1. A normal friend will decline an invitation if they can’t make it. A Mexican friend will tell you, “Yep, I’ll be there,” knowing full well they can’t make it — just to avoid hurting your feelings.

2. A normal friend might socialize separately with their family or with their friends. A Mexican’s family are his best friends…and therefore yours within minutes of meeting them.

3. A normal friend would take at least a year to give you a nickname. A Mexican friend will do it within seconds. In fact, so will the plumber, your doctor, and anyone you meet, really.

4. A normal friend will pass you a knife to cut your birthday cake. A Mexican friend will shove your face in it. It’s your birthday, so you should have the first little bite, right?

5. A normal friend will ask you if they can bring a friend to your party. A Mexican friend will turn up with their whole crew without so much as a phone call. Why have a party if you don’t want people there?

6. A normal friend will give you a call to let you know they’re running late to meet you. A Mexican friend will turn up 40 minutes late, without even a message to let you know. But at least they turned up at all!

7. If you express interest in a job, a normal friend will wish you luck and offer to look over your application. A Mexican friend will tell you “the brother of the ex-girlfriend of my cousin used to work there, let me just makes some calls.”

8. A normal friend will describe their house and their stuff as belonging to them. A Mexican friend will describe it as if it’s yours, literally talking about their sofa as follows: “Your sofa is black leather.” Mi casa, su casa and all that.

9. A normal friend will make you tea with honey and lemon for a cold. A Mexican friend will pass you their stash of antibiotics. It’s fine though, because their sister / uncle / neighbor is a doctor.

10. A normal friend will schedule a date to see you with two weeks’ anticipation and note it on their calendar. A Mexican friend will say, “Wanna meet in 5 güey?”

11. When a family member dies, a normal friend might avoid you, feeling awkward that they don’t know what to say. A Mexican friend will turn up at your door to talk and listen and to accompany you in your grief.

12. A normal friend will leave their phone in their bag when having dinner with you. A Mexican friend will leave it on the table and happily answer it every time it rings…. “The first one to touch their phone pays the bill” should solve all that.

13. A normal friend will add salt or butter to their popcorn at the movies. A Mexican friend will drown the popped kernels in valentina hot sauce, whilst slurping on a fluorescent blue icey. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

‘Tis the season — yep, Halloween (giving to everyone who asks) and Thanksgiving (giving thanks with family) are behind us, and looming ahead is the joyous season that has Santa everywhere stealing the show.

But what about this question? “Who has been a good boy or girl?” Doesn’t Santa ask that question of each child sitting on his lap?

Do you have a boss? Does your boss have a boss? Does anyone not have a boss? Even the owner of the marina or the manufacturing plant where you may work does, in fact, have a boss — someone to report to — maybe the bank, a major customer or just a spouse. CEOs of the larger publicly held companies have a board of directors and shareholders to report to.

Shareholders have become accustomed to an increasing profit stream. Directors seem to be pressing more and more for increased profits, even if the market has not improved in that sector. And now there are activist directors who seek to get involved in operations issues. With the CEO/president feeling such increased pressure, how does that person hold other managers accountable? And how do the managers hold supervisors and operatives accountable (a current buzzword in politics, as well as business)?

The big question in business, however, is this: How would managerial folks define good?

Some managers will, in fact, be doing performance appraisals next month, and that is their question when looking for signs of performance that range from less than good to outstanding. There seem to be several things to consider in defining good, even as Santa does.

Consider each of these 10 focal points for you to get the “goodest” of the good.

Search and select. During the post-recession period many firms have cut costs by not actively recruiting new staff, limiting their hiring to those who have applied, and this rarely yields the best of the available market players. Now that more jobs seem to be opening, some businesses are finding they are losing quality employees to firms that are actively searching to fill slots.
Today investing in more active human resources initiatives may yield rewards. Selection from an array of candidates allows a firm to compare strengths and find the ones that will fit best into its culture.

Preach the culture. Visit any competitor and you will agree that the culture of your organization feels different from that of the other company. Make sure the new hires understand well “how we do things around here.” Is it desirable to obey policies, regulations and rules, or does the company culture reward those who are willing to skirt the policies and take alternative paths — and find success (recognition and profits for the firm)? What is acceptable behavior on and off the job? Perhaps the dress code even varies.

Share what it is that counts here. What are the expectations of sales or products produced or new contacts generated or packages filled and shipped? If a staff member is to be good, how will he/she know and how will you know? What is the staff member to do? Even if there is an up-to-date job description, is that what you really expect today? Do you not owe to it each employee to explain what good means?

How is “this that counts” measured? You do measure, don’t you? Oh, you can just tell whether the staff member is doing “good?” What is it that tells you that? Is it like that good boy or girl? Have they been extra-nice to you and done all the chores since Thanksgiving? Yes, that is the “halo effect” and boys and girls learn this strategy even prior to being employed. Many of these youngsters grow up to be excellent at convincing managers that they are good; however, there may be no observable data to prove that level of performance.

And the worst thing about this situation is that higher-level managers do not challenge the original performance assessment. So what should be measured? Well, what measures would prove that the job holder has been successful at pleasing customers? Generating new clients? Decreased the absentee rate? Reduced use of sick days? Increased production from a given machine?

What do you want to improve? Productivity increases when we measure the productivity, although the industrial engineer’s clipboard may not be the major prop. You may wish to ask each staff member what they think should be measured. You may be surprised by what they believe to be important and how it differs from your idea.

Who is the coach? Consider the high school football coach who greets a whole new class of student athletes each fall, many of whom did not play in middle school. Imagine all that needs to be taught. The coach is a teacher who usually has great patience, although it may not seem that way to the ill-prepared player.
Is not the same situation present in the workplace? Someone needs to help the new (or deficient) employee do what is needed in an efficient manner. Maybe the term trainer would fit equally well. What is to be done and how best to do it to fit the needs of the organization? Step up, coach, and help us here.

Give feedback. It is the responsibility of each employee to do what should be done and more. That is their job, after all. Some managers still take the position that feedback usually is only necessary when a staff member needs to be redirected or has been off-track. Some of these managers appear to look only for errors or bad performance. However, most have moved beyond this behavior and do, in fact, see good performance. Yet often there is still a reluctance to express satisfaction, even excitement, when a staff member does what is good or more. Feedback does guide future behavior; learn to give it often and watch performance improve. “How am I doing, boss?”

Role of the mentor? New as well as experienced employees often need encouragement. Cutting-edge senior managers recognize that the use of mentors who will be both observers and listening posts can be valuable. A mentor is someone who is looked up to and who can be approached for guidance in a wide array of actions. The process of mentoring may merely be a weekly or monthly lunch or coffee break together where either person can open any issues.
Mentors may be in the same department or elsewhere. Mentors can have the effect of keeping staff members on track and generating a positive attitude about improving performance. We all need someone to talk to about work or work-impacting issues at times. Yes, mentors will need some training, but they are not to be shrinks.

Differentiating the good from the not so good: Few managers believe they have poor or less-productive staff members. That, of course, would make the manager appear less diligent. If each manager were using agreed-upon data points, it would be far easier to differentiate between the good and the not-so-good performance. If the CEO were to present non-data-based information to board members, growing numbers of outspoken directors would question the future status of the CEO. Throughout the work setting, managers need to develop clear performance expectations and be able to document their assessment of the performance.

Formal feedback via performance review: Annually or more often, most progressive work organizations have a formal performance review, using some type of written document. These reviews are usually despised by managers, who must spend time preparing and perhaps being concerned about the employee’s reaction. The employee is anxious about the encounter and believes the whole process is subjective. This is a call to the HR professionals to work with managers at all levels to improve the formal feedback process. What issues might be raised that have not been raised one-on-one earlier?

What does Santa bring? Think now about those good boys and girls. What do they want from Santa? Yes, most good and bad boys and girls have a long list of desired Santa gifts. Employees are no different. They believe they deserve a reward, even if only for living another year. In the absence of credible performance data to the contrary, a reward is expected.

Millennials would not want the same reward as a father of millennials. An effort to match the desired reward with the rewards the company normally offers is critical. Is your company considering how to reward differently? Oh, yes, this is another touchy topic best reserved for a later discussion.

Ready for Santa to evaluate how good you are as a manager?

Jerald F. Robinson, Ph.D., is professor emeritus, international management, at the Pamplin College of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. He can be reached at (540) 449-5870 or by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

At the end of another turbulent year for business as usual, the march of the disruptors shows no sign of abating. Big data analytics, the sharing economy, and virtual reality are just some of the transformational trends that have been causing sleepless nights for CEOs.

The good news for consumers is that the stream of innovation will only intensify in 2015, as exciting new opportunities are grasped in diverse fields from sleep to smart clothes, from credit card security to emotion sensing. Expect to hear a lot more from these emerging players in 2015.

Witricity

The transmission of power is to undergo a wireless revolution, thanks to the ingenious and long-suffering efforts of this Boston firm. After several years of development, Witricity have successfully tested their unique system, which delivers atmospheric electricity through a magnetic coil, on cars and computers. The group believes that all our appliances and will eventually be powered this way and the first consumer tests will take place next year.

Final

The credit card reimagined to empower the user against fraud and stealth charges. This model generates temporary, unique numbers for each merchant the user deals with, so that security breaches can be quarantined and direct debits swiftly canceled with ease and convenience. The Colorado start-up launched in October, quickly became a hit with the community of accelerator Y Combinator, and is tipped for mass adoption in 2015.

Magic Leap

Oculus Rift should finally meet its expectant public in 2015, with games and experiences among its early priorities. But the most exciting virtual event of 2015 could come from Magic Leap, who have secured heavyweight investment and are expanding fast despite releasing barely any information about their project. What is known suggests a dynamic and seamless immersion in fantasy worlds.

Owlstone

Molecular analysis a la Star Trek has become ever more plausible, with a swathe of nanotechnologies offering detailed breakdowns of an object's properties. Cambridge's Owlstone is applying it to the greatest health challenges, devizing a simple breath test that reveals Volatile Organc Compounds (VOCs) indicating cancer, diabetes and TB. The group recently doubled the size of its operation, and aims to save 10,000 lives by 2020.

Wearable experiments

Stylish, socially conscious and fitted with bleeding-edge tech, the company led by Australian designer Billie Whitehouse, 27, is generating intense buzz. From the 'alert shirt' for sports events that sends haptic signals from the pitch to the crowd, to outfits that help you navigate a city, the experiments are likely to captivate a whole new audience in the new year.

Affectiva

Boasting the world's largest database of emotion analytics, the MIT offshoot has patented advanced face and emotion recognition software, and found lucrative applications. Advertizing, market research, entertainment and education are among the fields seeking to exploit the technology, which is also being launched on mobile.

On Deck

Following in the footsteps of the Lending Club, which blazed a trail for bank-free finance this year with a valuation close to $9 billion after a wildly successful IPO. New York's On Deck believe that their lending algorithm which bypasses credit checks and facilitates fast support can take alternative loans even further, and elite investors including Google and Paypal founder Peter Thiel agree.

Sense

Fitness trackers exploded this year with users charting every waking moment, so it was perhaps inevitable that makers would turn their attention to quantifying sleep. Sense, from British entrepreneur James Proud and his San Francisco start-up Hello, is a sleek glowing ball full of sensors tracking factors such as temperature, noise and humidity, allowing for analysis and improvement of sleep. Activity and sleep tracker Misfit should also make a splash in 2015.

Women.com

With the plague of misogyny and trolling that many women experience online, there should be significant demand for the first male-free social network. Facebook alumni Susan Johnson believes the concept, now in a beta stage, will encourage women to share and participate more in public forums. Infiltrating males have so far been rebuffed. Also watch out for Ello, an ad-free, ethical social network for users that have lost faith in the main players.

PocketQube

Affordable satellites are attracting great interest from enthusiasts and commercial players alike, and Glasgow company Alba Orbital are launching a no-frills, five-centimeter device that can be launched for around $35,000, a fraction of existing costs. Initially for education and academic use, expect swarms of eyes in the sky to be used for everything from tracking bush fires to transport, resource identification and law enforcement.

PHOTO GALLERY

[readon1 url="http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/17/business/going-global-2015/"]Source:edition.cnn.com[/readon1]

M-banking, the Internet of Things and cloud services: these are the rising stars of the future. Below is a list of eight Latin American startups which aim to bring them up a notch.

MEXICO

Nubity started out as an integrated cloud service provider, but grew rapidly in partnership with IBM and tech startup program SoftLayer Catalyst. Finalist in the 2014 edition of IBM SmartCamp México, Nubity has grown 600% since it launched in 2012, and it is expected to grow 100% in 2015. Currently present in Mexico and Argentina, it plans to start operations in Colombia and US in the next months.

PayClip offers software that allows businesses and users to receive payments through a clip device attached to smartphones. According to local newspaper El Financiero, it was named Mexico's most promising startup by members of Wayra México and 500Startups, having received an initial investment of US$1.5mn.

CHILE

One of eight startups accepted into Telefónica's 2014 Wayra startup program, Smartbox TV manages over 30 apps that broadcast TV content, from sports to financial information.

BenchBanking is an online platform that was launched in 2013 to simplify the lending process. Customers sign up, provide their personal information and receive loan quotes suited to fit their specific needs. In its two years in operation, it has attracted 5,000 customers and performed 1,000 operations, mostly mortgages, worth US$80mn.

COLOMBIA

Startbull is the Facebook of stock markets. The app combines information from the main markets in the region (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia), and offers a forum for users to exchange opinions, advice and strategy. Launched in 2011, it has obtained US$220,000 in investment from StartupChile, Wayra Colombia and BBVA Colombia, and it recently expanded to the US and Spain.

Ubidots, an Internet of Things startup, was created in 2001 as a cloud service to store and analyze sensor data in real-time. Among its first customers were three of Colombia's largest hospitals, and it currently has over 1,000 clients. It started with an initial investment of US$50,000, and obtained a US$90,000 grant from the government.

BRAZIL

Easy Taxi, a Rio de Janeiro-based app that helps users get cabs quickly and safely, was launched in 2011 and soon after purchased by internet tech incubator Rocky Internet. Injected with a US$4.2mn investment, the app is now available in São Paulo, Mexico City, Santiago and Buenos Aires, as well as other cities worldwide.

Founded in 2012, Glio is a self-described "non-conventional guide written by people like you." The company is betting on dominating Brazil's fractured local listings market. Glio was the first Latin American startup backed by Silicon Valley's Y Combinator.

According to science, there’s a difference between chronological age and biological age, which means you can be 50 years old and literally have a body of a 40 year old. I’m sure you’ve met someone that not only looks 10 years younger, but has boundless energy and stamina. That being said, I’m sure you’ve seen the exact opposite as well, someone that looks and acts much too OLD for their actual age.

So what’s the deal? Is it genetics? I know it sounds like the most reasonable answer. But genetics have very little to do with how fast or slow you age. Believe it or not, YOU have way more control over the aging process than you think.

Seriously, it’s not science fiction… you CAN slow your aging process, BUT only if you know what to do.

...And I’m not talking about having to take anti-aging pills or hormone supplements. Nope. This is much safer and more effective. It’s something you can do on your own.

There are countless men and women who have cracked the code on aging and have literally slowed down their biological clock to a crawl. And I’ll show you all the effective anti-aging tips and tricks in just a minute, but first let’s look at what happens as you age…

These are the harsh facts, but it’s the truth. However, it doesn’t need to be this way. YOU have the power to slow aging and prolong your youth. When you apply my anti-aging strategies, you’ll be able to REVERSE the aging process by greatly slowing down your biological aging well below your chronological aging.

Here’s what you can expect when you use some of my anti-aging strategies:

Now I need to warn you… what you’re going to read next is probably going to go against everything you’ve ever heard before. BUT that’s because very few people actually know how to slow their aging process.

Think about the so-called “experts” giving you anti-aging tips… what do they look like? If they don’t look 10 - 15 years younger than their actual age, do you really think they have the right knowledge?

Look, I’m not one to judge by looks alone, but as far as anti-aging is concerned I’m taking advice from people that look the part and live the part…

Now, here are the 3 WORST mistakes you must AVOID if you want to slow the aging process and increase your metabolism to burn fat, boost your youth enhancing hormones to get more energy & stamina, and build a lean, strong, healthy body:

1. Cardio

Too many people think that cardio is the answer to everything related to weight-loss and fat-loss. And although cardio can be helpful (if done properly), it does nothing to slow the aging process. In fact, it does the exact opposite!. Doing long frequent cardio sessions will break down your muscles and increase the production of free radicals. These free radicals are nasty little things that damage the cells in your body and accelerate aging.

Don’t worry if you’re concerned about your heart health. There is a much more effective way to improve your cardiovascular health, which I’ll cover in just a minute. And here’s the best part: it takes only 1/3 the time of a conventional cardio workout AND it also triggers your youth enhancing hormones instead of those nasty free radicals that age you faster!

2. A Low-Fat Diet

Nutrition Facts Label - NOT eating fat makes you age faster

It’s hard to believe that “low-fat” is still a dietary recommendation because science has proven that fat is not the cause of weight gain or heart disease. In fact, since the introduction of the fat-free diet, the world has gotten more fat and sick than it has ever been before.

Fat is not the enemy. Fat does NOT make you fat. In fact, fat is an absolute must if you want your body to look and feel younger! Why? Because healthy fats are an essential source of good cholesterol, which is KEY to producing the hormones that enhance your youthful qualities. (Not all cholesterol is bad, by the way — good cholesterol is a crucial component of healthy skin tissue, making your skin more supple, glowing, and youthful). If you’re following a low-fat diet, you’re depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to slow aging and keep your youth.

3. Yoga

Yoga is great for relaxation, but is NOT best for fat-loss

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and it’s still around after all this time because it’s very effective for things like improving your inner consciousness, mind-body connection and spiritual health. However, it should NOT be considered an effective form of exercise. Sure, some movements are difficult and physically challenging. BUT strictly physiologically speaking, yoga lacks the necessary components to stimulate your body to build lean muscle, burn fat and most importantly… trigger your youth-enhancing hormones to help slow aging. Yoga can improve your flexibility and calm your mind, but it will NOT stimulate your “youth” hormones.

What To Do Next

If you want to reverse the aging process, you need to know HOW to trigger your youth-enhancing hormones to slough away old, dead cells while elevating your metabolic process so you can burn away stubborn, flabby fat and replace it with lean, toned muscle.

The answer is metabolic training. Don’t worry, it’s not as technical as it sounds. Let me explain…

Metabolic training involves doing certain types of exercises that involve your entire body, so you can activate as many muscles as you can in a short amount of time. It’s completely different from doing traditional isolated body building exercises (like biceps curls or leg curls) where you’re only using one muscle at a time. This form of exercise takes way too long and doesn’t stimulate enough muscle fibers to increase your fat-burning and youth-enhancing hormones.

Here’s the key: the more muscles you’re able to activate at the same time, the more you’ll be able to trigger your youth-enhancing hormones. This is why using exercises that involve your entire body (upper body and lower body) at the same time is crucial.

That’s not all…there’s a particular way you want perform these exercises, because doing so will trigger your most effective fat burning hormones, so you can burn off your old excess fat that’s been hanging around way too long.

And here’s the best part… you can replace your flabby body parts with lean, toned muscle by simply following these exercise protocols, because not only do they trigger your youth-enhancing hormones and fat-burning hormones—they also boosts your testosterone. Testosterone is your ultimate lean-muscle building—hormone for BOTH men and women. And much like other hormones, your testosterone levels naturally start to decline after the age of 40, which is why it’s so difficult to gain lean muscle and maintain that youthful body tone as you get older.

Turning back the clock is easy when you know HOW to trigger the right hormones in your body. And I’ll show you the specifics behind this easy, insanely effective method on the next page. Soon you’ll be able to trigger your youth enhancing hormones, along with your fat-burning and lean-muscle building hormones so you can defy the aging process and look and feel 10 years younger!

[readon1 url="http://www.maxworkouts.com/lp/3-worst-exercises-that-cause-aging-p3?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc;utm_content=133-mw-antiaging-US&utm_campaign=mw-antiaging-US"]Source:www.maxworkouts.com[/readon1]

The Panama Diamond Exchange (PDE) agreed to collaborate with Mexico's largest jewelry association, Camara de Joyeria y Plateria de Jalisco. It was signed by Erez Akerman, PDE's president, and Miguel Cotero, the president of Camara de Joyeria y Plateria de Jalisco, Diamonds Net reports.

According to the agreement, PDE will offer all members of Mexico’s largest jewelry association affiliate status, providing them automatic entry into the Panama Gem & Jewelry Center, and access to the PDE trading floor for the purpose of purchasing diamonds, gemstones and jewelry.

For its part, Camara de Joyeria y Plateria de Jalisco will liaise with the government authorities in Mexico to encourage the removal of any trade barriers that exist between Mexico and Panama. It also was agreed that, during the coming year, PDE and Camara de Joyeria y Plateria de Jalisco will collaborate in the organization of a Mexico Diamond Week. [readon1 url="http://world.einnews.com/article/241147510/NmzIxDOkA21wp_uS"]Source:world.einnews.com[/readon1]

Located in the Marieta Islands, about 20 nautical miles from Puerto Vallarta, lies an idyllic beach paradise hidden underneath a hole in the ground. Called the “Hidden Beach” or “Playa de Amor” (Beach of Love), this one-of-a-kind natural wonder has remained untouched by human hands for many years. Within its natural cavernous shell, crystal-clear turquoise waters peacefully lap against its powdery white shores, out of sight and out of reach from the rest of the world. Only recently when its photos spread virally across the internet did it become one of the most popular beaches in Mexico.

However despite its fame, the Hidden Beach still remains unsullied due to the difficulty of getting to it. Besides being hoisted down from a helicopter, the only known way to access it is though a very small opening on the tidal side of its cavernous walls. This short tunnel, measuring fifty feet with only 6 feet of air space between water and rock, can only be traversed by swimming or scuba diving, and only during low tide.

The origins of this secluded marvel comes as a surprise. It is said to have been formed in the early 1900′s by the Mexican Government as a bomb site in preparation for the First World War. The Marieta Islands were evidently the government’s target practice site, and these controlled bombings were discovered to have formed several unique caves and rock formations, the most picturesque of which is Playa del Amor.

These islands known as the “Galapagos of Mexico,” are in themselves an ecological gem. Formed thousands of years ago by a volcanic eruption, the Marieta Islands now house a spectacular array of terrestrial flora and fauna as well as marine species like humpback whales and manta rays which earned it its title as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The islands are protected by the government of Mexico, and visitors who intend to enter the reserve must have a permit.

Due to its tropical climate, the Marieta Islands, including the Hidden Beach, enjoy 12 months of sunny days. Nevertheless, it is best to visit the beach during winter months, after the rainy season, when the waters are at their clearest and most beautiful. The best way to see the Marieta Islands would be to book a flight to Puerto Vallarta and then to find a tour operator that will take you to the islands. Travel comparison site Momondo have a useful page to help with comparing flights to Peurto Vallarta, where you can compare prices and find information on local living costs.

Hidden Beach in Marieta Islands

[readon1 url="http://whenonearth.net/hidden-beach-puerto-vallarta/"]Source:whenonearth.net[/readon1]

It's no secret that Mexicans do things a little differently.

While many Americans (and other Latinos!) might find their actions strange, Mexicans know that doing things differently is what makes them unique. Here are 10 things Mexicans do that other people might find weird. Check them out, and add your own in the comments!

#1: Using really, really inappropriate slang.

Not even other Latinos fully understand or appreciate Mexicans crude slang. If a Mexican asks you "Que Pedo?", it doesn't actually mean they care about your farts. If your best friend calls you a puta, don't automatically take it as an insult. And if someone yells "No mames!", please don't get offended.

#2: Putting anything and everything into a tortilla.

Mexicans can open up their fridge, and whip up a taco platter out of three-day old rajas, aguacate, frijoles, and flour tortillas. Despite their willingness to make tacos out of basically anything, Mexican-Americans get strangely defensive when people try to pass Chipotle or Taco Bell as "real tacos." Taco blasphemy.

#3: Adding salsita to everything we eat.

We love our food extra picante, so you can rest assured that we'll be dousing our enchiladas in salsa no matter how spicy they already taste. The biggest decision of any meal? Choosing between green or red chile.

#4: Recycling everything in their own unique way.

Nothing goes to waste in a Mexican household. Old butter containers? Throw some salsa verde or beans in there. And those old glass jars of Doña Maria mole sauce? Perfect for drinking cups.

#5: Having your own "Mexican" version of "American" things.

Bingo? We have Loteria.

Twinkies? Gansitos taste better — especially frozen.

Pudding? Give me some Arroz con Leche.

Breaking Bad? We'll be over here watching El Señor de Los Cielos.

Donuts? I'd rather have some conchas.

Corn on the cob? Elote with extra chili powder, please.

Hot chocolate? How about champurrado or Abuelita instead?

#6: Concocting home remedies for any ailment.

They almost always involve some combination of caldo de res, Vicks VapoRub, and 7Up soda.

#7: Typing "Jajaja" instead of "Hahaha."

And answering the phone by saying "Bueno" instead of "Hello."

#8: Drawing a complete blank when someone asks to make a family tree or name all the cousins.

It would be impossible to get all the primos down on paper. Plus, new family members emerge out of the woodwork at every quince, wedding or family reunion.

#9: Using a comal that's older than you are as a frying pan.

Because mama insists that you won't get the full flavor unless you've had the pan for at least 10 years. (Even if you don't even make homemade tortillas, and just use it to fry your eggs.)

#10: Eating one food and one food only during the holidays.

Breakfast? Tamales.

Lunch? Tamales.

Dinner? Tamales.

During the week that was in Latin America, Mexico underwent its latest spasm of violence as students, politicians and police eyed each other from opposite sides while 43 missing students failed to reappear alive or dead.

Across Latin America, people gathered at cemeteries to observe their day of the dead celebrations. Peruvians danced and played music atop graves and Chileans in full costume rode the subway in Santiago. Mexicans dressed up as "Catrinas," an early 1900s version of lady death.

Britain's Prince Charles received a peck in the cheek as he and his wife Camilla arrived Colombia as part of a nine-day tour of Latin America.

In Chile, the first medical marijuana crop is allowed to be seeded for the benefit of the terminally ill.

Communist-run Cuba is in the midst of a campaign to drive up a birth rate that has fallen to the lowest in Latin America.

And in Brazil, the army had a live-fire exercise during rapid deployment maneuvers in the central-western region of Latin America' biggest country, while Nicaraguans youths play ball at sunset.

Associated Press photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/15Oo6jo

This gallery was curated by photo editor Tomas Stargardter in Mexico City.

In this Nov. 1, 2014 photo, youths play baseball as the sun sets in El Crucero, Nicaragua, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this Nov. 1, 2014 photo, a woman dressed as the iconic Mexican "Catrina" poses for photographers as she gathers with other women in costume in an attempt to set a record for the most Catrinas in one place during Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City. The figure of a skeleton wearing an elegant broad-brimmed hat was first done as a satirical engraving by artist Jose Guadalupe Posada sometime between 1910 and his death in 1913. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

In this Nov. 1, 2014 photo, musicians play at the Paz y Libertad cemetery during Day of the Dead festivities in the Comas shantytown of Lima, Peru. Families gather at the graves of thier departed relatives at this time of the year, a tradition that coincides with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on Nov. 1 and 2. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

In this Nov. 1, 2014 photo, Fortunata Cisneros, 84, waits with flowers for her daughter to visit her father's niche during Day of the Dead celebrations at the cemetery in Huamanga, Peru. Families gather at the graves of their departed relatives at this time of the year, a tradition that coincides with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on Nov. 1 and 2. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

In this Oct. 31, 2014 photo, people visit a display of skeletal figures, erected as part of Day of the Dead festivities in the Zocalo, in Mexico City. The Day of the Dead holiday honors the dead as friends and families gather in cemeteries to decorate their loved ones' graves and hold vigil through the night on Nov. 1 and 2. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Oct. 31, 2014 photo, a man dressed as DC Comics super villain The Joker, points a toy gun as he strikes a pose in a subway car, in Santiago, Chile. (AP Photo / Luis Hidalgo)

This Nov. 19, 2013 photo, released by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), shows sculptures unearthed by investigators at the Teotihuacan archeological site in Mexico. Mexican archaeologists have concluded a yearslong exploration of a tunnel sealed nearly 2,000 years ago at the ancient city of Teotihuacan and found thousands of relics. Teotihuacan dominated central Mexico centuries before the rise of the Aztecs in the 14th century. (AP Photo/Proyecto Tlalocan, INAH)

In this Oct. 30, 2014 photo, a girl kisses Britain's Prince Charles during a visit to La Macarena, Colombia. Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are in Colombia as part of a nine-day tour of Latin America. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

In this Oct. 29, 2014 photo, an Aymara Indian woman models a creation by a local designer at a Chola fashion show in La Paz, Bolivia. The fashion show is designed to promote the Andean style and beauty of Aymara women, who are commonly called Cholitas in Bolivian slang. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

In this Oct. 22, 2014 photo, Cecilia Heyder, 47, who suffers from systemic lupus and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, poses for a photo with her pet bird, in her home in Santiago, Chile. A Chilean municipality planted the country’s first medical marijuana on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014, as part of a pilot program aimed to help ease the pain of cancer patients. Some Chileans, like Heyder, already have been using marijuana for pain relief, flouting the law or finding legal cracks in the ban. “I’m neither a trafficker nor a criminal. The fact that I’m ill shouldn’t mean I have to hide,” said Heyder. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)

In this Oct. 27, 2014 photo, a pregnant woman is helped by another as she suffers from labor pains, while walking in front of a painting of Fidel Castro at a special maternity unit for high-risk pregnancies in Havana, Cuba. The island nation is in the midst of a broad campaign to drive up a birth rate that has fallen to the lowest in Latin America after years of fewer births, that mean that the number of working-age people in Cuba is expected to shrink starting next year, terrible news for an island attempting to jumpstart its stagnant centrally planned economy. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Oct. 28, 2014 photo, dancers perform during the opening of the 24th International Ballet Festival at the 'Karl Marx' theater in Havana, Cuba. The International Ballet Festival of Havana is held every two years and will take place from October 28 to November 7, with more than twenty performances and 10 world premieres planned. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this Oct. 29, 2014 photo, Brazilian Marines shoot an anti-aircraft gun during military training in the Formosa Training Camp, in the state of Goias, north of Brasilia, Brazil. Troops have wrapped 12-days of rapid deployment maneuvers in the central-western region of Latin America' biggest country. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In this Oct. 29, 2014 photo, Students and teachers attack with rocks the Guerrero State Governor's house, known as "Casa Guerrero", in Chilpancingo, Mexico. Forensic experts combed a gully in southern Mexico on Tuesday for the remains of 43 missing students, as frustration mounted among relatives of both the disappeared and the detained for the lack of answers more than a month into the investigation. The rural teachers college students disappeared after an attack by police in nearby Iguala. Authorities say it was ordered by former Mayor Jose Luis Abarca and carried out by police working with the Guerreros Unidos cartel. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)

In this Oct. 28, 2014 photo, people place lit candles around flowers spelling out the Spanish word "Peace," on the ground in front of the burnt town hall in Iguala, Mexico. Forensic experts combed a gully in southern Mexico on Tuesday for the remains of 43 missing students, as frustration mounted among relatives of both the disappeared and the detained for the lack of answers more than a month into the investigation. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

In this Nov. 2, 2014 photo, a family leaves the cemetery under a rainbow after decorating the niches of her loved ones during the Day of the Dead celebrations in Huamanga, Peru. Families gather at the graves of their departed relatives at this time of the year, a tradition that coincides with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on Nov. 1 and 2. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

We are committed to empowering through training, mentoring, encouraging, and supporting by offering sewing training programs and children’s programs in Sierra Leone, Ukraine, Peru, Mexico and Congo.

La Patrona Polo Club open soon!

I never really knew how awesome polo was until one evening a group of our guests at Roberto’s Bungalows were heading to a match at the field in town and asked us to join them. I was hooked the first game at La Patrona Polo Club

I have been taking folks from Roberto’s Bungalows out to the huge new project since it began two seasons ago on tours in the Roberto’s custom golf cart about three days a week and have seen the most beautiful transformation of land one could lay eyes on.

I thought polo was a game where the rich Prince rode around on horses and waved at the Royal family in their pretty hats. I couldn’t have been any further from the truth about the very exciting game of Polo.

The new fields are almost done and we are talking International games. There is a regulation field which if you don’t know is 3 football fields long and a football field and a half wide. The game is kinda like NHL and NFL combined with horses running at top speeds and men and women swinging big long clubs and aggressively going for the ball (and I believe the other players heads) and the goal posts with one thought… WINNING!

I am hooked on the game and wish I was 40 years younger and out there riding and playing this high stress game.

I was invited to watch a few games yesterday on the new field. I was so excited and humbled by the excitement of the huge new field and the hospitality of the people who are putting this whole thing together.

The horses are far beyond beautiful and everyone from the spectators to the riders seems so happy to be involved in this sport.

The people in charge beam with excitement and you can see by the smiles on their faces how proud they feel about this new project. I will be one of the very regular visitors with a big smile on my face during most of the International Games! I even plan on turning my Hawaiian shirts in during the games and wearing the Polo attire.

Might even buy me a pair of the awesome players leather boots.

Yup I’m hooked and you will be too.

There is also a huge 4 star restaurant for your dining and drinking pleasures. The restaurant decks overlook the three different fields. The International field, the smaller field for games right at the restaurant and a beautiful night field with stadium lighting on the one side of the restaurant. There is one more field for the jumping horse shows.

This is a huge Eco project and I as a San Pancho resident and a member in our family business I couldn’t be more proud of this wonderful project.

La Patrona Polo Club!

RIVIERA NAYARIT GRINGO GRINGO THOUGHTS FROM MEXICO

[readon1 url="http://rivieranayaritgringo.com/2014/12/15/the-royal-family-headed-to-san-pancho/"]Source:www.nj.com[/readon1]

The winter solstice has arrived, and that means that starting tomorrow, those brief moments of sunshine that descend on the Garden State will last a little bit longer than they did today. We just have to get through today, and that should be easy, because the daytime will only last nine hours, 15 minutes and 13 seconds.

Sunrise is at 7:17 a.m., with sunset at a stupefying 4:32 p.m.

The winter solstice is marked every year by pagan celebrations, most famously at Stonehenge, in England.

As pagan author T. Thorn Coyle wrote in an essay on the Huffington Post: "In the Northern hemisphere, friends gather to celebrate the longest night. We may light candles, or dance around bonfires. We may share festive meals, or sing, or pray. Some of us tell stories and keep vigil as a way of making certain that the sun will rise again. Something in us needs to know that at the end of the longest night, there will be light."

Today also marks the "official" start of winter, even if it represents a glimmer of hope for those who cherish the sun.

For many people, the lack of sunlight can bring on major depression, called seasonal affective disorder. It can be treated by artificial sunlight, but that doesn't always work, according to the National Institutes of Health. For some people, anti-depressants help.

Seasonal affective disorder — sometimes called, appropriately, SAD — can cause anxiety, fatigue, irritability, and other symptoms more commonly associated with the winter blues.

But it seems relief is around the corner: Tomorrow, the day will last for nine hours, 15 minutes and 14 seconds.

[readon1 url="http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2014/12/winter_solstice_shortest_day.html"]Source:www.nj.com[/readon1]