Domingo, 13/1/2019
Hola, Todos –
Activities –
De la pagina cultural –
La Pedrera Tango Festival – The event will be in the spa town of Rocha, Uruguay el 17-19/1. <Just in case any of you were traveling that direction.>
Otras cosas –
Titular – Ranas con potencial medicinal en El Cajas (Frogs with medicinal potential in El Cajas) – Two species of frogs are the subject of a plan for international research which seeks to avoid their extinction. The other part of the research, once they find the frogs, is to analyze the skin secretions for biomedical applications. <Which part of the research do you think is the driving force behind all this concern for these frogs?> The Amaru Zoo has these frogs in their labs and two pairs appear to be looking for a place to lay their eggs.
A boulder blocks the Cuenca-Machala highway.
Fatal fire – 5 people are being processed for the presumed crime of kidnapping after a fire at a rehab clinic in Guayaquil that killed 18.
Ley Anticorrupción – The law sent by the Government to the Asamblea has hit a snag. One of the objectives of the law was to recuperate money made from corruption. It was sent to the Legislature last septiembre and was passed out of the Comisión de Justicia to the full Asamblea without change, for further discussion. Asambleista Henry Cucalón pointed out that some articles are repetitive and others are not constitutional.
If passed, some $40 billion could be recovered. The law would allow third parties with assets of illegal origin 90 days to give it to the State and they would not be punished for illegal enrichment. It also rewards 20% to people, including public servants, whose information leads to recovery of laundered money. People who cooperate can have their sentences provisionally suspended. Cucalón recommended that cooperation shouldn’t get someone impunity but a reduced sentence. <Too bad that all of this illegal activity here seems to be legal up north.>
Car robberies at IESS – Between el último miércoles y viernes, robbers broke into 5 cars, breaking windows and locks and stealing mirrors, radios and articles drivers had left in their cars including electronics, credit cards, and packed bags. Drivers blamed a lack of lighting and poor controls by the security guards. <So if you’re driving yourself to the IESS, park under a light, if you can find one. And maybe give the guard a couple of bucks.>
Road blockage – A large rock fell onto the vía Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje Fri. night at the El Pindo sector in Pucará Canton. Neighbors put a reflective vest on top of the rock to warn motorists. <The photo shows something the size of a small SUV.>
Problems caused by heavy rains were also reported on the vía Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalmente, especially at km. 91. Alternative routes to Guayaquil include the vías through Cañar and El Oro provinces. <Still want to go to the beach?>
Actualidades – As usual, if the description of an article interests you, go to www.elmercurio.com.ec to read the whole thing. <Or run it through your translation program and then read it.>
Guayacanes – The guayacanes are or were in bloom in Mangahurco. These trees with their yellow flowers bloom once a year for only a few days. The picture looks like a monotone fall colors photo.
Cerro Narrío – This area in Cañar, since 2,000 B.C., was the prehistoric center for sales and distribution of the Concha Spondylus.
Hashtags in Cuba – Social media are a form of political expression in Cuba.
Japanese in Bolivia – The Japanese embassy in Bolivia opened an exhibit showing the 120 years that Japanese have been in Bolivia, starting with 91 workers who came in 1899 to work on sugar plantations.
Santos Inocentes – The article describes the history of this traditional season.
Japanese garden – The Japanese community in Buenos Aires started this garden in 1967 before a visit by Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko. It has grown to 3 hectares and is the largest public Japanese garden outside of Asia. <You could check this out after you see the tango event.>
And that´s all for today so Hasta ? –
Jeanne
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Editor’s note: Jeanne’s Periodico is a translated digest of news from the Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio. If details, such as event dates and times, do not appear in the translation, they did not appear in the newspaper. The text between the carrots, or guillemets (< … >), is Jeanne’s personal opinion and not part of the news translation.
