Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
Founded : December 2000 Created By : Esther Aquino and Joseph Garcia
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ESPERANZA AQUINO
June 9th, 2005
In Today's Edition
Tony approached me with a vision he's had for some years now. I don't know if anybody else has thought of this but to me it seems like the respectful thing to do. Here is Tony's letter as he presented to me.
In Honor of Esperanza, to whom this webpage is dedicated to
When you visit a loved one at a cemetery, you find yourself staring at the gravestone. You read and reread the markings. You think of the person, their life, hardships, and happiness. You think of the importance of this loved ones life to you, and the impression that they had in your life. You think of how special they are to you. That is how I feel when I visit my mom. She is special. She had a heart of gold. She did not have much but was such a giving person. She would sacrifice and do anything for anybody as she did for her brother.
On this Mothers day in 1999, I left feeling that this special person deserved special recognition. After inquiring with the administration at the cemetery, I drafted the following letter :
June 5, 2005
Dear Betty:
I hope that this letter reaches you at a time in your life when you and your family are in the best of health.
Many years before our mother passed away, she purchased a burial plot at Resurrection Cemetery. She was well aware of the complications and burden of expense one's survivors may be faced with when a loved one dies. She wanted to avoid these problems and proceeded with a payment plan for a double plot.
On June 20, 1978 her brother Alex Aguirre passed away. Although we do not know all the details, it is our understanding that his family wanted him buried at Resurrection Cemetery where his mother (Juana) and father (Trinidad) were laid to rest. Because of the issue of cost, this was not possible. It was however, made possible by our mother with her compassion and generosity. She offered one of her two plots for the interment of her brother and gave the authority to your mother Connie Bagu to make the arrangements. A grave marker was supplied with mention of "U.S. Army" because your mother said that he was so proud of his military service.
On September 24, 1983 our mother passed away and was buried with her brother. To signify her gravesite, her name, year of birth and year of death were screwed into the top of Alex Aguirre's grave marker (as you will see in the enclosed photo). We feel our mother is more deserving in memory than just an "add on". We also feel that it is time to upgrade the grave marker with a new one to honor our mother with all overdue respect. Of course "Hondo" (Tio Alex) will also be honorably respected with the upgrade, as we would like you to decide what his part will look like and say.
While inquiring about changes, the administrators at Resurrection Cemetery expressed to us their requirements for changes. Written permission is needed from the listed account holder, Connie Bagu. Unfortunately your dear mother has also passed away, so permission must come from her next of kin, which leads us to you and the reason for this letter. We cannot make any changes unless you say it's all right with you.
With that in mind, we would like for you to look over the written permission form included in this letter. If you agree, will you please sign and return this form as soon as possible so that we may proceed with all the arrangements? Your assistance will be greatly appreciated and we can assure you that you will not be disappointed.
This letter was originally sent to you on July 21, 1999 and perhaps was not a proper time to reach out to you. We sincerely hope that you will reconsider this request of ours at this time.
We thank you in advance for all your understanding and cooperation. God Bless You!
Sincerely,
The Family of Esperanza Aquino
I, Betty (Bagu) Sedano, being the eldest daughter and next of kin to Connie Bagu
(Deceased), do hereby grant the Aquino family permission to remove and replace the
grave marker located at Resurrection Cemetery, Grave 148, Tier 48, and Section E.
Current records show that Connie Bagu is the account holder of the above-stated burial site
purchased by Esperanza Aquino. This site is the final resting place of Alex Quintero
Aguirre and Esperanza Aquino
Signed: ____________________________________________
Print Name: ____________________________________________
Date: ____________________________________________
Phone No.: (_____) _____________________________________
I had never heard back from Betty and I did not pursue it any further. Several weeks ago at Dennis Roman’s funeral I discussed this issue with aunt Zenia. She told me that she would talk to Betty. She called Neen the other night and told her that Betty would give her permission and sign it.
It is at this time that we should open this up for debate. I call on my brothers and sisters and anyone else who has an opinion on this matter to express it. I feel that unless we are 100% in agreement, then no action will be taken. I do not want anybody to harbor any ill feelings that will contribute to a divisiveness. If you are opposed, please express it.
It has been stated that mom was proud of her brother Alex’s military service. I too am proud of anyone who serves their country. That also includes Joseph who served in Vietnam, Larry who honorably served in the reserves and my son Dylan who has received his orders for deployment to Iraq. But I am also proud of my mother who practically raised all her brothers and sisters then raised 8 kids on her own without any help from her husband. Who sacrificed a big part of her life for all of them without complaining. Who extended her love for her grandchildren that she also helped to raise.
Some might say that she would not like to take the attention away from her brother and that is what we would do in upgrading the gravestone. I say she not only deserves the attention but she earned it. I truly believe that she liked attention. That is something that she did not have growing up, and she definitely did not get from her husband. I remember how she loved going to the Great Wall for her birthday and receiving the love and attention. I also remember the Aguirre family reunion to honor her birthday as her family matriarch. You could see that she was very happy and proud and she was definitely loved and adored by everyone.
I think my mom deserves better than a nameplate riveted on to her brothers gravestone.
I thank you in advance for your opinion
Tony
If any of you would like to express your thoughts or opinions on this matter please do so on the messageboard. If you prefer to give a private opinion then call or send an e-mail to Tony or myself. Thank you.
I'm gonna be taking off next week but we'll have another mug contest for those of you who missed out on the first one. Have a safe and happy weekend.
Born on June 9th
Natalie Portman (1981)
Johnny Depp (1963)
Michael J. Fox (1961)
Dick Vitale (1940)
Jackie Mason (1934)
Robert Cummings (1910)
Cole Porter (1892)
Lisa Contreras
Stephanie Ruth
Shots
I was in the waiting room of my doctor's office the other day when the doctor started yelling, "Typhoid! Tetanus! Measles!"
I went up to the nurse and asked her what was going on.
She told me that the doctor liked to call the shots.
Today's useless fact - Is it true that when you eat celery, you burn more calories than you actually consume?
Here's what we learned from the links in the Nutrition Tips category: It may seem like wishful thinking to believe that such a "negative calorie" food exists, but in the case of celery, it appears to be true. An 8-inch stalk of celery contains approximately 6 calories. But the mere act of digesting said stalk burns more than 6 calories, resulting in a negative caloric intake.
Contrary to popular belief, chewing and swallowing the celery does not burn the calories, rather it is the act of digesting the tough cellulose that accounts for the energy expended. The same can be said of drinking a cold, low-calorie drink -- the body burns more calories warming the liquid to body temperature than are typically consumed.
As good as this may sound, "In a world where it takes 3,500 calories to work off a single pound of fat, feasting on celery would make only the merest difference."
Celery is not the only so-called negative-calorie food out there. If properly prepared, digesting cauliflower, cucumbers, spinach, and many others can cause your body to burn more calories than you ingest. But before you embark on any crash diet, just remember that your body needs a certain amount of calories per day to function. Eating some of these "negative-calorie" fruits and vegetables may help you control cravings and lose weight but should be only part of a balanced diet coupled with exercise.
And for the record, celery with peanut butter or ranch dressing does not count as a negative-calorie food!
The Buzzword For June 9th
bide \BYDE\ verb
What does it mean?
: to wait or wait for
How do you use it?
"Daniela, if you just bide your time, it will be your turn to
lead the group soon," said our dance instructor.
Are you a word wiz?
Speaking of waiting, how long ago do you think "bide" became
part of English?
A. Not long ago; it was first used in the 1800s.
B. Quite long ago; scholars of the 1600s invented it.
C. Very long ago; it goes back to around 1000.
D. Very, very long ago; it is found in early Sanskrit texts.
Answer:
We can hardly wait to tell you that "bide" is a very old word
that goes back to around the year 1000. "Bide" traces back
through Middle English to Old English "bidan," which had the
same meaning as our word "bide." Other old languages had
words akin to the Old English word. They include the Old High
German word "bitan," which also meant "to wait." (Old High
German is the old language that was used in southern and
central Germany and is found in writings from before the year
1200.) "Bide" is also akin to the Latin word "fidere," which
means "to trust," and to the Greek word "peithesthai," which
means "to believe."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
Spaghetti
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend.
The following is what appeared in Wednesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
I see by the messageboard that a couple of you want to see my entry that garnered third place in the FreakingNews photoshop contest. I was wondering when you'd ask. My picture is the third one down and entitled "Role Reversal". Click here.
Born on June 8th
Keenen Ivory Wayans (1958)
Boz Scaggs (1944)
Nancy Sinatra (1940)
Joan Rivers (1933)
Jerry Stiller (1929)
Barbara Bush (1925)
Robert Preston (1918)
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867)
Lawyer Jokes
Q: What do you call a lawyer with an I.Q. of 50?
A: Your honor.
Q: What do you call a lawyer who has gone bad?
A: Senator.
Q: How many lawyers does it take to roof a house?
A: Depends on how thin you slice them.
Q: What do you have when a lawyer is buried up to his neck in sand?
A: Not enough sand.
Q: When lawyers die, why are they buried in a hole 36 feet deep?
A: Because down deep, they are all nice guys!
Q: How do you stop a lawyer from drowning?
A: Shoot him before he hits the water.
Q: Have you heard about the lawyers word processor?
A: No matter what font you select, everything comes out in fine print.
Q: How many law professors does it take to change a light bulb?
A: You need 250 just to lobby for the research grant.
Q: Why did the post office recall the new lawyer stamps?
A: Because people could not tell which side to spit on.
Today's useless fact - What actually happens when you "crack" your knuckles?
We've all heard the claim that cracking your knuckles will cause permanent injury. But is it really true that a life of arthritis awaits the knuckle-popper addicts among us? To find out we visited the links in the Lukol Arthritis category and learned this:
When you crack your knuckles, you're essentially pushing the joint into or out of its normal position. A thick, clear lubricant called synovial fluid is found in the joints between your bones. When you crack your fingers, you cause the bones to pull apart, and the pressure on the synovial fluid is reduced. Bubbles form and quickly expand and then burst. Snap, crackle, pop go your knuckles!
The bubble forms in a process called "cavitation." Once you've cracked your knuckle, it takes about 25-30 minutes for the gas to dissolve into the joint fluid. During this time, you can't crack the knuckle again. But once the gas is dissolved, cavitation is once again possible, and you can start popping your knuckles to your hand's content.
Okay, now we know what happens when you crack your knuckles, but are you doing serious damage? We read a bit more and discovered that only one in-depth study of the issue has been published. The study focused on 300 habitual knuckle crackers and found no evidence linking knuckle cracking and arthritis. Chronic crackers did suffer other harm, including soft tissue damage and loss of grip strength. This damage is usually minor, however, and cracking your knuckles actually has some benefits -- you'll feel looser and enjoy more mobility in your joints immediately after popping.
The Buzzword For June 8th
luggage \LUG-ij\ noun
What does it mean?
: something that is lugged; especially : suitcases or
traveling bags for a traveler's belongings : baggage
How do you use it?
Whenever she travels to another country, Stacey always takes
along a spare piece of luggage to hold souvenirs on the way
back.
Are you a word wiz?
People have been lugging around their belongings for thousands
of years. But what do you think was happening around the time
that the word "luggage" made its first known appearance in
English?
A. Marco Polo was traveling through Asia (late 1200s).
B. Sir Francis Drake was making his last sea voyage (late 1500s).
C. Charles Darwin was sailing around the world aboard the HMS
Beagle (1830s).
D. Amelia Earhart was attempting an around-the-world flight
(1930s).
Answer:
It's in the bag if you picked answer B. The earliest known use
of "luggage" in print comes from the journal of a sea captain
who took part in the last voyage of Sir Francis Drake. The
journal is dated 1595. "Luggage" derives from the verb "lug,"
which dates from the 14th century and which comes from the
Middle English "luggen," meaning "to pull or drag by the hair
or ear." "Luggen" is most likely of Scandinavian origin and is
akin to Norwegian "lugga," meaning "to pull by the hair." The
English verb "lug" still means "to drag or pull," though
unlike our Scandinavian ancestors, today we are more likely
to lug something by using its handle.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Tuesday's edition.
In Today's Edition
Do you remember candy cigarettes? Blackjack chewing gum? Do you remember when milk used to be delivered to your door? Penny candy?
Step back in time for a few minutes and remember what it was like. Click here.
Born on June 7th
Anna Kournikova (1981)
Larisa Oleynik (1981)
Karl Urban (1972)
Prince (1958)
Liam Neeson (1952)
Jenny Jones (1946)
Tom Jones (1940)
Dean Martin (1917)
Jessica Tandy (1909)
Paul Gauguin (1848)
Partners
A very successful businessman had a meeting with his new son-in-law. "I love my daughter, and now I welcome you into the family," said the man. "To show you how much we care for you, I'm making you a 50-50 partner in my business. All you have to do is go to the factory every day and learn the operations."
The son-in-law interrupted. "I hate factories. I can't stand the noise."
"I see," replied the father-in-law. "Well then you'll work in the office and take charge of some of the operations."
"I hate office work," said the son-on-law. "I can't stand being stuck behind a desk all day."
"Wait a minute," said the father-in-law. "I just make you half- owner of a moneymaking organization, but you don't like factories and won't work in a office. What am I going to do with you?"
"Easy," said the young man. "Buy me out."
Today's useless fact - Why do people cross their fingers for luck?
We turned to the links in the Lukol Superstitions category to answer this one. There are a number of curious gestures and sayings in our modern society that leave us scratching our heads. Apparently, we have superstitious folk in merry old England to thank for the peculiar practice of crossing our fingers for luck.
Witches, ghosts, and other supernatural ghouls were very real to people living in the 16th century. Illnesses and bad luck were blamed on these evil forces. Faith in the power of the Christian cross, therefore, was strong. A cough, a sneeze, or even a mention of a cold (thought to be a sign of the plague) was reason enough to cross yourself. The proper way to make the sign of the cross involves four steps -- touch the forehead, heart, left shoulder, then right shoulder with you right hand.
When a suspected witch crossed your path, you could make a cross shortcut by crossing your index and second finger or the index fingers of both hands. This would provide protection and ward off the evil influence. Just like in Dracula movies, it was believed the power of the cross or any religious talisman would combat the forces of darkness. People also wore crosses or carried their Bibles in case they happened upon a nefarious being. A clove of garlic worn around the neck was ammunition against werewolves and bad spirits, and both peasants and nobles attached bells known as "bezants" to their garments, hoping the sound would scare away evil spirits.
Though many of these beliefs have slowly died, the gestures they inspired have lived on. Let's face it, in today's scary world, we need all the luck we can get. If crossing your fingers, carrying a rabbit's foot, hanging a horseshoe, or rubbing a lucky penny helps you through the day, more power to you!
The Buzzword For June 7th
allay \al-LAY\ verb
What does it mean?
1 : to make less severe : relieve
2 : to make quiet : calm
How do you use it?
The coach allayed the team's nervousness by reminding them how
well they had done at previous track meets.
Are you a word wiz?
Only one of the sentences below uses the word "allay"
correctly. Which one do you think it is?
A. The plane's departure was allayed by three hours because of a
storm.
B. The game is being played in Spain, but it will be allayed by
satellites.
C. Some cheese and crackers should allay our hunger while we wait
for dinner.
D. A painting by each student was allayed at the library for a
week.
Answer:
We're ready to allay any anxiety you have about today's
question: C is the right answer. Something that allays your
hunger relieves your hunger or makes it less severe. What
about the other sentences? In each of them, the word "allay"
should be replaced with a similar-sounding word if it's going
to make sense. In A, a plane's departure is "delayed," which
means it is detained for a time. For B, the right word is
"relay," which in this context means "to pass along by
stages." D makes sense if "allay" is replaced with "display,"
which here means "to put in plain view."
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
The following is what appeared in Monday's edition.
In Today's Edition
Well, I finally got that monkey off my back. After eight entries to the Freaking News photoshop contest I've finally placed in the top three.
(Patting myself on back)
Imagine that. And I didn't have one relative vote for me.
Born on June 6th
Staci Keanan (1975)
James "Munky" Shaffer (1970)
Ena (1962)
Bjorn Borg (1956)
Sandra Bernhard (1955)
Gary U.S. Bonds (1939)
Thomas Mann (1875)
Good News Bad News
Doctor: I have good news and bad news.
Patient: Go with the good news first.
Doctor: You have 24 hours to live.
Patient: What!?! How about the bad news?
Doctor: Um... I forgot to tell you yesterday.
I got the idea for this image from an M. C. Escher drawing
Today's useless fact - What are the best indoor plants to help remove toxins from the air?
We visited the links in the Indoor Air Quality category to answer your question. In the excellent article on office air quality, Tony Jaros lists five plants noted for their ability to flush out harmful air toxins: florists' mum, kimberley queen, English ivy, dracaena, and golden pothos. If you work in an office building, Jaros suggests you keep a plant on your desk to avoid sick building syndrome -- a variety of unpleasant symptoms caused by trapped chemicals.
We also found several concrete suggestions in an article on home indoor air quality from the EcoLiving Center, a directory of articles on all things healthy and organic. They give the clean lungs stamp of approval to: "bamboo, aloe vera, chrysanthemums, dracaena palms, English ivy, golden pothos, Janet Craig, philodendrons, scheffleras, and spider plants."
Besides plants, you can help maintain a healthy living environment in your home by keeping it well ventilated. It's also important to keep potentially harmful materials like cleaning detergents and pesticides in a secure place away from your primary activity rooms.
The Buzzword For June 6th
trite \TRYTE\ adjective
What does it mean?
: so common that the newness or cleverness has worn off
How do you use it?
The story is good, but he uses too many trite and boring
cliches like "busy as a bee."
Are you a word wiz?
"Trite" comes to us directly from the Latin word "tritus,"
which is the past participle of the verb "terere." What do
you think "terere" means?
A. "to bore to death"
B. "to rub or wear away"
C. "to be busy as a bee"
D. "to fit together perfectly"
Answer:
The newness and originality has worn off something that is
"trite," so it makes sense that "trite" would come from a
word that means "to wear away." Latin "terere" means "to rub"
or "to wear away by rubbing," and that idea is extended in the
derived form "tritus," the source of English "trite." English
speakers first started using "trite" in the mid-1500s to
refer to something so overused that its "shine" or newness is
worn away. Back then "trite" was occasionally used literally
(one early writer spoke of his "garments trite"), but the
original figurative meaning took off and is the one we use
today.
Today's Jigsaw Puzzle
Click Here
That's all for today. Tune in tomorrow for more stuff.
