New Covid variants are emerging; Catch-and-release fishing tourism; Turi woman rescued from dog attack; Azogues adopts curfews and weekend lockdown

Lunes, 26/4/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

De la pagina cultural –

Sinfónica de Cuenca estrena nueva concierto (Cuenca Symphony releases a new concert) – The Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca put a new concert onto its digital Sala de Conciertos on YouTube. The program includes works by Pietro Mascagni, Joseph Haydn, Camille Saint-Saens, y José Elizondo. Soloists Adriana Fernández Vizcaíno (cello), Paola Zambrano Loayza (transverse flute), and Tiina Sturzinger (harp) are featured. The concert, directed by Augusto Carrión Rodas, was recorded el 16/4 in the Teatro Pumapungo and can be seen at www.youtube.com/sinfonicacuenca.

Del cuerpo del periodico –

The Amazonian paiche can grow to a size of several hundred pounds.

Old news from el sábado, 24/4/2021 –
Ikiam Anglers trata turismo cientifico (Ikiam Anglers deals with scientific tourism) – <This is for all of you out there who fish.> Ikiam is a proposal for ichthyological, scientific,and nature based tourism which involves the practice called “pesca y devolución” (fishing and return / catch and release?). The three leaders of the business who recognize and value Amazonian diversity are contributing to conserving species, promoting responsible practices with the environment, involving local communities, and boosting the economies in Morona Santiago, Azuay y Orellana. For this activity, what is needed is many hours of fishing, special equipment, knowledge of techniques to catch fish, perseverance, patience <not a cultural trait gringos are known for, but maybe anglers are an exception>, and valuing the natural world.

Ikiam Anglers is promoting catch and release of paiche, the second largest freshwater fish in the world which lives in the rivers of Gualaquiza. Catch and release needs a long time – about 5 hours, and the strategies generated for the participants include mindfulness techniques to improve the fishers mental health and promote a permanent attitude of consciousness and calm. <A lot of you commenters could probably use some more calm. And after a long day of catch and release, you can slap a slab of tofu in the frying pan – a little soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and scallion and it’ll taste like fish. It’ll also satisfy those cravings for Chinese food after that Sinovax shot.>

Otras cosas –

Titular – Deficiencias en entrega de carnets de discapacidad (Deficiencies in the delivery of disability cards) – An investigation by the Comptrollers Office found deficiencies in the granting of disability cards which allows recipients who are 40% or more disabled to import cars with a 60% discount in taxes. Some of the cards were given out while the office that issues the cards was closed to protect disabled people from catching Covid. The Hospital General de Macas gave out 21 cards to people with less than 40% disability (physical, auditory or visual) between 2014 and 2016 and 2 to people with less than 25% disability in 2019 & 2020. Other cards were issued to people without supporting medical exams. Some cards issued in Limón Indanza in Morona Santiago went to people born or living in Cuenca. The Controllers office noted that a notario público imported a Toyota 4 Runner, an official fo the Armed Services got a Nissan Armada, and two Cuencanan businessmen bought a Mazda CX5 and a Kía Sportage LX, all new with discounted taxes. <My hearing sucks – can I get a card and a new Mercedes Benz?>

Las mujeres serán protagonistas en la Bienal de Cuenca de este año (Women will be protagonists in this year’s Biennial de Cuenca) – On el 24/4, Blanca de la Torre, curator of the Bienal, announced this year’s participants. 33 artists were selected from 289 proposals from around the world. 23 are women which is historic since in the past over 90% have been men. The Bienal will include 7 Ecuadorian artists. There were fewer artists selected this year to have a more sustainable exhibit. The XV Bienal is planned to open in diciembre.

Mujer es atacada por ocho perros (Woman is attacked by eight dogs) – A woman was badly injured after an attack in the La Asunción barrio in Turi. She was rescued by a resident who heard her screams and helped by other neighbors. Her rescuer said that if he had not gone to her, the dogs would have killed her. According to the residents, the dogs are very aggressive and this was not the first time they had attacked people. They also knew the family that owns the dogs.

Azogues se confina sin estado de exceptión (Azogues is confined without a state of exception) – Azogues applied restrictions starting last viernes and ending in 28 days even though the province is not one of those under the federal state of emergency. The restrictions are similar to the curfew which applies from 20:00-5:00, el lunes a jueves, and from 20:00 el viernes to 5:00 el lunes. <That puts a stop to your plans to avoid a weekend curfew by going to Azogues.>

Nueva variante del coronavirus se detecta en provincias del país (New variant of the coronavirus is detected in the country’s provinces) – The Institute of Microbiology at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito reported 5 cases of a new Covid variant in the provinces of El Oro y Pichincha. The C.37 variant was first identified In Chile y Perú. Although it has spread rapidly, it still has not been determined if it is more contagious or lethal. It has been found in Chile, the US, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Germany, Spain, France, the UK, y Australia. Additionally, the MSP in Ecuador reported that it has detected 5 new cases of the Brazilian variant which is worrying because of its high transmission levels. Two of the cases were in Pichincha, and one each in Tungurahua, Manabí, y Loja.

Descuentos y compras –

DFSK, K01 flatbed truck- from $12,490 and $500 bonus – 980 kg. capacity (more or less a one ton truck) – 1.25 liter motor – av. Expaña 10-35 – 096-765-0100. <It has the look of a van but with a flat bed rear end.>

And that’s all for today so hasta ? –

Jeanne