Martes, 29/11/2016: Rains douse fires, Petroecuador scandal investigation grows, Coopera losers meet, Costume party

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s (Tues) agenda event –

Cine – The Tuesday night movie at the Alianza Francesa was “Ni el cielo ni la tierra” (Neither heaven nor earth) and was about a mission of French soldiers in Afghanistan.

Articles about –

“Artimañas” – This parallel exhibition to the Bienal by a group of art students from the Universidad de las Artes del Ecuador in Guayaquil, will be at the Galería Miguel Illescas (Calle Larga 1-209).

Libro – “Como los ya muertos” (Like those already dead) by María Pilar Alcázar, who died 66 years ago, will be presented tomorrow at 19:00 in Librimundi (Sucre y Hermano Miguel).  The novel takes place during the Spanish Civil War.  The manuscript was found in the family home, and posthumously published.

Libro – “Liderazgo sin fronteras” (Leadership without borders) by Nelson Haro will be presented tomorrow at 19:00 in the Museo de la Ciudad.  (I could have less accurately translated that as leadership without boundaries and said it was about the incoming US pres.)

Awards ceremony – The children and youth who were winners in the 6th Student Festival of National Music will receive their awards tomorrow at 18:30 in the Salón de la Ciudad.

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Primeras lluvias sorpenden y causan estragos (First rains surprise and cause havoc) – Three classrooms of a primary school in northeast Cuenca were flooded to a depth of 50 cm, a wooden bridge collapsed in the ciudadela Riveras del Machángara in the north of the city, and 15 houses were flooded. (Nothing like a little bit of very local news.)  The northern part of the city in areas such as Machángara, Sinincay, and Mayancela was most affected by the weekend storm.  The flows in the rivers increased – from .25 m3/s to 2 m /s on the Tomebamba, from 2-20 m/s on the Yanuncay (must have rained real hard in the Cajas) and from .3-3.6 m/s on the Tarqui.  Forecast for rain will be 70% today, 50% mañana, and 60% on jueves.

“Manos Tejedores” ( Knitters Hands) – This organization of 20 weavers in Sidcay was awarded the Cuenca Cultural Heritage prize.

On line sales – Electronic commerce has not taken off in Ecuador with merchants, many of whom have web sites, but only for information and not to make payments.  There are only 200 “transaccionales” (transactional) websites in Ecuador.  Part of the reason may be shipping.

Petroecuador – The Petroecuador corruption case is now investigating 80 people, of whom 24 are in the process, for crimes such as illicit enrichment (hand in the till?), “peculado” (malversation of public funds – hand in the government’s cash drawer?), money laundering, bribery, perjury and organized crime.

Coopera – Investors who were injured when the Coopera was closed are meeting this jueves, 1/12 in the edificio Novis (calles Cornelio Merchàn y José Peralta) to take up the fight again for their savings.

Tranvía – The physical Tranvía is rolling along, but other issues related to pre-opening and operation are still in the air.  These issues include security, fares, collection systems, stations, frequencies, feeder lines, educating the citizenry, and training personnel.  Some of these are being addressed.

Road openings – Mariscal La Mar reopened yesterday from Hermano Miguel to Benigno Malo.  The speed limit will be 20 kph and limited to vehicles less than 2.1 meters wide, mirror to mirror. Buses and heavy vehicles will not be allowed.  There will be no parking and no turns until Benigno Malo.
On Gran Colombia between Tarqui and Padre Aguirre, the Tranvía platform has been cleaned so that pedestrians can use the area.  (Of course, I’m hoping that you’re not reading “the area” to include the part between the rails.  Might be OK now, but walking between the rails isn’t a habit you want to get into – especially if you’re hard of hearing.)

Complaint boxes – 12 boxes to receive reports of possible acts of corruption have been placed in public institutions including the municipal building on Sucre between Benigno Malo and Luis Cordero, ANT, CTE, CJ, Emresa Eléctrica, and the “Vicente Corral Moscoso” and “José carrasco Arteago” Hospitals, IESS, District II of MIES, Senagua and the Registro Civil.  More will be installed in the municipal businesses and vehicle registration offices.  You have to fill out a form correctly so the complaint can get routed appropriately.  (Circular file?  And filled out correctly would be filled out en español.)

Forest fires – The Secretaria de Gestión de Riesgos (SGR – Secretary of Risk Management) announced that the forest fires in Azuay and Cañar are out.  In Azuay, 2,324.49 hectares were affected this month with a total of 3,488.80 hectares year to date.

Sheraton Hotel – The Sheraton Hotel, next to the Mall del Río, will open next month.

“Mercart” – This Christmas fair will be on 2, 3, & 4/12 in Mansión Vizcaya on the Circunvalaceón Sur and the redondel to Turi next to Coloneal.  Hours are from 11-21:00 and to 20:00 on domingo. There will be 95 vendors selling everything from clothing and jewelry to home decorations and doll clothes.  There are also gastronomic products.  There will be plenty of parking next to the Mansión.

Amenidades –

Movies – (I finally figured it out – there must be a special showing each day.  Maybe that’s what the QTM means.)
Todays special movie – Pele is at the Milenium.

Your odd ball news item for today is about – A gran fiesta de disfraces (Costume Party) – The owners of “Maskerade” (a store started in 1996 that designs, makes, and sells costumes) will have a show on martes, 6/12 at 19:30 in the Seminario San Luis (The building whose ground floor street frontage is occupied by Tutto Freddo and Raymipamba).  Part of it will be the theatrical show, “Orígenes,” which shows the stages of the human beings starting as sperm which will be portrayed by small girls dancing in sperm costumes.  (I finally got to the odd ball part.  I think you should just go see it and not try imagine what that would look like.)

Special advertising section –

Poliducto Pascuales-Cuenca – Pipelines are bringing Super, Extra and Diesel gas and LNG to Cuenca from the Pascuales Terminal in Guayaquil.  Before, tanker trucks brought an average of 463,000 gallons of fuel each day.  The pipeline has a capacity of 1,953,000 gallons a day.  The system has two sections.  The first is 103 km and goes from the Pascuales and El Chorrillo Stations to the La Troncal Terminal.  The second section goes 112 km from La Troncal through the La Delicia, Ducur, and Charcay pumping stations before it gets to the Termical Cuenca which is in Challuabamba.  (One pumping station for the first half, and three to get the fuel pushed up the mountain from altitude 0 to 8,400′.)

Discuentos y compras –

Claro – Es tiempo de hablar sin límite (It’s time to talk without limit) – Plans from $22.50 incl. IMP/MES – Unlimited talk on all providers, 1000 megas, Facebook & WhatsApp free, National Fútbol Championships – For $5/mo more, add a smartphone on your plan.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne