yesterday. The protesters oppose the Vietnamese government for what they say are human rights violations. Khai is making the first US visit by a Vietnamese prime minister since the wars end 30 years ago. Besides paying a call on Boeing, Khai is planning to talk business with Microsofts Bill Gates, visit Harvard, and boost his countrys bid to join the World Trade Organization.
  Vietnamese prime minister to talk trade on visit to the US  

HANOI  Making the first US visit by a Vietnamese prime minister since the wars end 30 years ago, Phan Van Khai is planning to talk business with Bill Gates, visit Harvard and boost his countrys bid to join the World Trade Organization.  
Yet despite the visits heavy commercial overtones, history still intrudes, and Khai says hes ready to deal with the war issue head-on  and put it to rest.  
My presence in the United States reflects that we have put the past behind us, Khai said Friday in an interview.  
The state of war and hostility has become a partnership in many fields, he said. That shows that the past is behind us.  
Khai departs Sunday and is due to meet with US President George W. Bush at the White House today.  
Khai will begin his visit in Seattle, Washington where he is to meet with the heads of leading US companies, including Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, as well as oversee the signing of an agreement for state-owned Vietnam Airlines to buy four Boeing 787 passenger planes.  
Following his summit with Bush, Khai will travel to New York, where he will ring in the session at the New York Stock Exchange and meet with business leaders. Khai will then stop in Boston to hold talks on expanding educational exchanges with the presidents of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  
Khai, 71, said economic and social reforms in Vietnam  along with increased trade, defense and diplomatic cooperation with the US  had converged to produce the best timing for the visit.

The United States has become Vietnams top trading partner since the two established diplomatic ties a decade ago, with two-way trade worth US$6.4 billion last year.

Were hoping to further tap the potential for even better relations between the two countries based on respect and mutual interest, Khai said.  
The United States has become Vietnams top trading partner since the two established diplomatic ties a decade ago, with two-way trade worth US$6.4 billion last year. US investment in Vietnams economy has also risen 27 percent each year since a bilateral trade agreement came into effect in 2001.  
US Navy ships have visited Vietnamese ports, and the two countries have exchanged high-level delegations of officers. The sides have also cooperated in searching for the remains of soldiers missing from the war, clearing land mines and aiding victims of Agent Orange  a chemical defoliant that was used by U.S. forces in Vietnam and has been linked to cancer, diabetes and birth defects among Vietnamese civilians and veterans from both countries.  
Trade remains a primary concern, however, and Khai, a Soviet-trained economist, said Hanoi is aiming for an agreement with Washington on Vietnams WTO bid as soon as possible.  
US approval is crucial to Vietnams goal of admission to the WTO by the years end. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan is now in the United States for talks.  
But Khai  apparently playing down expectations of a quick agreement  said Vietnam was hoping at least for a statement of support.  
We hope that President Bush and the US government will also express their support for Vietnams accession to the WTO at as early a time as possible, he said.  
Speaking in a meeting room at the spacious green leadership compound in Hanoi, Khai said he was prepared to talk with Bush about democratic reforms in Vietnam, religious rights, and stepped-up military cooperation.  
Washington has often been critical of the communist governments record of restricting political and religious freedoms. Khai said he viewed the visit as an opportunity for us to introduce the achievements we have recorded so far in these areas.  
During the visit, both sides are also expected to sign an adoption agreement aimed at preventing Vietnamese children from being trafficked and exploited. In the late 1990s, Vietnam began requiring countries to sign adoption agreements after police uncovered criminal rings selling children for foreign adoption.  
Khai also said he also looked forward to discussions on major issues with representatives of the 1.5 million-strong US Vietnamese community. Many in the Vietnamese community are refugees and ardent foes of the communist government in Hanoi.  
Thirty years have passed since the end of the war, Khai said. We wont have any discrimination over the past political opinions.  
                               (AP)

  Warhol kills me  
 A Rembrandt or a Titian asked to be gazed at.  A Warhol only asks to be noticed.  Or worse yet: recognized.  Fame is their essence, pigment, subject matter, and varnish.  It literally seals their fate.  
Warhol was a self-declared commercial artist.  He got his start in the world of merchandising, shoe design, department-store window dressing and the like.  One of his few ideas (Warhol was a self-declared man of few ideas, most of which he acknowledged having shoplifted from others) was to claim, rather than bashfully disown, these commercial beginnings.  Wouldn't it be neat to transpose the marketing of art into the substance of the work of art itself?  How about making a work of art which, being a commodity, also proclaims in color, shape, form, and subject matter that it is a commodity-on a par with, say, a soup can or a soda bottle?  And how about applying such techniques of mass reproduction to its making so that the distinction between the unique piece and the serial article will be triumphantly and forever moot?  These little strokes of invention were the nudges of pop art at the artistic establishment.  Though looking at a Warhol may not seem like it (what with the bright colors and the recognizable faces and the glam and the glitz and all that), Warhol is essentially a conceptual artist.  His pieces are less to be looked at than understood.  And what one must understand is that serious art is dead; that profundity, understanding, attention, patience, and effort are out; while fun, nifty, sensational, shallow, easy art is in.  
It is always a hoot to catch a critic or a curator fumbling to convince viewers that Warhol's painted photographs are really beautiful in the classical painterly sense ("asombrosamente hermoso" reads one of the labels at the current exhibit).  This rather misses the point.  A Warhol is like a brand package: it tries, not to be beautiful, but to catch the attention, to be noticed, and quickly recognized; to make an impact; to set up a consumer partnership with the viewer: to become a brand.  A Warhol cannot be beautiful in the classical sense because it is altogether devoid of the nuance, depth, and texture, and complex shading of hues and emotions that earmark a great painting.  His palette runs to the saturated bright pigments of bubble gum and jello.  His splashes of color flatten and mock nature rather than start a dialogue with it.  Do you want to see truly bright flowers?  Really red lipstick?   A Warhol delivers all that with the Technicolor saturation slider on the maximum setting.  His rhetoric is that of clowning-up and camp, the mischievous child who tarts up the faces on his mother?s fashion magazines because the world is never bright, gaudy, and glamorous enough.    
The essence of glamour is appearance.  Accordingly Warhol is interested in human beings only inasmuch as they are media images, appearances already processed and broadcast a million-fold by the mass market.  Nor is his strategy to try and uncover the person behind the photographic veneer.  See his Marilyn or his Elisabeth Taylor: outrageously made-up in candy color touch-ups that further flatten and simplify the face, lift it out of any human context, and impose the star over the human being.  The 150 portraits or so which Warhol turned out every year towards the end of his life are not human faces but brand names, logos, pieces of commercial heraldry on par with the golden arches or the Pillsbury doughboy.  Warhol is telling us that faces have become their own simplified emblem; that there is nothing to the celebrity but the fame; that, try as we may, we will never get beyond the mask because the mask is all and it spreads across the length and width of reality.  Whether a portrait of Jackie Kennedy or Santa Claus, of Freud or Superman, of Mick Jagger or Mickey Mouse, it is all the same message: that reality does not extend beyond the image.   Fruitlessly would one try to catch a glimpse of what it was like to be Norma Jean Baker from one of Warhol's serial colored Polaroids of Marilyn.  The point is that there never was a Norma but always only a laminated, plasticized image shrink-wrapped to death.    
Does Warhol attempt a rescue?  Does he, like Orpheus, try to rescue his Eurydice from the bad netherworld of images?  Not so.  Along with the labor of serious art, Warhol also dismissed the idea that art can redeem everyday life; that an artwork can, as in Vermeer, save the flickering miracle of a maiden's sidelong glance from death and oblivion.  Instead Warhol's splashes of color obliterate and squash the face, they give it the texture of a gift bag and the depth of plastic wrap.  This is death by design.  Death by the stiletto of style.  Death by Andy.  His is the art of the touch-up, indeed the mortician's very art.  
It is thus no surprise to observe that, among his subject matters, Warhol was especially drawn to death.  Dead celebrities of course, but also his series "Death in America" (of which a mauve electric chair is on display at the Centro Borges) and the series "Endangered Species" (also on display at this exhibit). Let me venture an interpretation.  Andy Warhol never painted living things but images of living things-hence objects that were already inert.  Inertness is the root of his interest in a face.  This is why he never applied his brush to creating and giving life to a person but merely to splatter pigments on a previously photographically shot portrait.  The endangered species on each of Warhol's painting is human presence.  
A question arises: what, given the above, explains Warhol's enduring fame?  Surely, it cannot be the sensual pleasure of looking at his paintings, which is very poor indeed.  Given its flatness, there is nothing in the actual piece at the exhibit that cannot be properly seen from a poster or catalog copy-thus saving the viewer a trip to the exhibition gallery.  So what justifies going to see a Warhol? The reason is unlikely to be that of seeing an original since his opus is made up of duplicates.  
Perhaps it is therefore a ritual of taking part in fame.  In this regard, it is doing complete justice to Warhol to wish to see his works only because he is famous.  This is consistent with the logic of his works.  Lastly, it is hard to imagine the museumgoer enjoying a Warhol for the morbid pleasure of watching the human face receiving such colorful funeral rites.  But perhaps Warhol holds out a useful warning to us, in spite of all: that indeed the human face is in danger.  I don't mean Botox or the plastic surgery rictus.  I mean our diminished attention, our failure to pause and really see one another in this age of constant image broadcast.  The image world is winning the battle over the real world.  The human face is becoming a mask that hides nothing.  How good it would be if Warhol saved us from starting to see each other the way he saw us.  
Coda: the Andy Warhol exhibit is serendipitously shown at the Centro Borges (San Martn and Viamonte), on the third floor of a shopping mall. The show closes on October 2.
  Where bin Laden is  
WASHINGTON  CIA Director Porter Goss said he has an excellent idea where Osama bin Laden  is hiding, but the al Qaeda leader will not be brought to justice until weak links in counterterrorism efforts are strengthened, Time magazine reported yesterday.  
In his first interview since becoming head of the CIA last year, Goss also told the magazine the insurgency in Iraq was not quite in its last throes, but close to it.  
Goss did not say where he believed bin Laden was hiding, but intelligence experts have said the al Qaeda leader who has evaded an extensive US-led manhunt is probably in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan.  
I have an excellent idea of where he is. Whats the next question? Goss said in the interview.  
In the chain that you need to successfully wrap up the war on terror, we have some weak links. And I find that until we strengthen all the links, were probably not going to be able to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice, Goss said. We are making very good progress on it.  
He cited some of the difficulties as dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, youre dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play.          (Reuters)
  World in brief  

THE AMERICAS

United States  
EL PASO, TX  Immigration proceedings for anti-Castro exile Luis Posada Carriles, accused of masterminding the deadly bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 will not be moved to Florida and will remain in El Paso, a judge ruled yesterday.

WASHINGTON, DC  NASA announced it has set up a new department focused on analysis of how existing space programmes are going and how best to get the US back to the Moon and eventually to Mars.

   For the second time, Democrats blocked a Senate attempt yesterday to confirm John Bolton as UN ambassador. President George W. Bush might decide to instal Bolton temporarily through a seldom-used power to bypass the Senate.

Canada  
CALGARY  Rising floodwaters kept hundreds of Alberta state residents from their homes yesterday, but officials hoped a dam and a helpful log jam would limit the flooding damage.

Brazil  
BRASILIA  President Luiz Incio Lula Da Silva yesterday named Dilma Rousseff as the new Cabinet chief, in place of Jos Dirceu who was ousted amid corruption allegations.

Cuba  
HAVANA  Cubas government has revoked some 2,000 licenses from self-employed workers across the island, part of an ongoing campaign to reassert state control over the economy.

   Benito Martnez, the oldest man living in Cuba, claimed to have turned 125 over the weekend, local media reported yesterday. He would be the worlds oldest person if his claim is true.

Mexico  
MEXICO CITY  Two former directors of Mexicos long-dissolved secret police are among suspects sought in the disappearance of six people more than 30 years ago, the presidents office announced yesterday.

EUROPE

Britain  
LONDON  Flash floods washed away roads and caused millions of pounds of damage in northern England yesterday while much of the country sweltered in a heatwave.

The Netherlands  
LONDON  A Dutch doctor was found guilty of serious professional misconduct yesterday after removing organs and body parts from 850 dead children at a British hospital without their parents consent.

Ireland  
DUBLIN  Gaelic-language poet Michael Davitt, who led an influential 1970s literary movement in Irelands native tongue, has died, the government announced. He was 55.

Azerbaijan-Armenia  
BAKU  Azerbaijan has proposed restoring traffic to Armenia through the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, its Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said.

Germany  
BERLIN  German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer yesterday urged European leaders to come together, warning that further political strife will damage the EU.

OTHER COUNTRIES

Lebanon  
BEIRUT  The anti-Syrian opposition has captured control of Lebanons Parliament, breaking Syrias long domination of the country, according to official election results.

Egypt  
CAIRO  In a speech at the American University in Cairo, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized emergency law, arbitrary justice and violence against peaceful demonstrators in Egypt and called on the Cairo government to put its faith in the people.

Burundi  
UNITED NATIONS  The UN Security Council adopted a resolution yesterday aimed at paving the way for a truth commission and a special court to examine four decades of ethnic conflict in Burundi.

Australia  
SYDNEY  Australian businessman Rodney Adler, who is serving a jail term, was moved to a high security prison after allegedly conducting business while pretending to help his children with schoolwork, local media reported Sunday. 

Philippines  
MANILA  77-year-old Cardinal Jaime Sin, the former archbishop of Manila who played a pivotal role in the ousting of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, died in hospital last night.

Zimbabwe  
UNITED NATIONS  The United Nations said yesterday it was sending a special envoy to Zimbabwe to investigate a government crackdown on squatter settlements that aid workers say has left 200,000 people homeless.

  world Rankings  
ATP CHAMPIONS RACE  
1. Roger Federer (Switzerland) 710; 2. Rafael Nadal (Spain) 665; 3. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 314; 4. Marat Safin (Russia) 306; 5. Andy Roddick (US) 296; 6. Guillermo Coria (Argentina) 269; 7. Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 264; 8. Mariano Puerta (Argentina) 254; 9. Gastn Gaudio (Argentina) 248; 10. David Ferrer (Spain). Other Argentines: 13. Guillermo Caas 195; 19. David Nalbandian 144.  
ATP TOUR  
1. Roger Federer (Switzerland) 6980; 2. Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 3640; 3. Rafael Nadal (Spain) 3600; 4. Andy Roddick (US) 3590; 5. Marat Safin (Russia) 3195; 6. Andre Agassi (US) 2275; 7. Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 2085; 8. Guillermo Caas (Argentina) 2075; 9. Tim Henman (Britain) 1830. Other Argentines: 11. Mariano Puerta 1618; 12. Gastn Gaudio 1590; 18. Guillermo Coria 1385; 19. David Nalbandian 1385.  
WTA CHAMPIONS RACE  
1. Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 2504; 2. Maria Sharapova (Russia) 2401; 3. Lindsay Davenport (US) 2260; 4. Kim Clijsters (Belgium) 1870; 5. Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 1685; 6. Amelie Mauresmo (France) 1668; 7. Serena Williams (US) 1598; 8. Nadia Petrova (Russia) 1497; 9. Mary Pierce (France) 1291; 10. Nathalie Dechy (France) 1107. Other Argentines: 26. Gisela Dulko 586.  
WTA tour  
1. Lindsay Davenport (US) 5247; 2. Maria Sharapova (Russia) 4998; 3. Amelie Mauresmo (France) 4208; 4. Serena Williams (US) 3781; 5. Elena Dementieva (Russia) 3087; 6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 3075; 7. Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 3067; 8. Nadia Petrova (Russia) 2610; 9. Alicia Molik (Australia) 2402; 10. Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 2343. Other Argentines: 29. Gisela Dulko 1003.
  Worthy of mention  

Buenos Aires  
walking tours  
On Friday June 17, City Hall guides will conduct a free walking tour of the Belgrano neighbourhood, starting out from Av. Cabildo and Jura-mento 3pm. On Saturday June 18, they will delve into the art and poetry of the Flores neighbourhood, leaving from Artigas and Av. Avellaneda, also at 3pm. On Sunday June 19, a tour of the downtown area that was once the neighbourhood of independence war hero General Manuel Bel-grano will leave from the May Pyramid in Plaza de Mayo at 11am, and walk down Hip-lito Yrigoyen and Defensa streets. Walks are called off if it rains. Information: 4114-5794; .

After-hour glamour  
Pub crawlers, add a little glamour to your lives. Every Wednesday evening this year, from 8pm on, the Sofitel Buenos Aires smart Arroyo Caf tempts bons vivants with a Lounge & Martini Night during which cocktails made with the mythical vermouth are served to soft music by DJ Diego Zuccari. In addition to a Classic Dry Martini and a Negroni, the barman serves, among other cocktails, a cunning blend of Martini, Bom-bay gin and green Chartreuse topped off by a green olive. The vermouth makers and the bar encourage patrons to try a different creation every Wed-nesday night.

Sheraton Pilar  
Time flies. The Sheraton Pilar Hotel & Convention Center is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year as the first five-star to locate outside of town, near the industrial parks and gated communities that provide many of its guests during the week and weekends, res-pectively. During this time it has also exploited its out-of-town location 35 minutes from the city to build up an even more diverse clientele than it started with, establishing itself as a venue for important cultural events and as a pre-game training camp for basketball and soccer teams.

Borges  
Every Friday this month, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm, the YWCA will be running guided tours of the birthplace of writer Jorge Luis Borges at Tucumn 844. The tour is followed by a workshop on Borges life and work. 5 pesos.  
Mataderos Fair  
Every Sunday, from 11am to 7pm, the Mataderos Fair works the magic of its rural crafts, traditions and entertainment brought to town in the form of folk dancing (in which the public can join), gaucho ring races, and free workshops on anything from Quechua to charango playing and weaving to pupeteering. At Av. Lisandro de la Torre and Av. de los Corrales (in front of the National Livestock Market). Admission free. Information Monday to Friday 4372-4836; Sundays 4687-5602.

New Age  
directory  
N/A (New Age) Town & Country Hotels, an Argentine company that represents a select handful of small, elegant luxury hotels of interest to individual travellers and professionals, has just published its new directory, which reveals its first incursion in Brazil  Posada La Pedrera in Buzios. The hotels in this group are selected on the basis of outstanding service, cuisine, location and architecture that reflects their region. N/A gives members marketing advice and includes them in a directory that is sent to travel agencies, embassies, companies and frequent travellers in the A-1 market segment. As an additional service, N/A offers the option of taking bookings in Buenos Aires. For further information, visit  age-hotels.com.                 BT

  WTO needs breakthrough agreements  
HONG KONG  The World Trade Organisation needs to get breakthrough agreements on agriculture and industrial goods at a ministerial meeting in December if it is to conclude a new trade pact next year, a spokesman said last Tuesday.  
The WT0 aims to complete the current round of trade talks, known as the Doha Development Agenda, by the end of next year.  
If we can reach agreement on modalities that would be a big breakthrough that would make reaching an agreement in 2006 a lot easier, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell told a press briefing in Hong Kong, where the ministerial meeting will be held.  
Agriculture and Non-Agricultural Market Access are complex and time consuming. They could take a year, thats why we need to get agreement in Hong Kong, he said.  
Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) covers industrial goods.  
Talks on agriculture and NAMA were progressing, however, unlike discussions on services, which could be a major stumbling block to a final trade pact, Rockwell said.  
The World Bank has estimated the success of the talks could give a US$500 billion-a-year boost to the global economy by lowering barriers to business ranging from farm goods to telecommunications and tourism.  
A trade pact can only be concluded if framework deals, known as modalities, are agreed upon for all sectors.  
Agriculture, NAMA and services were key because many governments tended to wait for agreements on those sectors before they were willing to move on other areas of discussion, Rockwell said.  
Key trading states cleared a major obstacle to completing the Doha round last month, when they resolved a disagreement over agricultural import tariffs.  
But some trade leaders such as the European Union have expressed dissatisfaction that those negotiations have only focused on one aspect of tariff-cutting and said progress was needed in all areas, including export aid and domestic subsidies.  
Further progress needs to be made at a general council meeting scheduled for July 29, Rockwell said.  
WTO Director-General Supachai Panitchpakdi said on Monday he was confident a trade pact could be concluded next year as member governments were giving positive signals about their commitment.  
Freeing up business in services, however, poses a real threat to a successful conclusion.  
WTO members, excluding least developed countries, had been given until the end of March 2003 to hand in proposals to open their markets to foreign service providers but 31 members of the WTOs 148 member states have still not submitted initial offers, Rockwell said.  
In this sector progress is disappointing Im afraid, he said. Its extremely unlikely well have a deal in the Doha round without a package on services, he said.   
(Reuters)  

  Yankees win 6th straight  

BASEBALL  
Major Leagues

NEW YORK  Mike Mussina pitched 6-1/3 strong innings and Alex Rodrguez had a two-run single as the New York Yankees doubled the Chicago Cubs 6-3 in Interleague play on Sunday. The Yankees won their sixth straight game in completing a three-game series sweep of the Cubs, while Mussina won his third straight start with a solid effort on the mound.  
Mussina allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Three relievers finished up, including Mariano Rivera who pitched the ninth for his 16th save.  
In Cleveland: Jake Westbrook pitched eight strong innings as the Indians beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in Cleveland. Westbrook (4-9) allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out five and Bob Wickman pitched one inning for his 20th save. Vctor Martnez had two hits and drove in one run for the Indians to help extend the teams winning streak to nine.  
In Boston: Matt Clement pitched seven solid innings, as the Red Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0. Clement (8-1) allowed three hits, walking one and striking out nine. Jay Payton homered for the Red Sox.  
In St Petersburg: Albert Pujols had three hits and drove in two runs as the St Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 8-5. Jeff Suppan (6-6) pitched 6-2/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out two for the win. Jason Isringhausen pitched one inning for his 21st save.  
In Oakland: Eric Chavez homered as the Athletics beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2. Joe Blanton (3-6) pitched 7-2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking four and striking out seven.  
In Seattle: Richie Sexson homered as the Mariners beat the New York Mets 11-5. Gil Meche (7-4) pitched 5-1/3 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out six for the win.  
In Anaheim: Jeff Conine homered as the Florida Marlins beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5. Al Leiter (3-6) pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking five and striking out four for the win. Todd Jones pitched one inning for his 12th save.  
Ervin Santana (1-2) pitched 2-2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out three to take the loss. Chone Figgins had two hits and drove in one run for the Angels.  
In Chicago: Aaron Rowlands two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the White Sox to a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.  
Cliff Politte (5-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win and Dustin Hermanson pitched the ninth for his 16th save.  
Duaner Snchez (1-3) allowed the winning runs and took the loss.

National League  
GRIFFEY JR ON 513  
In Cincinnati: Ken Griffey Jr. hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds to an 11-8 win over the Atlanta Braves in Cincinnati in the lone National League game. Griffey Jr.s homer snapped a tie and helped the Reds end a six-game losing streak while the Braves three-game winning streak was ended. The Reds also avoided a series sweep with the win.  
It was the 513th career homer for Griffey Jr., moving him into sole possession of 16th place on the all-time list.  
David Weathers (4-0), the Reds fifth and final pitcher, allowed one run on three hits over two innings for the win, striking out two and walking none.  
Wilson Betemit homered for the Braves.

  Your view  

Uproar over photocopy proceeds at JVG

With regard to your article about photocopying (HEN April-May 2005), Im sure many people would be interested to read exactly what the law says about photocopying  what is permitted and whot is not. And what happens when you apply to a publishing house for permission to photocopy? Is it usually granted? How long does it take? And how much does it cost?  
 Shona McLennan

For more deatails on copyright, please read the act on the rights and duties or copyright holders by  visiting the following site:    

Uproar over photocopy proceeds at JVG

This seems simple. The copy store should be run at cost. Then there wouldnt be violence over profits.  
 There is no excuse for violating copyright laws and it shouldnt be done.  
 None of the above will have any effect on the drop out rate and it is foolish to think otherwise.

Thanks for your feedback!

  Your view  

COMMUTER TRAINS  
Commuter trains. Boy, what a theme! We who do not drive in and out of town are apt to take a ride in what is left of the old Japanese wagons on the TBA (ex-Mitre) line. This rolling stock has undergone four grotesque makeovers, in the process enduring painfully botched efforts made on a shoestring budget by industrial engineers who dropped out of university!  
We ride in carriages whose seating capacity has dropped to half what it was when they left Japan in the 60s, instead of foam-padded vynil seats, we sit on hard plastic covered by thin, measly padding which in many cases has been vandalized, arm- and headrests which were placed in the wrong places when made over are wrecked or gone, the work of idle, anonymous hands, half the seats face the front and the other half face the back  the original commodity afforded the possibility of altering the position of the seat backs, alternatively, one might try a balancing act precariously seated on idiotic, double-space perches which are placed beside the carriage doors! Props for handicapped people and space for wheelchairs with attendant braces, wheel stops and safety belts have been pilfered so that there is precious little left to account for all the floor space originally destined for these purposes.  
Hand-operated, sliding doors connecting wagons were replaced with automatic ones which used to open noiselessly at the brush of a button, but today do not work, they stand permanently open, a virtue which offers an uninterrupted, ear-splitting din as the wagons bang down the track.  
A special mention goes to the excellent air-conditioning present in all the windowless wagons  it blows hot air on hot days and cold air on cold days, or nothing at all, and as the system gets no service, the drainage pipes leak into the passenger compartments, affording a refreshing shower without warning.  
The latest additions are: state-of-the-whatever television screens showing colourful ads and TBA safety precautions, and air-cooled, standing-room-only carriages, devoid of all seating  these special cars have been added so as to allow hundreds of commuters and their bicycles to get from A to B in freight cars. Bikes travel swinging from hooks placed on the overhead handrails while on-hoof passengers cool off in the summer breeze (or freeze in a wintery gale). Why? Because the newly-fitted, two-piece windows have no panes. Still, its a welcome change from the smelly, stifling conditions in the other wagons, so one mustnt complain.  
Todays electric commuter trains are operated by faceless entities who hunker down in the left-hand corners of their oversized driving cabins while unprepossessing guards open and close the doors in the station (or whats left of them). If guards happen to want to punch tickets on board, theyre apt to get themselves punched by ticketless commuters who have no other means of travelling for free.  
Granted there are local "social" problems attached, yet we have the rail service we merit. Where else would you get a ride costing fifty, seventy, ninety cents of a peso?  
Buenos Aires  
John Ashton

DRUG ADDICTION  
There are trillions of US dollars being thrown into Colombia (On Sunday, May 29) to try to eradicate drugs by penalizing farmers. Despite 25 years of this nonsense the drug trade has increased tenfold in the same period.  
In Afghanistan the farmers of poppies are being offered one billion dollars a year to compensate for a trade yielding them three billion dollars a year.  
Last year Colombia again had record production of cocaine, while Afghanistan produced 43,000 tons of poppies yielding record production of heroin.  
My name is William and I am an Alcoholic and Drug Addict. This is a fact of life that I dont care who knows, as long as I do not forget. There is no cure for my addictions they can only be arrested on a daily basis. Alcoholism, my legal drug of choice, is the third biggest killing disease in the world after heart and cancer, this figure excludes homicides, suicides and accidents for which there are no figures.  
Drug addiction mainly heroin and cocaine produce over two thirds of the prison population in England and the US, this figure gets higher each year. Having said this the damage caused to society by drug addicts is far less than the damage caused by alcoholics.  
Why do we frown more on drug addicts than alcoholics? Perhaps the words socially acceptable and politics are the answer. The Sherlock Holmes books written a 100 years ago had the sleuth popping down to the Opium Den in the East End of London to escape and unwind for a couple of days. In Chicago in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the Chinese were building the railroads, they had signs in most bars and hotels, "Please smoke your opium pipes outside." The smoking of opium was quite acceptable.  
The native peoples in Latin America have used cocaine for centuries with no great problems. Why on earth the Western governments dont try to educate our young people against drug and alcohol abuse I have no idea.  
This would go a long way towards prevention thus dropping consumption.  
The problem is getting worse.  
Any parent reading this will know that if their children have a problem there is so much help available today, if you know where to look, yet this is all private programmes without government sponsorship or funding.  
Lets get real and try to keep our young people well informed. They will work out the rest themselves.  

Hurlingham  
William Hayes

UZBEKS  
On June 13, Kathy Gannon wrote about Uzbekistan purging religious extremists, but the big title words are misleading: "Secret purging of Uzbek dissidents." Trials and court records are mentioned, as well as "an international militant network."  
"Masirahunov admitted to being a member of the IMU," and the article you publish next to it (Finding their way home...) takes it for granted that it is "al Qaeda linked." As for Ermatov, he had joined those "holy warriors." Lets not be naive. Terrorists, not just dissidents, are very well organized, and even disguised as human rights workers will surely criticize the ways in which society must deal with them.  

Nelson Pearson

SOVIET ARMY  
I am perplexed that a letter by Elsie Rivero Haedo regarding "Roosevelt" was published (May 21).  
A few days ago I took time to go to the office of La Nacin on Avenida Leandro Alem to read what Elsie Rivero Haedo said "we seem to repeat the error as was pointed out in the article by Michael Mertes... etc., on May 6." The Soviet Union did not start the war.  
The article in question clearly says that the "Soviet army contributed in a decisive manner in the defeat of the Germans." Obviously, after the Soviets succeeded against the Nazi army, the regime led by Stalin was another matter, a terrible matter indeed.  
As Mrs Rivero Haedo ends her letter saying that the subject deserves an editorial, I am preparing a short comment for the Heralds consideration.  
City  
Eduardo Schamesohn

ARGENTINA AND CHILE  
Having been born and "brought up" in the Patagonian environs of Punta Arenas, Chile, and having passed an extremely happy and well-remembered childhood and girlhood there (as well as many years of married life), I felt quite "at home" when I read of the meeting between the presidents of Argentina and Chile, in Monte Aymond.  
Of course, to a city-bred person, Monte Aymond and Punta Arenas seem to be pretty far apart. But to me who spent her childhood and lived for years in those same areas, they are neighbours.  
On passing and before closing, I put on record how much I enjoy my daily read of the Herald. I feel that the day has not started without that morning routine. Thank you.  
City  
Daphne Mary Hobbs

MALVINAS INTEREST  
Im not an Argentine but my sister and her family have been living in Argentina for the last three decades. Ive visited the country several times and made many friends. I have an avid interest in the country. Another reason for getting in touch is how peoples positions were drawn during the Malvinas war. I would like to hear views from Herald readers about the conflict.  

Deep Basu

  Exit strategy is more than a whisper  
The flurry began over the weekend, when Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., a conservative, called for the Bush administration to set specific goals for leaving Iraq. That came from the man who was once so upset about French opposition to the war that he insisted that House cafeterias change the name "french fries" to "freedom fries."   
But it does not end there.   
Sen. Russell D. Feingold, D-Wis., has introduced a measure similar to the nonbinding resolution that Jones is offering. In the House, the International Relations Committee last week voted overwhelmingly, 32-9, to call on the White House to develop and submit a plan to Congress for establishing a stable government and military in Iraq that would "permit a decreased U.S. presence" there.   
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., will convene a forum on the so-called Downing Street Memo, a leaked document that appears to suggest that the White House made a decision to go to war in the summer of 2002. Next week, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., is planning to read on the House floor the names of about 1,700 Americans who have died in the war.   
Though most Republicans are steering clear of the exit strategy discussion, a handful are joining in. One, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a longtime opponent of the war, has signed onto Jones' resolution and will join him in meeting reporters on Thursday. Another, Rep. Howard Coble of North Carolina, is considering it.   
"I'm not suggesting pulling out tomorrow or next month," Coble, who favored going to war, said Wednesday, "but I want that to be an option. I don't want us to spend an eternity in Iraq. So conceptually, I'm inclined to embrace Walter Jones' proposal."   
Such comments by Republicans would have been heresy before last November's election, because no one in the party wanted to weaken President Bush. But now, with 2006 midterm elections approaching, members of Congress are hearing from constituents who are growing uneasy about the war. So a nascent discussion is emerging in Congress about America's involvement in Iraq and whether it is time for re-evaluation.   
"Certainly, people are breaking ranks, and saying, `You know what, things are not hunky-dory," said Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., who sponsored the measure that passed the International Relations Committee last week. Much to Crowley's surprise, it drew support from the panel's chairman, Rep. Henry J. Hyde, R-Ill., and 12 other Republicans.   
Many Republicans  and a number of Democrats, including Sen. Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader  oppose setting a specific timetable for troop withdrawal, saying it would only embolden insurgents. But lawmakers are keeping an eye on the polls, which reflect growing discontent with the war.   
In a recent Gallup poll, six Americans in 10 said the U.S. should withdraw all or some of its troops from Iraq. In another poll, by ABC News and The Washington Post, two-thirds said the U.S. military had gotten bogged down in Iraq.   
That is a welcome development for people like Zappala.   
Her son, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a National Guard reservist who in his civilian life was a social worker for mentally retarded adults, was killed last year after just six weeks in Iraq.   
He was assigned to the team searching for weapons of mass destruction, said his mother, who is director of the commission on aging for the city of Philadelphia and a co-founder of Gold Star Families of Peace, which represents relatives of fallen soldiers.   
On Wednesday, the group met with Jones. "We actually gave him a little certificate for his courage," Zappala said. Though she said she was under no illusions that American troops would withdraw from Iraq any time soon, "that the conversation is happening," she said, "is very, very important."
  Plotting to kill Chvez  
CARACAS  Venezuelas government believes it has found evidence of an assassination plot against President Hugo Chvez by dissidents working with paramilitary groups in Colombia, Interior Minister Jesse Chacn said yesterday.  
The minister said anti-government radicals, including former military officers, have been discussing an assassination plot during clandestine meetings with members of rightwing paramilitary groups in neighbouring Colombia.  
There is information from Colombia that here have been meetings, we have photographs and videos, said Chacn. Its a job being carried out by people travelling to Colombia... Aand who have contacts with paramilitary groups.  
Chacn, who is partly responsible for the presidents security detail, did not identify any of the suspects behind the alleged plan, nor did he say when or where it was to take place.  
Some of the meetings were held in Colombias Norte de Santander province, Chacn said. The area borders western Venezuela and is known as a paramilitary stronghold.  
Last week, Chvez warned that government adversaries were trying to provoke divisions within the military and plotting to kill him. He said that a June 24 military parade was cancelled due to the purported plot.  
Opposition leaders said the repeated allegations by the leftist Chvez and his political allies are unfounded, adding they amount to nothing more than ploys aimed at turning attention away from domestic problems.  
Its a political show... The government wants to avoid debating problems involving the economy, the fall in oil production, said Gabriel Puerta Aponte, a leader of the opposition-sided Red Flag Party.  
Puerta Aponte said Red Flag, which has been accused by the government of spurring violent anti-Chvez protests in the past, and fellow opposition groups want to see the president voted out of office, not killed.  
We want to resolve Venezuelas problems through peaceful and democratic means, and we will succeed, said Puerta Aponte.        (AP)

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