New corruption trial, Flu alert, Paris museum director gives presentation, Ecuador is the most biologically diverse country, Diesel fuel quality improves

Viernes, 19/1/2018

Hola, Todos –

Pagina cultural –

Today’s agenda events –

Workshops – The municipal libraries in El Valle and Gullanzhapa had workshops today on reading animation and making porcelain key chains.

Upcoming agenda events –

Book launch – A book of “historias de antaño” (Stories from the olden days/yesteryear/yore/langsyne – your word for the day.) <How about that – now I know what langsyne means. One of Google Translate’s pleasant surprises.> will be launched el próximo miércoles a las 19:00 in the Salón de la Ciudad. “El ayer latiendo en el hoy” (Yesterday beating (as a heartbeat) in today) tells stories of local characters, their transcendent labors and families.

Taller – There will be a bookbinding workshop Saturday de 15:00 a 18:00 en el Zoociedad Café Bar. Two binding techniques will be shown for people interested in paper, writing and illustration. <You writers could bind your own manuscripts and make one of a kind collectors’ books. If you’re lucky, you might live long enough for the book to become valuable – assuming it’s not on a flash drive. Or maybe it will be one of those works of art that gains value only after the author/binder is dead.>

Articles about –

Alianza Francesa – The activities of the Alianza started with a visit from Vierginio Gaudenzi, curator of the Museum of Man in Paris. He will hold a masters’ conference Saturday a las 10:30 in the Sala Comunitaria on “Museo y Curaduría: Experiencias del Museo del Hombre, París, Francia” (Museum and Curatorship: Experiences of the Museum of Man, Paris, France). The museum, which was created by Paul Rivet as one of the largest anthropological museums, has a connection with Cuenca. Rivet was the doctor for the 2nd French Geodesic Mission which came to Ecuador in 1901.

Future activities include continuing the Martes de Cine series <go to their web site for the schedule>; Lorenzzo Naccarato, a jazz band from Toulouse will play on 16/2; Insula, a jazz duo will perform on 7/3 in the teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz; and on 8/3, Annick Cojean, a French journalist from Le Monde will talk about “La fábrica de información” (The information factory) <That’s the factory where people sit around and manufacture “fake news.” Who knew it was in France. And here we all thought that was coming out of Pres. Obama’s basement.>

“Pajarracos” – This Argentinean theater group will perform “Pampa” Saturday a las 19:30 in el Imay Centro Cultural (Calle El Oror 4-70 y El Batán). The performance will be gestural theater in which comical humanizations of animals represent situations of human behavior. <Like the pig in the White House?>

Concierto – The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca performed Friday in the teatro Pumapungo with guest cellist Mateo Celi. The program included the concierto for Chelo No. 1 in La Menor by Saint-Saens.

Exhibit – “C. Mal Salsa” by artist Juan Pablo Maldonado opened Friday in the Galería El Conde (Calle Larga y Vargas Machuca near Todos Santos.)

Otras Cosas –

Titular – Juez llama a juicio a Carlos Pólit (Judge calls Carlos Pólit to trial) – This decision was made after the Attorney General presented “elements of conviction” (evidence?) against Pólit and his son John to the judge. Pólit is a fugitive from justice in the US and is accused of “concusión” (extortion). He is accused of receiving $10.1 million in bribes from the Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht on the San Francisco and Manduriacu hydroelectric projects, Pascuales-Cuenca Pipeline, La Esperanza Aqueduct, the Daule-Vinces Transfer, and the Pacific Refinery.

Flora – A study by Carmen Ulloa, a researcher at the Missouri Botanical Garden, showed that Ecuador has a higher diversity of plants and flowers than the US and Canada combined – 17,548 species vs 15,477. Much of this is due to climatic and geographic conditions. Ecuador is full of microclimates and different geographic regions. The Andes mountain range and marine currents are a factor. The herbarium at the U. of Azuay has a collection of over 11,000 plants and 3,000 species from Zone 6 which includes Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago provinces. Go to www.uazuay.edu.ec/HerbarioAzuay/ for more about their collection. The Parque Nacional Cajas has two publications about plants in the park: Árboles y Arbustos de Mazán and Las 100 Plantas del Parque Nacional Cajas.

Flu alert – Pichincha is the first province to register cases of AH1N1 flu, and nationally, 9 people have died. Between 19/11/2017 and 13/1/2018, The Ministerio de Salud Pública (MSP – Ministry of Public Health) has been notified of 289 cases of flu with 258 cases of AH2N1, 24 of AH3N3 and 7 of type B. Of these cases, 87% have been registered in Pichincha.

Vaccines – The MSP will continue free flu vaccinations until 30/3. The campaign is directed at children under 5 and over 6 mo., pregnant women <and probably men, too, if you could find one>, people with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and kidney problems, seniors, and MSP staff. The vaccines are available at all health centers.

Road widening – The government opened an international call for proposals to widen the 170 km. long vía Santo Domingo-Quevedo-Babajoyo-Jujan to 4 lanes. Estimated cost is $1 billion to be accomplished with an Alianza Público-Privada (APP) structure where the concessionaire will build, operate and maintain the road for 30 years. <How does this get paid for? Tolls?>

Diesel Fuel quality – Carlos Tejada, the general manager of EP Petroecuador, the public hydrocarbons company, met with the mayor, city officials, the Cámara de Transporte, and bus dealers to talk about the quality of fuel in the city. A sample taken yesterday showed 79 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. Petroecuador is planning to invest $800 million to bring the sulfer content down to 10 ppm in 10 years. Tejada said that the Adblue additive will allow the Euro 5 buses to function. Buses with a EGR valve will also function.

Taxi rates – Taxistas have asked that the night rate of $1.67 apply on weekends and holidays. The mayor has submitted the request to the directors and tehnicians of EMOV who will decide.

Business Page –

Franz Viegener – The plumbing products company is offering 3 models of electric showers which are easily installed with no special technical knowledge. <That sounds like an electrocution waiting to happen. No wiring nuts? Use chewing gum.>

Amenidades –

Movies – as usual, go to www.multicines.com.ec for show times and locations. The following movies open this week.

2D – El pasajero – Esp. y Sub.
2D – La noche del demonio: La Última llave – Esp. y Sub.
2D & 3D – El viaje de Ferdinand – Esp.

The following movies are continuing.

2D Coco – Esp.
2D Pequeña gran vida – Esp.

Deportes –

Gran Fondo CIKLA – The 100 km mountain bike ride will be este domingo, 21/1 a las 8:00. Register at CIKLA (Remigio Tamariz 1-144 y Federico Proaño) which is also the starting and ending point of the ride which will go through Chordeleg and Gualaceo. Cost: $5.00.

Discuentos y compras –

ETAFASHION – Up to 50% off on selected merchandise plus another 20% with your direct credit – 10% off in the whole store – until 22/1 – does not apply to beauty and technology sections.

And that´s all for today so Hasta Domingo –

Jeanne