http://www.hispanictips.com Essential Hispanic & Latino News :: Relevant, Trusted, Comprehensive and Useful Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:04:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/23/bilingual-ballots-may-be-coming-to-hall-growing-latino-population-could-require-voting-material-be-available-in-spanish-gainesville-georgia/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/23/bilingual-ballots-may-be-coming-to-hall-growing-latino-population-could-require-voting-material-be-available-in-spanish-gainesville-georgia/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:16:09 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=68245 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=68245 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/21/poetry-series-spurs-debate-on-the-use-of-an-old-slur-against-latinos-%e2%80%9cspic-upspeak-out%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%94-at-el-museo-del-barrio/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/21/poetry-series-spurs-debate-on-the-use-of-an-old-slur-against-latinos-%e2%80%9cspic-upspeak-out%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%94-at-el-museo-del-barrio/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:00:18 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=68205 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=68205 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/20/fannie-mae-launches-new-homepath-com-in-spanish-aimed-at-helping-more-hispanics-buy-homes/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/20/fannie-mae-launches-new-homepath-com-in-spanish-aimed-at-helping-more-hispanics-buy-homes/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:26:38 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=68130 Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) announced the company launched a Spanish version of its HomePath.com website designed to help more potential homeowners who speak Spanish purchase Fannie Mae-owned properties.

The new website in Spanish mirrors the English version of HomePath.com featuring an interactive search tool of Fannie Mae-owned properties nationwide, details about HomePath(R) financing, a mortgage payment calculator, property alerts, as well as information on foreclosure prevention and the Making Home Affordable(SM) program.


Through HomePath.com, potential homeowners can access a database that includes a wide selection of homes from around the country - including the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico - which can be purchased directly from Fannie Mae. Properties include detailed information and photographs of single-family homes, condominiums, and town houses located in a variety of neighborhoods.

"HomePath.com is a great resource that can help people find a lifelong home for themselves and their families," said Fannie Mae Executive Vice President, Terry W. Edwards. "The website has a wealth of information to inform and guide potential homeowners through the process of buying a Fannie Mae-owned property."

The new release of HomePath.com in Spanish is part of a continuous effort aimed at improving access to information and resources which play a vital role in aiding both English and Spanish-speaking populations in the U.S. purchase homes, while helping minimize the impact on communities hit by foreclosures.

For more information about HomePath, please visit www.HomePath.com and click "En Espanol", or for direct access to the website in Spanish, visit www.es.HomePath.com.

Fannie Mae exists to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America's secondary mortgage market to enhance the liquidity of the mortgage market by providing funds to mortgage bankers and other lenders so that they may lend to home buyers. Our job is to help those who house America.

Making Home Affordable is a trademark of the United States Department of the Treasury and is used under license. Aggregated by HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=68130 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/19/shakira-refuses-to-do-interviews-in-spanish/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/19/shakira-refuses-to-do-interviews-in-spanish/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:03:59 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/19/shakira-refuses-to-do-interviews-in-spanish/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67922 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/19/the-first-two-volumes-of-the-%e2%80%9cnueva-gramatica-de-la-lengua-espanola%e2%80%9d-new-grammar-of-the-spanish-language-will-go-on-sale-in-spain-and-latin-america-on-dec-4-the-association-of-span/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/19/the-first-two-volumes-of-the-%e2%80%9cnueva-gramatica-de-la-lengua-espanola%e2%80%9d-new-grammar-of-the-spanish-language-will-go-on-sale-in-spain-and-latin-america-on-dec-4-the-association-of-span/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:15:00 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=67866 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67866 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/18/google-translate-now-talks-and-translates-in-real-time/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/18/google-translate-now-talks-and-translates-in-real-time/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:22:21 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=67556 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67556 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/13/actress-eva-longoria-said-in-an-interview-with-efe-that-she-feels-%e2%80%9csure%e2%80%9d-about-the-quality-of-her-spanish-which-has-allowed-her-to-work-on-her-first-production-in-that-language/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/13/actress-eva-longoria-said-in-an-interview-with-efe-that-she-feels-%e2%80%9csure%e2%80%9d-about-the-quality-of-her-spanish-which-has-allowed-her-to-work-on-her-first-production-in-that-language/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:49:28 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/13/actress-eva-longoria-said-in-an-interview-with-efe-that-she-feels-%e2%80%9csure%e2%80%9d-about-the-quality-of-her-spanish-which-has-allowed-her-to-work-on-her-first-production-in-that-language/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67202 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/13/state-elections-official-fired-after-poking-fun-at-spanish-speaking-voters-texas/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/13/state-elections-official-fired-after-poking-fun-at-spanish-speaking-voters-texas/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:48:02 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=67146 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67146 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/12/manuel-delgado-latino-marketing-more-than-just-spanish-advertising/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/12/manuel-delgado-latino-marketing-more-than-just-spanish-advertising/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:25:53 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/12/manuel-delgado-latino-marketing-more-than-just-spanish-advertising/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=67046 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/11/playful-trolls-introduce-children-to-spanish-and-english-in-new-educational-computer-adventure/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/11/playful-trolls-introduce-children-to-spanish-and-english-in-new-educational-computer-adventure/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:23:32 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66936 Young language learners now can enjoy an educational adventure called “¿Dónde Están Los Pollitos? / Where Are The Chicks?" that takes them through an interactive learning mission with fun lessons in counting, shapes and letters recognition and other developmental skills.

The newly released adventure, created by Palabra Media of Valley Stream, NY, starts with one simple download and follows two adorable, little trolls named Pancho and Pita who love reading, playing, and exploring the world with their bilingual pet, Flan. Children are part of the action by helping the characters through the animated storybook journey.

The illustrated story, created for all children ages 2 and above, can be played in English or Spanish, but it has a distinct Hispanic flavor. The theme of the story is based on a traditional Latin folk song "Los Pollitos Dicen" (The Baby Chicks Say) and the delightful Pancho and Pita are accompanied by the characters Flan, who is named after the traditional Hispanic dessert, and Cucuy, a funny version of the well-known Latino boogey man.

The adventure can be purchased and downloaded directly from the company website (http://www.panchoandpita.com) for $9.95 and is Windows compatible. The website also has free games and activities for children, plus supporting materials for parents and educators.

Pancho and Pita are the creation of Stefanie and Raul Fernandez. When their son, Daniel, was born, the entrepreneurial couple wanted to make sure that he would also learn Spanish, Raul’s native language. After they researched bookstores, toy stores and libraries, the couple found a good number of Spanish books, CDs and DVDs on the market, but saw the need for something improved:

“We envisioned an innovative approach that would combine the best features from the existing products: the emotional and educational power of books, the fun of cartoons, and the interactivity of computer games,” Raul Fernandez said.

The Fernandez’s, a computer programmer and a social worker, worked with language professionals, animators, voice actors and a music composer to create Pancho and Pita's adventure and make Palabra Media a reality that meets the demands of a changing national demographic and interests.

With more than 51 million Latinos living in the United States, the number of bilingual families is rapidly increasing. As a result, the market for Spanish language products is booming. Many Hispanics want to maintain ties to their culture and pass their language to their children. At the same time, many English-speaking families want to expose their children to foreign languages, particularly Spanish.
Pancho and Pita's adventure also can meet the growing need for language learning tools in classrooms and library programs.

"The aventuras in the Pancho and Pita software use flashy and colorful animation, native speakers, and high interest storylines to captivate young learners. Its interactive nature keeps students engaged and motivated," said Nathan Lutz, a Spanish teacher and Networking Coordinator of the National Network for Early Language Learning.

About Palabra Media:
Palabra Media (www.palabramedia.com), founded in 2004, is a family company dedicated to the creation of innovative bilingual children's software. The products are designed to encourage language learning through active play and family participation. The company is currently working on new Pancho and Pita products. Aggregated by HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66936 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/11/featured-childrens-bilingual-book-rene-has-two-last-namesrene-tiene-does-apellidos/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/11/featured-childrens-bilingual-book-rene-has-two-last-namesrene-tiene-does-apellidos/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:01:46 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66897 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66897 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/10/charlie-beck-the-mayor%e2%80%99s-nominee-to-head-the-los-angeles-police-department-told-hoy-newspaper-he-will-make-a-particular-effort-to-reach-out-to-latinos-through-community-meetings-and-by-condu/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/10/charlie-beck-the-mayor%e2%80%99s-nominee-to-head-the-los-angeles-police-department-told-hoy-newspaper-he-will-make-a-particular-effort-to-reach-out-to-latinos-through-community-meetings-and-by-condu/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:26:37 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66603 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66603 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/10/mastering-english-is-the-key-to-achievement-for-hispanic-children-i-am-not-agreeing-or-disagreeing-but-interesting/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/10/mastering-english-is-the-key-to-achievement-for-hispanic-children-i-am-not-agreeing-or-disagreeing-but-interesting/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:34:41 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66536 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66536 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/09/korean-americans-learn-spanish-to-help-out-at-work-business-owners-attempt-to-cool-tension-with-latino-workers-chicago/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/09/korean-americans-learn-spanish-to-help-out-at-work-business-owners-attempt-to-cool-tension-with-latino-workers-chicago/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:43:05 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66413 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66413 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/09/republican-debra-medina-says-shell-be-the-first-candidate-in-the-2010-texas-governors-race-with-spanish-language-tv-ads/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/09/republican-debra-medina-says-shell-be-the-first-candidate-in-the-2010-texas-governors-race-with-spanish-language-tv-ads/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:24:53 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66378 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66378 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/english-as-a-second-language-in-alabama-schools/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/english-as-a-second-language-in-alabama-schools/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:11:57 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66289 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66289 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/new-spanish-for-beginners-dvd-from-whistlefritz-adentro-y-afuera-wins-multiple-national-awards/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/new-spanish-for-beginners-dvd-from-whistlefritz-adentro-y-afuera-wins-multiple-national-awards/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:14:06 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66170 Whistlefritz, which produces the popular Spanish for Beginners series of children's Spanish immersion DVDs, announced today that its latest DVD release, Adentro y Afuera (Inside & Out), has received multiple national awards, including a Parents' Choice Silver Award from the prestigious Parents' Choice Foundation. Since its release, Adentro y Afuera (Inside & Out) has become one of the most honored children's DVDs of the year.

"Whistlefritz continues on its mission to bring the gift of learning Spanish to children and their families," said founder and CEO Heidi Stock. "The many organizations that have honored Adentro y Afuera hold very high bars and have stringent standards, so we are grateful to receive this type of recognition from so many experts on excellence in children's media."


In addition to the recent Parents' Choice Silver Award, Adentro y Afuera has also won the following awards:
-- iParenting Media "Outstanding Products for 2009"
-- The National Parenting Center 2009 Seal of Approval
-- Dr. Toy's Best Play and Learn Vacation Products
-- The Dove Foundation's Family-Approved Seal
-- An endorsement by KIDS FIRST!

Available nationwide, Spanish for Beginners: Adentro y Afuera seamlessly blends live action with colorful animation and engaging characters, including the vibrant teacher Maria who guides children as they navigate the lively world of Whistlefritz. Ninos and ninas will be saying Hola! to Spanish in no time as the series' use of stories, music, play, and dance make it an invaluable and entertaining teaching tool. Through the use of proven language immersion methods -- where kids learn Spanish by hearing and speaking it without any English translation -- Spanish for Beginners stimulates, educates, and allows kids to quickly and easily make the language all their own.

Founded in 2006, Whistlefritz was started by a mom who wanted to teach her own children Spanish. Frustrated by the lack of high-quality Spanish immersion programs, she decided to create her own Spanish DVDs and CDs for children. And so Whistlefritz was born and two award-winning DVD titles, Vamos a Jugar (Let's Play) and Los Animales (Animals), were released.

In Spanish for Beginners: Adentro y Afuera, fun-loving kids join teacher Maria and her friend, Fritzi the mouse, as they learn all about the house, including the names of rooms and household objects. The whole gang then ventures outside to explore the playground while they learn Spanish. While the program is designed for children ages 2-7, the DVD includes a translation guide for parents who may also be learning Spanish for the first time, making Whistlefritz perfect for the whole family!

Also available in the Whistlefritz Spanish language series for children are:
-- Spanish for Beginners: Vamos a Jugar (Let's Play), which received a 2007 iParenting Media Award, Parents' Choice Approved Award, The National Parenting Center's 2007 Seal of Approval, and Creative Child Magazine's 2007 Preferred Choice Award
-- Spanish for Beginners: Los Animales (Animals), which received a Parents' Choice Approved Award, The National Parenting Center's 2007 Seal of Approval, a 2007 Honors Award by the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), a KIDS FIRST! endorsement, and Creative Child Magazine's 2007 Seal of Excellence
-- A Bailar! (Let's Dance!), a music CD, which received a 2008 iParenting Media Award, a 2008 Honors Award by the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA), The National Parenting Center's 2008 Seal of Approval, a Parents' Choice Approved Award and an endorsement by KIDS FIRST!

Whistlefritz's Spanish programs for children are available at www.amazon.com and www.whistlefritz.com. Aggregated by HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66170 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/obama-and-the-white-house-in-spanish/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/obama-and-the-white-house-in-spanish/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:07:03 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/obama-and-the-white-house-in-spanish/ Aggregated by HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66158 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/why-we-are-not-marketing-to-hispanics-effectively/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/why-we-are-not-marketing-to-hispanics-effectively/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:58:30 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66013 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66013 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/jamaican-official-lobbies-for-spanish-as-second-language/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/jamaican-official-lobbies-for-spanish-as-second-language/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:44:43 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/jamaican-official-lobbies-for-spanish-as-second-language/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66002 0