How to vote February 9; Local restaurants feature new Asian cuisine trends; Beware red dye #3!; New publication focuses on research and conservation
Domingo, 26/1/2025
Hola, Todos –
Actividades –
De El Mercurio del sábado, 25/1 (2 articles):
Niño Viajero (Traveling Child) – There will be book launch of “Desde el Silencio,” a book about the history of the Niño Viajero, narrated by the nuns of the Monasterio del Carmen de la Asunción. The event will start a las 17:30 with a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Carmen de la Asunción church, followed by the official presentation of the book a las 18:30.
Many expats are eligible to vote in the February 9 election. Find out how to mark your ballot correctly.
‘Andreettana,’ una revista científica de Ecuagenera (Andreettana,’ a scientific journal of Ecuagenera) – The Fundación Ángel Andreetta and Ecuagenera will launch the Revista Científica ‘Andreettana’ el 30/1 a las 11:00 in the Showroom of Ecuagenera (Gonzalo Cordero y Federico Proaño). The digital publication is dedicated to research and conservation of the biodiversity of the Andes Tropicales with emphasis on the species in Ecuador. Juan Pablo Martínez biologist and editor of the magazine, said it is highlighted by its inclusive and accessible focus. It responds to the necessity for a scientific publication that can be read in both Spanish and English <I guess that’s what inclusivity and accessibility are in this context. English for those of you who are language challenged.> This first issue will include an article describing 8 new species new to science.
The magazine is divided into 2 sections: one scientific which includes articles on taxonomy, conservation, ethnobotany, and biodiversity. The second section is dedicated to horticulture and addresses topics about plant cultivation. Ecuador contains some 4,400 species, 15 percent of the orchids at a global level.
Titular –
Ojo con peligroso colorante rojo N3 (Watch out for dangerous red dye N3) – The FDA in the US, prohibited the use of red dye #3, as most first world countries have done. Red dye #3, (erythrosin), present in drinks, sweets and snacks, has been linked with cancer in animals and hyperactivity in children. <So is sugar high really a response to all those cherry lollipops and red licorice?> After learning of the presumed health risks associated with this dye, the Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA) started evaluating the risk to guarantee the safety of the products that contain this additive in the national market. According to a study by ARCSA, in Ecuador there are about 60,000 medications registered in the country with 83 containing red dye #3.
There are over 55,000 foods registered in the country with 198 containing the colorant. Daniel Sánchez, executive director of ARCSA, said that 0.9% of the products that contain colorants use this particular additive which reflects a low incidence of usage in comparison with other additives used in candy, food supplements, meats, snacks, bread, baked goods and medicines. <I wonder if that bright red chemo medicine with a skull and crossbones on the label had red dye #3 in it?>
Sánchez emphasized that there are 12 colorants that will make foods red and are suitable for human consumption. <Like red dye #3 used to be?> He recommended reading food labels and then making your own decision as to whether to buy or not to buy. The FDA gave food and medicine manufacturers until 2027, with an extension to 2028 to reformulate their products. The colorant is a petroleum derived synthetic, used for 40 years to give a vibrant tone to foods and medicines. In 1990 the FDA prohibited its use in cosmetics after studies that tied the colorant with thyroid tumors in lab rats. In addition, in 1994, Europe prohibited the substance in foods after studies that linked it to cancer.
Cuenca –
De El Mercurio del sábado, 25/1 (1 article):
El voto es en plancha (The vote is by party/movement/alliance) – <I hope that all of you who have had the most to say about how things should be done in Ecuador will do your civic duty and vote.> In the 2025 General Elections this 9/2, voting for national and provincial assemblypersons and the members of the Parlamento Andino will be through closed lists. This means that when you get your ballot, you will find a single box at the top of each list (slate). If you mark this box, you will automatically vote for the whole list. You cannot pick and choose between candidates from different lists. You can also run a line down the length of the whole list. Any other type of mark will void your vote.
This election will return to the Webster method for distribution of seats. You can use either a pen from the Junta Receptora del Voto (JRV – poll workers) or your own, and the color of the ink is not important. Votos nulos (null or invalid votes) will be those marked for more than one candidate or pair in elections to fill one seat <such as president>. Ballots marked for more than one list or picking candidates off different lists will also result in an invalid vote. Writing words like nulo or anulado, tachaduras (strikeouts or deletions – your word for the day) will also result in a void vote. Leaving the ballot blank is considered a voto en blanco (blank vote). <Is that the same as a vote for none of the above?>
The CNE has updated the voter rolls for this election with 13,279,827 people on the voter rolls nationally, and 456,487 overseas. It has 1,680 Centros de Digitalización de Actas (CDA – Record Digitization Centers) with the necessary infrastructure to digitally transmit the results of voting during the counting process. The CNE approved an increase in the number of assembly members from 137 to 151 based on the population of Ecuador in 2025 which is projected to be 18.1 million people.
Gastronomía –
Novedosas tendencias de gastronomía asiática cautivan los paladares (New trends in Asian cuisine captivate palates) – Baos and dumplings are appetizing bites born from traditional recipes that fuse flavors and textures with much imagination and creativity. <This food is probably nothing you don’t know about if you lived in the US, but you might not have heard of the featured restaurants.> In the restaurant Señor Miyagi on av. Roberto Crespo Toral, each dish is inspired by the culinary traditions of the streets of Asia. It specializes in the food of Japan, Thailand, China, India y Vietnam. Executive chef Rudy Cuba was mentored, studied and traveled to distant places such as Dubai and Qatar. It is differentiated from other restaurants by the standards it maintains and original recipes made with imported supplies such as udon noodles, curry brought from India, oyster sauce <brought from SuperMaxi?>, Korean hot chiles, and more. Señor Miyagi’s menu includes hoisin pork baos and siu mai.
Lauren Ross, owner of Amo BBQ Coreano (Pres. Córdova 7-26 y Borrero) learned the secrets of oriental (sic) cooking in Asian zones of New York and Connecticut such as Long Island City, Flushing and the famous Barrio Chino (Chinatown). She has adapted authentic bao and dumpling recipes, bringing unique versions with local ingredients and imported products. <I’m traditionalist when it comes to food so “unique versions” make me nervous. Hypocritical of me since I had no qualms about messing around with dulce de leche to create a “Snickers” bar cookie.>
For 8 years, Osaka Ramen has been at Coronel Talbot 8-26 y Sucre in the Parque San Sebastián sector. Owner-chef Ray Huntley, from the Philippines, has a long track record cooking in famous Japanese restaurants. On the menu, in addition to ramen and sushi, are original baos or steamed buns.
Actualidad –
De El Mercurio del sábado, 25/1 (2 articles):
Aplican cambios al agendar turnos en Registro Civil (Changes apply when scheduling appointments at the Civil Registry Office) – New security has been implemented by the Registro Civil to schedule appointments online. With this the agency is seeking to protect the personal information of the users and slow the activity of processors <also known as facilitators?>. Now, when you pick the agency (office), date and hour for your appintment, you have to enter a confirmation code which is sent directly to the email address registered on the platform of the Agencia Virtual. The code will last 2 minutes <like on line banking?> and is essential for completing the scheduling.
Also, as of el 23/1/2025, any person who wants to update their email address or phone number on the platform needs to do it in person at a Registro Civil office. This process is personal and can only be done after validation of the identity of the user. This should guarantee the protection of personal data entered in the system. If you want to get your identity document or document to travel <if they mean passport, why not just say passport?> you have to pay for it first on the virtual platform or through authorized corresponding banks with your cédula number. Then you can schedule your appointment on line. <What if you’re a newby who’s trying to get a cédula and doesn’t speak Spanish (yet)? No way you’re going to get any of this done without help.> The fee to renew your cédula is $16, the issuance of a passport costs $90 and $45 for seniors.
Rompevelocidades se planean en autopista (Speed breakers are planned on highway) – The mayor of Azogues, Javier Serrano, announced that they are planning to install speed breakers (bumps?) and the accompanying signage on the autopista Cuenca-Azogues. Installing radars is not an alternative. The study is in progress as part of the Cantonal Mobility Plan to determine the specific zones where they will be installed. It is presumed that there will be 3 locations. <I saw a car in a body shop that looked like a giant had grabbed it and smashed the passenger side of the car into a rocky cliff. When I asked the guy in the shop what happened he said the driver hit a speed bump at high speed. I still can’t figure out how only one side got so badly damaged. You old timers might remember when there were real speed bumps on E-35, the Panamerican Highway.>
And that’s all for today so hasta ? –
Jeanne
