New city projects, Homeowners refuse to leave landslide zone, Military call, Cuban doctors in Ecuador

Domingo, 4/3/2018

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Upcoming and ongoing agenda events –

Libro – A poetry book, “Palabra de Río” by Spanish author Andrés de MÜller <I still haven’t found the umlaut for the lower case.> will be presented el próximo martes a las 19:00 in the Museo de la Ciudad. The book was inspired by the rivers of Cuenca.

Articles about –

Conservatorio – The Conservatorio “José María Rodríguez” celebrated its 80th anniversary with music and dance in the streets and in the plaza de El Otorongo on Saturday.

Otras cosas –

Titular – Con música y bailes festeja Conservatorio (The Conservatory celebrates with music and dance)

Municipal projects – The City has projects such as the new cemetery which are delayed to to disagreements about the expropriation of property. In progress are a bridge to be built over the Río Tomebamba which will connect the extension of Pres. Córdova and Guayas on the other side of the river, and real estate to construct the Parque de la Música. <And here comes your civics lession. Don’t snore too loud.> In order to expropriate (condemn) a property, the property needs to be declared a public interest with the project providing a communal benefit, such as green spaces and public projects. The need for the land needs to be approved by the Cantonal Council and be part of the Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial (Land Plan – maybe like a Master Plan?) or current plan. A new law, the “Anuncio del Proyecto” (Project Announcement) requires the city to have the plan and financing and accomplish the project within 3 years. If that is not done, the property reverts back to the original owners. <Maybe minus the house that was on the land.>

Slide stabilization – Stabilizing a macro-slide in the barrio Los Pinos Altos and the ciudadela Jaime Roldós has been suspended since some of the owners of properties that need to be demolished do not want to leave until they receive compensation. 6 houses need to be demolished and 3 owners are holding out. The 6 houses are perched on the edge of a slide and in order to repair the slope with a “muro de contención” (retaining wall – your words for the day. Who knows, maybe it will be useful some day.>, material below the houses needs to be removed which will further destabilize the houses on the edge. Other neighbors are asking the city to hurry on the project because the rains are coming and the whole area will be affected. One neighbor heard <That sounds like gossip getting spread around.> that the offers were $5,000, $7,000 and up to $15,000 – amounts insufficient to buy another house. The emergency was declared in 2012, but some people didn’t qualify for compensation because the houses were not in their names, or they were built without permits. <Building without permits has a way of coming back and biting you in the butt. Maybe not immediately, but down the road.>

Brigada Médica Cubana en Ecuador – Hundreds of Cuban medical specialists have provided services in Ecuador in the past 5 years including 158 kidney transplants, 65,000 treated through a Rehabilitation Program for the Disabled, 3,692 beneficiaries of the Heberprot-P medical application, 60,441 surgeries and more than 2 million consulations. <Interesting – the US exports war and Cuba exports doctors.>

Voluntary military service – The first of 3 calls to join the military was yesterday. 100’s of young people showed up to fill 234 spaces. As of noon yesterday, only 20 were fully qualified although all the spaces were filled by 17:00. Applicants have to pass a physical and dental exam, a psycho-social test, and an interview. 10 women showed up, but currently there is no provision for women’s quarters, at least in this call. Arranging for women to be in the military is in progress. Each year, there are 3 calls for citizens between 18 and 22 to serve. The next calls are in agosto and octubre.

Actualidades – As usual, if the short description of the article catches your interest, go to www.elmercurio.com to read the whole thing. <You can always run it through a translation program if you’re one of those people who has decided Spanish isn’t necessary. But wouldn’t life be a whole lot better if you could talk to your neighbors, or people in the park, or where ever?>

Lima – Ciudad de los Reyes (City of the Kings (the Magi)). It was founded by Francisco Pizarro on 18/1, 1535 and is 1.445 km. away from Cuenca. From Cuenca to the border is about 4 hours, and from there to Tumbes aout 20 min., and from Tumbes to Lima is another 21-22 hours. Azuay and Express Sucre bus lines go from Cuenca to Huaquillas for $8-10. From Aguas Verdes (Peruvian side of the border) to Tumbes costs $10. From Tumbes to Lima costs $56 for a ride on a double decker bus including food. <Now you’re there – get your own guidebook.>

Tourism – The article is about historic castles in Germany. There are pictures of 4 and descriptions of 8.

Secrets of a happiness – The director of the Institute for Research into Happiness in Copenhagen has written a book, “Lykke” (Felicidad – happiness) which asks what are the things the happiest people in the world have in common and how can we learn from them and apply it to our own lives. He found 6 determinants for happiness: the feeling of union or community, freedom, trust, kindness, money and health.

Essay – <Another one of the unreadable essays.> This one is about self-esteem, identity and heritage. The photos are about giant faces in rocks.

Sports and health – The article is about over-exertion in young athletes.

Internacional –

Brasil – A magistrate in the Supreme Court who is investigating irregularities around the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht, accepted a request from the prosecutor and included Pres. Michel Temer as a suspect. In the same decision, the judge extended the term in which the Federal Police need to conclude their investigations which have also touched officials close to the president.

Descuentos y compras –

RM – New 2018 collection – for purchases over $65, you can get a Warenhaus frying pan and pot for the special price of $21.90, usable on gas, electric and induction ranges.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Mañana –

Jeanne