April 2007 Issue 52

INTRODUCTION

This month's issue turned out to be way longer than was initially anticipated, but there is something here for everyone.  There was a very disappointing response to the Photo Caption Contest last month, but we'll give it one more shot to see how it goes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

* Introduction
* Table of Contents
* Important April Facts
* April Birthdays
* Akumal Council General Meeting, March 2
* Akumal Daylight Savings Time, April 1
* April Fool's Day, April 1
* Palm Sunday, April 1
* Semanas Santas at Hekab Be Biblioteca De Akumal
* Full Moon, April 2
* Robin's Best Shirt Award, April 6
* Easter Sunday, April 8
* Mt. Washington Marks "The Big Wind", April 12th
* Do You Know What "UTC" Is?
* Changing of the Guard at Lol Ha, April 16th
* Patriot's Day, April 16th
* Emancipation Day, April 16th
* Earth Day, April 22nd
* Photo Caption "Contest"
* Do You Know What the Largest Living Thing Is?
* Water Spouts
* Comings and Goings
* Where Was Ryan Fredette in Februaty?
* Who is That with Greg Franta?
* Keeping with the Environment – Heat Your Pool
* El Dia Del Nino, April 30th
* Favorite Airport Sign
* EVENTS
* U.S. Federal Income Tax Is Due April 17th
 

IMPORTANT APRIL FACTS

Aries: March 21 - April 20
Taurus: April 21 - May 21
April Birthstone: Diamond

April Flower: Sweet Pea. Botanical name is Lathyrus odoratus - odoratus means scented. Sweet peas mean "delicate pleasures".
 

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays
10        Butch
18        Lucy James
19        Greg Goudy

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

 Missed March Anniversary and Birthdays
1          Jorge Vera
1          Alma Boada
7          Greg & Karen Goudy Anniversary
8          McKinlee Anne DePaola, born on this day as forecasted
12        Paige Clements
13        Karen Goudy
24        Rhett Schober
25        Rocio Cue Romero

And
February 22, Hagen Clements

AKUMAL COUNCIL GENERAL MEETING, MARCH 2nd

On Friday, March 2nd, the Akumal Council had a General Assembly Meeting at the Lol Ha restaurant. This was basically an informational meeting for the membership and all those who attended. There was a record attendance of 32 people, including members and non members.

Here are the Agenda items that were covered and reported on in the Minutes by the Akumal Council's President, Gonzalo Arcila. The minutes can be viewed at Akumal Council 3/2/2007 Minutes.

Agenda items from March 2nd General Assembly Meeting:
* President's Report
* CAPA - Potable Water
* The Jetpatcher
* North Akumal Regularization Plan
* Yalku
* Akumal Bay Management Plan
* Police
* Fidecaribe Building
* SCT (Federal Highway Commission). New 4-lane Highway
* Water Quality Report, by Paul Sanchez Navarro
* Membership Report
* Election of Board Members and Committees for 2007

AKUMAL DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, APRIL 1st

When is Daylight Saving Time (DST) in Akumal? 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 from the U.S., 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.
 

APRIL FOOL'S DAY, APRIL 1st

Unlike most of the other non-foolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.

Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

 

PALM SUNDAY, APRIL 1st

The week leading up to Easter, known in English as Holy Week, is called Semana Santa in Latin American countries and is celebrated with processions, Masses and other events that mark Jesus Christ's triumphant return to Jerusalem, his trial, his walk carrying the cross, and his crucifixion. Palm Sunday, Domingo de Ramos in Spanish, starts off Semana Santa on Sunday April 1st, and the week builds toward Maudy Thursday, Good Friday and of course, Easter Sunday, known as Dia de Gloria - Day of glory. On Palm Sunday everyone goes to Mass for the blessing of the Palm leaves; when dry, the leaves are made into crosses that people use as amulets, adorning their cars and homes.

Palm Sunday marks the end of Lent and celebrates Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover. Great crowds of people lined the streets waving palm branches to welcome him. The people were very excited. They spread branches on the road, and they even laid down their clothes. They shouted 'Hosanna!' which means 'Save us Now!'

On Maudy Thursday and Good Friday, the activities become more elaborate. On Maudy the "washing of the feet" ceremony is celebrated. During Mass, the highest-ranking priest washes the feet of twelve common people in representation of the 12 apostles.
 

SEMANAS SANTAS AT HEKAB BE BIBLIOTECA DE AKUMAL

Maggie McKown reports on the activities at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal during this special week in Latin America.

Maggie says, "We are preparing for the upcoming "Semanas Santas" - April 1-10 (Spring Break locally) with a Health Program one day (emphasis on diet and exercise - capped off by a "football match- soccer"), and "learning time" lessons with those who need it - ages 4-11). There will be a movie with popcorn and Jamaica punch, and we also have a collaborative project where the kids work in groups from 3-5, writing their own puppet skits, designing the scenery, directing, and then performing the show for one another.  Of course, we shall have the usual tutoring and homework assistance and reading projects."

Drop in at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal and see what the children are doing this week.  Check out Maggie's blogs at http://hekabbe.blogspot.com/ or e-mail Maggie at maggiemk@aol.com for additional information.

FULL MOON, APRIL 2nd

The Full Pink Moon will be on Monday, April 2nd at 12:15pm AST.

This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month's celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.
 

ROBIN'S BEST SHIRT AWARD, APRIL 6th

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

It’s time for the fourth monthly "Best Shirt Award", which is held on the first Friday of each month during Happy Hour at the Lol Ha Beach Bar. 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 April. 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.

Bob Mulgrew unexpectedly withdrew from the March contest, so the Chemuyil odds makers have him as the clear leader to beat this month, 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 third "Best Shirt Award" went to the Steve Holtz. Go to March Best Shirt Award for more photos.
 

EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 8th

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the Full Moon that occurs on or after the Vernal (Spring) Equinox (March 20) - the Paschal Full Moon. The date of Easter therefore changes every year.

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy. Churches are filled with flowers, and there are special hymns and songs. But not all Easter customs are Christian; some, such as the Easter Bunny, are Pagan in origin.

The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave. The tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body. On the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved, and that the tomb was empty. Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by many people. His followers realized that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

 

MT WASHINGTON MARKS "THE BIG WIND", APRIL 12th

On April 12, 1934, the highest surface wind measured anywhere on earth was clocked by the staff of the Mount Washington (New Hampshire) Observatory. This "World Record Wind" of 231 miles per hour has become the stuff of legend, but what is the meaning of that decades-old record today?

First and foremost, the World Record Wind is a testimony of the real extremes that can rule on Mount Washington. Significant cold, abundant snowfall, dense fog, heavy icing, and exceptional winds are a prominent feature of Mount Washington's environment. Yes, there are colder places, such as Antarctica, and snowier places, such as some peaks in the Cascade Range. However, Mount Washington, a small peak by global standards, really does have weather that can rival some of the most rugged places on earth. There are days each winter when the combination of life-threatening weather factors on Mount Washington is remarkably similar to weather extremes which have been recorded in the polar regions and on peaks three or four times Mount Washington's height. The World Record Wind is one benchmark testifying to the mountain's truly severe weather.

New Hampshire's Presidential Range includes the highest peaks in the Northeast.  Mount Washington, at 6,288 feet, is the highest in the range, and is the only peak in the Northeastern United States which exceeds 6,000 feet in elevation.
  
The Presidential Range forms a ridgeline, about twelve miles in length.  Perhaps the Range's most remarkable feature is its extensive area above treeline, the greatest contiguous alpine area in the United States east of the Mississippi.  Treeline here, which averages about 4,500 feet, is significantly lower than in mountains in the west, thanks to the extreme climatic conditions, including cold temperatures, high winds, and frequent atmospheric icing.  The unusual conditions above treeline have led to a fascinating landscape, seemingly barren, but decorated with low spruce and fir scrub and a variety of alpine plants, whose bright blooming usually occurs in a brief period from mid-June to late July.

In New England it is said, "If you can ski here, you can ski anywhere".
 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT "UTC" IS?

 UTC is used for times related to many international things, including when the ISS or HST pass over Akumal.

This stands for Coordinated Universal Time (the acronym comes from the French Universel Temps Coordonne). It forms the basis of all civil time-keeping and most of the worlds clocks, computers and broadcast radio signals are set either to UTC or a fixed offset from it, according to the local time zone.

UTC is derived directly from atomic clocks which tick at a constant rate because this is the most convenient way to keep time. However, it is also tied to the rotation of the Earth, which defines Universal Time (UT) by the occasional introduction of leap seconds at the end of June or December. This is necessary because the Earth doesn't rotate at a constant rate and is being slowed down gradually by tidal friction, as well as unpredictable short term variations caused by geophysical processes. A second of UTC is always the same length, and is equal to a second of atomic time.

UTC was adopted on January 1st 1972, and replaced Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), although the latter term is still used by many people.

Akumal is six hours behind UTC; i.e. 00 UTC (midnight) equates to 6:00pm AST.
 

CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT LOL-HA, APRIL 15th

Sunday, April 15th, is Gerardo's last day as Lol Ha Food & Beverage Manager. On Monday, April 16th, Jesus Mario Martinez Mata takes over that role. He goes by Mario Martinez.

Mario was born and raised in Ciudad Mante Tamaulipas, Mexico on July 14 1969, and he went to college at the Universidad de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey to study to be an architect. After college Mario went to Marietta, Georgia on vacation, where he ended up working in a restaurant with his cousin, and it was there that he realized he loved working in the restaurant business with people.

After that Mario went to work for Marriott Corporation (Marriott downtown and JW Marriott) in Atlanta as Banquet Captain, and after that he was the Captain for the Restaurant and Banquets at The Westin downtown. Then he had the opportunity of working as a General Manager in a chain of Mexican restaurants, called La Cazuela, and then joined Darden Corporation (Red Lobster) as Restaurant/Bar/Kitchen Manager. After a few years there, opportunity knocked on Mario's door again, and he signed on as Assistant Food and Beverage Director for the Intercontinental Buckhead, and after 3 years he went to the Buckhead Club as the Director of Food and Beverage. This club is a business club, almost like a golf club, but without the golf course; it was part of Club Corp, they own the Pinehurst in North Carolina.

Mario has 3 children (1 boy, 2 girls) that were born in Marietta, Georgia. They are Jesse Martinez (12), Ashley Martinez (10), Casey Martinez (8), and they still live with their mother in Georgia. In January 2006, Mario married Renee Bailiff de Martinez, who will be graduating as Dental Hygienist in May 2007.

In summary, Mario has over 14 years experience in executive Hotel and Restaurant Management, and this is his first time in the Riviera Maya and Akumal. He feels that this is as good as it gets, and in his short time here, he has fallen in love with Akumal and its people.

If you have not done so yet, please give Mario a warm Akumal "Welcome" the next time you see him at the Beach Bar.
 

PATRIOT'S DAY, APRIL 16th

Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans' Day are four distinctly American tributes to liberties, freedom and democracy, commemorated by a holiday in the United States.

Then there is Patriots' Day. For New Englanders, Patriots' Day remains the quintessential observance: the anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolutionary War with skirmishes between British troops and the Minute Men of Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts, and preceded by Paul Revere's famous Midnight Ride.

The events of more than two centuries ago in April 1775, now commemorated as the Patriots' Day holiday in Massachusetts and Maine, marked a turning point in the long struggle between England and her American colonies. In a march of protest and petition, which turned into revolution and independence, the fighting on April 19, 1775 foreshadowed the rebellious action of the American colonies in ultimately creating a new nation, the United States of America. Originally celebrated on April 19, Patriots' Day was moved to the third Monday of April in 1969.

For runners, Patriots' Day has become synonymous with the Boston Marathon or, as locals often refer to the day, Marathon Monday. While "the shot heard 'round the world" continues to reverberate in re-enactments of the historic events, the sound of gunfire also will ring clearly in Hopkinton this Patriots' Day to signal the start of the 111th Boston Marathon and to recall the ideals of the American Revolution.

The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon. In 2007 more than 20,000 runners are expected to participate as the Boston Marathon celebrates its 111th anniversary. Registration for the 2007 Boston Marathon is now open.

The Boston area is a uniquely and profoundly American locale; there's no better venue and no better occasion than the Boston Marathon and Patriots' Day to showcase the spirit. And then there’s the Red Sox.

The Red Sox tradition of playing a morning game on Patriots Day is getting tweaked for 2007. With the start of the Boston Marathon pushed up to 10 a.m., the Sox have obtained permission from Major League Baseball and the players' union to start their Patriots Day game, traditionally an 11:05 start, an hour earlier.

Sox spokesman John Blake said a final determination of the start time has not yet been made, allowing for the possibility that the game could begin at 10:30. On the team's website, the start time is still listed as to be determined. But it appears likely that the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will begin at 10 a.m.

The Angels will be broadcasting the Monday game back to the West Coast at 7 a.m., giving their fans the novelty of listening to a ballgame during the morning rush hour.
 

WHAT'S NEW AROUND TOWN?

Besides all the other news reported in this issue, there are a number of construction projects also going on.

MX307 is Open from Akumal to Playa Del Carmen
Yes, the four lanes for MX307 are open to traffic from Akumal to Playa Del Carmen, but the work continues on the RETORNOs and the center strip.  And, while the four lanes are open, the roadway still has the traffic lines from before, so in spots, it can be very, very confusing on where the traffic should be going.  All those expanded left hand turn lanes for the hotels are still there too.  Drive with extreme caution, especially at night.

MX307 and Akumal Entrance
The entrance/exit from Akumal to/from MX307 continues, and sometimes it seems more confusing and dangerous than getting better. There is a RETORNO north and south of the entrance. When exiting Akumal for points south (South Akumal) you need to drive north to the RETORNO in order to turn around and head south. This can be very dangerous!!

At the RETORNO, look both ways, north and south!!!. On Tuesday, March 20, we we returning to South Akumal via this RETORNO, and I was watching the traffic coming from the north, so I could make the turn onto the southbound lane. When the traffic from the north was free, I started to pull out only to see a small white truck coming up (driving north) the southbound lane directly at me. Fortunately, the truck driver was not going too fast, wanting to use that RETORNO to get into the northbound lane. My guess is that the truck came out of the pueblo, and rather going south to use that RETORNO to turn around and go north, he elected to "take the shortcut" and drive north on the southbound lane. Confusing and dangerous. LOOK BOTH WAYS WHEN USING THE REORNOS!!!

SCT Bus Stops
SCT has built bus stop shelters on both sides of the highway, right near the ramps to the overhead pedestrian walkway.

Telmex Cellular Tower
Telmex has built a cellular tower in their little complex by the pedestrian walkway over the highway.

Akumal Real Estate Expansion
There's a new, 2-story building going up right beside the Akumal Real Estate office on the entrance road to Akumal, and the rumor is that this is expanded office space for Akumal Real Estate.
 

Mini Market Renovation
The building on the other side of Akumal Real Estate, and directly across the road from Super Chomak, is getting some serious remodeling. An un-named source reports, "The new market will be open about 30-31 March. Name to be changed - unknown. They are rapidly constructing a new office, new interior, new exterior, new palapa, new paint, new concrete walks, new rock on the cancha, etc. There are new owners, new facade, new management, new products, and pricing we will all like, so I am told."

Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Residential Golf Course
Bahia Principe has brought their construction on the entrances to the Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Residential Golf Course complex across the highway out to the highway. The entrance road to the condominiums directly across from the South Akumal entrance is well under way, and the huge, main entrance across from Hacienda Donna Isabel is being carved out of the jungle. For a more information, including the master plan, go to the web site for Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Residential Golf Course go to http://www.bahiaprincipegolf.com/en/  There is a sales office just inside the entrance to Hacienda Donna Isabel, and they have a scale model that provides a better perspective..

Puerto Aventuras Topes
At Puerto Aventuras, it looks like they are removing the topes on the highway. This has been substantiated from an un-named source, who reports, "Yes, they are moving the topes 'down' (lower), and in the northbound lane they are installing a RETORNO north of Lapis to get to the Poblado".
 

EMANCIPATION DAY, APRIL 16th

Emancipation Day is celebrated in various locations in observation generally of the emancipation of slaves.

In the United States, the municipality of Washington, D.C. celebrates April 16 as Emancipation Day.  On that day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia.  The Act freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation telegraphing the eventual end of slavery to the rest of the nation.  The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by the federal government to free enslaved persons.

On January 4, 2005, Mayor Anthony Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an official public holiday in the District.  Each year, a series of activities will be held during the public holiday including the traditional Emancipation Day parade celebrating the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.  The Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to 1901, and was resumed under the leadership of Councilmember Vincent Orange as a tradition and historic celebration in 2002.

            In 2007, the observance of this holiday in Washington DC had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from the 16th to the 17th of April, a delay that will recur in April of 2011.  This 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print.

EARTH DAY, APRIL 22nd

The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated and it is now observed each year by more than 500 million people and national governments in 175 countries. Senator Gaylord Nelson, an environmental activist in the U.S. Senate, took a leading role in organizing the celebration, to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. He modeled it on the highly effective Vietnam War protests of the time.

By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day
What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked.

Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in November 1962, an idea occurred to me that was, I thought, a virtual cinch to put the environment into the political "limelight" once and for all. The idea was to persuade President Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. I flew to Washington to discuss the proposal with Attorney General Robert Kennedy, who liked the idea. So did the President. The President began his five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. For many reasons the tour did not succeed in putting the issue onto the national political agenda. However, it was the germ of the idea that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.

I continued to speak on environmental issues to a variety of audiences in some twenty-five states. All across the country, evidence of environmental degradation was appearing everywhere, and everyone noticed except the political establishment. The environmental issue simply was not to be found on the nation's political agenda. The people were concerned, but the politicians were not.

After President Kennedy's tour, I still hoped for some idea that would thrust the environment into the political mainstream. Six years would pass before the idea that became Earth Day occurred to me while on a conservation speaking tour out West in the summer of 1969. At the time, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," had spread to college campuses all across the nation. Suddenly, the idea occurred to me - why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?

I was satisfied that if we could tap into the environmental concerns of the general public and infuse the student anti-war energy into the environmental cause, we could generate a demonstration that would force this issue onto the political agenda. It was a big gamble, but worth a try.

At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate. The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters, and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air - and they did so with spectacular exuberance. For the next four months, two members of my Senate staff, Linda Billings and John Heritage, managed Earth Day affairs out of my Senate office.

Five months before Earth Day, on Sunday, November 30, 1969, The New York Times carried a lengthy article by Gladwin Hill reporting on the astonishing proliferation of environmental events: "Rising concern about the environmental crisis is sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity that may be on its way to eclipsing student discontent over the war in Vietnam...a national day of observance of environmental problems...is being planned for next spring...when a nationwide environmental 'teach-in'...coordinated from the office of Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned...."

Check out the CEA web site at www.ceakumal.org  and watch for the CEA Newsletter for up-to-date information on the Earth Day Programs CEA is organizing.
 

PHOTO CAPTION SOLICITATION

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. T

Unfortunately, last month's photo did not elicit very many responses (ONE), so that photo - What do you think Richard is saying to Gary and Gonzalo? - goes without a caption.

We’ll try it one more time with this one. This could go either way; i.e. What did Lucy say to Miguel to get this response? Or, what is Miguel responding to Lucy's remark?

 

THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIVING THING

What is the World's Largest Living Thing?

This is one of those things that comes up at the Beach Bar or a dinner party (as this one did), and there never seems to be a definitive answer. Ask The Akumalian!!

Ok, when I ask a group of folks, "What is the largest living thing on the Planet Earth?" Invariably someone responds - the blue whale! They have just exposed a common bias. I never said largest animal. But, blue whales are the biggest sentient beings to have ever lived - 100 feet long, 100 tons! That's equal to 5 brontosauruses, 25 African Elephants or 1,500 human beings!

Many of us know that the largest single tree in the world is the General Sherman- a giant sequoia that weighs 4.5 million pounds! But in 1992 two biologists in Michigan got a lot of media attention when they announced they had found the largest living thing - a fungal mat that covered 40 acres. Of course in typical competitive fashion another group soon claimed that their organism was bigger. It covered 1,500 acres. And several years ago an even bigger mycelia mass, a giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae, of 2,200 acres was found in Oregon. Stop boys! While the area covered by these lowly fungi may be extensive, their weight is nowhere near that of General Sherman.

But now we know that even the giant sequoias of California can't compete with the Quaking Aspens of the Rocky Mountains. "What!" you say, "those wimpy little trees with the nervous leaves?"  Yep. Years ago I noticed that when the aspens were changing color in the fall that certain clumps of trees would be a different hue than the adjacent clump. Even though the slope exposure, the soil, the moisture would all be identical there were clear differences in the leaf color. I was perplexed. I now know that I was observing adjacent clonal groups of aspens.

Researchers in Utah's Wasatch Mountains have found what they claim is the largest living thing in the world- a 106-acre patch of aspens, which are totally connected by the same root system. There are 47,000 tree trunks, which are genetically identical and weigh over 13 million pounds. They have named this "individual" Pando, which is Latin for "I spread."

But before they could break out the champagne marine biologists were clamoring for their favorite candidate - Australia's Great Barrier Reef. It may be that the largest living thing is a coral reef, which also consists of identical clones in a common matrix. Will it never end?

The largest organism found on earth can be measured using a variety of methods. It could be defined as the largest by volume, mass, height, or length. Some creatures group together to form a superorganism, though this cannot truly be classed as one large organism. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef (stretching 2,000 km) has been shown to be a collection of many organisms and is the largest known super-organism.
 

WATER SPOUTS

During the week of March 12th, a number of water spouts were seen off shore from Akumal down to Tulum, and one reportedly made landfall in Half Moon Bay, lifting a kayak 20 feet into the air. The photo here was taken from South Akumal, where this one went all the way down to the water, and it passed just off shore, heading in a southerly direction towards Aventuras Akumal.


 

COMINGS AND GOINGS

There were a few 'events' in March, and the first week of April is Easter Week, so we have a number of Comings & Goings, and the pace continues well into April.

Comings:
* Kathy Farrell Sonheim was back, albeit without Jim.
* Susan & Macon Gravlee were back in South Akumal in mid March.
* Mary Ellen & Gene Langen were also back in South Akumal for a short stay.
* Terry & Lisa Turner were back with Jackson, their grandson.
* Scott & Barbara Smith were back in South Akumal in March.
* Tony, Joan, Cassie, and Alex Gonzalez are back at Dos Jaguares
* Alan & Elyse Boyar arrive in town on April 6th from Tiburon, CA.
* Lisa & Phill Combs return to Tankah the first week of April, for a couple of weeks.
* Ryan Fredette arrives from Uxbridge, MA on the 17th. He's ready, skim-board and all.
* Stefanie & Robert Fredette also arrive on the 17th, along with friends, Diane, Chris, Derek and Lindsay Firth.
* Terry & Lisa Turner return the week of the 16th.
* Numerous owners from Seven Seas return for their Annual Condo Association Meeting on the 21st.
* Cheryl & Bill McClendon arrive at Luna Azul on the April 23rd.
* Jim Farrell is reportedly returning to Akumal later in the month before heading off to Japan.
* Larry & Karen Kantor return to Akumal on the 28th for 4 days before heading off to San Cristobol.
 

Goings:
* Denny Mahan went up to Ohio to visit his dad in early March.
* Hollis Hines & George Plamondon went over to San Miguel, without Billy.
* Ingrid & Steve Clouther went over to Merida for a mini vacation.
* Bart & Jen Smith have gone up to California for a few days.
* David & Laura Wolfe have gone to Texas, but return in early April for Easter rush.
* Denny & Diane Mahan head back to Georgia for a short trip on April 10th.
* Alice Blatner is off to see her daughter in S.F.
* Bud Blatner heads to Philly on the 5th, rumored to get more groundhog jerky.
* Didiere Jackson is going over to San Miguel de Allende for Easter Week.

 

WHERE WAS RYAN FREDETTE IN FEBRUARY?

We get asked this question every time we are at the Beach Bar, because Ryan was such a fixture there during President's week in February for so many years. In the early years he spent a lot of time at the Kid's Klub, and then he graduated up to The Game Room, taking on all comers at air hockey, including the infamous "Betty from San Diego".  Now he has taken it to a new level, and this can be viewed at Ryan Boarding.

WHO IS THAT WITH GREG FRANTA?

That's President Bill Clinton with Greg Franta, a frequent visitor to Akumal.

Greg Franta, FAIA, Principal Architect and Team Leader, RMI/ENSAR Built Environment Team. Since the early 1970s, Greg Franta, FAIA, has pioneered environmentally sustainable architecture around the world. From 1981 to 2005, Greg led ENSAR Group in providing services on more 800 energy efficient and environmentally sound projects, including offices, laboratories, educational buildings, health facilities, libraries, homes (including the White House), and other buildings—many considered the most energy efficient in the United States. Greg's work is widely recognized, and he is the recipient of the 1998 AIA Colorado Architect of the Year Award. Greg has been instrumental in developing new environmental resources and design methodologies for architects. He has served on the National Board of Directors for the American Institute of Architects and is a co-founder (past Chairman) of the AIA Committee on the Environment. Greg is currently chairman of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council. He participated in the development of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program, he is a LEED Accredited Professional, LEED trainer for USGBC, and part of the LEED certification team for the USGBC.

And now, Greg is helping Bill & Hillary make their house in New York environmentally sound.

 

KEEPING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, HEAT THE POOL

How many of you have heard reports from your Property Manager or guests complaining about, "The water in the pool is too cold".

Remember when the key differentiator was to have "Air Conditioning" in the house in order to attract the tourists from the north, even though Akumal has wonderful tropical sea breezes all year round.

Then, the key differentiator was, "You have to have a swimming pool", even though most, if not all, of the houses are directly on the Caribbean Sea.

Now, the word buzzing around town, the beach bar, and the rental agents is that the new key differentiator is a "Heated Pool".

Well, there are only a very few heated swimming pools around Akumal, and The Akumalian now reports on one variation of a pool heater. This example is very specific to the pool filtration and pump system by Desjoyaux, which is sold in Cancun, next to the Mercedes dealer on MX307 coming out of Cancun.

This is an electric heater. Yes, you read that correctly, electric heater. It is described as, "A low-priced purchase that is easy to install and operate, but it is more expansive in operation. It is ideally suited to pools in hotter weather climates or in holiday homes. The heater is attached directly to the filtration unit."

The rectangular box and the return-water tube above it are one piece, and the heating element is in the return feed tube. Once the additional wiring - this was an add on - was in place, the installation was quite simple. The unit is totally hidden and out of the way.

The cost of the Electric Heater Unit was something like $2,500USD, and the monthly heating cost adds about $200 - $250USD per month to the electric bill, obviously depending on how long it is ON. The heater is only operational when the filtration system is ON, and it is typically needed only from December to March.

 

EL DIA DEL NINO,  APRIL 30th

El Dia de los Ninos Celebrating Young Americans is a gift from the Latino community to all children. Many nations throughout the world, and especially within the Western hemisphere celebrate "Dia de los Ninos" on April 30th to honor and celebrate children—who represent the hope and dreams of every community.

A growing number of cities, schools, libraries, museums, churches and other community organizations are embracing this celebration by planning activities and events that:
* Are fun and exciting
* Center around children’s interests
* Develop skills
* Instill confidence
* Capture children’s dreams and hopes
* Involve families and community
* Reflect cultural diversity
* Inspire and empower new generations of achievers
* Create advocacy for children’s issues
* Engage civic leaders, media, sponsors and volunteers

Maggie McKown reports on the activities at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal.  "We do have plans for the Dia de Los Ninos - Monday, April 30th at 3:30 p.m.  We have a competition for three age categories, 5-8, 8-11 and 12-16+, and there will be a winner from each group.  The competition is a science project, a research project (topic of their interest, which is popular with the older kids, and they use the library to do their research), or a creative writing project.  The prizes are fully loaded backpacks (age appropriate).  In addition, some of the kids are going to put on a puppet show, which they will write and direct, POSSIBLY we will have Mauricio's (CEA) "Friends of the Planet" puppet show and a couple of pinatas.  There will also be singing with guitar players - something all of the kids enjoy!"

Drop in at the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal and see what the children are doing. Check out Maggie’s blogs at http://hekabbe.blogspot.com/ or e-mail Maggie at maggiemk@aol.com for additional information.

FAVORITE AIRPORT SIGN

What's your favorite sign?

This one is at a small lunch counter inside the check-in area of the Cancun Airport.  How do you do that?

 

EVENTS

During the month of March, three "events" took place within Akumal.

 On March 2^nd, there was Robin's Best Shirt Award.  Photos can be seen at Robin's Best Shirt Award.

On March 10^th, Gabriella Herbert hosted a delightful dinner party with her friends John & Susan.  Photos of the event can be seen at Gabriella's dinner party.

On March 17^th there was a small St. Patrick's Day celebration at the Lol Ha Beach Bar, and there are a few photos at St Patrick's Day.

 We missed reporting on the Second Annual CEA Festival that was held on February 21 - 22.  There were a myriad of events, including a Photo Contest, Silent Auction, and a Gala Dinner at the Lol Ha restaurant, capped off with music from Bandikoro out at the Beach Bar.  Winning photos from the Photo Contest can be viewed at http://ceakumal.org/

U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX IS DUE APRIL 17th

Save the best for last!  I am sure every U.S. citizen realizes that the Federal Income Taxes are due on April 15^th.  However……..

The Internal Revenue Service has moved its deadline for filing federal tax forms to April 17, 2007.  The IRS is making the change, because this year April 15th falls on Sunday, and Monday, April 16th is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia.

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