Viernes, 12/2/2016: Concerns about Cajas mining, Report criticizes Tram work, Tequila

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

A course in makeup – for TV and film on 4 & 5/3. The training will include materials, a certificate, and a CD with photos of the techniques. To register or for more info, call 404 2128.

Cine – “Más allá del mal” (Beyond Evil), Fri at El Prohibido.

Música del mundo X – a concert by Katie James and Jorge
Zárate will be Sat (13/2) at 21:30 at the Centro Cultural República Sur (Pres. Córdova 5-55). The Irish/Colombian duo will play blues, funk, Latinamerican music and more (Somehow I can’t put Irish and funk in the same picture. Blues, yes, but not funk.) Cost $5.00.

Exhibit – of a painting of the Asunción del Virgen (Assumption of the Virgin – I guess this is a specific term for the ascent of the Virgin into heaven. I imagine a bland faced woman levitating with her eyes cast heavenward.) from the 17th Century will be shown in the temporary gallery at the Museo de las Conceptas this whole month. Entrance to this gallery free. Entrance to the rest of the museum is $3.50 for adults. Museum hours are M-F from 9-18:30 and Sat. and holidays from 10-13:00.

Articles about –

Cartoon characters developed by children and youth during a 4 month workshop is being exhibited at the Museo Pumapungo.

EEJAZZ is the first Cuencanan band to play in the Ecuador Jazz Festival. The festival started last Wed. and will end on 21/2 in Quito, which is the day EEJAZZ will perform. The band played yesterday in the Centro Cultural República Sur.

The Chamber Music Group No. 2 of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca performed Fri night in the Teatro Sucre with a program of baroque, romantic and contemporary national music.

Inmates at the CRS Turi are learning pyrography (I had to Google it – it’s wood burning – like the stuff you did at summer camp.) and making decorative items which you can purchase through zambranona@minjusticia.gob.ec or zeac@minjusticia.gob.ec. The items cost from $8-10.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Reclaman pago por acciones en las Eléctricas (Claiming payment for electricity – or something like that.) Governments owe the electric companies almost $71 million, of which $50 million is owed by the local gov’t of Azuay. (There was an unreadable (to me) public ad in the paper yesterday from the Electric company about the debt so this story is going to be here a while. Wonder if they’ll turn the power off on the city? No street lights in our futures?)

Pide no alarmarse por fisuras ((Authorities) ask that you don’t be alarmed by the cracks) in the Tranvia structure. – there’s a concrete expert assessing the quality of the material. (Could it be worse than when they built the Oakland jail with concrete contaminated by brick dust? No one noticed until the building turned out this faintly pink color.)

Quito – an explosion at a mechanic’s shop in the Kennedy sector caused damage to windows and structures of 32 homes including one that collapsed completely. Authorities think the cause had to do with a domestic gas tank and pressure in a compressor. Emergency responders attended to the injured people and one dog.

China – has doubled financing to Latin America, concentrating in Venezuela, Brazil and Ecuador, with $29 billion. (Does anyone else find it ironic that a Communist country is banker to the world?)

CORPAC (Corporación Aeroportuaria de Cuenca) – has started a Twitter service (account?) @Aeropuerto_CUE to find information about hours, routes, weather conditions, and new things about flights out of Cuenca. The two airlines serving Cuenca also have Twitter services at @TAME_EP and @LAN_ECU. (You know this twitter stuff is over my head – for me twitter is what a bird says.)

Macizo del Cajas sique sin un plan (The Massif of the Cajas is proceeding without a plan) – This 1 million hectar (about 2.5 million acres) region that encompasses parts of the 4 provinces of Azuay, Cañar, Guayas and El Oro was declared a UN Biosphere reserve in May, 2013. The UN declaration requires that the people in the reserve preserve this area of globally important nature, and now has questions about two mining concessions within the territory.

Your sliver of life article today is about Valentine’s day sales. Businesses are not optimistic about sales this year and at the flower market, prices will not go up for Valentine’s Day. (So you can get those roses for your sweetie on the cheap.)

Intercultural –

Penco and agave liquor – Isacc Sanmartín pioneered distilling Chaguarmishqui, the liquid from penco or agave before he knew it was called tequilla and that it was Mexican. Before making liquor, chaguarmishqui was used to fatten pigs and feed dogs. There is a Festival de Chaguarmishqui in October along with the fiestas of the Virgen de Fátima in Ñamarín. (I know, I know – you all want to know where to buy it and the brands.) Look for the brand “Don Isacc.” Remigio Capelo and his wife also make small batch chaguarmishqui. (You can probably pick up more info if you wade through the 3 articles yourself.)

Amenidades –

Movies – as usual, go to www.multicines.com.ec for show times and locations. The following movies open this week.
2D Zoolander – Esp & Sub.
2D La verdad oculta – Esp.
The following movies are continuing.
3D Finest Hour/Horas Contadas – Ésp
2D Revenant/ Renacido – Esp & Sub.
2D 5th Wave / Quinta Ola – Esp
2D Space Dogs 2 – Esp (Hope there’s a happier ending than Laika’s)
2D Creed – Esp
2D Alvin 4 – Esp.

Internacional –

Mexico – at least 52 people were killed and 12 injured in a prison “motín” (riot – your word for the day) at the Topo Chico prison in Nuevo León.
Venezuela – a food crisis was declared. (The accompanying picture shows a woman pushing a shopping cart along side of empty shelves.)

Descuentos y anuncios –

ETAFashion – Valentine’s Day discounts – 10% for you and one friend, 15% for you and 2 friends, and 20% for you and 3 friends. (And if all of those 2 or 3 extra people are your Valentines, you must lead an alternate lifestyle – especially if you can bring them all to the store at the same time.)

Casting call – for Season 2 of La Voz Ecuador – Sat, 13/2 – Parque de la Madre from 9-16:00. Go to teleamazonas.com/lavozecuador for more info. (Is this an American Idol type show for singers?)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne