Poll Closes/New Poll/Big Weather Pattern Change

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
It is going to be a cccccoooooollllddd inauguration--broken cloud cover, upper 20s and breezy (feeling more like 15 degrees). There might even be a snow flurry. Glad I can watch it on TV. BRRRRRR!

The northeast, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes will be in the teens and 20s. There will be spotty snow showers in these areas.

Houston will start at about 40 and end up in the low 60s. It will be breezy. Temperatures will be in the 30s on Wednesday morning with a slightly warmer afternoon. And that warmup will continue as the amplified trough on the east coast flattens and then a new trough develops to our west, allowing the Gulf to open up (the moisture and warm air will return by the weekend).

SPANISH WORD FOR THE DAY
Let's do review or reseña, pronounced ray-say-NYAH. Check out the reseña of our spanish teaching DVD for children.

Learning Magazine reviewed our DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco and here is what they had to say:

Did you find the product interesting or motivating for children? Please explain. Yes. The DVD presents Spanish in a colorful way. Examples are shown along with the spelling of the word. It is then repeated several times and allows children to repeat with the actors. I did find the product to be motivating for children. The children love speaking in another language. Now they are speaking words in another language and they can understand what they are saying. For younger children, yes, this DVD is motivating and interesting. Young kids would enjoy the characters, colors, and simplicity of the video. Did you find the product interesting or motivating for children? Please explain. Spanish (speaking and writing), Feminine and Masculine pronunciation and spelling differences. The product taught to children to learn in words in a new language. It also helped with the children's short term and long term memory. Children are going to learn Spanish (both pronunciation and vocabulary) if they watch this video. In addition, they will sharpen their English skills as they brush up on common words and phrases. If funds were available, would you recommend parents buy or use this product to with children at the appropriate grade / age level? Please explain why or why not. Yes. The words taught are very basic and are great for beginner learners. I would recommend this product to parents. The children will have to learn another language once they get further into school, so this is a great tool for them to start with. For younger children, between preschool and probably first grade, I would recommend this video for purchase. I think it would be a great learning tool to teach Spanish as a second language, or even teach Spanish-speaking students English. It would work well both ways.

So there you have it...don't miss out!!! Order our award winning DVD from our web site www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. If you are more interested in a full immersion type product, go to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
Our poll for inauguration plans is closed. 33% plan to watch it live. 50% plan to read about it on the Internet. 33% plan to discuss it with friends. 16% plan to read about it in the newspaper. 16% plan to listen to it on the radio. And 33% said none of the above. Please note that more one answer was allowed. Thanks to all of you who responded.

The next poll has to do with the Galveston seawall. The front page of today's Houston Chronicle had a fascinating article about the damage which has been done. There is a concern that the very foundation will erode away if not repaired soon. The cost will be very high. What do think should be done--make it as good as it was before Ike, make it even better than it was before Ike, or don't rebuild at all? Note, only one answer is allowed on this poll.

Just some background on the seawall--the seawall was built after the devastating Galveston hurricane of 1900. There had been talk of building one for many years, but it was considered too expensive and unnecessary because there was a widely held belief that all major storms would hit Texas further down the coast--but not around Galveston. The Great Galveston hurricane still stands as the worst weather disaster in U.S. history with as many as 12,000 people killed all together. In 1902, work on the seawall began and was completed a few years later. According to the Chronicle article, nothing has been done directly to the seawall since it was completed (that was more than a century ago!)

Speaking of hurricanes, there were a lot of heroes during Hurricane Ike, and The John C. Freeman Museum Gala on Groundhog Day (Monday, February 2nd) will honor many of those heroes. It is going to be a night of fabulous music, great food and entertainment at the Houston Zoo. Tickets are still available. For more information, click on this link http://wxresearch.org/gala/. And please spread the word. This gala will benefit the educational outreach efforts of the museum, which helps encourage students to pursue careers in math and science.

Today is a very important day...one where can reflect on the life and example of Martin Luther King Jr. As Sarah and I played at the park, we interacted with our neighbors, people of many races. We frolicked and laughed and enjoyed the day--together--all of us. I think Reverend King would have smiled.

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman