March 2007 Issue 51

INTRODUCTION

Once again, a number of events are clustered into the first weekend of the month, but it does not compare to what we had last month.

The Lol Ha Beach Bar is the place to be on Friday, March 2nd, as an array of Akumal's finest once again compete for "Robin's Best Shirt Award".

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IMPORTANT MARCH FACTS

Pisces:  February 19 - March 20
Aries:  March 21 - April 20
March Birthstone:  Aquamarine and Bloodstone
March Flower:  Jonquils/Daffodils/Narcissus

Your grandmother may have called them jonquils, your mother named them daffodils, but the horticultural texts all call them narcissus

MARCH BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays
8          Bart Smith
8          Steve Clouther
8          Tentative 1st baby for Steve & Heather DePaolo
8          Rick Tompkins
13        Lydia Pontius
15        Bob Doebert
22        Sherwood Anders

 There must be more than this.  Let's hear about YOUR birthday.

 Missed February Birthdays
11        Karen Kantor
23        Chris McCasland

AKUMAL'S ACADEMY AWARD NIGHT, FEB. 25th

Sunday, February 25, was Oscar Night, and the Lol Ha Beach Bar Pavilion was the site of this year's festivities in Akumal.  Supported by Marcy Essy and a huge staff, Laura Bush pulled out all the stops in an effort to surpass last year's gala event, and by all accounts, it was a smashing success.  The only things missing were the SkyTracker spotlights illuminating the sky overhead.

The red carpet was stretched out through a roped-off area, from the entrance under the ship's bell to inside the decorated Beach Bar Palapa Pavilion, where Laura and Marcy conducted interviews with the numerous celebrities who came to Akumal, versus Los Angeles, for this annual awards ceremony.

While the celebrities were being interviewed on the red carpet, Akumal's own Charlene was busy at work with the microphone, drumming up business for the wagering on the Oscar winners.  Charlene is quite famous around Akumal, especially the Lol Ha beach bar, where she is responsible for such activities on a regular basis.  Most recently she has been seen performing similar tasks for St Valentine's Day and the Super Bowl Party.

After the ceremonies, the stars, celebrities, and the wanna-bees gathered at the Akumal Governor's Ball to discuss the winners, losers, gowns, jewelry, and escorts, as they plotted their roles for the 80^th Annual Academy Awards, which will be once again be hosted at the Lol Ha Beach Bar Pavilion.  

To see "The Rest of the Story" go to Academy Awards.

AKUMAL COUNCIL GENERAL ASSEMBLY MARCH 2nd

There is going to be an Akumal Council General Assembly meeting on March 2nd at 11:00 at Lol Ha.  This meeting is open to everyone.

Here is the planned Agenda.
1. President's Report: A full Activities Report for 2006 by Gonzalo Arcila
2. Presentation of the Main Projects for 2007:
*   CAPA
*       PDDUA (Development Plan for Akumal)
*        North Akumal Regularization Project (North Akumal Management Plan)
*        Akumal Bay Management Plan.
*       Project to Invest in the Old Fidecaribe Building
*        Project for repairing (in adocreto) the parts of the road damaged by CAPA.

3. Water Quality Report by Paul Navarro
4. Election of Board Members and Committees for 2007.
5. Membership Report.

 Proxy Forms were distributed to members of the Akumal Council, so there is an implication that there actually will be voting of some kind on some of those Agenda items, probably the last two bullets under item #2.

The Akumal Council needs your input and support, and we hope to see a whole lot of you there.
 

ROBIN'S BEST SHIRT AWARD, MARCH 2nd

Come one, come all, to the Beach Bar, where we’ll have a ball.

It's time for the third monthly "Best Shirt Award", which is held on the first Friday of each month during Happy Hour at the Lol Ha Beach Bar, and for the second month in a row, it falls on the 2^nd.  This award is based on Robin's penchant for good, classy Beach Bar shirts, and his sister, Mary Henderson, is ready to once again be the judge and jury as she selects the "Best Shirt" worn by a male for February.  And, as we go to print the criteria are still somewhat nebulous, but it looks like "coolest", "neatest", and "most colorful" might garner a lot of brownie points.

The Chemuyil odd makers now have Bob Mulgrew as the clear one to beat, based on one of his acquisitions at the CEA Festival Silent Auction.

It is also rumored that Mary will have a "runway" set up - maybe atop the locals' bar - for the men to strut their stuff.  She may also have certain audience members rank each one, a la the Olympic gymnastics.  Will anybody score a perfect "10"?

Last month, the second "Best Shirt Award" went to the Macon Gravlee.  Go Best Shirt Award for more photos.

CEA PAPER COLLECTION, MARCH 2nd

CEA invites everyone to participate in a Municipal-wide recycling effort on Friday, March 2nd.  Please bring your paper and cardboard to CEA from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

CEA is part of the "Recycle to Read" Program of the National Commission for Free Textbooks.  The paper will be sold to buy books for schools throughout Mexico.  Please bring any kind of paper and cardboard (NO WET PRODUCTS).  You can contact CEA at 875-9095 for more details.
 

SHOW OF WATER COLOR PAINTINGS, MARCH 3rd

Adrian Dunlop's brother, Ian, is having a show of his generous collection of water color paintings at Casa Laguna this Saturday, March 3^rd, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Snack food and beverages will be served, and there is ample parking just past the house, in the large dirt parking lot across the road.

Ian makes his living as an artist in Cornwall, England, and he is visiting for six weeks.  He is reported to be a fabulous artist, and in those six weeks he has traveled around Yucatan - Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Tulum, Valladolid, Progresso - painting the wonderful water colors depicting the beauty of the changing Yucatan with his fine trained eye.  His paintings are truly wonderful and speak so much, so lovingly of where we live.

Karson Liegh reports, "I think people will enjoy seeing these as they are lyrical, beautifully executed, insightful and sometimes humorous."

His prices are reported to be quite affordable.  Even if a person doesn't buy, everyone should enjoy seeing the contrasts of modern and Mayan that Ian has picked up in his travels.
 

FULL MOON, MARCH 3rd

The Full Worm Moon will be on Saturday, March 3^rd at 06:17pm.  

As the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins.  The more northern Maya knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night.  The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation.  To the lowland Maya, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, MARCH 3rd

On Saturday, March 3^rd, at exactly 6:44pm Akumal time, the ISS (international Space Station) will be visible to the northeast of Akumal.  It should come into view at approximately 6:43pm (directly north) and then pass off Akumal in a southeasterly direction.  At 6:45pm it should be directly east of the Beach Bar.

            On Sunday, March 4^th, the ISS will be back again, but in the southwestern quadrant from Akumal, at 7:04pm, as it once again comes out of the northwest heading towards the southeast.  The path is almost parallel to that of the 3^rd, but it will be visible southwest of Akumal.

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE, MARCH 3rd

 On the 3rd, a total lunar eclipse is visible throughout the continental United States and Canada, except in the westernmost regions.  As the Moon rises at sunset, the eclipse is already under way, offering a potentially photogenic event.

The first of two total lunar eclipses in 2007 is unique in that it is partly visible from every continent around the world.  The eclipse occurs at the descending node, 3.2 days before apogee and 1.9 days after the Moon occults Saturn (northern and eastern Europe).  During the eclipse, the Moon is in southern Leo, about 13º east of the 1.3-magnitude star Regulus (alpha Leo).  The Moon's orbital trajectory takes it through the northern half of Earth's umbral shadow.  Although the eclipse is not central, the total phase still lasts 73 minutes.  The timings of the major phases of the eclipse are listed below.

Penumbral Eclipse Begins:         20:18:11 UT
Partial Eclipse Begins:               21:30:22 UT
Total Eclipse Begins:                 22:44:13 UT
Greatest Eclipse:                       23:20:56 UT
Total Eclipse Ends:                    23:57:37 UT
Partial Eclipse Ends:                   01:11:28 UT
Penumbral Eclipse Ends:             02:23:44 UT

 The entire event will be visible from Europe, Africa and western Asia.  In eastern Asia, moonset occurs during various stages of the eclipse.  For example, the Moon sets while in total eclipse from central China and Southeast Asia.  Western Australia catches part of the initial partial phases but the Moon sets before totality.  Observers in eastern North and South America will find the Moon already partially or totality eclipsed at moonrise.  From western North America, only the final penumbral phases are visible.

THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM, MARCH 3rd

Purim is the most festive of Jewish holidays, a time of prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats.  The Festival of Purim commemorates a major victory over oppression and is recounted in the Megillah, the scroll of the story of Esther.  Purim takes place on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar, the twelfth month of the Jewish calendar.  This year (2007) Purim begins at sundown on the 3rd of March

The story of Purim is recounted in The Megillah, the Scroll on which the Book of Esther is written. It tells the story of Queen Esther, King Ahasuerus, Esther's uncle (or cousin) Mordechai, and the king's chief advisor Haman.  Though Synagogues are mostly solemn places, the atmosphere changes as children dress up as their favorite Purim characters and rattle graggers (noisemakers) at every mention of Haman's name.  The Megillah is read twice on the holiday - once at night and once during the day.

U.S. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, MARCH 11th

Are you ready for this?  Beginning in 2007, most of the U.S. will begin Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March (the 11^th) and revert to standard time on the first Sunday in November (the 4^th).  In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1:00 a.m. Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time).  It begins the last Sunday in March (the 25^th) and ends the last Sunday in October (the 28^th).  In the EU, all time zones change at the same moment.

            What is happening in Akumal, I hear you ask?  The report is that Mexico starts DST on Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 2:00 AM local standard time, and DST ends on Sunday, October 28, 2007 at 2:00 AM local daylight time.

            Why the disconnect, I hear you ask?  On August 8, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  This Act changed the time change dates for Daylight Saving Time in the U.S.  Beginning in 2007, DST will begin on the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November.  The Secretary of Energy will report the impact of this change to Congress.  Congress retains the right to resume the 2005 Daylight Saving Time schedule once the Department of Energy study is complete.

BTW - The official spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight SavingS Time.

Saving is used here as a verbal adjective (a participle).  It modifies time and tells us more about its nature; namely, that it is characterized by the activity of saving daylight.  It is a saving daylight kind of time.  Similar examples would be a mind expanding book, or a man eating tiger.  Saving is used in the same way as saving a ball game, rather than as a savings account.

Nevertheless, many people feel the word savings (with an 's') flows more mellifluously off the tongue.  Daylight Savings Time is also in common usage, and can be found in dictionaries.

Adding to the confusion is that the phrase Daylight Saving Time is inaccurate, since no daylight is actually saved.  Daylight Shifting Time would be better, but it is not as politically desirable.

PI DAY, MARCH 14th

March 14, written as 3-14 or 3/14 in the United States date format, represents the common three-digit approximation for the number π: 3.14.  Pi Day is often celebrated at 1:59 p.m. in recognition of the six-digit approximation: 3.14159. Some, using a 24-hour clock, celebrate it at 1:59 a.m. or 3:09 p.m. (15:09) instead.

Pi, Greek letter (π), is the symbol for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. It is approximately 22/7 and is usually calculated to 3 digits, 3.14. With the use of computers, Pi has been calculated to over 51 billion decimal places. Pi is an irrational number meaning it will continue infinitely without repeating.  The symbol for pi, π, was first used in 1737 by William Jones, but was popular after it was adopted by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler in 1737.

Enthusiasts also note that the day happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday, among other famous birthdays on this day.  Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known for its sometimes unconventional and quirky take on mathematics, often mails out its acceptance letters to be delivered to prospective students on Pi Day.

ALBERT EINSTEIN'S BIRTHDAY, MARCH 14th

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 into a Jewish family in Ulm, Wurttemberg, Germany. His father was Hermann Einstein, a salesman. His mother was Pauline Einstein, nee Koch.

 It is said that at Albert's birth his mother was frightened by his large and oddly shaped head.  Though the size of his head appeared less remarkable as he grew older, it is evident from photographs that his head was disproportionately large throughout his life, a trait termed "benign macrocephaly".  His parents also worried about his intellectual development because of his initial language delay and speech difficulties until the age of nine, although he was one of the top students in his elementary school.

 In 1880 the family moved to Munich, Germany, where his father and his uncle founded a company manufacturing electrical equipment (Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie).  This company provided the first lighting for the Oktoberfest as well as cabling for the suburb of Schwabing.

 Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist who is widely considered to have been one of the greatest physicists of all time.  While best known for the theory of relativity (and specifically mass-energy equivalence, E=mc2), he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect."  In popular culture, the name "Einstein" has become synonymous with genius.  In 1999 Einstein was named Time magazine's "Person of the Century".

ST. PATRICK'S DAY, MARCH 17th

Why Saint Patrick's Day?

Saint Patrick's Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck.  Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick's Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.

So, why is it celebrated on March 17th?  One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died.  Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations.  The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland.  With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th.  Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.

In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick's Day is a very big deal.  Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games.  Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green!

St Patrick's Day has a special meaning in Akumal too, and while CEA does not dye Akumal Bay green, we tend to gather at the Lol Ha Beach Bar to host and toast Akumal's original Irishman, "Tio" Bob Mulgrew with drink and song.  Lol Ha has yet to serve green beer, but Dos Equis does come in a green bottle.
 

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, MARCH 19th

The first solar eclipse of 2007 occurs on March 19^th at the Moon's ascending node in Pisces and is visible from eastern Asia and parts of northern Alaska.  Unfortunately, it will not be visible in Akumal.

PHOTO CAPTION "CONTEST"

A number of photos awaiting a caption have come across The Akumalian's desk, and it has been determined that it would be cool to solicit captions from the readers of The Akumalian.  The first one seems to be open to numerous options and innuendos, but please remember this is a family publication.

            What do you think Richard is saying to Gary and Gonzalo?

SPRING EQUINOX, MARCH 20th

March 20, 2007, is a date that most of us recognize as symbolic of changing seasons.  As we welcome spring, people south of the equator are actually gearing up for the cooler temperatures of autumn.

What Happens at the Equinox?
Far from being an arbitrary indicator of the changing seasons, March 20 (March 21 in some years) is significant for astronomical reasons.  On March 20, 2007, at precisely 7:07 P.M. ADT (March 21, 00:07 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator.  This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox.

Equinox Means  "Equal Night"
Translated literally, equinox means "equal night."  Because the sun is positioned above the equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes.  A second equinox occurs each year on September 22 or 23; (in 2007, it will be on September 23 at 4:51 A.M. ADT (09:51 UT)).  This date will mark the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Southern (vernal denotes "spring").

Reasons for the Seasons
These brief, but monumental, moments owe their significance to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth's axis.  Because of the tilt, we receive the Sun's rays most directly in the summer.  In the winter, when we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays pass through the atmosphere at a greater slant, bringing lower temperatures.  If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would not have seasons.

Rituals and Traditions
Modern astronomy aside, people have recognized the vernal equinox for thousands of years.  There is no shortage of rituals and traditions surrounding the coming of spring.  Many early peoples celebrated for the basic reason that their food supplies would soon be restored.  The date is significant in Christianity because Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.  It is also probably no coincidence that early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox.

The first day of spring also marks the beginning of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.  The celebration lasts 13 days and is rooted in the 3,000-year-old tradition of Zorastrianism.

Chichen Itza
Few would argue that one of the greatest sights to see in your lifetime is the Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza, otherwise known as El Castillo.  Not only is it one of the greatest surviving monuments of the Mayan civilization and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it is the setting for the spring equinox that puts most solar eclipses and meteor showers to shame.

At the precise time of the spring equinox, the sun casts its rays on the balustrade, in turn highlighting a feathered serpent that seems to be moving, or slithering, its way down the steps towards the well of sacrifice.

The idea that a civilization which evolved as early as 1500BC managed to concentrate its energies in building a monument of incomprehensible scale to highlight the time of year, when the hours of daylight and darkness are equal, is extraordinary.
 

DID YOU KNOW

As you can see, the warm seasons, spring and summer, combined are 7.573 days longer than the colder seasons, fall and winter (good news for warm weather admirers).

However, spring is currently being reduced by approximately one minute per year and winter by about one-half minute per year.  Summer is gaining the minute lost from spring, and autumn is gaining the half-minute lost from winter.  Winter is the shortest astronomical season, and with its seasonal duration continuing to decrease, it is expected to attain its minimum value - 88.71 days - by about the year 3500.

Another complication revolving around the vernal equinox concerns the length of day versus night.  We have been taught that on the first days of spring and autumn, the day and night are equal to exactly 12 hours all over the world.  Yet, if you check the calculations made by the U.S. Naval Observatory, or the sunrise/sunset tables in any reputable almanac, you will find that this is not so.  In fact, on the days of the spring and fall equinox the length of daylight is actually longer than darkness by several minutes.
 

COMINGS AND GOINGS

There were quite a few of "events" during February, so we have a number of Comings & Goings, and the pace seems to continue into March.

Comings:

• They almost went un-noticed, but Ron & Shari Stern were back for Super Bowl party.
• Tony, Joan, Cassi and Alex Gonzalez were back for President's Week.
• Oveta Vardell was back again for a short visit, this time with her friend Rene.
• Terry & Lisa Turner were also back for a short visit.
• Steve & Judy Holtz are back in Aventuras Akumal.
• David & Michelle Bliss have returned to Akumal for a brief stay.
• Tricia Haynes was back in Akumal for a very short visit.
• Gabriella Herbert had her friends, Chuck & Laura, back for a short visit.
• Hollis Hines has had a parade of family and friends visiting Los Primos throughout Feb.
• Marilyn and Jerry Fenton from Seattle are arriving in Aventuras on March 2.
• Diane Mahan's sister, Joyce Hornor, returns to Akumal on March 1 with family.
• Mike & Linda Mulgrew are reported to be returning this month with the kids.

 Goings:

FAVORITE HIGHWAY SIGN

As you know, there are numerous signs along the Mexican highways, and in many cases there are different variations from state to state.  One of The Akumalian's favorite signs is based on icons and very few words.  This is on the Toll Road from Merida to Cancun.

What's your favorite sign?

EVENTS

During the month of February, a number of "events" took place within Akumal.

 On February 2^nd, there was a double-header event consisting of Robin’s Best Shirt Award and Ground Hog Day.  Photos can be seen at Ground Hog Day and Robin’s Best Shirt Award.

On February 14^th, Richard & Arlene Pargot hosted a fantabulous Valenine's Day party at Las Vigas.  Photos of the event are can be seen at Pargot's Valentine Day Party.

On February 17 & 18 Arlene & Richard Pargot and Ingrid & SteveC went over to Campeche to participate in CARNAVAL, among other things, and these photos can be seen at Campeche Trip.

On February 25^th, Laura Bush hosted the 79^th Annual Academy Award party at the Lol Ha Beach Bar, and these photos can be viewed at Academy Award party.

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