Big Crash in Mexico

The skies are very safe for the most part, but sometimes there are crashes around theworld, like this one in Mexico.

clipped from www.mexicodaily.com  The Guardian  Cargo jet crash in Mexico kills US pilot | By OSCAR VILLALBA | Associated Press Writer | PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico (AP) - A plane carrying a load of auto parts crashed Sunday as it was trying to land in northern Mexico, killing the pilot and se... (photo: AP / Vanguardia Saltillo)

Spain Information

With Sergio Garcia winning the Players Championship, it is time to learn more about the great country of Spain. Some key facts are below, plus two news stories.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Official Name: Kingdom of Spain Capital: Madrid (Current local time) Government Type: Parliamentary monarchy Chief of State: King JUAN CARLOS I; Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, President of the Government Population: 40,448,191 Area: 194,884 sq. mi., including the Balearic and Canary Islands; about the size of Arizona and Utah combined. Languages: Spanish, Catalan-Valenciana, Galician, Basque. Literacy: Total population: 97.9%; Male: 98.7%; Female: 97.2% GDP Per Capita: $27,400 Web site: http://www.la-moncloa.es/ Spanish Voters Go to Polls in Fierce Rematch By ELAINE SCIOLINO and VICTORIA BURNETT Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero on the left and Mariano Rajoy on the right will battle in Spain’s general election on Sunday. March 9, 2008 New Museum in Madrid COMPILED BY LAWRENCE VAN GELDER A new museum of contemporary art, the CaixaForum, has opened in Madrid. Artists represented in its opening show include Cindy Sherman, Anselm Kiefer and Georg Baselitz. March 7, 2008

Spanish Language is Everywhere

As the three stories show below, Spanish is becoming the language to learn in the US.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Telemundo Is Said to Have Struck Deal in Mexico By BILL CARTER Executives involved in the deal said that Televisa had agreed to include multiple hours of Telemundo programs on one of its Mexico-based broadcast television stations. March 17, 2008 MORE ON SPANISH LANGUAGE AND: CABLE TELEVISION, TELEVISION, MEXICO, NBC UNIVERSAL, TELEMUNDO, ZUCKER, JEFF On Local Radio, an Accent on Spanglish By NICOLE COTRONEO Long Island’s Hispanic population has tripled to about 350,000 since 1980, according to 2006 census data, and one radio station is trying to secure the audience. March 2, 2008 MORE ON SPANISH LANGUAGE AND: ADVERTISING AND MARKETING, RADIO, LONG ISLAND (NY) If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Spanish By HILLARY CHURA An increasing number of American parents want their children to be bilingual if not multilingual. February 2, 2008 MORE ON SPANISH LANGUAGE AND: CHILDREN AND YOUTH, LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES

Paulina Rubio Video

Plenty of Belize Information Below

Are you thinking of going to Belize? Well, you can learn plenty by reading the posting links below.

clipped from travel.nytimes.com Away from the high-end resorts and the increasingly crowded beaches of this popular Central American country is a lush interior, thick with rain forests, Mayan ruins and intense wildlife. Multimedia Slide Show Inside Belize Away from the country's coastline, Belize can feel like an end-of-the-world place. SURFACING: AMBERGRIS CAYE, BELIZE No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem in Caye, Belize By CHARLES RUNNETTE July 30, 2006 Bobbing off the coast of jungly Belize, south of hard-partying Yucatán, with one pedicured toe in the Caribbean, Ambergris Caye is ripe for picking. A Belize Hideaway, Even for the Fish By DANIELLE PERGAMENT May 29, 2005 The three-acre island of Ranguana Caye, perched atop a barrier reef, has just three cabins for overnight guests. A three-night chartered cruise off the coast of Belize doesn't offer much privacy, perhaps, but the honeymooners have the rest of their lives to be alone.

Dominican Republic News

Since the Cap Cana Golf Tournament this weekend is in the Dominican Republic, we thought here at Spanish Immersion Online to give you some information on the country.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Official Name: Dominican Republic Capital: Santo Domingo (Current local time) Government Type: Democratic republic Chief of State: Leonel Fernandez, president Population: 9.37 million Area: 18,704 square miles, about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined Languages: Spanish Literacy: Total Population: [87%] Male: [87%]; Female: [87%] GDP Per Capita: $8,400 Year of Independence: 1844 Web site: Presidencia.gob.do (In Spanish) Santo Domingo Journal A Subway: Just What’s Needed. Or Is It? By MARC LACEY The new subway in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is still under construction, but it has already become a hot topic of conversation. September 3, 2007WorldNews Dominican Republic Gives Tournament Ultimatum By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The president of the Dominican Republic’s baseball league said the nation would pull out of next year’s World Baseball Classic if it was not chosen as a site. March 5, 2008

Paraguay facts and news

Please click the links below to read about the great country of Paraguay.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Paraguay A list of resources about Paraguay as selected by researchers and editors of The New York Times. C.I.A. World Factbook country profile State Department -- history and overview BBC country profile News and online media Official Name: Republic of Paraguay Capital: Asuncion (Current local time) Government Type: Constitutional republic Chief of State: Nicanor Duarte Frutos, President Population: 6.7 million Area: 157,047 square miles; about the size of California Languages: Spanish, Guarani Literacy: Total: 94% GDP Per Capita: $4,800 Year of Independence: 1811 Web site: Presidencia.gov.py After an opening wipeout against Argentina, the United States is hoping to bounce back against Paraguay tonight in the Copa América. The Americans took an early lead against Argentina on Thursday, then gave up four straight goals. With a poor goal differential, the United States probably needs at least a tie against Paraguay to keep alive its chances of advancing.

Uruguay News and Stories

Here is some info on Uruguay.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com In Uruguay, Bush Finds Friendly Ear and Taste of Home By JIM RUTENBERG President Tabaré Vázquez is a leader seen as willing to buck the trend of regional anti-Americanism. March 11, 2007 General Information on Uruguay Official Name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay Capital: Montevideo (Current local time) Government Type: Constitutional republic Chief of State: Tabare Vazquez, President Population: 3.5 million Area: 68,000 square miles; slightly smaller than Oklahoma Languages: Spanish Literacy: Total population: 98% GDP Per Capita: $10,900 Year of Independence: 1825 Web site: Presidencia.gub.uy Anyone, Anything, Anywhere By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Uruguay has leapt ahead of its neighbors by being the first to understand what can be done in today’s increasingly flat world. September 22, 2006

Three Stories on Puerto Rico

Here is some info on Puerto Rico.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Puerto Rico’s Governor, Under Inquiry, Sees Politics By DAVID JOHNSTON The Democratic governor of Puerto Rico says he has been improperly made a target of Justice Department prosecutors. November 2, 2007U.S.News Scrutiny for Puerto Rico Over Animal Treatment By KIRK SEMPLE Families claim that city employees and contractors flung dozens of animals from a 50-foot-tall highway bridge into a ravine and left them to die. March 9, 2008 Puerto Rico’s Political Melodrama Plays On, With Its Governor in the Lead Role By KIRK SEMPLE The investigation into charges of campaign finance violations relating to Gov. Aníbal S. Acevedo Vilá has captured the imagination of Puerto Rico’s political class and news media. February 24, 2008

Costa Rica Cities I visited - Test of Google Embed Maps

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Argentina News Below

clipped from topics.nytimes.com World news about Argentina, including breaking news and archival articles published in The New York Times. Related: Argentina Travel Guide Argentine Leader Faults U.S. on Inquiry By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO Cristina Fernández de Kirchner lashed out at the United States on Thursday for meddling in Latin American affairs. December 14, 2007WorldNews Buenos Aires Journal In Macho Argentina, a New Beacon for Gay Tourists By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO The Axel Hotel, a Spanish import that opened in November, symbolizes Buenos Aires’s increasingly aggressive effort to court gay dollars and euros. December 3, 2007WorldNews In Argentina, the Campaign of ‘Queen Cristina’ Focuses on Global Relations By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO Critics of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s election campaign say she is conveniently ignoring serious domestic problems. September 25, 2007WorldNews

Tourism Still Strong in Costa Rica

This story shows how folks still want to go to Costa Rica, despite a downturn in the US economy.

clipped from www.ticotimes.net Hold Really Still, Mommy... Colleen Chesky, 5, peers over her mother Jeanne's shoulder to watch a butterfly Wednesday at the National Museum 's Secret Garden . Visitors like the Cheskys, from the U.S. state of Michigan , continue to pour into Costa Rica at a strong clip, according to tourism officials, despite fears of economic slowdown in the U.S.

Si Te Vas Shakira

Nice Salsa Music

Costa Rica Travel Information

Here is some good information from Costa Rica Guide.

clipped from costa-rica-guide.com The Costa Rica travel and vacation guide website is a companion to the Toucan Guides waterproof travel map. Home to detailed information about all the adventures shown on the map from canopy tours to butterfly gardens.  Descriptions of the rain forest, turtle nesting beach and volcano National Parks include maps, hours, hiking trails and what to do.  Every tourism location page automatically maps out hotels, activities, and other parks in the same region so you don't have to search around for them. So whether you’re considering travel to Costa Rica on an all inclusive tour, an ecology expedition to spot animals, a surfing safari, real estate shopping or you just want a relaxing vacation on the beach, pick a topic from the menu on the left and welcome to the Costa Rica guide…

Mexico Facts

Here are some facts about Mexico.

clipped from www.thenewsmexico.com Situated in the southwestern part of mainland North America and roughly triangular in shape, Mexico stretches more than 3000 km (1,850 miles) from northwest to southeast. Its width is varied, from more than 2000 km (1,200 miles) in the north and less than 220 km (135 miles) at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the south. Mexico borders two major bodies of water, the Pacific Ocean (with the Gulf of California between the mainland and the Baja California peninsula) to the west and on the east the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea that lead to the Atlantic Ocean. Here are found coastal plains, whereas central Mexico consists of high plateaus and rugged mountains, including volcanoes, the highest of which is the Pico de Orizaba at 5 610 m.

Ferry Service has Trouble in Costa Rica

I rode this ferry when I was there.

clipped from www.amcostarica.com Paquera ferry operators lose battle in supreme court By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The Sala I of the Corte Suprema de Justicia put the Ferry Peninsula out of business Thursday. The Poder Judicial reported that the high court, which deals in civil matters, agreed to bar the  Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Paquera from running its ferry. The association said this would affect the income for 60 families in Paquera. It estimated it would lose 46 million colons (about $92,000) a month. Naviera Tambor sought the injunction. The company owners and operates two ferries, Tambor I and Tambor II, between Puntarenas and Paquera.

Mexico News

Here are some stories about Mexico from the NY Times.

clipped from topics.nytimes.com Highlights From the Archives Drug Trade, Once Passing By, Takes Root in Mexico By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. As cartels have grown in power, they have opened up local markets for cheap forms of highly addictive drugs. October 3, 2007WorldNews With Bombings, Mexican Rebels Escalate Their Fight By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. and ANTONIO BETANCOURT The shadowy Marxist rebel group that has rattled Mexico in recent months by bombing natural gas pipelines has a long history of financing its operations with kidnappings. September 26, 2007WorldNews Mexico City Journal A Tower Fight, but Just What Borough Is This? By ELISABETH MALKIN In Mexico City, the fight over what would be Latin America’s tallest skyscraper — at 984 feet — takes on a tinge of high drama. September 20, 2007WorldNews