September 2008  Issue 69

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INTRODUCTION

If you did not know it before, the hurricane season is upon us, and Akumal dodged the Hurricane Gustav bullet on August 30th.  And, the Atlantic is looking very active as we go to print.

Besides Hurricane Gustav in August, September is busy as usual, what with Labor Day in the U.S. and Independence Day in Mexico, to say nothing of Robin’s “Best Shirt Award”, the U.S. Open, the Ryder Cup, Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan, and the Autumnal Equinox.  And, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) will be flying right over Akumal on Sunday, September 7th, at 8:12pm.
 

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays and Anniversaries
2          Cristina Sebe  
3          Gary Clements
5          Claudia Tolenterio
7          Scott Brown
10        Cheryl McClendon
14        Mary Henderson
14        Gabi Orvananos
16        Jen Smith
16        Shari Stern
18        Denny & Diane Mahan Anniversary 
18        Dave & Laura Bush Wolfe Anniversary
23        Valerie Nejame
24        Lauren Haynes (Tricia’s sister )
27        Ryan Fredette
27        Robert Fredette
27        Macon Gravlee  
30        Richard Pargot

 There must be more than this.  Let’s hear about YOUR birthday before it happens.

 Missed August Birthdays / Anniversary

30        50^th Anniversary for Tony & Judy James – Congratulations!!!

IMPORTANT SEPTEMBER FACTS

In Latin, septem means "seven" and septimus means "seventh"; September was in fact the seventh month of the Roman calendar until 153 BC.

 Virgo - August 24 – September 23
Libra - September 23 - October 23

 September Birthstone: Sapphire
Sapphire is the modern September birthstone and is a variety of the mineral species corundum.  Sapphires occur in all colors of the rainbow with the exception of red, which is ruby.  The name corundum comes from the ancient Sanskrit "kuruvindam", while the name "Sapphire" comes from the Persian word "safir", meaning "beloved of Saturn", (or Greek sapphiros).

September Birthday Flower: Aster
The September birthday flower is the aster, which is often used to accent different types of mixed flower arrangements.  In addition to representing daintiness, asters are also known as a symbol of love.

HURRICANE GUSTAV SWINGS BY AKUMAL AUGUST 30th

A picture is worth a 1,000 words as Hurricane Gustav stayed far enough North to hit Havana and miss Akumal.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

            Comings:

• Roger & Denise Burton made a “surprise” short visit early in August.
• Bob & Sherwood Anders were also around and about for a short spell.
• Ron Stern was here with his daughter, Melissa, for the condo meeting.
• Bruce & Ellen Eanet were spotted at the Beach Bar one night
• Kevin & Sonta ("Shawn-ta"), friends of Dave & Michelle Bliss were also here.
• Gary & Oveta Vardell came down for some needed R&R.
• Diane Mahan was here with her daughter and granddaughter, Paige and Ellie Clements.
• Eliza (Hollis Hines’ daughter) and Andre were in Los Primos for 10 days.
• Bill Barb and Bud are in Casa San Francisco.
• Bay & Chris Haas are vacationing in Seven Seas.
• Tony & Judy James are in town celebrating their 50^th anniversary
• Rocio Cue Romero is back after a 3- week vacation in Oaxaca and Mexico
• Laura Bush is in town to finalize the plans for Akumal's 50th anniversary
• Don Papa will be here on September 2^nd.
• Gene & Mary Ellen return to South Akumal on September 9^th.

 Goings:

·        During the week of August 3^rd there was somewhat of a mini-mass exodus as the following people left town:
o       Mon           Hugh Maynard
o       Tues           Allyson & John Sheffield
o       Wed           Neil, Paula, Katie, and Ellie
o       Thurs          Jim & Kathy Farrell
o       Fri              Barbara Miller and her two daughter
o       Sat             Dave & Nancy Poor

·        Isabel Schober has made a return visit to Colorado (for the Democratic Convention)

·        A number of Akumalians have made the trek to the Black Rock Desert for Burning Man, and this includes:
o       Jennifer Smith
o       Sasha
o       Jamie Cost
o       Dani Brown
o       Natalie (Natalie has been every year along with her parents)
o       Ivan (Ivan and Natalie are dive instructors)
o       Kari Brown is bringing and RV for her and Jen to hang out in

    Burning Man is a popular eight-day-long festival, which is organized by Black Rock City, LLC, under the guidance of Larry Harvey.  The event is held every year and ends on Labor Day holiday in September. It takes place on the playa of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, 90 miles northeast of Reno. The specific location on the playa changes, however, the temporary city is an experiment in community, radical self-reliance, and radical self-expression.  The festival takes its name from the ritual of burning a large wooden sculpture of a man on the 6th day of the event.
 

LABOR DAY, SEPTEMBER 1st

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday of September; i.e. September 1st.

The origins of the American Labor Day can be traced back to the Knights of Labor in the United States and a parade organized by them on September 5, 1882 in New York City.  They were inspired by an annual labor parade held in Toronto, Canada.  In 1884 another parade was held, and the Knights passed resolutions to make this an annual event.  Other labor organizations (and there were many), but notably the affiliates of the International Workingmen's Association favored a May 1 holiday.  With the event of Chicago's Haymarket riots in early May of 1886, president Grover Cleveland believed that a May 1 holiday could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots - May 1st is also the high holy day of communism or Marxism.  Thus, fearing that it might strengthen the socialist movement, he quickly moved in 1887 to support the position of the Knights of Labor and their date for Labor Day.

Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s.  The September date has remained unchanged, even though the government was encouraged to adopt May 1 as Labor Day, the date celebrated by the majority of the world.  Moving the holiday, in addition to breaking with tradition, could have been viewed as aligning the U.S. labor movements with internationalist sympathies.

Labor Day is generally regarded simply as a day of rest and, unlike May Day, political demonstrations are rare.  Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events.  Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer.  Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for surfing parties before returning to school.
 

RAMADAN, SEPTEMBER 1^st – 30th

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month in the Islamic calendar.  During Ramadan, all observant Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan between dawn (fajr), and sunset (maghrib).

During Ramadan evenings, Muslims eat small meals and visit with friends and family.  It is a time of worship and contemplation.  A time to strengthen family and community ties.

Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr.

 What most people don't know is that Ramadan is more than refraining from food and drink, but the follower must not partake in gossip, unlawful activities or thoughts.  Worshippers must not look at unlawful things.  Of course, those who are ill or small children do not fast.  Ramadan is basically the spiritual cleansing of the soul through self restraint.

The sudhoor is the light meal eaten prior to daylight.  The fast begins after this meal and resumes until sundown. 

 The iftar is when the fast ends for the day and a halal meal may be eaten.  Any type of food may be eaten, however, the most popular are honey, breads, figs, dates, fruits, and olives.

It is popular is some cultures for families to host "iftar meals", in which families and neighbors will come for the evening meal.

Eid al Fitr.  The Eid is a 3 day festival following the end of Ramadan.  During this time, Muslims recognize the poor and give to charity and to celebrate the blessings of Ramadan.
 

ROBIN’S BEST SHIRT AWARD, SEPTEMBER 5th

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

It’s time for another “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, is ready to once again be the judge and jury as she selects the “Best Shirt” for September.  And, as we go to print the criteria are still somewhat nebulous, and they seem to be changing as we move into Fall.

This month’s event is heating up to be even more competitive than last month, and there is quite a bit of “fresh blood” in town, spouting threats of some very outlandish shirts.  If you are in town, you just have to be at the Lol Ha Beach Bar on Friday, September 5^th.

The August competition drew a huge number of contestants from all over the world, including Neil Humphreys who traveled from Doha, Qtar specifically for this event.  And, Neil actually won the award this time.  See all the August Best Shirt Award Photos.

 Check out the presentation that gives you all the winners since this fantabulous Event started back in January 2007; go to Best Shirt Summary.

PHOTO of the MONTH

Remember this photo that was taken just before the entrance to Akumal as you travel North on MX307.  There may just be a quiz/Survey on this later.

The questions are:
Which will fall first?
When will it fall?
What will cause it to fall?

U.S.OPEN FINALS, SEPTEMBER 6 & 7th

The US Open that more than 650,000 fans will enjoy this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center bears, in many ways, little resemblance to the tournament started 127 years ago.  It has evolved from an exclusive men's singles and doubles tournament in 1881 to a two-week sports and entertainment extravaganza, changing its name from the U.S Championships to the US Open and its location from Rhode Island to Pennsylvania to its current home in Flushing, N.Y.

The five major championships that constitute the US Open - the men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles - grew from a single men's tournament held as an entertainment diversion for high society at the turn of the 20th century.

The first U.S. National Singles Championship for men was held at the Newport Casino in Newport, R.I., in August 1881, the beginning of a 34-year run for Newport as the center of tennis in the United States.  Only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association were permitted to enter the initial tournament.  Men's doubles was played in conjunction with men's singles at the Newport Casino for the event's first seven years, 1881- 1886, before the U.S. Championships grew and spread out to other locales.

In 1887, six years after the men's nationals were instituted as an annual event, the first official U.S. Women's National Singles Championship was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, joined by women's doubles in 1889.  The U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship officially began in 1892 and was played in conjunction with the women's singles and women's doubles until 1921, when it was combined with the men's doubles program of the U.S. National Championships.

A total of $100,000 was offered by the USTA to the field of 96 men and 63 women who entered the men's and women's singles and doubles at the 1968 US Open.  Today, the US Open offers more than $19.6 million to a field of more than 600 men and women, including qualifying.  In 2004, the US Open added the US Open Series Bonus Challenge, potentially pushing the 2008 US Open prize money to $23.2 million.
 

NATIONAL GRANDPARENT’S DAY, SEPTEMBER 7th

 The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia.  Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes.  She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide.

President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. 

Ryan's grandparents will be celebrating without him in Akumal. 

HST FLY-OVER, SEPTEMBER 7th

In honor of Grandparents Day, The Akumalian Staff has arranged for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to be flying directly over Akumal, in a WNW to ESE direction, on September 7^th, at exactly 08:12pm (20:12).  Don’t let this effort go in vain; get out and look skyward for the HST.  This diagram should help you with the direction, timing, and sighting.

 The HST will be visible over and around Akumal from September 1 (20:21) to September 10 (20:07), but the 7^th is the peak day.

Go to www.heavens-above.com for more specific details on Akumal at ( 20.4170°N, 87.3000°W).
 

FULL MOON, SEPTEMBER 15th

 The Full Harvest Moon is on September 15, 08:15 AST, and it is always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox.  The Harvest Moon usually comes in September, but (on average) about every three or four years it will fall in early October.  At the peak of the harvest, Maya can work into the night by the light of this moon.  Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the Yucatan, and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much Central America. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice — the chief Mayan staples — are now ready for gathering.
 

PABLO BUSH ROMERO FUND AWARDS 7 SCHOLARSHIPS

By Laura B Wolfe [ lbushwolfe@austin.rr.com ]

 Good news for the kids of the 2008 6th grade graduating class!  Thanks to many generous donations, seven students were awarded a one-year scholarship to be paid out monthly.  They were presented with a letter of acceptance during their graduating ceremony at the beginning of July, where it stated they will be getting 500 pesos per month to go towards their expenses throughout the year.

After graduating from 6th grade, many of these kids get jobs instead of continuing their studies.  Our goal is to keep all students in school as long as possible!  The selection process considered many variables in order to select the first seven kids.  This is a list of the criteria that was used:

·        Grade average;
·        whether they had any other scholarships;
·        how many siblings and how many of school age;
·        how long living in Akumal Pueblo;
·        whether they live in a rented house or their parents own a house;
·        whether it is a wood or concrete home; and
·        their living conditions.

 A committee was selected in order to evaluate and check all data collected, and the  information was put into a point system.  This enabled the committee to come up with the seven candidates for the scholarships.

The PABLO BUSH ROMERO SCHOLARSHIP FUND must keep going.  This is a great start!  If you are planning to visit Akumal, please consider leaving a donation in the collection box at Super Chomak.  You can leave your name and contact information, if you like, in the special envelopes we have for this purpose.

If you want to send in your donation, the check can be made out to Centro Ukana I Akumal, A.C.  The Ecological Center of Akumal has agreed to be the administrator of the funds.  You can mail the check to PO Box 13326, El Paso, Texas 79913, and you will get a receipt.  However, at this time, there is no tax deductibility for U.S. donations.

Akumalians love your visits! Please love these kids back by helping with their future!

WHAT’S NEW AROUND TOWN?

AKUMAL

 Home Insurance
For some of us, it’s that time of the year.  Casa Colibri was recently renewed (with Luis  Lobo and ING) and surprisingly, the policy and premium stayed exactly the same as last year. 

            However, the insurance company has changed, once again.  ING is now out of the picture, having sold their (Mexico) insurance business to AXA Mexico at www.axa.com.mx 

New Delegado Municipal
By Gonzalo Arcila

There is a new Delegado Municipal in town, and his name is Santos Pech Leon.  He comes from Tulum and was appointed by the Honorable Municipal Council.  This appointment came to balance the two antagonist groups within the Akumal pueblo.  It has been precisely the fight for the power and control of the Delegacion that was the cause of the revolts and riots.

Heavy negotiations were conducted to bring order and union between the two groups.  Finally Santos Pech was appointed Delegado, and along with him, one member of each political was also appointed; one as Secretary (Roberto Beltran) and the other as treasurer (Jorge Antonio Moo).  This forms a three person committee which is running the town now.

This strategy finally brought peace and calmed down the community, and the idea is that now with unity hopefully they will see some evolution and improvement in their quality of life, and perhaps with the help of the business community and government, they will see a much organized and better urban image of the Akumal Pueblo.  Some of these issues are the political duties of the new municipality in which I participate, behind the scenes.
 

Bridge Over the Highway at Akumal
By Gonzalo Arcila

There is an indication that SCT (Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes) is about to begin a bridge over the highway that will directly connect Akumal Pueblo with our entrance road to North & Central Akumal.  I have requested precise information of the project in order to communicate properly, and with more certainty, what is happening, and what are we facing here in the near future.  It seems to me, like there is going to be another 10 months to a year of heavy construction at the junction between the Akumal Pueblo and North Akumal main entrance road.  Apparently this is a program which includes the three Urban Development Projects and future cities of Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, and Chemuyil.  

Terri & Joel Datica Expecting Twins in March
By Cheryl Ragan

        It’s not exactly news from Akumal, but it is about Akumal.  Terri (Brown) & Joel Datica, along with baby Diego, will be welcoming twins next March!!  They have just confirmed, and are thrilled, overwhelmed, scared, and delighted!  As many of you know, this will be a real "test" for the little family, as Terri takes Diego to various daily therapies every weekday, as well as continuing her job with Akumal Real Estate, and Daddy Joelito works hard in the concrete business here in K.C. 

Because of the problem with their last set of twins, they are understandably nervous, but Terri has a great doctor - one who specializes in high risk pregnancies - so she will be monitored very frequently and carefully. 

I will keep you posted on things as they develop, but for now, mom and babies are doing fine! 
 

Mary and Linda Visit San Cristobal
      Mary Henderson and Linda Pongracz took the ADO bus to/from San Cristobal de las Casas, where they apparently had an absolutely MMMMaahhh-vvellloussss time.  It was so great that Mary took the time to provide a write-up on their adventures, and it has been posted on a web page under Photo Gallery – Trips – San Cristobal, and here is the direct link at San Cristobal.

Lol Ha Closed
Laura reports, "The Dining Room is officially closed for September and October,  but the Snack Bar remains open rain or shine! We will still have the  full Breakfast menu at the Snack bar as always! 

"In addition, we are also offering some of the most popular dishes from Lol Ha for dinner! Please come by to the  hot spot for news about the weather,  and chances are you won’t have a problem finding a great table! "

RYDER CUP SEPTEMBER 16 - 21

The 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., will be played from Sept. 19-21, 2008.  One of the last great sporting events founded on prestige rather than prize money, it's a biennial team competition featuring the best U.S. professional golfers vs. the best European pros.

With the conclusion of the 90th PGA Championship, the top eight points leaders on the American Ryder Cup points list have earned a place representing their country at the 2008 Ryder Cup.  The Eight Automatic Qualifiers for the U.S. Ryder Cup Team include:
·        Phil Mickelson
·        Stewart Cink
·        Kenny Perry
·        Jim Furyk
·        Anthony Kim
·        Justin Leonard
·        Ben Curtis
·        Boo Weekley

 The group has skewed younger, despite this being Phil Mickelson's seventh consecutive appearance, with three of the eight (Ben Curtis, Anthony Kim and Boo Weekley) will be participating in their first Ryder Cup.  With solid performances at the 90th PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley played their way onto the United States Ryder Cup team, joining six others who will attempt to break Europe's hex over the Americans.  Captain Paul Azinger will finalize his team with four captain's picks on Sept. 2.

To date the European team is comprised of:
·        Padraig Harrington
·        Sergio Garcia 
·        Lee Westwood
·        Henrik Stenson
·        Robert Karlsson
  

MEXICO’S INDEPENDENCE DAY, SEPTEMBER 16th

The stage for the upheaval and dissatisfaction that gave rise to Mexican independence was set by political and economic changes in Europe and its American colonies of the late 18th and 19th centuries.  The French revolution and Napoleonic wars diverted attention of Spain from its colonies leaving a vacuum and increasing dissatisfaction and desire for local government.  The forced removal of Ferdinand VII from the Spanish thrown and his replacement by Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, presented opportunity for Mexican intelligentsia to promote independence in the name of the legitimate Spanish king. 

From its inception the colonial government of New Spain was dominated by Spanish born Peninsulares or Guachapins, who held most leadership positions in the church and government, in contrast to Mexican-born Criollos (Creoles) who were the ten to one majority.  Neither the Peninsulares nor upper class Criollos desired to involve the masses of native Indians and mestizos in government or moves for local control. 

In 1808, the Peninsulares learned of Viceroy Jose de Iturrigaray’s intent to form a junta with Creole factions, a move that he thought might make him King of an independent Mexican kingdom.  In an armed attack on the palace, Peninsulares arrested Iturrigaray and replaced him with puppet Pedro Garibay after which they carried out bloody reprisals against Criollos, who were suspected of disloyalty.  Although reform movements paused, political and economic instability in Europe continued as well as hardship and unrest in the Americas.

One liberal organization that was forced underground was the Literary Club of Queretaro which formed for intellectual discussion, but in practice became a planning organization for revolution.  Independence- and reform-oriented thinkers also began to consider enlisting the native Indian, mestizo and lower class masses in wresting control from the Peninsulares and in armed independence movements.  Queretaro was an important agricultural region that had suffered extensively by economic stalemate and failure.  An active member of the group was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a well-educated liberal priest who questioned policies of the church including clerical celibacy, banning certain literature, infallibility of the pope and the virgin birth of Christ.  Hidalgo became the curator of Dolores in 1803 with primarily an Indian congregation whose languages he spoke and to whom he administered practical skills of life, as much as religious doctrine.  In Queretaro, Hidalgo met Capt. Ignacio Allende, a revolutionary thinker in the Spanish army.  In spring 1810, Allende and Hidalgo planned an uprising for December of the year that leaked out to Spanish authorities and their arrest was ordered.

In September 1810, Father Hidalgo was forced to prematurely distribute the Grito de Delores to his parishoners and nearby residents which was an appeal for social and economic reform.  With little organization and no training, essentially a mob of thousands of primarily Indians and mestizos overwhelmed royal forces in Guanajuato, and proceeded to murder and loot Peninsulares, Criollos and other "whites" in their path.  The force continued to Mexico City and defeated royalist on the outskirts, but did not enter and occupy the city, after which the ragged revolutionary army returned home.

Hidalgo and his Creole officers were later able to assemble an army of 80,000 by payment with looted Peninsulare gold and assets.  Viceroy Francisco Javier Venegas, and his soon to be successor, Gen. Felix Maria Calleja del Rey, responded to the insurgency with a vengeance, and in January 1811 Hidalgo suffered a serious defeat outside Guadalajara where rebel forces were routed at Calderon Bridge.  Bloody retaliation followed by mass executions of suspected rebel sympathizers by Spanish crown forces under Viceroy Calleja del Rey.  Hidalgo and associates turned toward the northern provinces Nuevo Santander, Nuevo León, Coahuila and Texas for refuge, where local sympathy for the rebellion and independence continued. 

Royalist forces in Nuevo Santander refused to fight against the insurgents as well as troops under Governor Manuel Antonio Cordero y Bustamante in Coahuila.  As the royalist forces moved north to crush resistance, it was only in Coahuila and Texas that revolutionary events continued.  On 21 March 1811, a periodic rebel turned loyalist, Ignacio Elizondo, ambushed Ignacio Allende, Father Hidalgo and associates at the Wells of Bajan on the road to Monclova in Coahuila.  Hidalgo and associates were captured and executed in Chihuahua.

At the core of Mexican patriotism is Hidalgo's Grito de Dolores.  Every year, on the night of September 15-16, the President of the Republic "reenacts" the Grito on a balcony of the National Palace as the climax of the Independence Day celebrations.  To do this with historical accuracy is well-nigh impossible, for no one knows precisely what Hidalgo said.  The three principal contemporary reports fail to agree.  Sotelo's account, the most confused and least authoritative, stated that the Grito was a short speech, made from the window of the priest's house, to the first group of followers who assembled before dawn.  
 

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX, SEPTEMBER 22nd

Autumnal Equinox (Fall) September 22 2008 09:51 am UT

In the language of science, an equinox is either of two points on the celestial sphere where the ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect.  For the rest of us, it's one of two times a year when the sun crosses the equator, and the day and night are of approximately equal length.

At the autumnal equinox, the sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from north to south; this marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

The vernal equinox, also known as “the first point of Aries,” is the point at which the sun appears to cross the celestial equator from south to north.  This occurs about March 21, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

On the date of either equinox, the sun is above the equator, and night and day are of approximately equal length; the word equinox is often used to refer to either of these dates.

The equinoxes are not fixed points on the celestial sphere but move westward along the ecliptic, passing through all the constellations of the zodiac in 26,000 years.  This motion is called the precession of the equinoxes.  The vernal equinox is a reference point in the equatorial coordinate system.

The Autumnal Equinox signals the end of the summer months and the beginning of winter.  At this time of year, days have been shortening since the Summer Solstice some three months earlier, and the Equinox is the point where nights reach the same length as days.  After this point, the Sun will shine lower and lower on the horizon until the Winter Solstice in about three months' time.
 

EQUINOX AT CHICHEN ITZA

 Ancient stone masons built and aligned the Kukulkan pyramid centuries ago to project the sun's rays into a diamond-back rattlesnake of light and shadow.  On the morning and evenings of Equinox on September 22 and 23, thousands flock to Chichen Itza to view the same dramatic display.

In the fall the appearance is visible from mid August through mid October.

For optimum viewing of the serpent of light, be near the great courtyard which faces the western facet of the Kukulkan Pyramid beginning at about four in the afternoon.  The best viewing of the sight is from five days before until five days after Equinox.  Needless to say, accommodations fill up fast!  On the actual day of Equinox, people stake out their vantage point early in the day, as a great sea of humanity begins to deluge one of the great wonders of the world!

AKUMAL COUNCIL GENERAL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 29

On August 30^th, David Poor, Secretary of the Akumal Council, distributed an e-mail titled, “Re-organization Update”, but I have yet to see anything in there about a “re-organization”.  However, there are two pieces of very important information in this correspondence, and they are:

• There is a new web site (still under construction) at www.akumalcouncil.com . 
• There will be a General Assembly Meeting on Friday, September 26^th at 10:00 am in the Akumal Council Office (upstairs in the old Fidecaribe building).  The Preliminary Agenda looks like this:
  • Approval of the minutes from the last meeting.
  • President's report
  • New Matters:
    • Discussion and approval of changes to By-Laws
    • Election of Treasurer (interim Marcy Essy)
  • Other Matters: Open to members

 The item on ‘Election of Treasurer’ says that Din Richardson has re-signed from the BOD, and Marcy Essy is the interim Treasurer.  And, Sergio E. Gonzalez Rubiera has quit his position as Consultant for the Akumal Council.
 

ROSH HASHANAH, SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1

Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri.  In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year."  Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year.  This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions."  Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.

The name "Rosh Hashanah" is not used in the Bible to discuss this holiday.  The Bible refers to the holiday as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (the day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (the day of the sounding of the shofar).  The holiday is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.

The shofar is a ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet.  One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue.  A total of 100 notes are sounded each day.  There are four different types of shofar notes: tekiah, a 3 second sustained note; shevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone, teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast in a set, which lasts 10 seconds minimum.  The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance.  The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat.

 No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah.  Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded.  In fact, there is a special prayer book called the machzor used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur because of the extensive liturgical changes for these holidays.

Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year.
 

EVENTS

There was another Akumal "Event" in August besides the "Best Shirt Award".  There were two receptions / showings for Victor Argaez, the well known Yucatan artist from Buctzotz.  Gabriella Herbert hosted a wine reception at her house on August 4^th, and Annette hosted another at La Lunita on August 28^th.  Both Events were quite well attended, and The Akumalian has photos from Gabriella’s reception, but these have not been posted yet; they should be posted next week, so please come back and look at them.