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For the past year, I've been having an art trade battle with Dirk Erik Schulz, a German based freelance artist who's done work for Doug Tennapel and is completely insane! We've been going back and forth drawing each other's characters since 2009, we were supposed to do 3 pics each but he sprang an extra surprise pic on me so I had to do the same for him.
His wonky style, appealing colors, skillful use of textures and diverse subject matter is what draws me to this artist, and might be why we've become really good friends.
So what I'm going to do is showcase both of our works, comparing the fanart to the original.
First are my fanarts of Dirk's characters compared to his originals:
NEWTON NEWT and FRED FRUIT FLY
and Mine
And now Dirk's fanarts of my characters compared to my originals:
DEZIREE and RATCH
WATLEY RHINO and CHAPMAN BEAVER
Mine (this ones really old)
JILLYAN and VOODOO CROC
and Dirk's
Alot of people have said that we have similar art styles. But this post isn't to decide which one of us is the better artist, no no, its to show that our style of drawing, designing, thinking, and putting together an image are very different.
We each kept those little things that make eachother's characters who they are while still taking a lot (and I mean A LOT) of artistic liberties to make it our own, as well as a tribute.
In closing, Dirk is a great guy, a classy motherfucker, a psychopath of concepts, and one of the most talented artists I know, all rolled up into one.
If you don't know about him, be sure to check out his DeviantArt account. You won't be disappointed.
EDIT: Here's what Dirk himself had to say about it:
Hehe, I see so much in our battle:
1. Our original characters are on both sides 'less' detailed than the fanart/trade pic. We really took liberties with the other character and were more brave to explore the limits.
2. Your drawings have a more jagged feeling, while mine are more round ones. We share the same detail love and zanyness, but the slight different use of other ground shapes/tools change the overall look.... See More
3. We are both aliens.
4. We share the same love to ugly creatures and weird things. And understand that these are the elemenst to create interesting characters. And so we add it to our OCs.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Dirk vs. Zach
For the past year, I've been having an art trade battle with Dirk Erik Schulz, a German based freelance artist who's done work for Doug Tennapel and is completely insane! We've been going back and forth drawing each other's characters since 2009, we were supposed to do 3 pics each but he sprang an extra surprise pic on me so I had to do the same for him.
Posted by Zach Bellissimo at 6:50 PM 2 comments
Labels: dirk erik schulz, fanart
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Frank Zappa plus Tattoos!
Howdy! Haven't been here in a while. Sorry about that. I've been enjoying my summer vacation so far. I have a lot to post though, but I'll start with this first cuz I'm super stoked about it!
So I was commissioned to do this Frank Zappa caricature for a man with an awesome mustache.
My dad had introduced me to Zappa's music, and I always thought he was really weird and comedic, which is my cup of tea. Since then I never had the reason to ever caricature him, until now.
Aside from just doing the caricature he souly wanted it for this purpose...
He wanted it to match my Tom Waits image which he also wanted on his arm. I could see these two having a smoke together talking about random shit...
I've been commissioned a couple times to do tattoo designs but I've never seen the actual tattoo on the person, so you can see why I'm super excited about this.
I got alot of sketches and animations and stuff to show, but I'll show that another time.
Posted by Zach Bellissimo at 9:16 PM 11 comments
Labels: caricature, frank zappa, tattoo, tom waits
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Luxury of Monsters
Hey Blog.
So this was the final project for my Life Drawing class this year. We had to pick a multi-figure compositional piece and replace it with our own figures and ideas.
I chose this painting called "In Luxury, Look Out" by Jan Steen, circa 1663
And I replaced all the figures with Universal Studios Monsters, circa 1920 and 1930 (strictly). I simplified my style a bit, just to get this done on time.
Alright, so from Left to Right we got:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)
Werewolf of London (1935)
The Invisible Man (1933)
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
The Bride (Bride of Frankenstein) (1935)
Frankenstein's Monster (Frankenstein) (1931)
The Cat (The Cat and the Canary) (1927)
Dracula (1931)
We also had to study the composition and break down the figures into simple shapes.
This was a whole lotta fun to do and my teacher really dug it. Great way to end the school year eh? With moooOOOooOOOOnsters!
Done in prisma markers on yellow green water color/pastel paper (I don't suggest you combine the two, alot of my markers were killed by the rough texture of the paper)
Also please excuse the quality of this piece, it didn't fit in my scanner so I had to photograph it and edit in Photoshop. Still doesn't look too crisp.
I got a couple animations to post including my 1 minute film so I'll show those soon and NEXT post will be about dragons, I sssssswears!
Posted by Zach Bellissimo at 1:45 PM 7 comments
Labels: 1920, 1930, frankenstein, jan steen, universal studios monsters


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Texas Heritage, Volume 2, Number 2, Spring 1985
Description: Quarterly publication containing articles related to the preservation and restoration of historic artifacts and sites in Texas. Feature articles discuss various aspects of Texas history and heritage, often highlighting museums and collections within the state.
Date: April 1, 1985
Creator: Texas Historical Foundation
Partner: Texas Historical Foundation

subset: commoncrawl


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REVOLVE: the versatile, portable and affordable camera dolly
Missed the Kickstarter? No problem! You can still order the Revolve at our website www.revolvecamera.com
Like us and follow us on Facebook for updates, and future projects!
Digital Trends- "...Get those smooth video shots with the Revolve dolly ... a low-cost, modular alternative to more conventional camera equipment"
Designboom "...a functional alternative to the very
expensive costs of conventional camera equipment."
Mobile Magazine- "...moving, dynamic shots can be so much more interesting. The trouble is trying to get those motions to be as smooth as possible without breaking the bank and that's where Revolve comes in."
Gizmag- "...the Revolve camera dolly could be an invaluable device for filmmakers to capture smooth, dynamic video from any location."
Techmash- "...an interesting design that means making a video and taking great images is made easy, no matter what camera is used."
Popflys- "...I'm shocked with how cheap this system is being sold for. If you're an indie filmmaker or hell even a student with a camera you'll benefit from this system."
AllCoolShit- "...a really cool and affordable solution for pro and amateur photographers."
The Elevated Standard- "...Buttery smooth camera pans aren't restricted to million dollar budget productions anymore."
The Revolve camera dolly is a platform for capturing smooth and dynamic video footage. This system can create a wide variety of tracking shots and rotational dolly shots as well as dynamic time lapse and stop motion photography. It is compatible with virtually any camera, and is suitable for use on all surfaces and at any location.
The revolve dolly was born out of the desire for useful camera accessories at an affordable price. Lots of thought went into the design of the dolly, and after a year of development it is ready for production.
The adjustable axles of the dolly allow it to travel in a straight line, or in a curved line or rotational arc of any angle. Each axle is threaded with two 1/4" -20 holes, which provide mounting points for additional camera accessories, and also allow the dolly to travel on rails (with the optional rail kit).
Adding Accessories-
To add one or more accessories to your order: select your pledge level, and select which accessories you want. Then add the price of your pledge level, and the price of the accessories, and enter it in the 'pledge amount' box on the next page. For detailed instructions on how to add accessories CLICK HERE
The Rail Kit-
The rail kit increases the versatility of the REVOLVE camera dolly tenfold. It allows you to use the dolly at any location, even where the rough or uneven surface would otherwise prevent you from capturing smooth video.
The kit consists of a set of pipe clamping blocks (see update #3 for improved rail clamp design) , as well as 4 guide rods (which screw into the axles of the dolly). The pipe clamping blocks have a threaded screw hole on the bottom so that you can attach them to tripods to deliver height at one or both ends. Add a set of pipes in a length of your choosing (which are very inexpensive and readily available; PVC pipes, metal conduit, or wood curtain dowels), and you are ready to roll!
The Monopod-
We also offer a customized monopod, which screws directly into the base of the dolly and allows you to add height to the shot when you need it. It is adjustable from 20-65" and can also be used as a standard monopod when it isn't attached to the dolly. We also found that this combination functions well as a camera stabilizer. The monopod acts as a jib with the dolly as a counterweight which helps to stabilize handheld shots.
More information about the accessories can be found HERE
The dolly is precision machined from aerospace grade aluminum, which provides a strong platform that can handle rigs of any weight without a problem. It is anodized in black to protect the parts against wear and corrosion.
The Revolve logo is laser engraved onto the chassis, along with a set of ruler markings which make proper alignment of the adjustable axles quick and easy. The soft wheels give the dolly a smooth ride, and the quality ball bearings give it an effortless glide.
Thank you for checking out this project! We greatly appreciate your support! Kickstarter is an all or nothing crowd funding website, so if we don't reach our goal, all of the pledge money will be returned to backers, and we won't be able to produce the dollies. So please help spread the word and share this project on your facebook, twitter, blog, by email, etc. and help us turn the Revolve dolly into a reality!
Revolve Facebook <please like!
Special thanks to Greg Frank & the Ancible Media team for help with the video. Music by Benjamin Messelbeck.
Funding period
- (45 days)


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MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity. She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND.
• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you!
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at email@example.com .
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.


text:
Welcome To Medallion
Made In USA 800-553-0071
42" Dining Table
* Required Fields
Fiberglass Almond
Fiberglass French Vanilla
Fiberglass White
Stone Fiberglass Antique White
Stone Fiberglass Grey
Stone Fiberglass Sand
Stone Fiberglass White
Stone Fiberglass Mocha
French Vanilla
Textured Black
Textured Green
Textured Rust
Textured Sand
Victorian Gold
Fine outdoor furniture deserves exceptional care. Medallion furniture can be enjoyed for many years when well maintained.
Wash the furniture with a solution of mild detergent and water, rinse with clear water, and dry thoroughly. To all metal frames, apply a fine, clear automobile wax for maximum protection against harmful ultraviolet exposure and salt air.
For best protection, perform this maintenance two or three times per year in low pollution areas or more frequently in high pollution areas. Please note that these durable materials can be safely cleaned as often as desired.
Note: Some suntan and sun block products may be harmful to resin, Suncloth® cushions, Versatex® mesh, and vinyl lace and strap. Do not allow such products to come in contact with any seating surfaces to avoid deep penetrating stains, which are not covered under warranty.
Learn More
Download our Catalog


text:
Really good stuff.
...it is not simply a slogan or a marketing message; it is the heart and soul of Westside Provisions District. By combining the best in boutique retail, fine dining, and upscale residences, WSPD provides the best that Atlanta has to offer.
A District. A Destination. Really Good Stuff.
Westside Provisions District evolved from a marketing partnership between two adjacent developments; Westside Urban Market and White Provision. Westside Urban Market, established in 1998, was a pioneer of fine shopping and dining on the Westside. White Provision, which opened its doors in 2007, brought more great retail and restaurant offerings to the neighborhood and also offered sustainable residential living at its finest. Together, we are Westside Provisions District, home of really good stuff.
Follow us on instagram @westsideprovisions
Westside Provisions District stands apart because our chefs and shop owners are second to none. Their shops, menus, galleries, and showrooms reflect our passion for creating dynamic synergies.
Westside Provisions District offers unique retail with Atlanta's finest furnishings, fashions, and fun. Our destination dining experiences are celebrated across the city, and the unique architectural styling of our residences offers a prefect blend of urban renewal and new construction. Whatever you are seeking when you come to Westside Provisions District, you can expect to find really good stuff…


text:
Redknapp wants England job one day
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has admitted he would like to manage England, but not right now.
The White Hart Lane chief is the favourite to take up the post when its current incumbent, Fabio Capello, departs after England's Euro 2012 campaign.
Redknapp is not entertaining thoughts of the National team right now, however, and insists he is concentrating solely on the job in hand at Spurs.
"I'm aware of it, I'd be liar if I said otherwise," he said in response to being asked if he knew he was the bookies' favourite to get the job.
"Is it an ambition? Yes, but I've not been offered it. They may have some other people in mind. Who knows?"
Despite this, Redknapp was keen to stress that he is not going to look ahead and has plenty to do right now with Tottenham.
"I just have to get on with my job. That's all I can do. I don't know what will happen at the end of the season, if anything does," he added.
"I don't look that far ahead really. I am not a person who thinks about next year or the year after, (if you do that) you start wishing your life away.
"I am only looking at what I am doing now. I have to keep focused on Tottenham. The only thing that enters my mind is getting them back in the Champions League."
Redknapp's England stock has skyrocketed since his time at Spurs and his side's recent success has only heightened speculation.
The White Hart Lane club were on their best run since 1961 up until their loss to Stoke City last weekend.
They had won six games in a row and were victorious in ten of the previous 11 eleven fixtures from their last defeat.News Now - Sport News


text:
Northworld necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 203 diseños de 62 diseñadores freelance.
We are launching a new brand for an existing product - web-based software to help school PTAs and small non-profits manage and run fundraising auctions. The new brand strategy focuses on our customer segments - and we are starting with schools and PTAs.
We want a logo that will anchor a brand designed to appeal to parents of pre-K through 12th grade students who are involved in their school fundraising activities. These parents are largely volunteers, who are dedicated to the cause - they are not professional fundraisers (well, most of them aren't). We want to use it primarily on our website, but also on business cards, banner stand graphics, brochures and the like.
We happen to be a bootstrapping startup, founded two years ago by 5 PTA dads with software industry experience. We are definitely a David, next to the Goliath in the business, and we have had our greatest success leveraging our personal knowledge of running school fundraising auctions.
In addition to the cash prize, we'll also give the winner a single-event subscription to our software - so if you're involved with the PTA at your kid's school, this contest could be more valuable to you.
- The brand words ("School", "Auction", and ".net" (we don't own the .com yet, so the .net needs to be more prominent than we would otherwise like.))
- Open to simple type-only treatments, or treatments that include a simple graphic - but no clip art, please.
- Overall feeling should be appealing, approachable - and imply easy-to-use
- Format - editable vector-based e.g, Illustrator
- Sites we like that cater to the same sort of audience: schoolpulse.com, teamsnap.com
- It would be lovely if the logo could be adapted for a favicon, too. But this is a secondary (maybe tertiary) concern.
- Try to avoid obvious cliches (e.g. crayon handwriting)
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text: LOS ANGELES (AP) - A self-described pimp suspected of a deadly shooting that caused a fiery crash on the Las Vegas Strip stood silently in court Monday while the grief-stricken brother of a taxi driver killed in the mayhem glared at him from the courtroom gallery. The suspect, identified as Ammar Harris, 26, did not speak or enter a plea as proceedings began to extradite him to Nevada. He was represented by a public defender, and the judge set another hearing March 14 to establish his identity. The hearing lasted only a moment. But for Tehran Boldon, the brother of victim Michael Boldon, it had been worth the hours spent traveling from Long Beach and waiting in court. 'I would have come from China if I had to,' he told The Associated Press. Tehran Boldon later spoke of the devastation felt by members of his family after they learned that Michael Boldon and his passenger had died during the attack on an aspiring rapper. 'Mike was a go-to-guy, a real ... American, an honest, hardworking, God-fearing grandfather, brother and uncle,' his brother said. 'This man has destroyed my family deeply.' A chain-reaction crash on the Strip turned Boldon's cab into a fireball in a violent scene that some tourists who saw it compared to a scene from an action movie. The March 14 hearing will require officials from Nevada to present evidence in the Los Angeles County court that the man identified as Harris in court is the same person who was being sought by authorities. Such a hearing is often a part of the extradition procedure. Superior Court Judge Shelly Torrealba rejected media requests to photograph Harris due to the pending identity issue. He wore jeans and a long-sleeved white T-shirt with a logo on the front. Harris was arrested Thursday in Los Angeles, ending a weeklong manhunt that began after the Feb. 21 shooting and crash that killed three people and injured five others. Authorities allege Harris was driving his black Range Rover SUV when he fired at least five shots into a Maserati sports car, killing Kenneth Wayne Cherry Jr., an aspiring rapper who called himself Kenny Clutch. The two men had argued minutes earlier in a casino valet area, police said. After Cherry was struck, the Maserati careened into the taxi that exploded in a spectacular fireball at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, one of the most famous neon-lit crossroads in Las Vegas. Michael Boldon and his passenger were killed. A passenger in the Maserati was shot in the arm, and four people in four other vehicles were hurt, none seriously. Law enforcement officers arrested Harris at an apartment in Studio City. Harris is a convicted felon in South Carolina who shows fists full of money on Internet posts and boasts of a high-rolling lifestyle with prostitutes in Miami and Las Vegas.


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This year's Wayland Reads book is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. I got a copy as soon as I saw the announcement, and read the book over that first weekend. I was stunned by what I read, unable to believe that it was describing events that took place within this country within this century.
I look forward to the book group discussions, and welcome discussion here as well.


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Free shipping continues above € 119
Free shipping continues above € 119
An internationally-famous character, by now enshrined in the sacred texts of pedagogy and psychoanalysis, in the hands of Stefano Giovannoni and Miriam Mirri the puppet named Pinocchio becomes Pino, the smiling funnel with a long nose.
Born in La Spezia in 1954, Stefano as an architect and designer was taught by Buti at Florence University. In the early 80's he founded the King-Kong Production Group along with Guido Venturini. His explosive talent enables him to embody a complex system of 'affective codes' in his projects. This great approach won him the title of 'Super & Popular' designer in the 90's. A technical designer par excellence he has industrial design in his DNA and the capacity to understand public sentiment like no other designer mentioned in this catalogue. His projects began with the "Girotondo" (1989 designed with Guido Venturini) and the first transparent objects in plastic from the "Family Follows Fiction" series (1993). There is a huge number of his items in the "Officina Alessi", "Alessi" and "A di Alessi" catalogues. www.stefanogiovannoni.it
Italian designer, she was born in Bologna. She lives and works in Milan where since 2010 her office is based. She graduated from the Scuola Superiore Disegno Anatomico and studied design and communication at the Università del Progetto. Then, she moved to London, where she worked as designer at the Branson-Coates Architecture Office. She collaborated with several design companies both in Italy and abroad where she developed graphics and publishing projects, besides industrial products for important italian companies. She has settled in Milan since 1993; she worked with Stefano Giovannoni until 1999. In 2000 she began her freelance designer activity; she designed houseware, pets accessories, day and night objects, watches, complements and furniture collaborating among others, with Alessi, MandarinaDuck, Henkel, Seiko, Häagen-Dazs, Bysteel, Meritalia, Bassetti, Gruppo Coin, Euro3Plast, UnitedPets. In the 2006 she wins with the project-team the prize "Fritz Henkel Award for Innovation". She took part in national and international exhibitions such as Triennale Design Museum in various editions; The New Italian Design, Triennale di Milano; D come Design. La mano la mente il cuore. Some of her works are included in the International Design Yearbook 2005. She has held design-workshop at the Università del Progetto and at the Domus Academy in Milan and presented her works at some design master course.


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On April 12, 1981, the first space shuttle, Columbia, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on its maiden flight into space. The shuttle was powered by three liquid-fueled engines and a pair of giant strap-on, solid-fuel boosters. The basic principle that makes it work is exactly the same as that behind a simple firework rocket or a balloon that zooms across the room when you let go of its neck. It is the principle of action and reaction.
Tag Archives: Happiness
Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, one of the greatest achievements of Western art, has probably suffered more damage than any other great work. The 12 foot high mural was finished in the late 1490s and within 20 years paint was already flaking off. By 1587, the painting was described as "half-ruined".
A cat survived the sinking of not one, not two, but three ships! He was then called Unsinkable Sam. He started on a German boat and transferred to a British boat, both of which sank. He went on another British vessel which was also sunk by torpedo and they finally retired him. He lived for another 14 years on a farm just outside of Belfast.


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Rihanna Bikini Pictures in Saint-Tropez
Rihanna Slips Into a Bikini For a Sexy Shopping Spree
A new day means a new bikini for Rihanna, who was spotted earlier this afternoon modeling a bandeau top and white skirt in Saint-Tropez. She took a break from tanning and partying with friends on her yacht to shop in town. Rihanna's not the only Hollywood star enjoying their Summer vacation in France. Leonardo DiCaprio arrived via helicopter yesterday, as did Ludacris. Over the weekend, Rihanna wore a mix-and-match bikini while jet skiing with friends. She's just one of the sexy ladies in the running for this year's PopSugar bikini contest, so be sure to fill out your bikini bracket for a chance to win $500 at Neiman Marcus.


text: Safety Wear Cape Town has over 21 years' experience in the welding and engineering supply business, we do not only sell Safety Wear "WE KNOW Safety Wear". We pride ourselves on a solid reputation and proven track record of offering the best solutions and service to the engineering trade across the Western Cape. At Safetly Wear Cape Town you will find top quality welding consumables and enjoy the financial benefit of purchasing from a direct importer. If you are a company employing over 100 staff members or a DIY welding enthusiast, we are here to serve you.


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Overview of Hispanic Research
This article originally appeared in "Hispanic Research" by George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Keys to Success: Basic Research Concepts
- 3 General Information
- 4 Preliminary Survey
- 5 Military Records and Decorations
- 5.1 School and Occupation Records
- 5.2 Newspaper Clippings
- 5.3 Diaries
- 5.4 National Identity Document or Personal Document (Documento Nacional de Identidad o Cédula Personal)
- 5.5 Memberships in Private Clubs, Civic or Nobility Organizations, and Political Parties
- 5.6 Honorary Distinctions
- 5.7 Biographies or Autobiographies
- 5.8 Written Family Histories (Published and Unpublished)
- 5.9 Medical Records
- 5.10 Contact Other Family Members
- 5.11 Check Online Genealogical Indexes for Research Previously Done on the Family
- 5.12 Check for Printed Family Histories and Biographies
- 6 Where to Go Next
- 7 References
- 8 External Links
Few people recognize the extent of Hispanic immigration to the United States. Spanish settlement began in the Caribbean Islands and Mexico more than a century before the English settled Jamestown and Plymouth in 1607 and 1620. The earliest Hispanic settlers within the area of the United States settled Saint Augustine, Florida, on the eastern end of the continent in 1565 and New Mexico, on the western end, in 1598.
The Spanish colonial period represents only the beginning, with immigration continuing to this day as hundreds of thousands of Mexicans, Central Americans, and South Americans, as well as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and others from the Caribbean, flow into the United States. Many of them ultimately will trace their roots through those American countries to Spain. Others will find that their roots beyond those countries are not Spanish but Native American, French, German, Eastern European, Italian, African, and Portuguese. Just as the United States has been a melting pot, so have been the countries of Central and South America.
Before the end of the colonial period (around 1820), an estimated 12 million Spaniards emigrated primarily to Mexico and Central and South America. The immigration that followed in the next century was even greater. Of a total of 55 million people who emigrated from Europe to the American continents between 1820 and 1920, 22 million went to Latin America'primarily to Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Uruguay. Large numbers of them came from Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The flow of immigration did not stop with the Great Depression. From 1946 to 1957, 1.75 million immigrants traveled to Latin America, primarily from Italy and Spain. Spanish immigration was not, of course, entirely to Latin America. Many Spaniards, among them large numbers of Galicians, Basques, and Andalucians, came directly to the United States.
Throughout the years, the descendants of those early immigrants to Latin America have continued to make their way to the United States. Between 1900 and 1930, Mexico alone is estimated to have contributed 2 to 3 million immigrants, half of whom entered the United States illegally. From 1820 to 1906, approximately 20,000 legal immigrants arrived from South America, and from 1907 to 1926, 77,000 more arrived. It is estimated that from 1951 to 1975, 421,000 South Americans came to the United States. These numbers do not include the extensive immigration from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Central America. In the 1980s, Cubans, Salvadorans, and others fleeing from political oppression and civil war joined with the larger flow of Mexicans and others who came for economic reasons. Recently, an increasing number of Argentines have also come for economic reasons. Immigration authorities often include the Portuguese within the Hispanic population. In addition to extensive migrations from Portugal to the United States, Portuguese immigrants may travel to Brazil and the Azores, and from these last two to the United States.
Unless Hispanic immigrant ancestors came to the United States within living memory, the greatest challenge to the family historian is often identifying the place of origin in the mother country. Fortunately, there are many good records available to Hispanics that can reveal such a place. Nothing is more exciting than a discovery that ancestry leads back to Mexico or bridges the ocean back to Spain. Whether the mother country is Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, or another Latin American or European country, the types of records to be searched and the process of searching those records remain basically the same. The emphasis of this chapter is on Spanish-language records available in the United States. For a complete understanding of this process, English-language records are briefly discussed where appropriate.
Keys to Success: Basic Research Concepts
Clues to the place of origin can be challenging to find, especially in records created in the United States. As with any other aspect of family history research, thoroughness is extremely important. Search for all information about the individual, his family and any known friends, and the surname within his specific locality.
Begin with the Known'Move to the Unknown
Many researchers make the time-consuming and frequently unproductive mistake of attempting to locate a link with Spain or Mexico by jumping to the assumed place of origin first. Effective research best begins in the United States, even in the researcher's own home, because the best records for identifying the place of origin in the mother country are found at the immigrant's destination. With one or two exceptions, records that yield information about the place of origin in the mother country'vital records, legal documents, and so forth' will be the same as those used throughout the research process.
Start with a Thorough Preliminary Survey
Once again, following basic rules of good research is important. With each new piece of information'the name of a new family member, a new surname, the port or vessel of arrival, a possible place of origin or at least a former residence'follow the steps of the survey phase. Those steps, as they relate to tracing the Hispanic immigrant, are discussed later.
Learn Specific Emigration, Immigration, and Migration Patterns
Most areas throughout the world have followed basic patterns of immigration, as people moved from one particular region or country to another. An awareness of the patterns unique to the particular time period and area where your ancestors settled can perhaps help identify the region and, in some cases, even the place of origin.
Some migration patterns are generally true for a region over an extended period of time. A good example of this type of pattern is the movement of the Spanish colonial frontier in Mexico into what is now the southwestern United States. Most such migrants to early California came from Baja California, or Sonora, Sinaloa, and Nayarit in Mexico. Migrants moving into Texas were from central Mexico up through the Coahuila area. An understanding of these patterns should be coupled with an awareness that current political units and even the international boundaries may not reflect original patterns of migration and settlement. For example, two regions of Texas have different migration patterns than the central pattern just described. El Paso was traditionally part of the New Mexico area, with a settlement pattern coming up through Chihuahua into the El Paso region and further north into New Mexico. Likewise, the portion of Texas between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers was, until 1848, politically part of the province of Nuevo Santander. Hence, its migratory patterns relate to the development of that part of northeastern Mexico rather than the development of central Texas.
Similarly, large migration patterns can exist in specific time periods from an origin country into specific countries or regions. Nearly all migrants from the northern Spanish ports of the Basque countries during the last quarter of the nineteenth century were destined for the island of Cuba. Early twentieth century immigration from Galicia centered extensively on the Rio de la Plata area of South America as well as Brazil, where the commonality between the Gallego language and Portuguese assisted the new immigrants. Within the recent past, Italians and southern Germans have also migrated to those same areas.
In addition to broad migration patterns, there have been numerous specific migrations of groups in more limited repetitive patterns. For example, many Spaniards, primarily from the Andalucia and Valencia regions, migrated to Hawaii after being recruited to work on sugar plantations there. They and the next generation of their descendants then migrated primarily to the western United States. Similarly, during the same period a great number of Basques from the Spanish and French Basque regions sought work as sheepherders and farmhands in California, Idaho, and Nevada. Today their descendants can be found throughout this same area, and the largest collection of Basque historical and cultural materials in the United States is housed at the University of Nevada at Reno.
In some cases the research pattern is even more specific: an entire group moved from one area to settle a specific region. Such was the case in the Canary Island migration to found the city of San Antonio in 1730, and also for a series of Canary Island settlements in the Louisiana area between 1766 and 1800. Similarly, and even more specific, a group of colonists was recruited in Guadalajara in 1797 and brought from the port of San Blas to Alta California.
The key for the researcher is to identify immigration patterns to determine whether or not they can point to an immigrant ancestor's place of origin or if they can add insight into the ancestor's life and background. The broad migration patterns discussed previously can be found in general history books of a regional nature. For example, information concerning migration patterns in settling the Spanish Borderlands area of the United States can be found in David J. Weber's The Spanish Frontier in North America.<ref>David J. Weber, The Spanish Frontier in North America (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992).</ref> Books of a broader nature that deal with immigration are also available. Peter Boyd Bowman's Indice geobiográfico de más de 56 mil pobladores de la América hispaña deals with the earliest immigration into the Spanish colonies.<ref>Peter Boyd Bowman, Indice geobiográfico de más de 56 mil pobladores de la América hispaña (Mexico, D.F.: Fondo de Culturas Económica, 1985). Volume 1, deals with 1493 to 1519; volume 2, from 1520 to 1539.</ref> Carlos Sixerei Paredes' A Emigración is an excellent historical analysis of emigration from Galicia covering the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries.
The References section at the end of this chapter illustrates the kinds of books that can be used as a starting point to identify areas and periods of research. The catalogs of major university collections, many of which are available at local universities or major public libraries through computerized search systems and interlibrary loan, are a logical next source. Items of interest may also be found in local libraries in the area where an immigrant ancestor settled in the United States. In addition, an occasional perusal of the Family History Library Catalog may yield a new acquisition of particular relevance (see chapter 2, General References and Guides). There may also be articles published in major historical and genealogical periodicals that could relate to the immigration patterns for a particular locality or time period.
As these searches are done, the researcher should check each index under migration, emigration, and immigration, as well as the specific localities, in the United States, in the prospective country, and, ideally, in the region of origin. For example, someone whose ancestor is known to have come from Spain to Cuba and from there to the United States might identify a family tradition that the ancestor came from northern Spain in the late 1800s. The individual would then check under Spain, as well as the regional names for the northern Spanish regions: Galicia, Asturia, Santander, and the Basque provinces, as well as Cuba. Such a search would lead the researcher to find books such as those by Juan Carlos de la Madrid Alvarez, El Viaje de los emigrantes Asturianos a América, and Maria Pilar Pildain Salazar, Ir a América: La Emigración Vasca a América (Guipuzcoa 1840'1870), both of which provide detailed information concerning migration patterns from these areas in the late 1800s.<ref>Juan Carlos de la Madrid Alvarez, El Viaje de los emigrantes Asturianos a América (Gijon, Spain: Biblioteca Histórica Asturiana, 1989); Maria Pilar Pildain Salazar, Ir a América: La Emigración Vasca a América (Guipuzcoa 1840-1870) (San Sebastian, Spain: Donostia, 1984).</ref> The first book specifically emphasizes migration to Cuba as the principal migration pattern. The latter book presents a list of immigrants from the Basque province of Guipuzcoa, giving their home parishes taken from passenger lists and other documents from that Spanish province. Once again, the search for the immigrant ancestor is most likely to be rewarded by continued and thorough research, including not only normal genealogical sources but broader historical reference sources.
Using the Clues You Find
As a researcher gains experience with family history, he or she develops an intuitive sense about small details that can connect to other records which may reveal the place of origin of the family. For example, a reference to a Cuban ancestor in a newspaper stating that he served his adopted country in war and in peace might lead a researcher to check military records. Another researcher, finding that an ancestor served in the military prior to 1832 in Puerto Rico or 1820 in Mexico and that the word 'Don' appears before the ancestor's name, would then want to search nobility records. Finding the term doctor or bachiller in a reference to an ancestor, another researcher might ask what university the ancestor possibly attended. In each case, two steps take place: first, the researcher has recognized a small detail or fact in a known record and questioned what that detail could mean; second, the researcher has determined what records might substantiate, expand, or verify that detail in the ancestor's life. The ability to make these creative connections cannot be taught; however, the process of knowing how to analyze people's lives and then asking what type of records may exist can be learned by experience.
General Information
A great uniformity exists in Spanish-language records, because the basic principles of recordkeeping in Spain and the types of records used were transmitted to her colonies during the colonial period'even in areas of the United States once under Spanish or Mexican dominion. For general information on working with records in Latin America and for a discussion of immigration patterns there, as well as for detailed information on specific Latin American countries, consult Lyman D. Platt's A Genealogical Historical Guide to Latin America.<ref>Lyman D. Platt, A Genealogical Historical Guide to Latin America (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1978).</ref> Several guides to research in Latin America can found at http://www.familysearch.org. Also helpful is George Ryskamp's Finding Your Hispanic Roots.<ref>George Ryskamp, Finding Your Hispanic Roots (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997).</ref> This latter book will serve to guide the researcher in using Spanish-language records found in the United States. For work in Spain, consult George Ryskamp's Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage.<ref>George Ryskamp, Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage (Riverside, Calif.: Hispanic Family History Research, 1984).</ref> In many cases, the Spanish American researcher will, of course, need to use U.S. records that are neither Spanish nor Mexican in origin.
One of the major challenges genealogists face in any language is learning to use and understand older language forms and handwriting styles. Of great assistance to the beginner is Spanish Records Extraction, published by the LDS Church to train record extractors, many of whom speak no Spanish, how to read Spanish-language Catholic parish records.<ref>Spanish Records Extraction (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981).</ref> Its workbook approach is an excellent way to learn to read those records. Both of Ryskamp's books also offer help with reading old handwriting. Other more detailed texts are found in the References section.
The ability to read early records develops slowly and can only be obtained through actual experience. Do not try to absorb, in a single reading, all the material written in the old script or unfamiliar Spanish. Instead, have available one or two of the reference works described while attempting to read an early record until an instinctive knowledge of the techniques develops.
You can compensate for any deficiency in formal Spanish instruction by study, patience, and a determination to understand the records. Consulting a good beginning grammar book (and possibly one of the quick introductory Spanish courses), and always having a dictionary at hand will also help to compensate for any deficiency. Do not be discouraged from performing research by a lack of formal training in the Spanish language.
Preliminary Survey
A detailed preliminary survey, particularly for those whose ancestors immigrated during the twentieth century, is extremely important. In many cases'if not most'the immigrant ancestor's place of origin will be found in this phase. As new information about the immigrant ancestor's family, friends, and surname is discovered, the researcher will return to this phase and repeat the third and fourth steps discussed in the following text.
The preliminary survey has a two-fold objective: first, to learn all that one's relatives know about the history of the family; and second, to identify all the research already done on the family. The preliminary survey is accomplished in four steps:
- Check all home and family sources.
- Interview other family members.
- Check online databases for information about family history research done on the family.
- Check for any printed biographies or histories dealing with the family or its individual members.
Check Home and Family Sources
The beginning researcher is frequently unaware of the wealth of genealogical and family history material in his or her own home. Search in basements, attics, and garages for anything about the family and its early members'at the bottom of that old trunk upstairs may be a letter from a great-grandfather in Spain to his son in Uruguay. You might also find copies of military papers showing that a grandfather fought in the Mexican army during the Mexican Revolution of 1911; or perhaps the long-forgotten birth certificate of one's mother might reveal the name of the small town in Cuba where she was born. Especially significant would be an ancestor's photographs, clothing, or tools, which would give a greater sense of reality to his or her life. After the researcher's own home has been thoroughly searched and all of the various family sources, documents, and personal objects are gathered together in a single place, a similar search in the homes of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even cousins should offer further source material.
The following list of home and family sources that a person of Hispanic ancestry may encounter will guide the beginning genealogist in searching through his or her home, as well as in asking others to search theirs. Because lifestyles vary from one nation to another, this list includes sources that might be found not only in an Anglo American home but also in the home of a family from Latin America or Spain.
Vital Records
This category includes government or church records of major life events, such as birth or baptism, marriage, and death. While in some cases such certificates were issued at the time of the event, usually copies found in the home are certificates issued by civil or religious authorities years afterward when they were requested to prove the facts surrounding it. For example, in requesting a passport a person may have had to show a certificate of birth to prove his or her citizenship. Once the passport was issued, the certificate of birth was returned to its owners, who might have filed it away among important but frequently forgotten documents. Birth and baptism certificates are most commonly found because a variety of situations require such proof'for example, obtaining a passport or visa, getting married, or requesting Social Security benefits. Likewise, death or marriage records may have been obtained to settle an estate or to make a claim for a pension. If the family has come from one of many Spanish-speaking countries in recent decades or is currently living in one, a copy of the libro de familia (family book) may also be found in the home. The libro de familia and other vital records are described in chapters 9 and 11 of Tracing Your Hispanic Heritage (cited earlier).
Vital records are particularly valuable because they usually identify the specific place from which the ancestor came and give an exact date from which research can be begun in the records of the country of origin. By providing names of parents and usually, in birth or baptismal records, the names of grandparents, a single certificate may give the researcher a small pedigree from which to begin.
Vital records in the adopted country should be read carefully for clues as to another country of origin. For example, one Spanish immigrant came to the United States and later married and had children. His son's birth record indicates that the father was from Barcelona, Spain, and the mother was from Cuba. While this does not clearly identify whether it referred to the city of Barcelona or the province, it at least narrows down the area of the search to locate his place of origin in Spain.
Photographs are a particularly important home source. Perhaps more than any single source, photographs make family members seem to come to life. Photographs labeled with names and dates are especially valuable in locating the whereabouts of the ancestor who is pictured. Older photographs frequently have the name of the photographer and the address of the studio, helpful in pinpointing a specific area of ancestral origin.
Photographs can be found in the homes of people of all income and social levels. For example, a local history project of the California State University at Fresno attempting to reconstruct Hispanic local history in the San Joaquin Valley located and identified photographs from the homes of descendants of early migrant farm workers that showed people, places, and details of daily life among Hispanic migrant farm families in the early twentieth century.
Printed Materials
Many families have printed, in limited quantities, a wide variety of formal papers for distribution to friends and relatives. The most common of these are wedding invitations. Death announcements were also widely distributed in the past and can frequently be spotted by their black borders. In Catholic Hispanic countries, baptisms and communions were often announced by formal printed invitations or announcements.
Other printed materials commonly found among the effects of Hispanic ancestors are relaciones de méritos (records of merit) and hojas de servicio (service sheets). Similar to modern résumés, they were used in search of work or to list the qualifications of an individual to perform an act in a certain capacity; they usually included a variety of interesting biographical material regarding the individual being described. In addition, business or personal calling cards were commonly used at all social levels in Hispanic countries.
Passports, Visas, Work Permits, and Citizenship or Naturalization Papers
These are documents used in the process of leaving the country of birth or citizenship, emigrating to a second country, and attempting to become a citizen of that country. Passports are now issued by national governments, but at one time they were often issued by the civil governors in the provinces of many Hispanic countries, including Spain and Mexico. Unfortunately for the family historian, the use of passports as a necessary requirement for leaving many countries was not adopted until the twentieth century; before that, a variety of policies and systems governing exit were used. The most popular method involved simply going to a port and embarking on a ship. In most cases, documents proving that a man had already served in the armed forces and had left no debts were the only documents needed to emigrate. In some cases, as with migrant workers coming into the southwestern United States, a work permit issued at the border was necessary to obtain work. Look for such documents preserved among the important papers of the immigrant as they may provide clues to the place of origin in the mother country.
Once in the country of destination, some type of action was necessary to achieve citizenship. In the United States before 1906, this meant first becoming a citizen of one of the states'a process rarely extensive and frequently requiring nothing more than swearing an oath of allegiance to the state. Therefore, from this early period there will probably be fewer citizenship or naturalization documents in existence.
By contrast, the ancestor who immigrated during the twentieth century would most certainly have had some type of immigration, residency, or naturalization papers. Immigration documents, if found, will most likely provide certain very important facts, such as the name of the ancestor as recorded when he arrived, the place of origin or port of departure in the home country, and, perhaps, the date of birth and the town and/or province of birth.
Legal Papers
Legal papers encompass a wide variety of records usually relating to financial or property transactions, originally written to establish ownership or transfer ownership of property, both real and personal, or contract rights. Because these were official documents they were usually very carefully preserved, even for several generations beyond the period of actual association with the property or rights. These documents can usually be recognized and distinguished from other kinds of papers by the fact that they will have been written and witnessed by a notary and/or carry an official stamp or seal. Included in this category are capitulaciones matrimoniales (marriage contracts), actos de cesión (relating to the relinquishment of a particular right or power), actos de cambio (relating to a change or transfer), actos de compra (relating to the purchase of a property or right), actos de venta (relating to the sale of property or right), actos de donación (relating to gifts of property or powers or rights), testamentos (wills), cuadernos particionales (books relating to the division of properties or rights), contratos de alquileres (lease or rental contracts), derechos de sucesión (succession rights), inventarios (inventories, usually relating to some transfer, sale, or division of property or rights), declaración de herederos (relating to the rights to certain properties given by the courts to the heirs of an intestate person), and tutorias (guardianship papers). In addition, similar papers of a less official nature would be extractos bancarios (financial statements or bank extracts) and polizas de seguros (insurance policies). For the family historian, these documents can offer much information about the activities, interests, and social position of the ancestral family. They may also provide the only link to the locality from which the family originated.
Perhaps more than any other category, letters written by members of the family can provide fascinating information for the family historian. Frequently, biographical notes about the activities of a family member, as well as opinions relating to personal, family, local, and national events, will appear in letters. For the genealogist, such letters may be the only link with the mother country. Such was the case for one family that had come to the United States from Uruguay. A great-grandfather remaining in Spain had written a series of letters over a twenty-five-year period to a son in Uruguay. Sixty years later, as the great-granddaughter began the search for her family's origin in Spain, the only clues were those contained in the letters. In addition to naming localities, the letters gave important information about the activities of family members. The last of the letters, written on black-bordered paper by a cousin, related the death of the grandfather who had written all the previous correspondence. The collection of letters became not only a treasure of family history and genealogical information, but a source for the clues needed to locate the family's parish of origin in Spain.
Military Records and Decorations
Since compulsory military conscription has been a regular part of Hispanic life in most countries for at least a century and a half, military documents are frequently among the effects of an ancestor. Such documents usually take the form of papers showing release from military service, as these were often required for an individual to be permitted to emigrate. The document generally indicates the person's name, the rank attained, the regiment served in and the place of enlistment, in addition to information of a more personal nature such as place of birth, occupation, and age. Besides assisting in locating the place of origin, this information can also be of great value in directing a family historian where to look for additional records relating to military service.
In addition to enlistment and discharge papers, if the ancestor received certain recognitions, such as promotions or decorations for combat service or wounds, such documents will most certainly have been preserved among his effects. These may provide not only research clues but also a particularly exciting view of the person's life, character, and actions.
School and Occupation Records
School and occupation records cover a wide variety of materials relating to the educational and business activities of one's ancestors. Those relating to educational activities might include registration information from a particular school or college (colegio o universidad), exam papers, diplomas or titles, awards for particular activities, and records concerning grades (notas) or graduation from one level to another.
Occupational records span an even wider range. To cite just a few possibilities, they might include special permits, such as those issued to street vendors, bakers, and many other classes of workers in the cities, or personal business cards or advertisements, such as those sent out by a tailor, or even membership documents for the gremios or sindicatos (unions, guilds, or syndicates) organized in some larger cities and among some rural farm workers. Of special interest would be work permits issued by immigration authorities.
Newspaper Clippings
Frequently, newspaper clippings have been preserved by family members and friends. In the native country, mention in a local newspaper would most likely be limited to those of the upper class. However, an individual who arrived in the Americas may well have achieved local status, and information relating to his or her activities and origins may be found in local newspapers. Since these articles would have been written based upon information given by persons no longer alive, they may provide a unique source of information relating to the family, its activities, and its origin.
Unfortunately, the keeping of a personal diary was not generally characteristic of Hispanic culture. Unlike many nineteenth-century Americans who, at one point or another in their lives, kept some form of personal diary, most Hispanic immigrants did not. Nevertheless, some circumstances may have led an immigrant to keep a diary, such as the influence of Anglo society or a unique position as the founder of an American branch of the family or the designation as unofficial recorder of an event or trip.
National Identity Document or Personal Document (Documento Nacional de Identidad o Cédula Personal)
In most Hispanic countries, beginning in the late nineteenth century or early twentieth century, laws were passed relating to the issuance of a personal document (cédula personal), which all citizens were required to carry. Locating such a document among the personal effects of an ancestor can be significant, because the point of issuance would probably be the civil register of the district in which the family resided at the time.
Memberships in Private Clubs, Civic or Nobility Organizations, and Political Parties
There appears to be inherent in the Spanish temperament'perhaps in that of everyone'a desire to belong to an organization, particularly elite organizations. A wide variety of organizations have been available to Spaniards at different points in history. Among those available to the noble families were the ordenes militares (military orders), reales maestranzas (royal riding clubs), and the cofradias nobles (noble fraternities). For the past century and a half, following the initial seizure of power by those of more liberal political orientation, other types of organizations appeared that were less restrictive about membership. Among these were Masonic orders, political parties, and debating clubs (ateneos), which appeared in most major cities. In addition, many local parishes had cofradias which were open to both nobles and commoners, although frequently on a hereditary basis. Membership, and especially offices held in any of the previously-mentioned organizations, may have been certified by a diploma, certificate, or other type of document which may be found in the collection of family sources within one's home. Such documents can be particularly significant, not only as a glimpse into the active social life of an individual ancestor, but because they can lead to more extensive records kept by the organization. Records of this type are kept in such a wide variety of locations that the only reasonable clue to locating an individual's membership may be in finding some mention of it among home and family sources.
Honorary Distinctions
Honorary distinctions are usually limited to the upper classes in Spain and include such distinctions as honorary doctorates or political awards issued by certification of the universities or cities that made the awards. Military decorations (mentioned previously) could also be included in this category, as well as documents relating to particular literary, artistic, or scientific awards. Also noteworthy, although of a more concrete and less honorary nature, are certificates for the register of industrial and intellectual property, the equivalents of patents or copyrights for literary, scientific, or artistic works.
Biographies or Autobiographies
Biographies are most commonly found for the nobility or for people of political or artistic renown in Hispanic cultures. However, the move to a new country, with its resulting new position in society'as well as the distance from family origins in the mother country'may have prompted a Spanish immigrant, or those around one, to record information about his or her life or the lives of immediate ancestors.
Written Family Histories (Published and Unpublished)
Written family histories are much more common among the nobility of Hispanic countries than in the lower classes. However, as with biographies, immigration to another country may have spurred an individual to record his or her family origins in a family history. Because many of these were of interest only to the family, they will be found in manuscript form rather than published.
Medical Records
Documents in this category will probably be found only for more recent ancestors. Medical record cards, x-rays, medical analyses, and dental and eyeglass prescriptions can all contribute to a knowledge of the ancestor and how he looked. Naturally, such information will most likely be limited to the twentieth century due to the more extensive availability of doctors during this century.
Contact Other Family Members
The second step in a preliminary survey, after a thorough search for home sources, is to check with other family members. The first purpose for this is to make a record of memories and feelings about the family and its ancestors. Older family members such as grandparents, great-aunts and uncles, or cousins from a different branch of the family very likely have memories that have not been passed on. Frequently, memories of other family members add new dimensions to knowledge of the lives and personalities of direct-line ancestors, and also may provide clues for finding the town of origin in the mother country.
The second purpose in making contact with other family members is to ask for their help in searching their homes for the same sources discussed previously. Often, original documents from the immigrant ancestor will have passed through a different branch of the family and may not be in the hands of even immediate cousins.
Contact with other family members can be accomplished in three different ways: questionnaire, letter, or personal visit. The questionnaire is essentially a form letter with a series of questions relating to the family, such as: 'Do you remember your grandfather, Juan Garcia? Do you have any idea where he came from in Mexico? Do you have or know someone who has any old documents relating to Juan Garcia? What memories do you have of your parents talking about Juan Garcia? Would you be interested in learning more about Juan Garcia and your other Mexican ancestors?' A space can be left for short answers at the end of each of the questions on the questionnaire.
The questionnaire is the least desirable approach in contacting other family members, since it is the least personal and least likely to get an interested response. This survey approach can best be used to reach a large number of relatives and identify those who have documents or are interested in developing a family history.
A second and better approach is to write a personal letter to each relative. This letter could include many of the same items as the questionnaire. Ideally, the letter would serve as an initial contact that could be followed up by a personal visit with those who show interest.
The most effective form of contacting family members is a personal visit. Through contact with other family members, a researcher can collect a variety of material for use in compiling an interesting and human family history. Some of the most fascinating material will be family tradition gathered through oral interviews. Exercise caution, though, in relying on oral or family tradition, such as descent from royalty or the ancestor who is said to have 'accompanied Cortez in the conquest of Mexico.' Frequently, the natural desire to improve upon the prestige of the family will cause many such traditions, while based on fact, to become exaggerated with time. While family tradition may help to locate a place of origin in the mother country or pinpoint the original family home or in other ways further the genealogical search, they should be verified by documentation before they are accepted as true.
Check Online Genealogical Indexes for Research Previously Done on the Family
After a thorough search of sources available within one's own family has been completed, the researcher should evaluate, as the third step of the preliminary survey, what others have done while tracing family histories and genealogies that could tie in directly with the family. In working with sources outside the family, most family history researchers first check the indexes and records found on the Internet. Several very large collections of records exist, foremost being those gathered and prepared by the LDS Church, which can be found at http://www.familysearch.org and those gathered at http://www.ancestry.com. Of specific interest to the Hispanic researcher at the FamilySearch.org site are the following: the International Genealogical Index, Mexican Vital Records, Pedigree Resource File, and the Ancestral File.
The International Genealogical Index (IGI) is an index of genealogical data for over 1 billion persons gathered from a wide variety of records'though primarily vital records, wills, and censuses'from more than ninety countries. Cross-indexing allows for a variety of pronunciations and name spellings. Entries are generally not linked from one generation to another, nor are there connections between entries for a person's birth and later marriage or appearance as the parent of a child. Significant numbers of persons from Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain appear as a result of a program of extraction of Catholic parish records from those countries, conducted by the LDS Church. The Mexican Vital Records Index is a collection of several million names extracted from parish records that have not yet been placed in the IGI but are available in that separate index, both online and in a CD collection. Similar entries for Spain, France, and Italy are found in a CD collection titled Western European Vital Records, available for use in many Family History Centers worldwide.
The Ancestral File and Pedigree Resource File contain millions of names submitted to the LDS Church since 1978 specifically to be included in these computer files. Unlike the IGI, that identifies individual events such as birth and marriage without attempting to link even the events of a single person's life together, these computerized files link families and generations. When a search is made for a specific name in the Ancestral File, all persons in the index by the requested name are then listed on the computer screen. From this point it is possible to request detailed information on any individual listed as well as a family group record and ancestral and/or descendant charts for that person. Once a name is found online in the Pedigree Resource File, the extended information with pedigrees and family group records for the person can be consulted through a series of over 100 CDs found in local Family History Centers or for sale at http://www.familysearch.org.
Unfortunately for the Hispanic researcher, the number of Hispanic references in the Ancestral and Pedigree Resource Files is limited. The primary source for those indexes is submissions made by members of the LDS Church, giving data about their ancestors, although those who are not members of the church are encouraged to submit their genealogical research as well. As a growing number of people submit Hispanic ancestral lines, the significance of these files for the Hispanic researcher will increase.
Numerous other websites should be checked as well. Large commercial sites such as Ancestry.com offer databases similar in format to the Pedigree Resource File. These sites offer many other materials on a subscription-fee basis, although only a small percentage of their offerings is relevant to Hispanic researchers.
The strength of Ancestry.com will be its accumulation of vital and military records, censuses, histories, and other digitized records that will be used to further family history research. Two smaller sites that are relevant to Hispanics are http://www.elanillo.com and http://www.ancestros.com.mx. These sites offer name searches as well as general research information. Other sites can be found by looking at Cyndi's List under categories such as Spain, Portugal, Hispanic, and Central and South America, as well as Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California. A surname search can also be made at http://www.google.com.search. When doing this, use the surname plus words such as 'genealogy,' 'family' or 'history' to limit the search to more relevant sites. See chapter 2, 'General References and Guides,' for more information.
Check for Printed Family Histories and Biographies
The fourth and last step in the preliminary survey is to find out what printed genealogies or biographies are available for the family or family members. This step involves two separate kinds of searches: (1) searching for family surnames and/or family members in biographical dictionaries and genealogical encyclopedias, and (2) searching for monograph histories of one's family or a collateral branch of it. The first of these can easily be accomplished nearly anywhere in the world. A wide variety of biographical and genealogical encyclopedias and dictionaries is available for Spanish surnames. The best starting point is online. The World Biographical Index found at this site indexes more than fifteen collections of more than 330 biographical works each. A search for a surname or a specific individual on this site will cover more than 4,500 biographical works from all over the world. Two of those collections relate specifically to Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The first, originally published by Victor Herrero Mediavila and Lolita Rosa Aquayo Hayle, is titled Indice Biográfico de España, Portugal e Ibero-América.<ref>Victor Herrero Mediavila and Lolita Rosa Aquayo Hayle, Indice Biográfico de España, Portugal e Ibero-América, 4 vols. (New York: K. G. Saur, 1990).</ref> This index identifies approximately 200,000 historically significant individuals from Roman times to the early twentieth century, compiled from 306 biographical encyclopedias, dictionaries, and collective works covering 700 original volumes published from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century from Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. Those works were copied and the references from all volumes were separated and arranged in alphabetical order. That collection was then microfilmed on 1,070 microfiche and is available through Family History Centers of the LDS Church (microfiche sets 6002170-6002172). A second set, indexed online, is also available through Family History Centers on ninety-eight microfiche (microfiche sets 6131531 through 6131558). Be careful to only ask for the fiche that contains your surname of interest.
The most famous and extensive collection, published by Garcia-Carrafa in Madrid, is the Enciclopedia Heráldica y Genealógica Hispano Americana. It was begun in 1920, and the last volume was published in 1963.<ref>A. Garcia-Carrafa, Enciclopedia Heráldica y Genealógica Hispano Americana, 88 vols. (Madrid: AA-URR, 1920-63).</ref> There are currently eighty-eight volumes covering the letters AA through URR. The first two volumes of this series contain a study of the science of heraldry, and the remaining volumes contain an alphabetical list of noble and semi-noble families from throughout Spain and her former American colonies. Brief accounts of the history of each family are arranged by surname and trace the family's most notable noble member. Most entries also include illustrations of coats of arms, and frequently there is a limited bibliography that can lead to more extended monographic family histories.
While the nobility of Spain was very widespread, many families will never trace any of their family lines to Spanish nobility. The right to use the coats of arms associated with each of these surnames is limited to those who have direct ancestral ties with a family, and in many cases is limited to the direct male descendants of a family. For this reason, a person of a particular surname should not assume that the family coat of arms listed for that surname belongs to him or her.
Almost every Hispanic country has national and regional dictionaries and encyclopedias that can often be of even greater value to the researcher because they include many families and surnames which are not noble in origin. Some of these, although by no means all, are listed in the References section. Typical of one type of regional book from Spain is El Solar Catalán, Valenciana y Balear, which follows the same pattern as the Enciclopedea heráldica y genealógica Hispano Americana, referred to previously, but is limited to families (once again primarily noble families) that come from a particular region or country, in this case from Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands.<ref>El Solar Catalán, Valenciana y Balear (San Sebastián, Spain: Garcia Carrafa, 1967).</ref>
Another type of regional series is typified by Jaime de Querexeta's Diccionario onamástico y heráldico basco.<ref>Jaime de Querexeta, Diccionario onamástico y heráldico basco, 6 vols. (La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca: Bilbao, 1970-75).</ref> This six-volume series lists, in alphabetical order, nearly all the Basque surnames that can be found. While it does not give a family history for most of the names, it does indicate if the name is unique to a particular region and may be useful in helping to locate the particular area that should be searched.
The second type of printed information that should be searched while completing the preliminary survey is articles and books that may have been published about the family, giving its history and usually including a list of living members of the family at the time of publication. Once again, these are found primarily for noble families and for families who have achieved some particular status in Spanish or Hispano American society. Lyman D. Platt's Latin American Family Histories is the single best list of these.<ref>Lyman D. Platt, Latin American Family Histories (Salt Lake City: Instituto Genealógico Histórico Latinoamericano, 1991).</ref> Others appear as articles in periodicals such as HidalguÃa (Madrid, Spain) and The Americas: A Journal of Latin American History. The LDS Family History Library, as well as many large university and public libraries in the United States and Latin America, have significant numbers of Hispanic family histories in monograph form.
Online library catalogs are numerous. To find a local library of interest, go to Google and type your city of interest and the word 'library,' such as 'San Antonio Library.' Once you find the library, search its catalog for family histories by typing your surname of interest plus words such as 'family history' or 'genealogy.' The Family History Library in Salt Lake City can be searched online at FamilySearch.org. Do your search by surname in its surname section.
In a large university or public library, consult a library consortium such as WorldCat or RLIN. These allow you to search thousands of catalogs in a single search. Again search under your surname plus 'family history' and/or 'genealogy.' Interlibrary loan allows patrons to order many of the books found to be sent to that library for consultation.
In summary, the preliminary survey brings together all the information the researcher and his or her family knows and determines if anyone outside the immediate or known family has done further research on family lines. At this point, organize and evaluate the information from all of these sources to determine objectives and begin doing substantial research in original records to trace the family lines back into the country of origin.
Where to Go Next
Once the ancestral hometown has been found in Spain or a country of Latin America, the process has just begun. Records from these countries are among the most complete in the world. Many have been microfilmed and can be located by consulting the Family History Library Catalog online. Doing a place search for the small town identified as the ancestral hometown should yield Catholic parish records or civil registers or both for that town.
If the town does not appear in the FHL Catalog, then consult a geographical dictionary or ecclesiastical directory to learn more about the place name. That process, as well as how to read and use the various records, is fully described in Finding Your Hispanic Roots by George Ryskamp.


text: Bob finished one of his winter projects in time for lambing season. This is a sheep feeder with slots for 16 animals at a time. The bottom is the top of an old gas barrel. The bands were around Grandpa's old brick silo. I think the rest of it is made from old wagon wheel spokes. The pink carpet was from Caroline's college dorm. (If you leave things at home they often end up in the shop.) The feeder is painted crap green because that color was on sale.


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Las Vegas, NV , United States
For those looking to dive into the latest in virtualization and cloud technology, there are few opportunities as great as VMworld. Discovering the latest trends, solutions and innovations is a given as industry experts and IT professionals from around the globe meet together and discuss new ideas. For SanDisk, VMworld is an exciting opportunity to meet with you and discuss how flash is enabling innovation in the modern data center. We'll see you there!


text:
Okay, so say they eat all the varroa out of the hive. That is a good thing.
BUT, after all the mites are gone what happens next? Do they then turn on the
bee larvae and just keep eating? Do they go after the varroa adults or larvae? If
larvae, guess where they all are? Many questions but I am hopeful for any help
with varroa..


text:
Dinner parties on the Westside of Los Angeles are never a simple affair. To pull off the casual elegance required of such an evening often entails hours of painstaking planning. The same can be said of a movie re-creation of such a party, where the glasses must be refilled to a particular height, the dip placed just right and the question of whether to use coasters becomes an actual dilemma.
"Would it be blasphemous if we don't use coasters?" asks Nicole Holofcener, the writer-director of "Enough Said," a new romantic comedy starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini in one of his last roles. It's August 2012, and the 53-year old auteur is putting the final touches on a living room scene between her two stars, attending a dinner party as a new couple with friends played by Toni Collette and Ben Falcone.
"Enough Said": An article about the film "Enough Said" in the Sept. 1 Calendar section said that Nicole Holofcener's 2010 film, "Please Give," was inspired by her former New York-based boyfriend buying an apartment while its elderly resident still inhabited it. The film was inspired by the experience of her current boyfriend. —
"Can I put a few napkins here in case something terrible happens?" Gandolfini wonders, worried that the fierce guacamole scooping he's about to embark on is going to turn ugly.
(Gandolfini died almost a year after the production wrapped, on June 19 of a heart attack. Speaking to The Times last month, Louis-Dreyfus said the impact of her co-star's death was "just brutal, and very, very sad." But she was cheered at the thought of audiences seeing a new side of him in "Enough Said." "He's extraordinary in it," she said. "It's a gorgeous performance.")
On set, as production assistants scurry around the bright, well-lit craftsman home, Louis-Dreyfus leans back in her seat with her wine glass and asks, "Don't you all wish we were at a real dinner party right now? Wouldn't that be fun?"
The cast seems to be having a good time even though they are drinking nothing stronger than cran-grape juice. The production, to hit theaters Sept. 20, marks Holofcener's fifth feature film and her first to look at a pending empty-nest scenario — the very situation single mom Holofcener finds herself in as she prepares to send her children off to college and contemplates what the next chapter of her life will look like.
In the film, Louis-Dreyfus plays Eva, a fiftysomething masseuse trudging along in her life, envious of those around her who seem like they have it all figured out. Along the way, she meets Gandolfini's Albert, a sweet, somewhat uncomplicated man. Independently of him, she also meets and befriends his ex-wife, Marianne (Holofcener regular Catherine Keener). After listening to her new friend's litany of complaints about her ex, Eva realizes she's talking about her own new love interest.
But the movie is more than the "Three's Company"-like complications that the situation would indicate. It's also an examination of middle age, the choices one makes and one's willingness to make additional mistakes to find happiness.
"She's behaving very childishly, making really bad decisions, mainly because I think she is treading water to stay afloat while this part of her life ends," said Holofcener about her main character during a break between scenes. "It's completely inspired by my own feelings and fears about what my life will be like when my kids go away."
Holofcener's films are always examinations of her own life events — or of those close to her. Her indie debut, "Walking and Talking," looked at the pending marriage of her best friend and how it would affect their friendship, while 2002's "Lovely and Amazing" used her own family as a jumping-off point to write about mixed-race adoption. "Friends With Money" in 2006 tackled women's friendships when they are in their early 40s, while the Manhattan apartment envy of 2010's "Please Give" was inspired by Holofcener's former N.Y.-based boyfriend who bought an apartment while its elderly resident still inhabited it.
The writer-director who got her start as a production assistant on Woody Allen's "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy" is a bit bleary-eyed this late summer afternoon, having spent the morning rewriting the film's ending after finding inspiration in an email suggestion from Keener.
That sense of collaboration has extended to the set too. Cut to a scene of Albert extolling the virtues of Eva's bed sheets, a comment she casually dismisses. Gandolfini then says the line, "We're new, I'd like her sheets if they had little unicorns on them."
The line lands flat. Holofcener asks for suggestions from her actors. "What else would be funny?" she muses. "Something that would never be on the sheets?"
Gandolfini pauses, closes his eyes, rolls his head around his neck before settling into place. "We're new, I would like her sheets if they were covered with little Mussolinis," he says.
Perfect. Holofcener is ready to move on.


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Update 3.0: Microsoft's mystery is mysterious no more.
Late this afternoon in Los Angeles, the company took the wraps off its Surface tablets, a pair of devices running Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro. They'll be Microsoft-branded, which puts the software company in direct competition with the hardware partners who'll also be selling Windows 8-based devices when that operating system is released later this year.
Both are 10.6-inch tablets, but their hardware specs vary. The Surface running Windows RT will run on an ARM processor made by nVidia, while the one running Win8 Pro will use an Intel Core i5 processor. The former is slimmer and lighter than the latter. The Windows RT version will come in 32- and 64-GB configurations, while the Pro model will bulk up at 64- and 128-GB. Both will have a kickstand that will make it easy to watch video.
You can see the full spec sheet here [PDF].
Also shown off at the even at Los Angeles' Milk Studios (see previous updates at the bottom of this entry): The Touch Cover, a screen cover that has a functioning, touch-based keyboard on the inside. In addition, there's the Type Cover, which has a physical keyboard inside.
As you'd expect, there's no firm date yet and no pricing. Microsoft will save that for when Windows 8 is finished and details on its release are set. But Steve Sinofsky did say that the WinRT version will be out when Windows 8 is released; the Pro version will come three months later. He said they'll be competitive with other tablets.
The tablets will only be available in Microsoft's retail stores, as well as online stores. Limited availability may be Microsoft's way of throwing a bone to its other hardware partners.
Original post
Microsoft has invited journalists to a mystery announcement event in Los Angeles today, providing very few details in the invitations sent out late last week. Speculation immediately arose that the company was going to unveil a Windows 8 tablet designed to take on the iPad.
But for folks who've paid attention to Microsoft for a while, this didn't ring true. For one thing, trumpeting a Microsoft-branded tablet when Windows 8 isn't even finished doesn't make much sense – particularly since it would be seen as competing with Microsoft's hardware partners.
In addition, the timing and location aren't right. Los Angeles is an odd place to take the wraps off a general-use device, and Microsoft would give journalists a longer lead time for an event of that magnitude. Microsoft hasn't even said where the event will be held – that will be done at noon CDT today. This feels unplanned, rushed and last-minute.
TechCrunch's Peter Ha may have the answer. He says his sources tell him that Microsoft will announce a tablet being developed with Barnes & Noble that will focus on entertainment:
Sources tell me that a new tablet will be announced on Monday with Barnes and Noble. The two companies announced a "strategic partnership" in late April with Microsoft investing $300M into the joint business dubbed "Newco" for a 17.6% equity stake and Barnes and Noble owning 82.4%.
The event would be the first public showing of what the two have been working on and may answer the question of why the invite was so bare – because they haven't announced anything yet and the joint operation has yet to be named. Another source says the tablet may be the first non-Xbox device to gain Xbox Live streaming capabilities, which might explain the location of the event.
Now, this makes more sense, and explains why the event would be held in L.A.
While a device like this certainly would compete with the iPad, it also takes aim at the heart of Amazon's Kindle Fire. The Fire is a device designed for Amazon content consumption, including movies from Amazon On Demand and music from the Cloud Player. Hooking up a Barnes & Noble tablet to the more robust entertainment services of Xbox Live would make a tablet a powerful competitor.
Barnes & Noble already sells tablets under the Nook brand, and like the Fire, they run a version of Android. Microsoft could easily graft an Xbox client onto this device and push it into the market fairly quickly.
Will it run Windows 8 instead? If that's the case, don't expect to actually buy one until sometime this fall, likely in October.
I'll update this post later today when we know for sure. The Microsoft event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CDT.
Update: Business Insider says Barnes & Noble has said it is not a part of today's Microsoft announcement. CNet also has gotten a denial from B&N.
Update 2.0: Microsoft's event will be held at Milk Studios, invited reporters have learned.
Meanwhile, the rumors continue. How about an Xbox Surface tablet? From Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet:
One leak claims Microsoft is making a 7-inch Surface tablet controller along with a stationaryXbox, a combination that could be labeled the "Xbox Surface." Neowin.net surfaced that rumor, based on information from the Shifted2U site. LiveSide.net posted an additional alleged spec sheet for the Xbox Surface.
According to the rumored specs, the Surface controller would include an ARM processor from Texas Instruments for "Kinect workloads," as well as custom IBM engine for "scale out." It would have up to seven-hour battery life and support a maximum resolution of 1280×720.


text:
Who will win it this time around ?
Who will win it this time around ?
Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
RIP Craigos
I guess this Indian side will be the side to beat in the competition.
V. Sehwag
G. Gambhir
S. Raina
Y. Singh
M. Dhoni
Y. Pathan
I. Pathan
H. Singh
Z. Khan
P. Kumar
I. Sharma / M. Patel (Not convinced about Sharma's bowling in ODIs and T20s)
Unless the Indian side stops treating T20 as T10, we're not going to win.
I'm backing the Pakistanis; somewhat a feel-good story considering how little cricket they've played together recently. And also, it would really suit the enigmatic cricketing history of the nation.
Heh @ the deluded NZ fans.
India and SA are the favourites. Although I dunno if the conditions will suit either of them particularly.
World Scrabble Champion 2014. National Scrabble Champion 2009, 2015.
Author of Word Addict
Countdown Series 57 Champion
King of the Arcade
ECB - you are a complete ****ing disgrace, #FTECB
Originally Posted by Axl Rose
RIP Craigos. A true CW legend. You will be missed.
All the teams outside of England and Bangladesh have a chance. Not sure how Pakistan and Sri Lanka go in this form. Have seen Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England and New Zealand.
Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson = Greatest Ever Manager
"One from ten leaves zero." - Eric Williams, former T&T PM
Member of Cricket Web Green
Member of Northside Power
R.I.P Fardin Qayyumi
Definitely on form at the moment it's going to be either South Africa or India. India's middle order can be inconsistent and unstable at times if their Gambhir, Sehwag guns get broken, so went with SA.
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The Music at Midday series presents a recital featuring student soloists in the classical performance program.
Admission is free. Everyone welcome.
Avaatar is the brainchild of Toronto saxophonist and composer, Sundar Viswanathan, a refined and seasoned blend of some key musical interests and elements, including classical Indian music, modern jazz, Brazilian lyricism, atmospheric textures and ambiance, Javanese gamelan, and contemporary improvisation. Avataar was a recipient of the 2016 TD Special Projects Award from the Toronto Jazz Festival, and is continuing its development with its first international tour, in South Africa, the same month as their performance in Guelph. The superb band lineup features internationally recognized players, with numerous Juno and other notable awards to their names: Michael Occhipinti (guitar), Justin Gray (bass and bass veena), Ravi Naimpally (tablas and percussion), and Max Senitt (drums).
Admission: $15 | $10 for students & seniors
Box Office: Purchase tickets online or phone 416-736-5888
Maps & Directions
The York University Jazz Festival, running March 18-21, showcases rising young talent directed by leading lights of the Canadian jazz scene.
Catch the next generation of outstanding jazz artists, right here on campus – and with no cover charge!
Monday, March 18
12:30 pm – Vocal ensembles directed by Frank Falco
Martin Family Lounge, 219 Accolade East Building
7:30 pm – Small ensembles directed by Roy Patterson, Lorne Lofsky and Mark Eisenman.
Martin Family Lounge, 219 Accolade East Building
The York University Jazz Festival, running from March 18-21, showcases rising young talent directed by leading lights of the Canadian jazz scene.
Catch the next generation of outstanding jazz artists, right here on campus – and with no cover charge!
Tuesday, March 19
12:30 pm – Vocal ensembles directed by Mike Cado
Martin Family Lounge, 219 Accolade East Building
8:00 pm – Small ensembles directed by Anthony Michelli, Artie Roth and Kelly Jefferson
Martin Family Lounge, 219 Accolade East Building
Aqua the singer, songwriter, storyteller, artist, and activist is a strong Anishinaabe Kwe~Indigenous Woman, also known as Nibii Waawaaskone~Water Flower. She originates from North Bay where she was raised by her single Mom Waabishkaasin Kwe~White Stone Woman. Aqua is a two-spirit woman of mixed Ancestry; Ojibwe Métis with French and Scottish
Aqua has created a life filled with her love of creation. She is a hand drummer and hand drum maker and has shared her joy for drumming with the community in circles all over the country. During her tour of western Canada visiting many remote reserve communities and sharing her passion for storytelling, Aqua began writing her own stories and turned them into songs with the
help of her hand drum. She then self-produced and released her EP Spirit Music with four tracks to honour the four directions and all aspects of creation encompassed on the medicine wheel. Soon she was signed to Tribal Spirit Music where she co-produced her album Hand Drum Stories with thirteen tracks to honour the thirteen grandmother moons.
Aqua is committed to sharing Indigenous stories through theatre and is grateful to have had the opportunity to study Theatre Arts at Algonquin and Film at Humber where she received the Board of Governors Award for her dedication to her community and the performing arts . She understands the importance of gathering as a community to share stories and has learned that
a beautiful way to bring people together is through live performance. Aqua co-created and collaborated with Cow Over The Moon and other gifted Indigenous artists on a children's theatre piece to share the creation story of Turtle Island~North America. She composed original music to score the teachings and bring to life our traditions as Indigenous People.
Aqua is currently working on her next album while collaborating with other like-minded artists who want to share their story, their struggle, their truth. She is an advocate for anyone who has endured violence and adversity. She provides a safe space in her sacred circles so the community can grow together, stronger, forever as a whole.
Admission is free.
Photo by: Denise Grant
The York University Jazz Festival, running March 18-21, showcases rising young talent directed by leading lights of the Canadian jazz scene.
Catch the next generation of outstanding jazz artists, right here on campus – and with no cover charge!
Wednesday, March 20
Small ensembles directed by Kevin Turcotte, Jim Vivian and Frank Falco
Theatre @ York presents Orlando by Sarah Ruhl, directed by MFA candidate Lindsay Bell and The Balcony by Jean Genet, directed by MFA candidate Margaret Legere. The two shows will be performed in repertory and feature the MFA and fourth-year actors.
Orlando is a dramatic adaptation of Virginia Woolf's feminist classic by contemporary playwright Sarah Ruhl. It investigates the adventures of a poet who changes sex from man to woman and lives for centuries, meeting the key figures of English literary history.
The Balcony uses the setting of an unnamed city and a distant background of a revolution and counterrevolution to explore strains of power in a society. The play compelling examines the delicate equilibrium of reality and illusion.
Performance Schedule:
Sunday, March 24 at 7:30pm (Preview)
Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30pm (Opening)
Wednesday, March 27 at 1:00pm
Friday, March 29 at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 30 at 1:00pm
The Balcony
Monday, March 25 at 7:30pm (Preview)
Wednesday, March 27 at 7:30pm (Opening)
Thursday, March 28 at 7:30pm
Friday, March 29 at 1:00pm
Saturday, March 30 at 7:30pm
Tickets $7- 20
Buy online or call 416-736-5888
The York University Concert and Chamber Choirs
Dr. Lisette Canton, Conductor
Join the York University Concert and Chamber Choirs as they perform Mozart's Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339 and Stravinsk's Symphony of Psalms with two pianos.
Ticket Admission: $15 | $10 students & seniors.
Box Office: Purchase tickets online or call 416-736-5888
The York University New Music Ensemble directed by Matt Brubeck performs an eclectic mix of new music.
Free admission. Everyone welcome.
Professor Ron Westray directs the York University R&B Ensemble in a show-stopping performance of soul and funk music.
The concert will feature the music of Earth Wind and Fire, Tower of Power and many other great artists.
Admission is free and open to everyone.
Professor Mark Chambers conducts the York University Symphony Orchestra.
Admission: $15 | $10 for students & seniors.
Box Office: Purchase tickets online or phone
The York University Gospel Choir directed by Interim Director, Lisa Toussaint, presents a rafter-raising concert of works by Hezekiah Walker, Edwin Hawkins, Kirk Franklin and other Gospel greats.
The 100+ voice choir is backed by a rhythm section directed by Corey Butler:
Sat. March 30, 7:30 – 9pm
Admission: $15 | $10 students & seniors
Box Office: ampd.yorku.ca/perform/boxoffice | 416-736-5888
The York University Chamber Choir
Dr. Lisette Canton, Conductor
Edward Moroney, Piano
The choir will be performing works by Bach, Finzi, Lang, LeJeune, Mendelssohn, Paulus, Schütz, and more.
Ticket Admission:$15 adults | $10 students & seniors
Box Office: Purchase tickets online or call 416-736-5888
The Department of Dance presents the DIP – Dance Independent Project – Choreographing Indigeneity
Choreographing Indigeneity explores issues of identity and place through dance with faculty, alumni and graduate students. The event will showcase performances, exhibits and presentations featuring Aria Evans, Syreeta Hector, Troy Twigg and Dance Collection Danse.
Curator: Susan Cash
Production Manager: Jennifer Jimenez
Presentations: 10:00 -11:45 a.m., 2:15 – 4:00 p.m.
Open to the public: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: McLean Performance Studio, 244 Accolade East Building
Maps & Directions
Free Admission
An evening of improvisation in a participatory "open mic" set-up, hosted by the improve studios of Matt Brubeck.
Performers and observers welcome.
Admission is free.