Shows
Intermediate Spanish StoriesE72 El Condor PasaThe California Condor, an awe-inspiring bird, holds a unique place in both ecological and cultural spheres. Its story of survival against formidable odds is a testament to the resilience and efforts of conservationists worldwide. In the 1980s, the California Condor was perilously near extinction, with only 22 birds remaining in the wild. This dire situation prompted urgent action from conservation groups, who took the bold step of capturing the remaining birds and placing them in captivity to protect the species from disappearing forever. The decision to bring the condors into captivity sparked a meticulously planned reproduction program that, a...2025-05-0834 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE71 El Desastre de la Presa de St. FrancisThe St. Francis Dam, or the San Francisquito Dam, was a concrete gravity dam located in San Francisquito Canyon in northern Los Angeles County, California, United States, that was built between 1924 and 1926. The dam failed catastrophically in 1928, killing at least 431 people in the subsequent flood, in what is considered to have been one of the worst American civil engineering disasters of the 20th century and the third-greatest loss of life in California history.The dam was built to serve the growing water needs of the city of Los Angeles, creating a large regulating...2025-03-2730 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE70 El Incendio de Pacific PalisadesJanuary 2025 will forever be etched in the memories of Los Angeles residents due to the devastating fires that swept through Palisades and Eaton. These tragic events not only caused significant loss of life and property but also highlighted the vulnerability of urban areas to wildfires in an era of changing climate.The dawn of 2025 was marred by a series of devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of destruction and despair. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which ignited in early January, wreaked havoc on the communities and landscapes of Southern California, marking a tragic...2025-03-0628 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE69 La Reina de los FantasmasThe R.M.S. Queen Mary spent three decades transporting the rich and famous across the Atlantic before retiring in 1967.She survived the Great Depression and World War II and managed to avoid the tragic fate of her cousin, Titanic. But under the glitz and glamour, this haunted ship is hiding several dark secrets. She offered all the finest amenities: exquisite dining rooms, swimming pools, daily radio broadcasts, a kennel for the passengers’ dogs, a children’s nursery — even a hospital. And she was fast. Boasting a top speed of 32 knots, she could travel from England to New Yor...2025-02-0929 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE68 Parte II: Soy el Viajero por el MundoThis is part 2 of the summer 2024 trip. Be sure to listen to the 1st part first. To broaden your horizons, get to know other cultures, learn new things, and enjoy life to its fullest, it is necessary to travel at least once in your life. Traveling is not only a pleasure but almost a human necessity, traveling not only offers you the opportunity to see incredible places and meet interesting people, but it brings many benefits to your mental health, emotional state, your family relationship, and your personal growth.People g...2024-08-1837 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE67 Parte I: Soy el Viajero por el MundoTo broaden your horizons, get to know other cultures, learn new things, and enjoy life to its fullest, it is necessary to travel at least once in your life. Traveling is not only a pleasure but almost a human necessity, traveling not only offers you the opportunity to see incredible places and meet interesting people, but it brings many benefits to your mental health, emotional state, your family relationship, and your personal growth.People generally live every moment of life, from one day to the next in a hurry, with many chores, jobs, and tasks, w...2024-08-1636 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE66 D-Day, La Batalla de NormandíaOn June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, entered history when landings on the beaches of Normandy in northern France brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the Allied armies and opened a new European front against the troops of the Third Reich during the Second World War.It was the largest and most dramatic military operation in history, which marked the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, the liberation of France, and the rest of German-occupied Western Europe, and marked the end of the Second World War. The Normandy invasion was one of the great t...2024-06-2134 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE65 Sta Helena, La Dama de las MontañasAt 8:32 a.m. PDT on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington, suffered a massive eruption, killing 57 people and devastating some 210 square miles of wilderness.Mount St. Helens is located in the Cascade Range and stood 9,680 feet before its eruption. The volcano has erupted periodically during the last 4,500 years, and the last active period was between 1831 and 1857. On March 20, 1980, noticeable volcanic activity began with a series of earth tremors.Small eruptions continued daily, and in April people familiar with the mountain noticed changes to the structure of its north face. T...2024-06-0530 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE64 El Castillo del DesiertoLegend has it that Death Valley Scotty built his castle on top of his secret gold mine that funded this lavish house. But the true story is even more improbable and interesting!Hidden in the green oasis of Grapevine Canyon in far northern Death Valley is the Death Valley Ranch, or "Scotty's Castle" as it is more commonly known.Walter Scott was a rowdy and shady character, with little luck in gold prospecting but great luck in spending investor's money. Albert Mussey Johnson was a well-respected Chicago insurance magnate. The two could not have been...2024-05-0431 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE63 North Hollywood Shootout 1997The 1997 North Hollywood shootout, also known as the Battle of North Hollywood, was a confrontation between two heavily armed and armored bank robbers, Larry Phillips Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, and police officers in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997. Both robbers were killed, twelve police officers and eight civilians were injured, and numerous vehicles and other property were damaged or destroyed by the nearly 2,000 rounds of ammunition fired by the robbers and police.At 9:16 a.m., Phillips and Mătăsăreanu entered and robbed Bank o...2024-04-0327 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE62 Tláloc: El Señor de las TormentasDuring February 2024, the latest storm brought 1.99 inches of rain to Southern California so far, bringing this month’s total rainfall to 12.56 inches. The latest storm dropped 1.99 inches of rain in downtown Los Angeles and it makes it the fourth wettest February in downtown Los Angeles since 1877 when records first were reported. The monster storm triggered hundreds of mudslides across Los Angeles. Why do they happen?Our story takes 500 years to the past back to the Aztec Empire, who believed in a complex and diversified pantheon of gods and goddesses.Tla...2024-02-2529 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE60 Un Sábado por la MañanaOn this rainy Saturday morning, I received a phone call from you, we will chat casually while I prepare my morning coffee and tell you about my plans for today and the many things I like to do. Also, I will tell you about some of the wonderful places I like to visit around here. Join me for a casual look into my day. You will find the full transcript behind the show notes: https://interspanish.buzzsprout.comIf you have a story or topic you would like me to cover, pl...2024-01-1724 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE61 La Dalia NegraClose to 80 years ago, a horrific murder scene, in the quiet neighborhood would shock the neighbors, puzzle the police, and forever stain the pages of the history of United States crime books.Elizabeth Short, known posthumously as the Black Dahlia, was an American woman found murdered in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 15, 1947, her body was cut in half and severely mutilated and her killer was never found.Although there are many theories and multiple suspects, this case is considered the oldest cold case in California.This is her story...2024-01-1628 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE59 Reflexion de Fin de Año 2023Taking time to reflect on the past and think about what you want in the new year is essential for many reasons. First, it allows you to gain perspective on your life and identify areas where you want to make changes or improvements. Looking back on your experiences and achievements, you can better understand what works for you and doesn't and use that information to guide your decisions.Reflection also helps you set more meaningful and achievable goals. By considering what you have accomplished in the past and what you still want to achieve, you can create...2023-12-2916 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE58 Parque Nacional III - Joshua, El Señor de los DesiertosThis is part 3 of the National Park Series Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in southern California. It's characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles Two distinct desert ecosystems: the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. Keys View looks out over the Coachella Valley. Hiking trails weave through the boulders of Hidden Valley. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and oc...2023-12-2027 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE54 Zoot Suit RiotsZoot Suit Riots, a series of conflicts that occurred in June 1943 in Los Angeles between U.S. servicemen and Mexican American youths, the latter of whom wore outfits called zoot suits. The zoot suit consisted of a broad-shouldered drape jacket, balloon-leg trousers, and, sometimes, a flamboyant hat. Mexican and Mexican-American youths who wore these outfits were called zoot-suiters. Pressures related to U.S. involvement in World War II contributed to the racial tensions that preceded the riots. As part of the war effort, by March 1942 the United States had begun rationing various resources. Restrictions on wool h...2023-12-1126 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE57 Halloween Special III: Halloween the movieThe following episode includes graphic content that may not be suitable for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.During the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying horror Halloween movies, where you will hear about the creepy monsters all wearing their iconic masks that hunt you in your nightmares. This is the last story.This is part 3 of the Halloween Movies Special 2023 SeriesHalloween is an American horror story released in 1978 and was written by John Carpenter. T...2023-11-0321 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE56 Halloween Special II: Friday the 13thThe following episode includes graphic content that may not be suitable for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.During the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying horror Halloween movies, where you will hear about the creepy monsters all wearing their iconic masks that hunt you in your nightmares. This is the second story.This is part 2 of the Halloween Movies Special 2023 Series***Friday the 13th (1980) may have been panned by critics when first released but s...2023-10-2828 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE55 Halloween Special I: Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe following episode includes graphic content that may not be suitable for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.During the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying horror Halloween movies, where you will hear about the creepy monsters all wearing their iconic masks that hunt you in your nightmares. This is the first story. This is part 1 of the Halloween Movies Special 2023 SeriesThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American horror film produced, co-composed, and di...2023-10-2425 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE53 La Fuerza Unida, Parte II: Dolores HuertaBefore you start on this second part, please listen to E52, part I: Cesar ChavezCo-founder of the United Farm Workers Association, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement. Born on April 10, 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, Huerta was the second of three children of Alicia and Juan Fernandez, a farm worker and miner who became a state legislator in 1938. Her parents divorced when Huerta was three years old, and her mother moved to Stockton, California w...2023-09-2626 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE52 La Fuerza Unida, Parte I: Cesar ChavezCesar Chavez (March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) was an American labor leader and civil rights activist. Along with Dolores Huerta, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), later to become the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union.Born in Yuma, Arizona to a Mexican-American family, Chavez began his working life as a manual laborer before spending two years in the United States Navy. Relocating to California, where he married, he got involved in the Community Service Organization (CSO), through which he helped laborers register to vote. In the 1960s he began organizing strikes among farmworkers, most...2023-09-2329 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE51 Proteo, El héroe de MéxicoOn February 6, 2023, at 04:17, local time, a 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. making it the largest in Turkey since the 1939 Erzincan earthquake of the same magnitude, and jointly the second-strongest recorded in the history of the country, after the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake. The confirmed death toll stood at 57,658: 50,399 in Turkey, and 7,259 in Syria.And helped arrived... Mexico is sending some of its famous search and rescue dogs to Turkey to help look for people buried under rubble following February's earthquake.A plane with 16 dogs on board took off from Mex...2023-04-0931 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE50 Fort Ord - Un lugar AbandonadoFort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California. In its prime, Fort Ord was once one the most coveted military training grounds in the U.S. Founded in 1917, Fort Ord was the first stop for many new recruits in many different wars such as WW2, Korea, and Vietnam. The fort closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, managed by the United States Bureau of Land...2023-02-1324 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE49 El Día de los Reyes MagosThe día de Los Reyes is better known as the feast of Epiphany in English. Los Reyes Magos – known as the Three Wise Men, or Three Kings in English – are three men who followed the North Star to the town of Bethlehem to welcome baby Jesus into the world. Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar traveled from a faraway place to gift the Son of God with gold, incense, and myrrh.While children in everywhere received their presents on Christmas day, those living in México and other Latin-American countries are still waiting for January 6th. Why? Because...2023-01-2323 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE48 Fin de Año 2022As we approach the end of another year it is important to reflect on the experiences that one has lived, it is important to analyze the success you obtained and your failures, it is also important to make plans, and set goals to achieve new purposes, you have to put energy into things that are worthwhile, dedicate time to yourself and the people you love in life. While some wait until January 1 to make positive changes, the end of one year and the beginning of another offers a natural opportunity to consider the big picture of your l...2022-12-3124 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE47 La Vida Incompleta de John LennonOn the evening of 8 December 1980, English musician John Lennon, formerly of the Beatles, was shot and fatally wounded by an obsessed fan outside of the Dakota, his residence in New York City. John Lennon and Yoko Ono returned to the Dakota Apartments at approximately 10:50 p.m.As Lennon passed by, he glanced briefly at Chapman, appearing to recognize him from earlier. Seconds later, Chapman drew his gun, which was concealed in his coat pocket, aimed at the center of Lennon's back, and rapidly fired five hollow-point bullets from a distance of about nine or ten feet.2022-12-0930 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE46 La Vida Incompleta de JFKJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination near the end of his third year in office. Kennedy was the youngest person to assume the presidency by election. He was also the youngest president at the end of his tenure. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his work as president concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A De...2022-11-2326 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE45 Halloween Special III: Los Espectros de GettysburgDuring the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying and creepy real-life ghost stories, where you will hear about the unexplained paranormal and supernatural occurrences that have stained the pages of the history of the United States. This is the last storyThis is part 3 of the Halloween Special 2022 SeriesFor over 100 years, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has been flooded by reports of paranormal activity. From phantom cries of wounded soldiers to life-like apparitions, many visitors to Gettysburg have been touched by its haunting past.2022-10-2920 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE44 Halloween Special II: La Casa de Terror de AmityvilleDuring the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying and creepy real-life ghost stories, where you will hear about the unexplained paranormal and supernatural occurrences that have stained the pages of the history of the United States. This is part 2 of the Halloween Special 2022 SeriesInside The Real Amityville Horror House And Its Story Of Murder And Hauntings: The quaint-looking house at 112 Ocean Avenue was the scene of the grisly DeFeo murders before the Lutz family claimed to endure paranormal terror there...2022-10-2218 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE43 Halloween Special I: Las Brujas de SalemDuring the month of October, during the Halloween season, I have put together a series of the most terrifying and creepy real-life ghost stories, where you will hear about the unexplained paranormal and supernatural occurrences that have stained the pages of the history of the United States. This is the first story.This is part 1 of the Halloween Special 2022 SeriesThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused...2022-10-1427 minIntermediate Spanish StoriesE42 Northridge 1994The 1994 Northridge earthquake that struck the densely populated San Fernando Valley in southern California, U.S., on January 17, 1994, was the third major earthquake to occur in the state in 23 years and was the state’s most destructive one since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and the costliest one in U.S. history. The earthquake occurred just after 4:30 AM local time along a previously undiscovered blind thrust fault in the San Fernando Valley. Its epicenter was in Reseda, a suburb located about 23 miles (37 km) west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The major shock lasted 10–20 seconds and registered a ma...2022-09-1128 min