The Cuenca Dispatch - Issue 14

Volume 1  ISSUE 15

October 5, 2016  www.cuencadispatch.com

A Series on Rebuilding: the Sanctuary of a Brewery

WHAT’S INSIDE?

By Kristen Sawyer (Originally Pulished at www. zeromagecuador.com)

WORLD NEWS - Page 4

CANADIAN NEWS - Page 6

I

n the middle of a banana tree grove, a few kilometers away from Proyecto Samán, there is a small building filled with shiny, metal containers. The floor is swept clean. The glasses are stacked in rows on shelves. A poster: Beer Kingo, the name of the brand. A plastic Viking hat, perhaps a lucky token worn while brewing beer, beckons to be picked up.

A single table rests outside the front door, surrounded by five chairs inviting conversation.

Osvaldo is the only beer brewer in Rio Canoa, a small town about twenty minutes from the beaches of Canoa. When Zach and I first arrive at Proyecto Samán, we catch up with a friend from Cuenca, Geoff, who is the general manager of the camp. Standing well over six-feet tall, with white-blond hair and twinkling eyes, Geoff is the kind of man who sticks out whether he’s in California or Ecuador. He has been at the camp since its inception five months ago, and in his time exploring, he’s learned some local secrets.

He pulls us aside at the end of our second day doing volunteer work, smiles wide and asks, “You want to go get some craft beers?”

“Craft beer? Around here?” Zach, with his Colorado roots and high standards for the craft, seems skeptical. Geoff nods and says, “My friend Osvaldo up in Rio Canoa brews his own. He’s got an IPA, Stout, Saison, and a golden. We should go visit him.”

The nighttime drive to Rio Canoa from the town of Canoa is hauntingly beautiful.

We leave the sound of waves far behind and wind deeper into the curves of rolling hills. The mountains are speckled with farmland and long stretches of open green. You can see the glowing windows of houses tucked away from the road, hidden in a nest of trees somewhere.

Right off the curb, large patios are filled with families eating dinner. A soccer field in the waning sunset still draws a few scraped-knee boys and men until they

are called away. Heads turn when we drive by; eyes follow our trajectory. We don’t see any other cars.

Osvaldo’s house would have been impossible to find on our own. Drive across a soccer field, curve up one alley but not the other, continue over bumps for a few minutes, and then you’ll see the dog. Welcome. As I get out of the truck, I can see Osvaldo’s silhouette outside of the small, glowing building in the middle of the banana trees. He is nearly as tall as Geoff, a rare site in Ecuador, and his large body waits patiently for us to walk up to the brewery door.

When I get into the light and kiss his cheek, I instantly feel comfort. There’s something about the warmth in his face that makes me feel safe. He has dark skin, big hands, and a shining white smile. His face has eluded the markings of time. He could be my age, mid-twenties, or twenty years older, or a young grandfather. He gives Geoff a giant hug, a hug exchanged

US NEWS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

- Page 10

STRANGE NEWS

continued on page 3

The Vegetable Bar is excited to see the response we’ve had to our expanded breakfast menu and our lunch and dinner specials as well.

SEE OUR SPECIALS ON PAGE 16

- Page 7

- Page 11

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| ISSUE 15 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

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D

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on’t settle. No, really, don’t settle.

Owning a business in town means that I hear a LOT of stories from people about just about everything. Some people share great stories of how wonderful Cuenca and Ecuador has been, some tragic stories of loss and some sad stories of how they got “screwed” because they are foreigners.

Now, this is really no different than just about anywhere we could all choose to live. But what is different is that in many of the “”I got screwed” stories, what I find out is that the person just simply settled.

They gave up. Walked away. And then they built a wall around themselves thinking, “I have to assume everyone here is out to screw me.” They put themselves in their own personal jail of fear and apprehension.

And I understand why, it’s just easy to do. I did it myself. And I ALMOST settled. In my case, pain is what stopped me for settling. And thankfully it did.

So here’s my story.

About 6 months ago I cracked a crown on a tooth (of course on the weekend) and I needed to get it replaced as quickly as possible. So, a friend of mine called a friend of hers who is a dentist and he agreed to come in on a Sunday and see what he could do for me.

At first, all things were good. Not great, but good. He looked at the damage and told me he could save the tooth and put a new crown in. But his price was exorbitant for Cuenca. So, what to do? I settled and let the need for instant gratification override my common sense.

And that wasn’t the end of it. As the work began, I knew something wasn’t right, but I kept going back to him for three weeks to get everything done.

Because I settled.

Why did I know something wasn’t right? Well, because I’ve had a few crowns done and I’ve NEVER had anyone cut away my gum to make the crown fit. He did this and I let him. Because I settled. And then he cut my tongue with the drill. And I bled--a lot.

But I went back again for the final fitting of the crown because I just wanted to end it.

The final product was without a doubt the worse crown I’d ever had made.

But I settled with it because my life was too busy to do otherwise.

And then over two months my tooth and gum developed pain that just got worse and worse. It became unbearable. And I couldn’t settle anymore.

So, I finally went to a dentist everyone told me was the best in town. Some people told me she charged more than others (which I have since found out is completely untrue), but I knew something was VERY wrong. So I didn’t settle. I went to see her.

And on my first visit I found out that the gum around the crown was nearly destroyed and we might not be able to save the tooth. Or the gum line.

What this dentist did was remove the crown and place a temporary in that actually fit correctly (the first dentist had not even built a “seat” for the new crown. So it was just cutting into my gum every time I chewed). And my pain dropped by 95%. Really.

Now, guess what she did next? She DIDN’T settle. She admitted that the gum issue was not her expertise and she brought in someone (from her practice group) who specialized in this kind of thing. And to make this long story short, he did surgery and saved my tooth and gum.

We’ve had to wait a few weeks for the swelling to go down so that the final crown will fit perfectly. Right now I’ve got a temporary one in that is pain free and feels like a perfect fit.

And it’s almost time for the new, final tooth to be put in permanently. And this new crown is costing me a fraction of the cost of the first disaster crown.

In the end, I’ve found a dentist who not only knows what she is doing, but also what she shouldn’t do. And she and her partners looked at my care as the most critical thing of our relationship. Not how much money they could make, but how much they could improve my life. They NEVER thought of giving up and taking the easy way out (i.e., pulling the tooth).

So, the moral of all of this? Live your life here as well as you can. And if someone “screws you,” pick yourself up and keep going. Don’t crawl into a jail of fear and apprehension. Find the best solution possible. Because you CAN find that here.

Oh yeah, and DON’T SETTLE!!

P.S. The dentist who saved my gums and mouth is an advertiser in this issue.

Go see her. You won’t ever regret it.

CALL: 0999800901 CONTACTO: 0999815043

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 15 |

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continued from page1 between friends who have spent many an evening discussing love and the pathways of life over beer. In few words, delivered warmly, he welcomes us inside.

The brewery is immaculate. Perhaps I expected something a bit more rustic: wood barrels, the sighs of an old refrigerator, the dirt from the driveway hidden in the corners. But this room shines. Though I haven’t seen much of the beer brewing process up close, Zach has, and he admires the machinery. Three cylinders, nearly my height, sit upright in the middle of the room. Cogs and wheels, levers and buttons, pipes and pumps. I wouldn’t know where to start.

Osvaldo lets us look at everything as we walk around the small front room, about fifty square meters. Then, with a polite indication to the table, he asks for our preferences.

We sit down outside, our faces lit by the glow of the brewery, and Osvaldo brings us a flight. I haven’t had a flight of beer since Angel’s Trumpet in downtown Phoenix. I wouldn’t have expected to find many in Cuenca, let alone here, hidden from the sounds of civilization on a rural drive where no one could find me. We sample the four and decide on our first pint. $2.50 a glass. I choose the Saison because I like the name, imagining it’s named for the artist, and the breathy burst of citrus. Next, the IPA. Then, the Stout. I want them all: the crisp grapefruit and the pulp of nuts and the burnt marshmallow dipped in chocolate.

For someone who tends to not like beer, I surprise even myself by drinking four pints, my hesitant Spanish smoothing out which each sip.

What was meant to be one hour turned into four. During the course of the evening, two new people arrive, their headlights blazing in the darkness.

Somehow, we’ve been found. The Venezuelan man sits down and starts sharing his world. We talk of rebuilding, of the definition of community, of surviving the earthquake. He tells me something that I won’t forget. He says that he lives his life with curiosity. He teases my future plans by stating, “Most people don’t know how to harvest rice? Do you?” I do not.

“Neither did I, so I went to a rice plantation and asked if I could work. I wanted to see how the food I eat is actually made.” He talked about how he did this with cacao, how he is now building bamboo structures on the coast. He picks a subject, studies it, and practices. He is a man who challenges structures, society, the assembly line. He drinks slowly and smokes cigarettes, and I imagine that he’s the type who wakes up full in the mornings, ready for a new day.

Osvaldo is like that too, I think. During the course of the night, I realize he’s only drinking water out of a metal cup. I wonder if he’s had too many of his beers, but that can’t be it. He is proud of his creation, and I think that he enjoys basking in the slight separation between proprietor and customer. He is eager to share his beers, each one offered with a description of ingredients, rather than share his own stories.

One of his sons comes to hang out, pouring the beers and bringing the glasses.

Osvaldo sits beside me and we talk back and forth slowly. Most of the other men have left the table, gone to seek bladder refuge amongst the shadows of banana leaves. Osvaldo tells me how he kept hoping he would have a daughter.

His age still unknown, I learn his oldest son is nearly eighteen. He has four sons, and he loved the fact that his first was a boy. He tells me that’s what he’d hoped for.

But after each new son arrived, he imagined how nice it would be to have a little girl. After the fourth, Osvaldo and his wife said no more. She was made the queen of the men, and she has an army of boys to protect her. Although Osvaldo doesn’t speak much when everyone else was there, his presence extends beyond words. He doesn’t need to speak to be known. I wish I could learn to value silence over words. When we leave in the pick up truck, I look back and see the shadow of Osvaldo’s frame against the brewery door. His hand waving in the air, he watches us pull away. He seems satisfied with everything and everyone around him, the epitome of a man at peace.

Up there in the hills, beneath the banana leaves and the tall trees, you feel safe, tucked away, the king of your world. Not even the quakes under the earth could shake you from your feet. We are only a few kilometers from the coast, but the houses are still intact. The metal machines for brewing beer are so shiny you can see your reflection. The crops are still standing. The walls of the brewery and Osvaldo’s home don’t show cracks. I imagine the earthquake was felt here, it must have been, but it didn’t leave its mark with the same magnitude.

I think to the residents from Proyecto Samán who don’t want to return to the coast in Canoa. A majority of the thirty-two families want to lay down roots in this mountain dirt rather than the salty sand. Many families are planning on staying on the same property where Samán is located, a halfway point between the beach and Rio Canoa. The goal is to save up to pay for the land within two years.

Others, perhaps, will move even further from the skeleton of their former homes to where we currently are driving in the mountains, where we just sat with a warm buzz in our bodies. I imagine survivors want to find a place where earthquakes or the fear of tsunamis won’t find them. They want to find a sanctuary, a place where they can dig in posts, construct new walls, and dig their bruised dreams out from their hiding places. They can build up a small house around their dreams, however vast they are: an empanada restaurant for Maria, a tienda filled with life’s necessities for Rocío, a brewing companion for Osvaldo. Sanctuary can be found in the most unexpected of places.

ISSUE

15

098 167 3885 | info@savorcom.com

Ulises Narvaez Guerrero CEO - ulises@savorec.com David A. Johnson Publisher - dave@savorec.com Hugh Prather Executive Vice President - hugh@savorec.com Tara Mastracchio Director of Personnel - tara@savorec.com Yvonne Albornoz Account Executive - yvonne@savorec.com Owner: Michael Soares The Cuenca Dispatch is published by Savor Communications. Any reproduction or duplication of any part thereof must be done with the written permission of the Publisher. All information included herein is correct to the best of our knowledge as of the publication date. Corrections should be forwarded to the Publisher at the address above.

Disclaimer: The paid advertisements contained within The Cuenca Dispatch are not endorsed or recommended by the Publisher. Therefore, neither party may be held liable for the business practices of these companies. © The Cuenca Dispatch and Savor Communications, 2016

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World News

POLAND

SPAIN

4 white lions, 3 white tigers Barcelona pageant celebrates transgender women born in zoo in Poland

D

S

even rare white wild cats — four lions and three tigers — have been born in the past week in a private zoo in central Poland.

The lions were born on Sunday at the Zoo Safari in Borysew and are doing well under the care of their mother, 5-year-old Azira. They are the fourth litter for Azira and 7-year-old Sahim. There are at most only a few hundred white lions in the world.

Head of the zoo Andrzej Pabich said the genders of the cubs was unknown because keepers have not touched them yet.

On Thursday, a white tiger also gave birth at the zoo, and Pabich believes there are three cubs.

EGYPT

Migrant boat capsizes off Egypt, killing at least 42

A

boat carrying African migrants headed to Europe capsized off the Mediterranean coast near the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Wednesday, killing at least 42 people, Egyptian authorities said.

The army gave the toll in a statement, saying it had “thwarted an illegal immigration attempt” and that the boat had been 12 nautical miles off the coast when it sank.

In the city of Rosetta, Egyptian families gathered near the harbor urging authorities to do more in their search and rescue effort for their loved ones who were among the lost.

“We have been telling the authorities from 5:30 a.m., that the boat is sinking, and they were saying they had no rescue boats, and no one was moving,” said Hassan Suleiman Daoud, a relative of one of the migrants.

Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said that the total number of dead was still unknown. Local official Alaa Osman from Beheira province said the migrants were from several African countries. He said over 150 people have been rescued so far but that bodies are still being pulled from the water.

Egypt’s official news agency MENA said the boat was carrying 600 people when it sank near the coast, some 180 kilometers (112 miles) north of the capital, Cairo.

espite facing violence and discrimination in many countries, 28 transgender women found a place to shine.

The women competed last weekend to be crowned Miss Trans Star International, Europe’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women and one of a growing number of events aimed at celebrating a population more often condemned.

Latin America had the most contestants in the Barcelona pageant, which has been held five times since 2010. The continent is home to both a robust transgender rights movement and where 79 percent of the 269 transgender women killed around the world last year lived, according to the Berlin-based Trans Murder Monitoring project.

But in a sign of the movement’s global momentum, the Miss Trans Star contest also for the first time attracted participants originally from Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, countries where neither gay nor transgender citizens have legal protections.

Organizer Thara Wells, a model and performer in Spain, says besides giving transgender women a place to showcase their looks and talent, the pageant is a platform for denouncing discrimination against the LGBT community.

The competition, Wells says, gives “more visibility to the transsexual community fighting for equal rights.”

To be eligible, contestants are not required to have undergone gender reassignment surgery, but must have a face and figure that fits with traditional notions of ideal feminine beauty. During two days of competition, contestants took the stage dressed in swimsuits, formal wear and costumes reflecting their homelands.

Miss Brazil, aka Rafaela Manfrini, emerged as the winner. Another pageant favorite, Tallen Abu Hama of Israel, was named first runner-up.

Abu Hama, a Christian Arab from the city of Nazareth, won Israel’s first transgender pageant in the spring.

The spirit of the contest was summed up by the woman representing Nigeria, a British citizen who says she fled the African nation after twice attempting to take her own life and being beaten on the street for wearing a women’s scarf.

She goes by the name Miss Sahhara to avoid retribution.

“We just need to have the chance and right for us to be ourselves and to survive. Unfortunately, that is not allowed in my country,” she said. “I want to go back to Nigeria next year to try to teach them that to be a transgender is something normal. We have blood in our veins and we are human beings.”

RUSSIA

3 die in Russian rescue helicopter crash

T

he Russian Emergencies Ministry says three people have died when one of its helicopters crashed near Moscow.

The Mi-8 helicopter went down during a training mission late Wednesday, killing Roman Frolov, the chief of the Zhukovsky aviation rescue center, and two other men. It crashed into a forest about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southeast of the capital.

The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately clear, but some Russian reports mentioned engine failure as a possible cause.

The Emergencies Ministry on Thursday praised Frolov as a seasoned professional who has proven his skills in putting down forest fires and other missions.

Publisher’s Letter

i

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 15 |

5

had the pleasure of visiting Vilcabamba the other

progress.”

The conversation stopped, everyone

day. I ended up spending some time hanging

looked around at each other, we all shook our heads

out with local expats and enjoying desultory

in acknowledgement and started talking about

conversation at a local watering hole.

The

something more pleasant. It was a moment I will

conversation jumped back and forth from topic to

never forget and, frankly, it changed my perspective

topic and included all the things that conversations

on something I have done more than I care to admit

do these days; politics, the insane things going on

– talk negatively about someone. I vowed, at that

in the United States and the advantages of living

point, that I would stop speaking negatively about

in South America. I don’t remember everyone that

people even if I felt they deserved it.

was at the table, but there was a guy who I will never

One of the things I have noticed about the expat

forget mostly because he has the coolest name on

community here is that there seems to be an

the planet – Dickson Dangers.

Certainly no one really has the name Dickson Dangers so I asked him what his real name was.

“That is my real name”, he responded to which I said, “That is the coolest name ever”.

You’d think with the last name Johnson, my parents

and birthdate was accused of abusing a female coworker. And, most recently, while visiting San Diego, I met a guy at a business networking event with my

abundance of people with “strong” personalities.

With this comes strong opinions about others and there doesn’t seem to be many qualms about

exact name and birthdate, but a different year. I am

openly sharing these opinions, be it in person, or

stuck with the name now, but I would have given

more openly, on Facebook. Please don’t mistake

could have been more creative with a first name.

anything in my younger years to be called something this as sanctimony, I have just admitted I am guilty of different. Meeting Dickson rekindled my desire to the same thing. That said, moving forward, if I hear

Heck, anything would be more creative than David.

have a more creative name.

anyone talking negatively about anyone else, I going

Having this name has created some issues for me

As it turns out Dickson didn’t have just a cool name,

to take a page from Dickson and simply say “we’re

during my career. Once, I applied to work for a big

he was a very cool person, enlightened beyond

all works in progress”. If you catch me doing the

insurance company. I got all the way to the end and most people you meet these days. He was very kind same, please give me a gentle reminder.

I would

was told that I lied on my application. I asked what,

and I imagine most people like him immediately.

recommend everyone else do the same, unless, of

specifically, they were talking about and was told

When the conversation turned negative, and

course, you are perfect.

that I failed to mention the time I spent in a federal someone said something unpleasant about another penitentiary in Arizona. Another time, I was passed

person, he piped up and said, “We shouldn’t talk

over for a job because a person with the same name about others like that. After all, we are all works in

Dave

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Canadian News

Ottawa

Canadian Mint employee accused of smuggling $180K of gold in his rectum

A

n employee of the Royal Canadian Mint allegedly smuggled about $180,000 in gold from the fortress-like facility, possibly evading multiple levels of detection with a time-honoured prison trick.

Hiding the precious metal up his bum.

The case against Leston Lawrence, 35, of Barrhaven concluded in an Ottawa courtroom Tuesday. Justice Peter Doody reserved decision until Nov. 9 on a number of smuggling-for-cash charges, including theft, laundering the proceeds of crime, possession of stolen property and breach of trust.

The Uck! factor aside, the case was also an illuminating look at security measures inside the Mint, the building on Sussex Drive that produces hundreds of millions of gold coins annually for the federal Crown corporation.

“Appalling,” was the conclusion of defence lawyer Gary Barnes, who described the Crown’s case as an underwhelming collection of circumstantial evidence.

“This is the Royal Canadian Mint, your Honour, and one would think they should have the highest security measures imaginable,” Barnes said in his closing submission.

“And here the gold is left sitting around in open buckets.”

Indeed, it was not even the Mint that discovered the alleged theft but an alert bank teller.

Court was told that, on multiple occasions, Lawrence took small circular chunks of gold — a cookie-sized nugget called a “puck” — to Ottawa Gold Buyers in the Westgate Shopping Centre on Carling Avenue.

Typically, the pucks weighed about 210 grams, or 7.4 ounces, for which he was given cheques in the $6,800 range, depending on fluctuating gold prices, court heard. He then deposited the cheques at the Royal Bank in the same mall.

One day a teller became suspicious at the size and number of Ottawa Gold Buyers cheques being deposited and Lawrence’s request to wire money out of the country. She then noticed on his account profile that he worked at the Mint.

The first red flag was up.

Bank security was alerted, then the RCMP, which began to investigate.

Eventually, a search warrant was obtained and four Mint-style pucks were found in Lawrence’s safety deposit box, court heard.

Records revealed 18 pucks had been sold between Nov. 27, 2014 and March 12, 2015. Together with dozens of gold coins that were redeemed, the total value of the suspected theft was conservatively estimated at $179,015.

Winnipeg

Homeless Winnipeg artist stops selling paintings after police issue ticket

A

Winnipeg man who once sold his artwork on a street corner says he has little choice but to return to panhandling after he says police ticketed him and told him he needed to buy a permit.

Jamie Hogaboam lives in a shelter and says he simply doesn’t have the money to pay for the $300 licence. Now, rather than displaying his art for sale, he spends his day with a handmade sign and a cup.

The man, whose life-like paintings once turned heads, says he mostly goes unnoticed.

“I felt a sense of pride that here’s an artist trying to better himself and now that I’ve been sent back to being just a panhandler, it just feels really degrading,” he told CTV Winnipeg.

Hogaboam lives in and out of shelters and is unable to work after a gambling addiction and severe depression left him broke. He spent his first night on the

street at the age of 50 and began sleeping in shelters in 2014.

CTV News profiled Hogaboam in June when a local studio began showcasing his artwork publicly and providing him with a space to paint. His art often depicts serene, natural settings and vivid portraits of Canadian athletes, and he sold the one-of-a-kind pieces on the street.

Hogaboam asked for $5 donations for each postcard-sized print, and he often made about $50 per day. But now, he says, he’s back to earning around $10 from panhandling.

He now spends about five hours each day with a cardboard sign: “I’d rather sell my paintings to rich people than beg the working class for change.”

Hogaboam said he wants the City of Winnipeg to reconsider its position.

“I’m willing to buy a permit if you have a reasonable permit, which would be sort of like a busker’s licence or something to sell artwork,” he said.

But the city says Hogaboam is considered a mobile vendor and that he needs a proper licence to operate.

One advocate says that giving Hogaboam a ticket wasn’t a reasonable response.

“It’s not a good use of police resources to be handing out tickets to someone who’s homeless and has no capacity to pay the ticket,” said John Hutton, executive director of the John Howard Society of Manitoba.

In the meantime, Hogaboam said he will continue panhandling until he decides if he can make enough to afford the $300 permit. He has a court appearance scheduled in mid-October regarding the loitering ticket.

MONTREAL

Police seize Montreal reporter’s computer to find source for story against judge

A

Montreal journalist whose computer was seized by police after reporting on the alleged abusive behaviour of a judge did nothing wrong and broke no laws, said his managing editor on Thursday.

Provincial police seized Journal de Montreal reporter Michael Nguyen’s computer at the behest of Quebec’s judicial council on Wednesday at the offices of the tabloid newspaper.

Managing Editor George Kalogerakis said Thursday the search warrant indicated the council suspected Nguyen illegally accessed its website for details about a complaint against a Quebec Court judge.

“I can tell you that our reporter did not break any laws to get his story,” Kalogerakis said. “We do not break laws at the Journal. We will contest the validity of the search warrant as far as we can.”

Nguyen reported in the newspaper last June that judge Suzanne Vadeboncoeur allegedly hurled insults and acted abusively towards constables after a Christmas party in December at the Montreal courthouse.

The reporter received a copy of a surveillance video allegedly showing the incident -- which was uploaded to the newspaper’s website -- as well as a report detailing a complaint against the judge.

Kalogerakis said the judicial council -- which hears complaints against provincially appointed judges -- suspects Nguyen “hacked” into its website to collect the information.

Nguyen and the newspaper deny the claim.

Kalogerakis said the judicial council wants the computer in order to find out how Nguyen received his information.

“We believe that this is case where people want to shoot the messenger,” Kalogerakis said. “Our story was about the very questionable behaviour of a judge after a Christmas party. There were complaints about her behaviour and we thought this was in the public interest.”

Moreover, he said all the information reported in the story was made public after Vadeboncoeur appeared in front of a disciplinary committee.

Quebec’s professional order of journalists released a statement saying it “vigorously denounces” the seizure.

“It is unacceptable to search journalists or news organizations in order to discover sources when what was revealed was in the public interest, which is the case here,” said president Jean-Thomas Leveille.

US News TENNESSEE

3 dead in plant shooting in East Tennessee

T

hree people died Thursday in a shooting at an East Tennessee factory, police said.

The shooter’s body was found in a bathroom, dead of what “appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Athens Police Chief Charles Ziegler said. All three of the dead were employees of the plant.

The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/2d43QH4 ) said the shooting was reported around 4:15 p.m. at Thomas & Betts Corp. Police arrived to find people “streaming” from all exits, Ziegler said.

The police chief said the shooter was apparently using a semi-automatic pistol, but he didn’t know the caliber or brand.

Witnesses described “some attempted shooting in the front office and actual shooting deep inside the factory on the north side and the middle,” Ziegler said.

The names of the dead were not released.

“We cannot confirm any information on any of the victims,” Ziegler said.

“We have not even gotten the investigators in there.”

CALIFORNIA

Yahoo hack steals personal info from at least 500M accounts

Computer hackers swiped personal information from at least 500 million Yahoo accounts in what is believed to be the biggest digital break-in at an email provider.

The massive security breakdown disclosed Thursday poses new headaches for beleaguered Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer as she scrambles to close a $4.8 billion sale to Verizon .

The breach dates back to late 2014, raising questions about the checks and balances within Yahoo — a fallen internet star that has been laying off staff and trimming expenses to counter a steep drop in revenue during the past eight years.

At the time of the break-in, Yahoo’s security team was led by Alex Stamos, a respected industry executive who left last year to take a similar job at Facebook. onCE MoRE unto tHE BREACH Yahoo didn’t explain what took so long to uncover a heist that it blamed on a “state-sponsored actor” — parlance for a hacker working on behalf of a foreign

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government.

The Sunnyvale, California, company declined to explain how it reached its conclusions about the attack for security reasons, but said it is working with the FBI and other law enforcement. Yahoo began investigating a possible breach in July, around the time the tech site Motherboard reported that a hacker who uses the name “Peace” was trying to sell account information belonging to 200 million Yahoo users.

Yahoo didn’t find evidence of that reported hack, but additional digging later uncovered a far larger, allegedly state-sponsored attack.

“We take these types of breaches very seriously and will determine how this occurred and who is responsible,” the FBI said in a Thursday statement.

MoSt ACCountS EVER StoLEn The Yahoo theft represents the most accounts ever stolen from a single email provider, according to computer security analyst Avivah Litan with the technology research firm Gartner Inc. “It’s a shocking number,” Litan said. “This is a pretty big deal that is probably going to cost them tens of millions of dollars. Regulators and lawyers are going to have a field day with this one.”

Yahoo says it has more than 1 billion monthly users, although it hasn’t disclosed how many of those people have email accounts. In July, 161 million people worldwide used Yahoo email on personal computers, a 30 percent decline from the same time in 2014, according to the latest data from the research firm comScore.

The data stolen from Yahoo includes users’ names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birth dates, scrambled passwords, and the security questions — and answers — used to verify an accountholder’s identity. The company said the attacker didn’t get any information about its users’ bank accounts or credit and debit cards.

Security experts say the Yahoo theft could hurt the affected users if their personal information is mined to break into other online services or used for identity theft.

All affected users will be notified about the theft and advised how to protect themselves, according to the company.

Yahoo also is recommending that all users change their passwords if they haven’t done so since 2014. If the same password is used to access other sites, it should be changed too, along with any security questions similar to those used on Yahoo.

THE VERiZon iMPACt News of the security lapse could cause some people to have second thoughts about relying on Yahoo’s services, raising a prickly issue for the company as it tries to sell its digital operations to Verizon.

That deal, announced two months ago, isn’t supposed to close until early next year. That leaves Verizon with wiggle room to renegotiate the purchase price or even back out if it believes the security breach will harm Yahoo’s business. That could happen if users shun Yahoo or file lawsuits because they’re incensed by the theft of their personal information.

Verizon said it still doesn’t know enough about the Yahoo break-in to assess the potential consequences. “We will evaluate as the investigation continues through the lens of overall Verizon interests, including consumers, customers, shareholders and related communities,” the company said in a statement.

DELAy oF SALE? At the very least, Verizon is going to need more time to assess what it will be getting into if it proceeds with its plans to take over Yahoo, said Scott Vernick, an attorney specializing in data security for the law firm Fox Rothschild.

“This is going to slow things down. There is going to be a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed on this,” Vernick said. “A buyer needs to understand the cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses of its target these days.”

Investors evidently aren’t nervous about the Verizon deal unraveling yet.

Yahoo’s stock added a penny Thursday to close at $44.15. But the Verizon sale represents a sliver of Yahoo’s total market value, which primarily consists of a stake in Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group currently worth $42 billion.

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| ISSUE 15 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

US News

NEW YORK

Patterson pulls ‘The Murder of Stephen King’

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combination of disease, habitat loss, climate change and overuse of pesticides on commercial crops.

If approved, the species would be the first bee listed as endangered in the continental United States, said Rich Hatfield, senior conservation biologist with the Xerces Society.

The group, which advocates for the preservation of pollinator insects such as butterflies and bees, used “citizen scientists” to take counts of the rusty patched bumble bees.

The bees once ranged over 28 states stretching from Minnesota to Maine and into parts of Canada, but are now limited to small and scattered colonies in about a dozen states, including Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota, and one Canadian province, the Fish & Wildlife Service said in a statement Thursday.

Even those populations may have disappeared or been reduced because the last counts were done in 2000, the agency said.

“This is a very difficult thing to track. It’s not like honey bees that are out in boxes that people can go out and count so keeping track of them in the wild is very difficult,” Hatfield said of the bumble bee’s numbers.

The rusty patched bumble bee gets its name for a crescent-shaped, reddish patch on its abdomen. It is one of 4,000 native bee species in North America, Hatfield said.

ames Patterson has decided that an upcoming novel, “The Murder of Stephen King,” wasn’t a good idea after all and is having the scheduled Nov. 1 publication withdrawn.

In a statement released Thursday through Little, Brown and Company, Patterson said he didn’t want to cause King or his family “any discomfort.” The book was intended as a tribute to King, a King-like story of an obsessed fan out to get the writer. But Patterson, who co-authored the 150-page novel with Derek Nikitas, said he had learned that fans in real life had “disrupted” King’s home.

“My book is a positive portrayal of a fictional character, and, spoiler alert, the main character is not actually murdered,” he said. “Nevertheless, I do not want to cause Stephen King or his family any discomfort. Out of respect for them, I have decided not to publish ‘The Murder of Stephen King.’”

Despite the jarring title and Patterson’s best-seller status, the novel NEW YORK ranked just No. 30,491 on Amazon.com as of midday Thursday. King had no involvement with the book and declined to comment last week when asked about it by The Associated Press.

Patterson told the AP last week that he and King don’t know each other, although there is some public history between them. In a 2009 interview with USA Weekend, King said Patterson was “a terrible writer but he’s very ocial media app Snapchat is introducing video-recording glasses called successful.” Patterson, speaking to the AP, shrugged off the remarks as Spectacles and is changing its company name to incorporate the new “hyperbole.” product.

The novel about King was a featured work in the prolific Patterson’s The glasses can record video 10 seconds at a time by tapping a button BookShots series of brief, inexpensive fiction. As a replacement, he will be on the device. The video is then uploaded to the Memories section of the releasing the novel “Taking the Titanic” in November. popular image-messaging app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The glasses are the first OREGON hardware from the Los Angeles-based company.

The glasses record so-called “circular video,” meaning it plays full-screen on any device in any orientation.

They will be available in the U.S. in the fall on a limited basis and cost $130.

In a way, the Spectacles recall Google’s venture into eyewear, Google Glass, which took photos and video. But that device also had a screen that let you surf the web as well and cost $1,500.

Google shuttered that venture in early 2015 after it received a tepid response from users.

The company says it’s changing its name to Snap Inc. since it now has more than one product. The app will retain the name Snapchat.

Snapchat debuts recording ‘Spectacles,’ changes company name

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Rusty patched bumble bee recommended for endangered list

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ederal wildlife officials on Thursday made a formal recommendation to list the rusty patched bumble bee as an endangered species because it has disappeared from about 90 percent of its historic range in just the past two decades.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service made the recommendation after the Portland, Oregon-based Xerces Society petitioned the agency on behalf of the bee in 2013 and presented studies showing it was struggling due to a

Community

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SPECIAL SPOOKY SPOKEN WORD!

When Cash Isn’t Trash

By Hugh Prather

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Cover photo by Brian Buckner

ranny Hogg Lochow (Frances A. Hogg) is a writer, editor, writing instructor and a founding organizer of the Cuenca International Writers Conference.

She is also the founder of the Cuenca Writers Collective, through which

she moderates a writing critique group and organizes and emcees the Spoken Word, a live performance by Cuenca writers of their works, held monthly.

“Every month I try to provide a good representation of the different types of writing,” says Franny. “We have a poet or two, chapters of books, fiction and non-fiction, and short stories in various genres. But I thought it would be fun to do something different for the month of October, and Halloween. I asked writers to try their hand at writing short horror stories. But nothing I do seems to stays simple. Projects tend to morph into bigger things, involving more people.

They’re a lot of work, but they’re fun and generally, appreciated by the expat community. We decided we might as well publish a small anthology of creepy stories, called ‘From the Shadows’.”

Then an opportunity arose to be part of the Second Annual Art Walk, in conjunction with contributors to another anthology, Friends in Foreign Places.

The Spoken Word will use the stage and projection equipment café and art space of República Sur, 5-55 Presidente Cordova near Calle Hermano Miguel.

There is no entry fee for the two-hour event, held between 3 and 5 p.m. From the Shadows will be available for purchase afterward, as will electronic versions of Friends in Foreign Places.” All proceeds from From the Shadows will be donated to Hogar de la Esperanza, a Cuenca organization that provides support to persons suffering from HIV/AIDS and their families. All proceeds from Friends in Foreign Places will support Proyecto Samán, providing housing solutions for earthquake survivors in Canoa. (The next regular performance of Spoken Word will be October 20, at the Sunrise Cafe, 9-38 Calle Larga near Benigno Malo.

Readings begin at 6:00 pm, but the doors open at 5:00 for food and drinks, and seating runs out fast!)

t about 0.11%, the annual interest earned on an average bank savings account would be pathetic even if it were 1.10%. Since such an astounding tenfold rise in interest rates – or any increase visible without an electron microscope – is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future, cash will continue to be the ‘Rodney Dangerfield’ of assets.

For those who don’t remember, Dangerfield is the beloved, rumpled comedian whose tagline was “I don’t get no respect.”

R-E-S-P-E-C-T These days, cash doesn’t either. But maybe it should.

In normal times, or at least when interest rates weren’t zero, cash served as both a safe anchor and a source of liquidity. Apart from those crazy days of the late-1970s and early-1980s when short-term interest rates skyrocketed because of inflation fears, cash was never meant to be a big money-maker. But it was safe and liquid, and generated modest returns.

Today, of course, the Federal Reserve’s obsession with monetary stimulus leaves little room for giving the nation’s savers a fair deal. As a result, many investors – who typically drifted into holding more cash as they grew older – have been left with few viable alternatives. They can take on greater risk in exchange for slightly higher (and still not generous) returns or save even more.

Playing Defense Despite the miserable returns, cash retains its value as a defensive asset.

There’s nothing better than having near-riskless cash in one’s portfolio, if all hell should break loose in the equity markets (I’m not saying it will, just that it can) or if who-knows-what happens in the bond markets and interest rates rise (extremely unlikely, but stranger things have happened like negative interest rates).

I like what Edward Studzinski, the respected former co-manager of the Oakmark Equity & Income Fund (OAKBX), recently said about cash and where he would invest new money now: “At this point, I have to confess that I really have no good ideas. Nothing looks undervalued. Bonds look quite overvalued. In terms of real estate, the idea that class A office properties are changing hands at capitalization rates of four times or less (income multiples of 25X or greater) is truly off the charts, driven by a desire for income without an appreciation of the risk attendant. Retail real estate is dying a slow, or perhaps not so slow, death. Equities as a class don’t look undervalued. While I feel that now is the time for active value managers to outshine and outperform the passive players, too many of them have compromised the discipline by investing based on metrics. Their analysts have gotten used to a form of pandering rather than looking for truly undervalued or misclassified situations, where the market inefficiencies still exist relative to the business value. My answer for the moment, which few will like, is that cash is the undervalued asset. It also has the lowest opportunity costs attached to it, since one year insured certificates of deposit are increasingly available in the marketplace yielding a 1% APR.” While the “smart” money may scoff, maybe having a little extra cash in your portfolio these days isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Mr. Prather is a retired financial planner from Charlotte, NC and was a Vice President with Solomon Smith Barney and Charles Schwab. He he held series 7, 63 and 66 securities licenses as well as long-term care and life and health insurance licenses. Mr. Prather also worked for Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. He now lives here in Cuenca, Ecuador.

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Health & Wellness

RECIPE

Why dental hygiene is essential for overall health

PUMPKIN? NO PROBLEM!

By Frances A. Hogg

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he importance of maintaining clean teeth and healthy gums goes beyond having fresh breath and a white smile. Many people are surprised to discover that oral hygiene plays an integral role in overall health.

Research indicates that oral health mirrors the condition of the body as a whole. Also, regular dental visits can alert dentists about overall health and pinpoint if a person is at a risk for chronic disease. An oral health checkup also may be the first indication of a potential health issue not yet evident to a general medical doctor.

Heart disease According to the Academy of General Dentistry, there is a distinct relationship between periodontal disease and conditions such as heart disease and stroke. Joint teams at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, found that people with bleeding gums from poor dental hygiene could have an increased risk of heart disease. Bacteria from the mouth is able to enter the bloodstream when bleeding gums are present.

That bacteria can stick to platelets and subsequently form blood clots.

This interrupts the flow of blood to the heart and may trigger a heart attack.

Brushing and flossing twice daily and rinsing with mouthwash can remove bacteria and keep gums healthy.

Facial pain The Office of the Surgeon General says infections of the gums that support the teeth can lead to facial and oral pain. Gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum disease, as well as advanced gum disease, affects more than 75 percent of the American population.

Dental decay can lead to its own share of pain. Maintaining a healthy mouth can fend off decay and infections, thereby preventing pain.

Pancreatic cancer In 2007, the Harvard School of Public Health reported a link between gum

disease and pancreatic cancer. In the ongoing study, 51,000 men were followed and data was collected beginning in 1986. The Harvard researchers found that men with a history of gum disease had a 64 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared with men who had never had gum disease. The greatest risk for pancreatic cancer among this group was in men with recent tooth loss. However, the study was unable to find links between other types of oral health problems, such as tooth decay, and pancreatic cancer.

Alzheimer’s disease Various health ailments, including poor oral health, have been linked to a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In 2010, after reviewing 20 years’ worth of data, researchers from New York University concluded that there is a link between gum inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.

Follow-up studies from researchers at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom compared brain samples from 10 living patients with Alzheimer’s to samples from 10 people who did not have the disease.

Data indicated that a bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis - was present in the Alzheimer’s brain samples but not in the samples from the brains of people who did not have Alzheimer’s. P. gingivalis is usually associated with chronic gum disease.

As a result of the study, experts think that the bacteria can move via nerves in the roots of teeth that connect directly with the brain or through bleeding gums.

These health conditions are just a sampling of the relationship between oral health and overall health.

Additional connections also have been made and continue to be studied.

ack in the Old Country I always kept canned pumpkin in my larder. I used it to make pies, spice cakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin ravioli, and my favorite hearty, healthy meal—a delicious Caribbean soup. The soup was cheap to make, thrown together using a can of pumpkin, a can of black beans and a can of diced tomatoes along with a few fresh veggies. It was always fast and easy and tasted as if all those flavors had been simmering together on the stove for hours.

But last year, when my husband Robert said, “You what I really miss? Your PUMPKIN SOUP!” it was not such a no-brainer. Canned beans and tomatoes are expensive in Ecuador. Canned pumpkin is unheard of. And to prepare these ingredients from scratch? The beans must be soaked overnight and then cooked for hours. The tomatoes must be cleaned, chopped and then stewed. And the pumpkin? Don’t get me started on the pumpkin!

On our first Thanksgiving in Ecuador I decided to make the traditional pie. Canned pumpkin proved elusive. The small, round “pie” pumpkins I might have purchased in the US aren’t grown here. But in the mercados it is possible to buy a 40-lb zapallo (zah-pahl-yoh), a lumpy mottled green squash. You can haul it home and then do what indigenous housewives do: put it in the middle of your kitchen floor and chop it to pieces up with an ax or a machete. I decided not to go native and opted instead to buy a plastic-wrapped chunk at Coral, for about a dollar. I put it in a roasting pan, baked it until soft, let it cool, pared off the thick skin, cut it into smaller bits and pureed it in my blender. The pie was fine but I swore I’d never do that again….

There is a much easier way to make your own pumpkin purée!

Bagged, peeled and cut-up zapallo can be purchased at SuperMaxi, Coral, or from ladies in the mercados. It has a dark-orange flesh. You can put it in a saucepan covered with water, boil until fork-tender, then drain it; or pierce the bag several times with a fork or knife, and put the whole thing in your microwave under the “baked potato” setting. Be careful when opening the bag later not to be burned by escaping steam! Run the cooked chunks through a blender or food processor or even use a potato masher to make the purée. Leftover puree can be frozen in a zip-lock bag for later use.

Reserve about two cups of the cooked zapallo in this delicious, hearty soup!

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

(serves four, about 150 calories per serving) 1 T olive oil I white onion, chopped (about 2/3 cups) 1 red bell pepper, chopped I/2 ají pepper, finely diced (Remove seeds and veins. I wear plastic gloves when I do this!)

2 tsp minced garlic or garlic paste 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock (or use bouillon cubes or packets) 2 c pumpkin purée I 15 oz can frejol negro, rinsed, or 1 3/4 c cooked black beans 1 1/2 c ripe tomatoes, chopped Salt and pepper In a small amount of oil, sauté the onion, aji, peppers and cumin until the onion is translucent. Add the stock or bouillon, thyme, puree and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft. Add the beans.

This is a very colorful meal, even more so if you use both red and yellow peppers. If you opt to use canned black beans, check the label. Facundo brand (in the blue can) sells frejol negro but also something called menestra de frejol negro, which looks the same but also contains garlic, onions, spices and salt. Rinse the menestra, also, or adjust your spices accordingly.

And as if you needed an additional reason to try this recipe, here are some other things to think about: Zapallo Facts! This South American squash has many health benefits! At only 50 calorie per cup, it contains 3 grams of dietary fiber and no fat. It provides potassium and Vitamin C, Vitamin A and carotenes. It helps lower blood pressure, maintain eye health, and promote weight loss!

Black Bean Facts! Black beans provide even more fiber, folate, Vitamin B6 and they help lower cholesterol!

Cumin Facts! Cumin aids in digestion and is commonly used to treat cold symptoms and anemia!

Enjoy!

Four years ago, Frances A. Hogg had an encounter with an irate gringo gentleman in the aisles of a supermarket in Cuenca. He appeared ready to burst a blood vessel because he couldn’t find pancake mix. This inspired her to write What’s Cookin’, Cuenca?: a gringo guide to buying and preparing food in Ecuador. The book explains the differences between types and brands of foods, and provides Spanish translations, shopping, cooking and baking hints, as well as recipes. New and updated, the book will soon be released by Zero Latitude Books in print form!

Strange News

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Did Mickey Mouse’s Pants Wreck His Robot In Disguise: Someone Made Sex Life? We Have Science On This. A Real-Life ‘Transformers’ Car

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ver wonder why Mickey Mouse never had any kids? Maybe it was those silly pants.

Let’s not even consider whether his lack of style turned Minnie off. Mickey may have failed to score because of the fabric of his red shorts.

Sound goofy? Well, that’s the finding of a 1993 study on the effect of textiles on the sexual activity of rats, Mickey’s fellow rodents.

Sexologist Ahmed Shafik of Cairo made 60 lab rats wear pants for a year, and he determined that they saw less action when wearing polyester shorts. Shafik passed away in 2007, but his findings are garnering attention this week after they earned a posthumous Ig Nobel Prize on Thursday night.

The Ig Nobels, a tradition at Harvard University, honor some of the strangest academic research in the world ― or as the award’s founders put it, “discoveries that cannot, or should not, be reproduced.”

“Shafik perfectly fulfilled the requirements to win an Ig Nobel Prize: his experiments make people first laugh, then think,” said Marc Abrahams, editor of The Annals of Improbable Research, the organization that hands out the awards.

Deadly, ‘Horny’ Snake Found Snuggling In Woman’s Ugg Boot

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hese snakeskin boots are never in style.

An Australian woman was forced to call in the snake catchers this week when she found a slithering surprise in her Ugg boots. “’It’s chilly enough for Ugg boots today,’ thinks this eastern brown snake,” Snake Catchers Adelaide wrote in a post on their Facebook page.

The eastern brown snake is “responsible for most deaths caused by snakebite in Australia,” according to Reptile Park Australia.

Snake catcher (yeah, that’s his official job) Rolly Burrell said that the snakes are “just starting to wake up from their sleep” after an unseasonably long winter.

“Their mating season has started so they’re all horny and hungry,” Burrell told the BBC.

I

t’s the ultimate “Transformers” toy: a real car that transforms into a robot.

Turkish company Letvision recently unveiled “LETRONS,” a BMW that can turn into a giant robot.

The company said it took a team of 12 engineers and four technicians at least eight months to create the transforming BMW. There are a couple of downsides to the giant toy. The car can’t be driven, but it is remotely-controlled. Also, when it’s in robot-mode, the car can’t walk (although the company said they were working on adding that capability). The transformation was also a little slow, but hey, it’s still a car that transforms into a giant robot.

There’s no information about how much one of these babies will set you back, but the company said LETRONS will be for sale “if the buyers’ project and their reasons for use, meets the criteria.”

No, NASA Didn’t Change Your Zodiac Sign After the internet freaked out over “changing” zodiac signs last week, NASA is setting the record straight.

In a Tumblr post Monday, the space agency explained why no one should be having an identity crisis.

“Here at NASA, we study astronomy, not astrology,” the post reads. “We didn’t change any zodiac signs, we just did the math.”

The confusion stemmed from a slew of articles with headlines like, “Don’t Freak Out, But Your Star Sign Has Probably Changed,” and, “Your Astrological Sign Just Changed, Thanks To NASA.” Needless to say, people lost it.

The articles cited a page on NASA’s website that mentioned a 13th zodiac sign, Ophiuchus. The same webpage described how the positions of constellations have shifted, relative to the Earth, in the thousands of years since the Babylonians originally mapped out the zodiac.

According to NASA, these two tidbits are nothing new.

In its Tumblr post, NASA explains the origins of the zodiac, created more than 3,000 years ago. According to ancient Babylonian stories, the zodiac originally contained 13 constellations, including Ophiuchus. However, they chose only 12 constellations to fit their existing calendar, which had only 12 months.

“To make a tidy match with their 12-month calendar, the Babylonians ignored the fact that the sun actually moves through 13 constellations, not 12,” the NASA post explains. “Then they assigned each of those 12 constellations equal amounts of time.”

Meanwhile, the earth’s axis has changed position since Babylonian times, meaning it doesn’t point in the same direction it did 3,000 years ago.

While this explanation should clear up any remaining confusion, NASA stresses one major point: Astrology isn’t real science.

“No one has shown that astrology can be used to predict the future or describe what people are like based on their birth dates,” the post reads.

Though many people define themselves based on their star signs, wear astrological jewelry and read their horoscopes religiously, the zodiac is ultimately a human creation.

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HOROSCOPES

Keep your heart running strong into your golden years

HOROSCOPES ARiES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may find yourself on the path to some exciting places if you surround yourself with the right people this week. This is a great time to break out of your comfort zone. tAuRuS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you may be looking for a new adventure but you do not have any idea where to look. Anything is possible if you keep your eyes and ears open to everything around you.

GEMini - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, resist the urge to put limits on your personal life.

Anything is possible when you are open to new experiences and opportunites, so don’t be afraid to go with the flow.

H

eart health should be a concern for people of all ages, but especially so for men and women over 50. That’s because, according to the American Heart Association, even men and women who are free of cardiovascular disease at age 50 are at a significant lifetime risk of developing the disease.

But heart disease does not have to be an accepted byproduct of aging. For example, a 2014 study published in the AHA journal Circulation found that maintaining or increasing physical activity after age 65 can improve the heart’s well-being and lower risk of heart attack.

In addition to increasing physical activity as they age, older men and women who understand heart disease and learn to recognize its symptoms have a greater chance of minimizing its affects and lowering their risk of having a heart attack.

What are the symptoms of heart disease?

Heart disease is a blanket term used to describe a host of conditions, so symptoms vary depending on each individual condition. The following are some of the more widely known conditions and their symptoms: · Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a largely symptomless form of heart disease. The AHA notes that the idea that hypertension produces symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, facial flushing, nervousness, and sweating is a misconception. Symptoms typically do not alert men and women to the presence of hypertension, highlighting the emphasis men and women should place on routine visits to the doctor’s office, where their blood pressure can be taken. · Heart attack: The symptoms of a heart attack are different than the symptoms of heart disease that may lead to heart attack. The former can be found by visiting www.heart.org. Signs that you may be heading toward a heart attack include undue fatigue, palpitations (the sensation that your heart is skipping a beat or beating too rapidly), dyspnea (difficulty or labored breathing), chest pain or discomfort from increased activity. · Arrhythmia: Arrhythmia means your heartbeat is irregular, and men and women often mistakenly believe arrhythmia only afflicts those who already have been diagnosed with heart disease or have had a heart attack. But arrhythmia can affect even those men and women who have healthy hearts and no history of cardiovascular disease. Symptoms of arrhythmia can vary greatly, from a single premature beat to a series of premature beats that occur in rapid succession. Arrhythmia that lasts long enough to affect heart function may include symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

How can I protect my heart?

Heart healthy habits take some effort, but men and women can protect their hearts regardless of their ages. · Get sufficient exercise. At least 30 minutes of exercise per day can protect against disease. · Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk for a host of ailments, including heart disease.

Quitting is a great way to start getting your heart and other parts of your body back on track. · Include heart-healthy foods in your diet. A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in cholesterol, salt and saturated fat promotes heart health. · Don’t drink alcohol to excess. Like smoking, drinking alcohol to excess can lead to a host of problems, such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia and high cholesterol, each of which increases your risk of heart disease. · Lose weight. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you have already started to exercise daily and eat a more heart-healthy diet, then you’re on your way to losing weight. Consult your physician if diet and exercise don’t seem to be helping you to shed pounds.

Heart disease kills millions of people across the globe each year, many of whom are over 50.

But men and women who learn about heart disease and how to reduce their risk stand a far greater chance of fighting the disease.

CAnCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you may find the energy surrounding you is a bit overwhelming. If you need a brief break from the hustle and bustle, take a step back and enjoy some quiet time at home.

LEo - Jul 23/Aug 23 The little things will catch your attention this week, Leo. A small detail, a note in a song or a particular color may bring back memories. Try to embrace these feelings.

ViRGo - Aug 24/Sept 22 You may have to put your feelings on the line if you are to gain the respect of someone important to you, Virgo. Although it may feel uncomfortable, forge ahead.

LiBRA - Sept 23/oct 23 Libra, you and a relative or significant other clear a hurdle in your relationship. This may pave the way for a fruitful, happy relationship for years to come.

SCoRPio - oct 24/nov 22 Scorpio, expect a lot of passion and adventure this week. Talk to your spouse or partner about the best way to make the most of this renewed vigor.

SAGittARiuS - nov 23/Dec 21 Celestial energy will rejuvenate and reenergize you, Sagittarius.

Someone you meet may provide a spark that will benefit you greatly in the days ahead.

CAPRiCoRn - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, inspirational forces are all around you, and they can help you make some tough decisions. Pay special attention to an overheard conversation that offers subtle clues.

AQuARiuS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, a situation presents itself and you may need to act immediately. Don’t delay and trust your instincts. The more quickly you respond, the more smoothly things will go.

PiSCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Expect a few surprises in the coming days, Pisces. You can use the diversion, and this unexpected turn may reinvigorate your spirit.

FAMouS BiRtHDAyS SEPTEMBER 25 -Mark Hamill, Actor (65) SEPTEMBER 26 - Olivia Newton-John, Actress (68) SEPTEMBER 27 - Gwyneth Paltrow, Actress (44) SEPTEMBER 28 - Naomi Watts, Actress (48) SEPTEMBER 29 - Zachary Levi, Actor (36) SEPTEMBER 30 - Maddie Ziegler, Dancer (14) OCTOBER 1 - Brie Larson, Actress (27)

Fun and Games

CLUES ACROSS 1. “ER” actress Leslie 5. The Ibo tribe 10. Weapon 14. Olympian Jones 15. Moth genus 16. In addition 17. Neighborhood in Rio 18. Anoint 19. Insect repellent 20. Indigenous person 22. Tooth caregiver 23. Vacation here 24. Aware 27. 7th letter Greek alphabet 30. Actress Ling 31. Gandalf’s real name 32. Luxury car 35. Evildoer 37. Cricket term (abbr.)

38. Primal goddess of the Earth 39. More depressed 40. Cattle genus 41. Dish 42. Not west 43. Founder of Babism 44. Speak rapidly and foolishly 45. Fall back, spring forward 46. Where you sleep 47. Inform 48. Former CIA 49. Salts 52. Bleated 55. Never sleeps 56. Cavalry sword 60. Ceramic jar 61. Cyprinid fishes

63. Home to Cathedral of San Sabino 64. Edible Indian fruit 65. Lake in Botswana 66. University of Miami mascot 67. Perceives 68. Yellow-fever mosquitos 69. All humans have one CLUES DOWN 1. Reveal secrets 2. Private school in New York 3. Pancake 4. Cichlid fish 5. Independent Voters Association 6. Nonviolent advocate 7. Suburb in Copenhagen 8. Heavy cotton garments 9. Self-addressed envelope 10. A way to make wet 11. Genus of trees 12. Millisecond 13. Kiss ballad 21. Unlock 23. ___ mot 25. “Joy Luck Club” author Amy 26. Catch 27. __ and flowed 28. Monetary units 29. Scorched 32. Italian aviator 33. Things to eat 34. Waddles 36. A Queens ballplayer 37. It’s on your driver’s license

38. Talk 40. Witty conversation 41. Satisfies 43. Sound unit 44. Placental mammal 46. Offer 47. Flower cluster 49. Stamps 50. Palmlike plant 51. Developed poliomyelitis vaccine 52. Newhart, Marley, Dylan 53. Wings 54. Away from wind 57. Slugger Ruth 58. Musician Clapton 59. Gamble 61. Desoxyribonucleic acid 62. Female sibling

Solution

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www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 15 |

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Travel

| ISSUE 15 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

Tips for solo female travelers T

raveling abroad is a great way to experience other cultures and meet new people. Many people imagine traveling with friends, family or their significant others, but international travel can be enjoyed by men and women traveling alone as well.

Risk is inherent for anyone traveling abroad, but women must be especially diligent when visiting foreign countries. According to the U.S. Department of State, female travelers are more likely than men to be affected by the religious and cultural beliefs of the foreign countries they visit. Women who plan to travel overseas alone should heed the following tips to ensure their trips are safe and memorable for all the right reasons. · Know where your local embassy is. When traveling abroad, keep the address of the nearest embassy on your person at all times.

American women can visit www.usembassy.gov to learn where the embassy in a given country is located, while Canadians can find similar information about Canadian embassies and consulates by visiting travel.gc.ca. · Do your homework. Before booking a trip, research the country you hope to visit to determine if it's safe for women to visit alone.

Some countries may require women to have a male escort before they can leave the country.

Researching a country can also give you an idea about its crime and security conditions, local laws pertaining to women (if any such laws exist) and other information that can help you decide if a given country is one you can safely visit while

traveling alone. · Bring appropriate clothing. Many countries have laws that govern how women can dress.

One of the joys of traveling is experiencing other cultures, but it's also important to respect those cultures no matter how much you may disagree with their laws and customs. Wearing appropriate clothing can reduce your risk of having a run-in with local law enforcement and lets residents of the country you plan to visit know that you respect their right to govern themselves. · Maintain awareness of your surroundings.

While relaxing inhibitions is one of the joys of traveling, women traveling alone should always be aware of their surroundings. Avoid abandoned areas during the day and night and steer clear of dimly lit, isolated areas when the sun goes down. Do not drink alcohol to excess, as doing so can lower your inhibitions and make you vulnerable to potential attackers. · Establish appropriate boundaries. Oversharing information about yourself and your itinerary with strangers can increase your vulnerability.

Keep private information to yourself and ask for contact information rather than sharing your itinerary if someone wants to meet up again. If someone is making you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to be unfriendly to repel any unwanted attentions.

Traveling alone can make for a memorable vacation, but women traveling alone need to be especially careful so they do not put themselves in harm's way or offend any local laws or customs.

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www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 15 |

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WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN AND BEYOND....

"What’s Happening..." will be updated weekly with a large variety of events that both ex-pats and Ecuadorians will enjoy. If you have an interesting event you would like to publicize, please email us at: thevegetablebar@yahoo.com for consideration.

Adhikara Yoga What: Adhikara Yoga classes. All levels and abilities, bilingual.

When: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8:15AM - 9:45 AM; Tuesday, Thursday, 6:30 PM. Where: Remigio tamariz 2-40 y Federico Proaño Contact: Aubree Jeanne: adhikara.yoga.3@facebook.com 099 255 6981.

Chess Club in Cuenca What: Every age group and skill level is welcome and we play for fun with an emphasis on slow improvement and chess camaraderie that brings us together.

When: Every Saturday from 3 PM- 6PM. Where: Cafe Austria (Hermano Miguel and Simon Bolivar) Cost: Free Contact: Nicholas Barringer: barringernicholas@gmail.com English Speaking Catholic Mass What: English speaking Catholic Mass with Fr. Francis.

When: Every Sunday at 12:30PM. Where: San Roque Catholic Church, Loja, 2 blocks from 12 de Abril Cost: Free Contact: Owadehampton@gmail.com The Gathering What: English speaking Christian Fellowship, Praise and Worship Celebration Service.

When: Every Sunday at 10:08AM Where: Gran Colombia 9-78, between Padre Aguire and Benigno Malo Cost: Free Contact: pastorgreg@thegatheringec.com or brian@briangary.net Course: How to Take Care of Your Home Plants What: Passiflora lecture on potted plants and gardens, gardeing tips, FAQ and fertilizers and soil.

When: Friday, September 30th from 8:30AM to 5PM and Saturday, October 1st from 9:00AM to 12:00PM (trip to a plant nursery) Cost: $115.00 Contact: Caty Frenkl, catyfrenkel@gmail.com 099 252 0103

Hummingbird Spanish teaching programs Communicative approach and Grammar sessions, will allow you to communicate with native speakers. We also provide: Teaching material. Experiential learning. Games and activities during learning. Beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

No age limit, children and seniors welcome. Online lessons offered. Cultural Immersion. Flexible schedules. Lessons at the student’s place offered. Please feel free to contact us if you have remaining questions or concerns.

Vilma: aula.hummingbird@gmail.com vazulei.wixsite. com/hummingbirdcuenca Coconut oil is back, organic extra virgin cold pressed Dear Friends, I’m back. Been out for a week, and got new address. My boss changed me to: Melatte Puertas Del Sol Av Victor Manuel Albornoz y los Cedros (by the puertas del.sol bridge) I’m here Monday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30 till noon and then come back from 3.30 till 8 PM. Tuesday and Wednesday from noon till 8 PM. And weekends delivery for a small fee (taxi) 260ml $10 | 728ml $20 | Gallon $80 (4liters) Please write and email which one you’d like to buy and the day you want to pick it up or have delivery.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Monday till friday , Melatte Puerta del Sol .Av. Victor Manuel Albornoz y los Cedros. In front of the bridge.

Daniela Ayala: daniayalacereceda@gmail.com | 095 887 4179 Facilitator service Hi, My name is Diego Mogrovejo. I’m the founder of BCTCuenca.

This company offers all kinds of services that a foreign resident may need in order to make his/her transition to this new culture much easier and more comfortable. We offer all sorts of services, such as translation and interpretation during various situations ranging from everyday problems with the plumber to medical emergencies, from tennis and dance lessons to doorto-door pick-ups from every airport in the country.

Diego Mogrovejo: bctcuenca@gmail.com 099 551 5542 Wpp +1 815 768 6669.

Bread with sourdough The best bread with sourdough, rye flour, quinoa flour, gluten free, amaranth flour gluten free, chocolate croissant and more.

Calle Larga 2-46, Tomas Ordoñez Esteban Quezada: taitapancafe@hotmail.com

CLASSIFIEDS Comprehensive financial brokerage account’s review Are you confused about the financial markets? Scared to put your money to work? Have money sitting on the sideline earning 1/2 of 1 percent in US banks and broker accounts.

As a former vice president of Charles Schwab and Solomon Smith Barney, I provide a comprehensive financial review of all your accounts and your positions. I offer re-balancing advice, ways to lower your financial fees. A list of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs that match your time frame, goals and risk tolerance. I offer my services for a flat fee of $60. You’ll receive two face-to-face appointments. The first to gather information and the second for advice and recommendations. My advice and recommendations are completely unbiased. I do not do any trading. I do not collect any commissions or fees from any financial institution.

My advice is for you to act on if you so choose. Like us, GringoWisdom on Facebook Hugh Prather: gringowisdom22@gmail.com | 099 537 5396

Watch collector selling watches Are you an avid watch collector? I have 25 watches you really want to see. Omega, Bulova, Seiko, Cornavin, Orient and more.

I am in Cuenca, Downtown. Call for an appointment if you want to see them. I have watches from $50 to $500. I have one new watch but the rest are from 1940s to 1960s.

Anytime, Honerato Vasquez | Arlos: 098 884 3531.

No age limit quality health insurance Bellgenica is a private health insurance company who offers pre-paid coverages at affordable rates, and covers preexisting illnesses. We work with a network of hospitals (Hospital Del Rio, Clinica Latino, and Santa Ines) and their Dr.’s which allows us to provide you with co-payments instead of reimbursements.

Please contact me for more information.

For more information call or write.

Madeleine Gonzalez Mensch: madygon@gmail.com 098 630 4185.

Looking for a job Hi, I’m Rose. I am looking for a job. I have experience in cleaning apartments, I worked with a person who is leaving Vilcabamba. You can ask for recommendation about me.

Elizabeth Perez: elyperez07@gmail.com 099 513 8215.

To place your FREE ad, e-mail it to: freead@savorec.com

All services in one place. Over 6 years of experience in Cuenca Dear Expat Community, My name is Carlos Quiroga. I lived in Canada for more than 17 years and I am offering apartment or house finder, full-service assistance with car registration, handy man, shopping for furniture and household goods, home decoration, going to hospitals, attorneys, immigration office, touring the city and all surroundings, arrangement of van services, washers and dryers, plumbing, moving areas and more. I have a comfortable, temperature controlled van to take you where you wish to go. I have excellent references. We work as a team. If I cannot personally attend to your needs my assistant will attend. We will always be there to assist you.

Carlos Quiroga: zapat43@yahoo.com | 098 963 9889 Recommendation for Carla Encarnacion CLEGSA Carly worked with me via email before I came back to Cuenca and continued working with me after I arrived. She showed me several houses suitable for me and two dogs, and finally found the perfect house for my specifications: a rental, safe, near the river, older (with character), with a yard for the dogs, and with great landlords. She negotiated the price, made sure the landlords were okay with the dogs, and ensured that necessary repairs and painting would be done before I moved in. She handles all sorts of real estate.

Clegsa Real Estate, Cuenca.

Contact information: cleg_2102@hotmail.com Cel.: 093 905 5399 Secure your investment FOR SALE Triplex in one of the best areas of Cuenca department, near pharmacies restaurants, easy mobility to the historical center, nice view Alameda II, parking building for two cars, storage area, for more information 0998907004 austrogestion @ gmail.comSaludos cordiales Looking for work You need someone to clean your house, walk your dog, or perform any task that is annoying or you, for various reasons, do not have the facility or chance? Multiple services are provided. Pays to remember.

Xavier Machuca: 093 905 8221.

There’s a “Whole Lot of Something” Going on at The Vegetable Bar this Week!

We’ve got food tastings, wine sampling and FREE coffee, cappuccinos and lattes!

And on top of that, the best “Made Your Way” Omelets in town!

Not to mention the best night out in town, Cuenca Trivia this Tuesday at 6:30PM! Come test your wits!

September 28th to ALWAYS! - Your first coffee, cappuccino or latte is free every day!

October 1st - The Best Salmon in town!

Come for a FREE tasting of Cuenca Salmon’s fresh caught salmon. Or try the smoked trout or smoked salmon! And if you like it, stay for the Pan-Seared Salmon lunch. 11:00AM to 2:00PM October 4th - Come to the one and only Cuenca Trivia at the Vegetable Bar every Tuesday! Dinner starts at 5:00PM and the game starts at 6:30PM. Are you smarter than everyone else?!

THIS WEEK WE ARE ALSO CHANGING OUR HOURS, SO PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

noW EVERyDAy! The Vegetable Bar's Own Special Chicken Pot Pie $7.95

We will still be open 7 days a week (that’s right, we said 7!), but we’ve noticed most of you sleep in, so we will now start opening at 9:00AM instead of 7:00AM.

And we will be closing at 7:00PM (5PM on Sundays and 8:00PM on Tuesdays) instead of 8:30PM. Why? Because you also like to make it an early night most of the time...and I can’t say I blame you!!

 WEEKLY SPECIALS  thursday, Sept. 29th: Spicy Chili in an Individual Clay Pot with a Cornbread Top. $8.95

Friday, Sept. 30th: Beer Battered Fish and Chips with Homemade Coleslaw and Tartar Sauce.

2-Piece $8.95 3-Piece $9.95

Saturday, oct. 1st: Pan-Seared Salmon with Kale and Apple Salad and Sweet Potato Puree. $10.95

Sunday, oct. 2nd: Himalayan Salt Block Monday, oct. 3rd: Shrimp Tacos with Curried Spiced Chicken, Spinach Mango Salsa. & Sweet Potato Stew. $8.95 $7.95

tuesday, oct 4th: Beer Battered Fish and Chips with Homemade Coleslaw and Tartar Sauce.

2-Piece $8.95 3-Piece $9.95

tuesday, oct 4th: Grilled Citrus Wasabi Chicken and Rice Paper Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce. $9.95

Wednesday, Sept. 28th: Chicken Cacciatore with Steamed Brown Rice and House Salad. $8.95

Paseo 3 de Noviembre y Jacaranda (antes Hotel Oro Verde) Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9:00am-7:00pm

(5pm on Sundays and 8:00pm on Tuesdays)

www.thevegetablebar.com