March 30, 2003 Dear Anna,

I always enjoy what you write, thanks !

I am sure you have noticed the statues at the Malecón and the cabillito más sur have returned. I have seen nothing about how they might have recovered them from el mar, do you have any idea?

Just curious.
Thanks…

Paul

Dear Editor,

We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, "Taps." It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes when we hear it played. But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I thought your readers might be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.

During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.

Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The Captain lit a lantern. He suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, the heartbroken father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral. The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. But out of respect for
the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform. This wish was granted. The haunting melody, we now know as "Taps" - used at military funerals - was born.

The words are: “Day is done ... Gone the sun ... From the lakes ... From the hills … From the sky ... All is well ... Safely rest ... God is nigh... Fading light ... Dims the sight ... And a star ... Gems the sky... Gleaming bright ... From afar ... Drawing nigh … Falls the night ...Thanks and praise ... For our days ... Neath the sun .... Neath the stars... Neath the sky ... As we go ...This we know ... God is nigh...”

We all have felt the chills while listening to "Taps" but probably never have seen all the words to the song until now. We probably didn't even know there was more than one verse. And very probably never knew the story behind the song. It should now make you have an even deeper respect for the song than it did before.

Edna B.

Dear Editor,

I know that as a bona fide tourist, it is part of one’s mission to return home with a few souvenirs of colorful Mexico. Your kids expect it, your neighbors, your co-workers, maybe even your dog. Local merchants and shops will eventually confuse your brain cells about the souvenirs you should be bringing back home with you: T-shirts for everyone and anyone, a bottle of tequila or maybe even a colorful blanket (that you may or may not rediscover everytime you move.)

I've come across many originalities in PV as far as souvenir items go (and other things), but a souvenir item is something that should anchor all the beautiful moments and places you've seen during your stay - for years to come. Refrigerator magnets will do the trick, but only temporarily, until your second-grader presents you with his latest masterpiece... As a foreign resident, I've considered this question every time I have to go back "up north", and although I could write a list of beautiful dust collecting items, I'll limit myself to suggesting just one item: the video ''Images of Puerto Vallarta''. If this doesn't do the trick, nothing else will.

At the risk of sounding like a commercial for it, ''Images of Puerto Vallarta'' contains everything you've seen, done and more, much more. It's definitly not your shaky and colorless run-of-the-mill travelogue but rather a one-hour professionnaly-produced depiction of just about everything that makes up this beautiful Mexican resort I would like to call home.

You'll see aerial shots, fiestas, art, culture, and a lot more plus an "ecological" segment that includes the release of baby sea turtles. You'll travel through the mangrove jungles meeting face-to-face with crocodiles and other wildlife forms. And you'll also go horseback riding in the jungle and visit places like Quimixto and Yelapa where electricity and cars are futuristic luxuries not to be found.

If you had to get only one souvenir item that everyone back home will appreciate (including yourself) for years to come, it should be this video: ''Images of Puerto Vallarta''. You can pick it up (in your own language and format) at the “tabaquerias” in most hotels I think, and I know they have it at the airport too. Then, after your friends have seen it, you may just want to come back with them to see and do whatever you've missed the first time around!

Steven Richards

Hi,

I'm sending this information because for the last week I have been bombarded with opinions, anti-American sentiment, and questions from just about everyone here. I would say that abut 90 % of the people who have talked to me are against the U.S. and the war against Iraq. The saddest thing about this is that most of these people are not informed, misinformed or totally ignorant about the situation. They are speaking either from pure emotion (fed by already established dislike of the U.S. based on many things which would take another entire e-mail to explain) or simply repeating what they have heard from other people without checking the information out. As an American who, in spite of living in a foreign country, has a heart that beats red, white and blue, I tend to immediately be pro U.S.A. (it is difficult not to form an opinion based on sentiment) BUT I also like to check out the facts so I don't fall into the category of those who form an opinion based on misinformation or pure emotion or second hand sources. So what do I do about those who have found it necessary to target me as an outlet for their opinions? At first I tried to inform them of what I knew but after a while I became very tired of the effort. So I simply told them that I don't have the inclination to debate the issue with them. I suggest that they become informed. This applies to all of us.
I also hope and pray with all of my heart that this will not be a protracted war and that we can do some good with it in a country which has a people that has suffered a lot under the hand of a heartless dictator.

So check out the sites below. There are sites from both sides of the question. And remember...before you repeat it, be sure of your facts. Before you forward that e-mail...check out the facts.
Sunny

For those of you who are interested, the Mexican authorities detained two Iraqis trying to cross the border at Tijuana. They boarded a bus in Puerto Vallarta and were accompanied by a us citizen of Iraqi descent. (http://www.agonist.org/)

These are MORE websites that you might find interesting so you can understand what is happening in Iraq and why. Check them out.

This page contains a chronology of the U.N. inspections in Iraq. Very interesting and easy to follow.
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2002_10/iraqspecialoct02.asp

This page has a lot of articles on the background of the conflict with Iraq and Iraq's response.
http://www.cfr.org/reg_index.php?id=6|35||1

This is the State department's briefing site. It has some interesting stuff on Afghanistan, too.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2003/c8043.htm

The Iraq propaganda site to see what the "other side" has to say. I haven't been able to open it yet.
http://www.uruklink.net

Radio Free Europe's site. This is a great site including chronologies.
http://www.rferl.org/specials/iraqcrisis/

A site that has a rambling commentary by an Iraqi about the war and his feelings about the government. Who knows how he managed to get it on the net without being caught. It will give you some insight into the thoughts of a person from Iraq without them being filtered through a censor. It talks about his feelings and things like price gouging because of the war on the part of merchants. I bookmarked this one because I want to know what is happening from a personal point of view. I hope he can continue reporting.
http://www.dear_raed.blogspot.com/2003_03_01_dear_raed_archive.html#90779364

From the other side of the globe and points of view:
http://www.irna.com/en/
http://www.worldpress.org/mideast.htm
http://www.arabnews.com/ from Saudi Arabia
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/ from Lebanon
http://www.kurdmedia.com/ if you want to know about the Kurds

U. N. documents and resolutions:
http://globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/un/index.html

Lots of links and military information:
http://globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq.htm

S.B.

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