TOMORROW- Friday, 20 October Strangers Club

Luncheon with Lord Mayor Dr. Enrique Riera

G U A R A N I News
Paraguays Only English Weekly Magazine
Founded on 21 October 1982
Sent FREE through E-Mail as a Bulletin since January 2001
Publisher/Editor: Norman M. Langer

N 302. Thursday, October 19, 2006

Our Cellular Telephone Number: for international calls
+(595-991) 724-217
for local calls 0991-724-217
In this Issue

From the Publisher

People in the News - Coming Events Sports - Church Notices

News from France

Make your own stamp
Eastwood film wins Cesr: Best foreign film

Japan Today
Wajima: Lacquer Ware (Part 3 of 3)

Welcome Taiwan into the United Nations (Part 5 of 6)

The Humour Corner
by Eduardo Teddy Abello & Donald Sym Smith

MAIL BAG
Guaran News PICTURE GALLERY
All rights reserved. No part of GUARANI NEWS may be reproduced without permission from the
Publisher. Opinions expressed by named authors do not necessarily coincide with those of the Editor.
The Editor will review any submission; however no res-ponsibility is assumed for materials submitted. If
you wish to be removed from our listing, send E-mail to stranger@highway.com.py with the title
REMOVE and accept our apologies.

From the Publisher...

Still a hiccup now and then
But then neither was Rome built in a day. So lets hope readers
may for-give me if certain bloomers still manage to creep into
my new version of the Guaran News. But we shall improve.
By the way, my heartfelt appre-ciation to the wonderful letterwriters who found time in their busy schedules to send in their
congratulations regarding the new format.
Small mercies...
At long last I am happy to announce that the number 3 busline I use to get from a to b has finally eliminated their infamous
turnstiles. What the others are waiting for Heaven only knows,
they are still a real pain in the rear if you happen not to own a
car in this city.
Pitiful tidings
For quite a number of years I have made it a point in rarely if
ever open-ing any one of our local dailies. But I do have quite a
number of well mean-ing friends, mostly foreigners who
nevertheless enjoy living in my country but just cannot come to
terms with my compatriots ceaseless skulduggery. Here is just
another example: My dear friend. I sent you an article from
todays edition of ABC Color newspaper. Now you know why I
did not want to continue reading law in this blessed country.
Instead of studying, these future judges, public prosecutors and
lawyers prefer to behave like a bunch of wild street dogs. I am
afraid of these people as to how in a couple of years they will
be in charge of our judicial system. All they care about is their
stupid elections as to who should become the President of their

TOMORROW- Friday, 20 October

pathetic student organisation. All they know is to conspire and
negotiate for a cargo... It is really a shame. Will things ever
change here?
A rare gift
It happens but once a year that one gets the opportunity to
see and hear live Korean traditional and creative dancing. On
this occasion the show was held last Friday evening at the
Convention Hall of the Central Bank. The event, held before a
full house, was presented by the Seoul Performing Arts Company
under the Patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Korea. I take this opportunity in extending my
congratulations to Koreas Ambassador Byung-Kwon for the
well-presented show and my heartiest thanks for giving me the
pleasure of enjoying a wonderful, entertaining and most
important, an insight into his countrys culture.
They come in pairs
Our appreciation for enjoying a second wonderful evening
of Oriental music, by which the Tsugaru-Shamisen Ensemble
KAZE, was presented on Tuesday, 17 October at the ParaguayanJapanese Theatre to a full house. The invitation on this occasion
were issued by the Japanese Embassy together with the Paraguayan-Japanese Centre and the Paraguayan-Japanese Association, entities that this year are commemorating the 70th
Anniversary of the first Japanese emigrants arriving in this
country. Here may I extend my warmest appreciation and
congratulations to HE Kenro Iino, Ambassador of Japan and
the Japan Foundation who co-organized the event.
Here is wishing you all a most pleasant weekend

PEOPLE in the NEWS

COMING EVENTS - SPORTS - CHURCH NOTICES
BIRTHDAYS
October
26 CRAIG, Juan Roberto
29 CASTRO NEVES, HE Luiz Augusto
We know about Internet!
HIGHWAY INTERNET- Grupo Aventura.com
www.aventura.com.py - info@highway.com.py
Tel.662-609

LUNCHEONS
TOMORROW- Friday, 20 October
316 Strangers Club Asuncin Luncheon Chaco Hotel
Guest Speaker: The Honourable Lord Mayor of Asuncin,
Dr. Enrique Riera
th

The event will be presided by HE Dido Florentin Bogado,

former Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Honorary
Chairman Strangers Club whilst Norman M. Langer, the Club
Founder/Chairman will act as Master of Ceremonies.
Members Gs. 60,000 Non Members Gs. 90,000 (Includes soft
drinks and wines during the meal).
During the meal attendees will have the opportunity of
purchasing the Clubs special raffle tickets by which two
beautiful watercolour paintings depicting Madrid scenes will
be raffled at the end of the event.
Confirmations have been received from: HE Fernando Guardia
Alvarado, Ambassador of Costa Rica; HE Antonio Espinoza,

former Ambassador to Great Britain and his wife Diane;

Vladimir Ionescu, Honorary Consul Rumania; Juan Jos
Bentez Rickmann, Honorary Consul of Costa Rica; Dr.
Guillermo Peroni, Honorary Consul of Great Britain; Dr. Lauro
Ramirez, Chairman FEPASA; Jorge Aguirre, Foreign Trade
Consultant; Silvio Amarilla from Ciudad del Este; Peter Logan;
Alexander Neuendorff, Strangers Club Honorary Secretary;
John Helmfelt, Strangers Club Honorary Treasurer; Mariano
Canova, Director/Manager Chaco Hotel; Margarita Du
Guerney, Confederacin Sudamericana de Ftbol; Dr. Hctor
Gennaro Sosa; Architect Guillermo Hellmers; Eng. Guillermo
Krauch; Eng. Alecsander Riline of ANDE; Alejandro
Mainero, Chairman CEA Entertainment; Eng. Oscar Salazar;
Jean-Claude Junod, Director Sheraton Hotel Asuncin; Wijbe
Beekhof; Werner Baertschi; Henry Bergern, Dr. Marciano
Rodriguez; Crlos Cazenave; Rubn Falcn; Marco Parini,
Manager Paraguayan-American Chamber of Commerce;
Nicols Sarubbi, Chairman Alfa Insurance Co.; Janine
Patterson, Chairman Dervish Publications; Mario Weisensee;
recently returned from the USA Dr. Jean-Pierre Dufour and
his wife Barbara as well as first timer Carlos Pampliega.
Please confirm attendance by calling Mr. Langer: 0991-724217 or by E.mail: stranger@highway.com.py
Hotel WESTFALENHAUS
Tel. (021) 293-374 E-Mail: hotel@westfalenhaus.com
http://www.paraguay-aktuell.de - http://www.paraguayhotels.com http://www.paraguay-search.com - http://
www.paraguay-travel.de

SPORTS
IRB Sevens World Series 2006-07 Tournament dates
Dubai - Dec 1st & 2nd
George (South Africa) - Dec 8th & 9th
Wellington (New Zealand) - Feb 2nd & 3rd
San Diego (USA) - Feb 10th & 11th
Hong Kong - March 30th and 31st & April 1st
Adelaide (Australia)- April 7th & 8th
London - May 26th & 27th
Edinburgh (Scotland) June 2nd & 3rd
All the latest IRB Sevens World Series information and news
can be found at the official website: www.irbsevens.com
Maps, travel-guide books, postcards and CDs on Paraguay
For more details and information contact: Distribuidora Meier
through E-Mail: derparaguayer@uninet.com.py
or Telefax (595-21) 301-084

CHURCH NOTICES
ST. ANDREWS ANGLICAN CHURCH - Avda. Espaa 1357
(near corner of General Santos) Services in English every
Sunday at 10:00 a.m. For further information, contact the
Diocesan Office Tel. 200-933.
CATHOLIC MASS IN ENGLISH
Chapel of the Fathers of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Quesada 4365 c/ McArthur . Behind what used to be Diario
HOY). Every Sunday at 10:30 am.
Chaplain: Reverend. Robert Hopwood, C.S.S.R

Petit Lieutenant.
Source: News from France French Embassy Press &
Make your own stamp
La Poste, Frances national post office, is now offering Information Service
customers the ability to order personalized stamps. After NEXT ISSUE: French Spa Towns (Part 1of 2)
uploading a digital photo of their choice on www.laposte.fr they
TRIGO DEL SUR
English run B and B. Lovely house, pool, garden, a/c, and very
can choose a border and see the final product before finalizing
reasonable rates.
their order. La Poste offers 10 or 15 domestic stamps per sheet
Tel: 602-389 or e-mail: joepeacock2001@yahoo.com
for a fee of us$ 12.30 or us$ 18.45. The personalized stamp is
already proving to be a great success for La Poste: an average
JAPAN TODAY
of 400 sheets are being printed daily, with many customers
Wajima: Lacquer Ware (Part 3 of 3)
ordering them as gifts for birthdays or special occasions.
The process of applying the top layers of lacquering finally
Eastwood film wins Cesr: Best foreign film
begins when the foundation is complete. Though there are two
st
The 31 annual presentation of the French Oscars, the Csars, approaches to applying lacquer finishes nuritate (also called
was a success for Clint Eastwood, whose Oscar-winning film, hananuri) in which lacquer is simply applied, and roiro where
Million Dollar Baby, received the award for best foreign film. the surface is polished nuritate has been the predominant
Eastwood was unfortunately unable to attend the ceremony. method of lacquering since time immemorial. As lacquer is made
Instead, British actor Hugh Grant accepted the award on his from the natural sap of trees, its quality is not always uniform.
behalf. Grant was also recognized by the French National Various types of lacquer are mixed and then modified to achieve
Academy of Arts and Techniques with an honorary Csar. He the desired drying and hardening times, colour and lustrous
addressed the audience in French, thanking France for veneer. Occasionally, lacquer that has been stored for 20 years
recognizing his contribution to cinema.
or more is also mixed in. In the case of nuritate, the process is
The nights big winner was Jacques Audiard, director of De complete after the final coat has been applied. However, when
Battre Mon Coeur Sest Arrt (The Beat That My Heart maki-e or chinkin decoration is to be added, it is first polished
Skipped). His film received eight Csars, including Best Film by a technician specializing in roiro and then passed on to a
and Best Director. Other award winners included Michel maki-e-shi (maki-e technician) or chinkin-shi (chinkin
Bouquet, who won Best Actor for his role as former president technician) who applies the decoration by hand.
Franois Mitterand in Promeneur du Champ de Mars and
Since Wajima lacquer ware is the result of a division of labour
Nathalie Baye, named Best Actress for her performance in Le with many detailed efforts not visible to the eye, each technician

NEWS FROM FRANCE

must produce high-quality work so that the next technician can

produce high-quality work as well. When each technician
receives the product from the preceding technician, he examines
it and praises the good work that has been done. He must then
perform his own work so that the technician that follows him
will also be pleased.
The technique of Wajima lacquer ware was designated an
Important Intangible Cultural property in 1977, and the Wajima
Lacquer Technique Presentation Association was named the
official Holding Group of this Property. The membership of the
association currently comprises 41 technicians and around 2,000
craftsmen engaged in the production of Wajima lacquer ware.
This designation thus means that all these members have been
recognized for the highest skills related to Wajima lacquer ware.
Rather than simply making products for sale, the activities of
the association are focused primarily on passing on these
valuable skills to succeeding generations to ensure that young
technicians will be able to continue the Wajima tradition into
the future.
Source: Asia-Pacific Perspective
Next issue: Aspects of Mt. Fuji by Yukio Ohyama
BILLS ELECTRONICS
U.S.A.F. trained electronics handyman
Specialising in: Computers, communications Audio &
Video Equipment Servicing, Repair and Installation Tel. (home) 942-844 (Shop) 226-783
Cellular: 0981-441-924

Welcome Taiwan into the United Nations

In an era of UN reformTime to right a 35-year wrong
(Part 5 of 6)

Why will the world be better off with Taiwans participation

in the United Nations? It will facilitate the sharing of Taiwans
rich experience in economic and democratic development.
Taiwan has always been willing to share its unique experience
in economic development with the rest of the world by engaging
in foreign assistance and cooperation programs. As of June 2006,
Taiwan had 36 long-term technical missions stationed in 30
countries carrying forward projects in many fields, including
agriculture, fisheries, health care, transportation, vocational
training, trade and investment.
Moreover, Taiwans successful transition to democracy serves
as a good example for many developing countries. Such
endeavours will be more effective if they are coordinated with
international efforts undertaken through the United Nations and
its specialized agencies.
It will improve the global disease prevention and control
system by bringing to bear Taiwans health care experience
and resources.
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
in late 2002 in China demonstrated that a lack of international
cooperation in combating contagious diseases can lead to
disastrous international epidemics. Chinese authorities covered
up and downplayed the situation initially, resulting in the spread
of SARS to other countries and almost 800 deaths, including

73 in Taiwan.
During the month-long ordeal, Beijing continuously
obstructed the WHOs efforts to provide timely expert guidance
to Taiwans health authorities. This not only led to suffering in
Taiwan but posed the danger that SARS would spread from
Taiwan to other countries.
Taiwan has been forced to deal with other serious health
problems on its own. An outbreak of enterovirus in 1998, for
example, claimed 78 lives. Close supervision by the government
and enhanced public awareness have greatly reduced the scale
of recurrent outbreaks of the disease and the number of deaths
caused by it.
No country should be excluded from the global network for
preventing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
The denial of Taiwans right to equal access to the WHO
endangers the health of its own people as well as that of peoples
around the world. Taiwans inclusion will reduce these dangers
and enable it to contribute to the world its valuable health care
experience and resources.

interdependence, peace in the Taiwan Strait has a direct impact

on the stability of the Asia-Pacific and the entire world.
(Did you know? Taiwan has the highest percentage of female
parliamentarians in Asia)
SOURCE: GIO Taipei Taiwan
Next Issue: Welcome Taiwan into the United Nations (Part 6
of 6)

The Humour Corner

by Eduardo Teddy Abello & Donald Sym Smith
A friend indeed
A man absolutely hated his wifes cat and decided to get rid of
him one day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving
him at the park. As he was getting home, the cat was walking up
the driveway. The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks
away. He put the beast out and headed home. Driving back up
his driveway, there was the cat! He kept taking the cat further
and further and the cat would always beat him home. At last he
decided to drive a few miles away, turn right, then left, past the
bridge, then right again and another right until he reached what
he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the cat
there. Hours later the man calls home to his wife: Jen, is the
cat there? Yes, the wife answers, why do you ask?
Frustrated, the man answered, Put that son of a ***** on the
phone, Im lost! and need directions!

Why is Taiwans participation in the United Nations

important to regional peace and security? Peace in the Taiwan
Strait is essential to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwan is an important geopolitical and economic fulcrum
in East Asia and a key hub for sea and air transportation. The
Taiwan Strait is one of the worlds busiest transportation arteries,
with hundreds of commercial vessels and civilian aircraft plying For a good laugh...short but to the point
its waters and flying through its air space every day. In the A nurse walks into a bank. Preparing to write a cheque, she
context of ongoing regional integration and increasing global Pulls a rectal thermometer out of her purse and tries to write

with it. She looks at the flabbergasted teller and without missing there was a British specialist involved who came via Chile to
a beat says, Well, thats great..........thats really great..........Some advise on that.
Best wishes
assholes got my pen.
Andrew

MAIL BAG

(Editors Note: Seeing as the Chairman of FEPASA, Dr. Lauro

Dear Norman:
Ramrez is an ardent reader of this magazine I expect him to
Any news about the resurrection of the railway - I remember respond to your question.)

Guaran News PICTURE GALLERY

Smiling for posteritythree regulars at Strangers Club luncheons.
From left to Right:
Martin Romano,
Chairman Big Manzana.
Alejandro Mainero,
Chairman
CEA
Entertainment
Mariano Canova,
Director/Manager
Chaco Hotel.

Nadie es profeta en su tierra

Just how true this well known Spanish adagio happens to be can best be
proved by seeing what the Daily
Mail London, Wednesday, September 24, 1975 (circulation in those
days around 5 million!!) printed in
their centre-fold.
The caption under my picture read:
Business on the beach very much
as usual with paperwork in the sun
and his printing works 100 yards
away for Norman Langer.

Whilst the cover story stated:

Norman Langer, 43, from
Chiswick, London (via
Paraguay) is Lloret de Mars
only off-set printer. His print
shop is only 100yd. From the
beach where he often takes his
typewriter when he wants to
catch up on business correspondence.
He went to Spain 15 years ago, invested in an IBM composer
and became a self-taught printer. He prints tickets, posters and
promotion material for many of the 300 pubs, clubs and discotheques and has the contract for two tourist magazines which
sell throughout the year.
One of the coups was landing the first advertising contract for

footballer Johan Cruyff when he first went to play for Barcelona.

Theres more to the story, and quite a number of others together
with hundreds of pictures, but youll have to wait and read it in
An Errant Gypsy, my own autobiography to appear in CD
format early next year. Pre-publication price 20 Euros (us$25
Gs. 140,000.) Outside Paraguay postage not included..

Enjoying Strangers Club Luncheons...

Humbert SOLENTE
Chairman
Paraguayan-French Chamber Commerce

HE Antonio ESPINOZA
Former Ambassador to Great Britain

Dr. Guillermo PERONI

Honorary Consul Great Britain

When intending a visit to Asuncin, we recommend you stay at the

HOTEL CHACO
Caballero / Mcal. Estigarribia - Tel. 492-066 E-mail: info@hotelchaco.com.py