'Chinese' tequila worries Mexico
Mexican politicians are demanding action to protect the tequila industry from Chinese competition.
The lower house of Congress voted to urge the government to stop Chinese firms patenting maguey - a type of agave cactus used in tequila.
MPs are also worried that Chinese and Japanese firms could target the market in another cactus species, nopal.
Nopal leaves are increasingly popular in the US, where there is already strong demand for tequila.
"Nopal and Maguey are Mexican plants and if we don't take the necessary measures in time, we run the risk of losing the denomination of origin", Cesar Duarte, the deputy who sponsored the move, told the Efe news agency.
Mr Duarte said the main Mexican farmers' union had been told that Chinese firms had begun legal moves to register the nopal plant with the European Commission as a Chinese product.
But the Mexican Agriculture Ministry said that so far Brussels had received no requests regarding either mopal or maguey.
Tequila power
The Mexican tequila industry has expanded rapidly since the early 1990s.
Marketing experts have tried to change its reputation from a cheap peasant drink to a sophisticated international spirit like whisky.
In 2005, Mexico produced a record 210m litres of tequila - almost half of which was exported. Sales to the US alone were worth more than $400m.
Mexican tequila producers have pushed for tequila products to have a denomination of origin system similar to the one used in the wine industry.
Mexico argues that the maguey is a uniquely Mexican product because 150 of the 200 varieties of the plant are found in its territory.
Current Event 11/15/07
Bike sex man placed on probation
51 years old, Robert Stewart from Ayr, was caught in the act with his bicycle by cleaners in the bedroom of a hostel, who called a police.
They used a master key to unlock the door, and found out, that accused was wearing only a white T-shirt, naked from the waist down.
Sheriff told, that he has seen almost every peversion known to mankind, but this one is a new one to him. He has never heard of cycle-sexualist.
Stewart told police, that he was just drunk.
51 years old, Robert Stewart from Ayr, was caught in the act with his bicycle by cleaners in the bedroom of a hostel, who called a police.
They used a master key to unlock the door, and found out, that accused was wearing only a white T-shirt, naked from the waist down.
Sheriff told, that he has seen almost every peversion known to mankind, but this one is a new one to him. He has never heard of cycle-sexualist.
Stewart told police, that he was just drunk.
Vocabulary week 11
Metamorphosis - A transformation, as by magic or sorcery.
My picture shows simple transformation, which happens in the nature.
loquacious - Very talkative; garrulous.
nihilism - An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.
obsequious - Full of or exhibiting servile compliance.
oligarchy - A state governed by a few persons.
quotidian - Everyday; commonplace.
reparation - The act or process of repairing or the condition of being repaired.
tempestuous - Of, relating to, or resembling a tempest.
tautology - Needless repetition of the same sense in different words.
supercilious - proud
. 
fatuous - Foolish or silly, especially in a smug or self-satisfied way.
apathy - Lack of interest or concern.
fatuous - Foolish or silly, especially in a smug or self-satisfied way.
apathy - Lack of interest or concern.
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