Miércoles, 15/3/2017: Rainfall is the most in 30 years, Road warnings (due to rain), Holistic fair, Encebollado championship

Mar 16, 2017 | 0 comments

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s (Wed.) agenda events – (finally – more than one agenda item although two are already finished as I write this and the other two are this evening and already started as I write this.)  Another question – do you want me to include the items that are finished?  I don’t know if any of you would like to know just out of curiosity or if it’s a waste of your time to read about past events.)

Agreement – An agreement was signed today at 10:00 between the Alianza Francesa and the Universidad Nacional de Educación to advance their students of French (French students is just to ambiguous, no?).  (This is the type of item I’m asking if I can skip altogether.)

Cine – The Cuban film “Conducta” was shown this morning in the Colegio Chordeleg.

Música – Hear “Dulce y Agraz” (Sweetness and Grace) soloist Daniela González from Chile, Vondye, and Zura (soul) tonight at 19:30 in the República Sur.

Teatro – 3 stories reflecting on hope, escape, life, death and mystery will be staged tonight at 20:00 in the sala “Alfonso Carrasco.”

Articles about –

CCE – Directors will be elected in abril.

Recital (recital – hello?) – Two young guitarists, 12 and 13, will perform tonight at 19:00 in the Sono Centro Cultural (calle Borrero 6-83).  Free.

Libro – “Polvo, sombra, nada” (Dust, shadow/shade/darkness, nothing), published by the Municipality was launched today at 19:00 in the Museo de la Ciudad.  (And I can’t figure out what the book is about other than the Conquest in some way and that it’s a historical novel.  From the title, I’d say a depressing one.)

Raúl Velasco Carcés – President of Ateneo Ecuatoriano, attorney and poet has published “Amok.”  (I like that title.)

Cuba and Guayaquil – Two arts universities are talking about cooperating on academic and art projects, and exchange students.

Otras cosas – 

Titular – Lluvias causan daño (Rains cause damage) – The rain in the first months of this year has exceeded the average rainfall in the same period for the last 30 years. Hardest hit have been the coastal provinces from Manabí south.  The rain has caused 13 deaths and over 5,000 families have been affected.  On Monday afternoon near the “Arcángel” Mall in San Miguel canton in Bolívar, a land slide took a taxi with 3 people.  The driver was killed.

Locally, more rain than normal will continue through abril, and the 5-day forecast is 90% of rain.  Rivers are running high with the Tomebamba flowing at 40.1 cubic meters per second which is a pre-alert stage, the Machángara at 20.4 cms (Pre-alert), the Yanuncay at 74.7 cms (Alert), and the Tarqui at 41.9 cms (Alert). Prealert is a waiting alert to see if the flow increases and alert is considered dangerous with an overflow possible.  Flood levels for the rivers are Tomebamba – 50-55 cms, Yanuncay – 55-60, Tarqui – 40-45, and the Machángara is controlled with dams. (Those of you living in flood zones better get your sandbags ready.)  And again, stay away from the river banks.  They’re often undercut and slippery as well.

Road warning – Two stretches of La Sinincay-Racar are dangerous.  In Racar, an apparent geological fault is causing the road to sink, and in the Santa Isabel sector, 50 meters of road fell down the hill leaving only one lane open.  This has been the situation for a few months, but users are worried that the rains will cause more damage and are asking for repairs.  (I’d be scared to drive on that road – wouldn’t want to be on that 50 meters when the remaining lane decided to let go.

Exports – Non petroleum exports to México increased 8% in 2016 to reach $168 million.

Frog habitats – Only 5 of the 10 frog ponds built by the Comisión de Gestión Ambiental (Environmental Management Commission) to conserve indigenous frog species are still functioning.  The others have been vandalized.  An alternative being discussed is the installation of a camera at each site.  The CSC (some kind of cop) will also moniter these public spaces.  The 5 ponds where there are no frogs are being analyzed for water quality and other factors that contributed to the disappearance or deaths of the frogs.  At one pond near the Circo Social, a “rana toro” (rana=frog, toro=bull – bullfrog – your pretty useless words for the day) was introduced.  It is considered a pest species since it eats everything including other frogs.  (I’m interested because I’ve been watching one pond since the construction started.  I watched the city build it, waited for the tadpoles to appear, watched them grow to maybe 1″ long, and then one day they were all gone.  You better behave or the rana toro’s going to get you.)

Mundial del Encebollado (Encebollado, a fish soup, World Cup) – This competition will be in Esmeraldas.

Primer Festival de Salud Holística (1st Holistic Health Fair) – The fair will be from viernes, 17/3 to domingo, 19/3 in Pumapungo. There will be 3 days of talks, ceremonies, conferences, fairs, and congresses with experts from England, Spain, Argentina, China and Ecuador.  The opening ceremony will be on viernes at 8:00. (It sounds like healing treatments and stuff will be available.)

Internacional –

Colombia – The Odebrecht scandal has touched Pres. Santos. One of his closest advisors admitted that “sí hubo una operación irregular” (Yes there was an irregular operation), but that the president had nothing to do with it.  Pres. Santos said he neither authorized nor knew anything about the campaign contributions.

Venezuela – The National Assembly declared a humanitarian crisis in food stuffs and a social crisis without precedent.  It said that 3 million Venezuelans are eating garbage and 30 children have died from malnutrition.  (That poor country, those poor people.  If it were a business, could it declare bankruptcy and go into receivership?)

US – Luis Almagor, Secretary of the Organization of American States, is asking that Venezuela be suspended from the organization as a way to pressure Pres. Maduro to convene elections.  The proposal is that if free, just, transparent and observed elections aren’t called in 30 days, the OEA should lobby for the suspension.

Discuentos y compras –

Colineal – 20-40% off sale – all accesories (paintings, rugs, quilts, lamps, cushions) – 16-19/3 – Mall del Río, Monay Shopping, Hermano Miguel 8-58, Parque Industrial and the Autopista.

El Mercurio – rice cooker/steamer – $22.99 plus IVA and 3 coupons from the newspaper.  (Let me know through CHL if you want me to save coupons for you.)

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne

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