The Cuenca Dispatch - Issue 16

Volume 1 1 issue 1615 Volume • ISSUE

october5, 12,2016 2016 www.cuencadispatch.com October • www.cuencadispatch.com

The Story of “Big Red Is Dead”

By Frances A. Hogg

First time Australia invited to be represented in one of oldest Bienals

A

WHAT’S WHAT’S INSIDE? INSIDE?

ustralian artists have for the first time been invited to participate in the XIII Bienal de Cuenca, one of the oldest and most respected visual art events in the Americas.

Australian artists Maria Fernanda Cardoso, Janet WORLD NEWS WORLD NEWS Laurence, Reko Rennie and Caroline Rothwell will - Page 4 4 - Page represent Australia with individual installations in an Australian exhibition taking over the Salon del Pueblo, one of Cuenca, Ecuador’s most prestigious cultural venues in a feature satellite exhibition.

Bienal Director, Cristobal Zapata invited Natalia Bradshaw, who grew up in Ecuador, to curate an Australian section of the Bienal, titled Fragile/Fragil.

Natalia Bradshaw is a leading Australian art advocate and private curator and will be Managing Curator of this exhibition.

‘Fragile/Fraágil will be the ‘marquee event’ of the CANADIAN NEWS CANADIAN NEWS - Page 6 Bienal, with American curator Dan Cameron as curator of - Page 6 the Bienal. Dan’s theme for the Bienal is Impermanence, said Natalia Bradshaw.

Franny with by Big Red and carpenters, Jeremiahto andcurate Damian a ‘When I was invited Cristobal Zapata feature exhibition of Australian artists, I didn’t hesitate exciting Australian contemporary artists sites. for I wrote a couple of scripts. The oneto After many hours on buses– it’s andsoan t had been four months to the day since participate in an important American art event, the 7.8 earthquake that destroyed so expensive taxi ride the six kilometers everyone liked Latin the best involved the especially in one of the most established and purest many lives in Ecuador. Along with my from Canoa to the Proyecto, we reached death and funeral of Big Red, and the international art events left in the international art circuit’. business partners Kristen Sawyer and the settlement in time for lunch. Over efforts of a little boy to fix the problem Bradshaw added that ‘These four Australian artists using magic.

Zach Cashero, I was on my way to Manabí rice, lentils and soup, we interviewed immediately came to mind as their work is so relevant US NEWS Volunteer Kathy McCullough artistof province to visit our other partners, Sara volunteers and staff. We also talked to thewith theme of Impermanence; Fragile as a(an theme US NEWS - Page 7 writer and Fernanda, I made our exhibition specifi callyfrom pointsCuenca) to how Maria Coppler and Geoff Odell. Both Sara and residents. We heard again and again that and - Page 7 props from a miniature and workfound relatesobjects: to flora and fauna, and Geoff are experienced disaster-relief and the most pressing need was forJanet a way to Caroline’s Reko’s work relates to cultural fragility’, said Natalia international development specialists. transport people and supplies how from the cardboard Big Red; lengths of garland Bradshaw. made from roadside weeds; a funeral Only months in advance of our planned city to the settlement.

Maria Fernanda fashioned Cardoso stated that mourning ‘This is an from vines; launch of La Revista Zero, our partners The only vehicles available exceptional were an wreath opportunity. Rarely is there trade or veils cut from mosquito netting. Other left Cuenca to help at the coast. We stood old truck called Big Red and a cultural small car, exchange between these two countries, and I volunteers made a costume for the young sure behind their decision. We all knew that both owned by volunteers. Theam vehiclesthat Australia’s participation will be the most star of to thethis film, Yeferson Gómez, exoticdaily contribution Bienal.

Personally it isand very HEALTH & the earthquake had changed everything. were over-used and suffering near gave acting lessons to the residents of in WELLNESS for me, as never in my 20 years of living While we managed fund-raising breakdowns. Sara Coppler special planned Australia hasthe there been an Kristen opportunity where both my settlement. and Zach decided - Page 10 COMMUNITY events in Cuenca, Sara and Geoff worked a brain-storming session for the next Latin American art world andplanned identity coincides with my locations and camera angles - Page 10 to establish Proyecto Samán, in Canoa, evening. adopted Australian identity’ . with Geoff, the photographer. providing temporary housing and help to After a shared meal and music,‘I’m ideas delighted to be included in the exhibition and to Filming started after lunch. There finally rebuild the lives of the residents. Kristen, started flowing. What is the best wayvisit to Ecuador, a place I’ve longed to visit especially were a few hiccoughs. The magician’s itsand ancient Inca history and natural environment Zach and I had planned to use our visit to explain the current situation, thefor need hat proved toofllarge and kept engulfing and in particular to see the ora, which I will explore and inspect the settlement and report back to possible resolution of the transportation young Yeferon’s head. Little boys living at utilize in my work there’, said Janet Laurence. project supporters about the impact their problem? “Let’s make a movie!” someone the Proyecto fell in with aexcited tiny bicycle Reko Rennie added that ‘I love am very about donations had made, as well as to explain said. We needed something clever. exhibiting inprop Ecuador andrunning havingoff the opportunity and kept with it. A smoketo STRANGE NEWS why their continued financial support is Something funny. Somethingpresent peoplenew work and create further links my effect proved difficult because thewith wind - Page 11 fellow Indigenous peoples and Latin America. continued on page 3As would want to share on their social media necessary.

ASK DR. MORA an Aboriginal man and artist, this will be my first time - Page 12 continued on page 3

I

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| ISSUE 16 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

By Michael Stephens

I

try to stay out of politics here in this column (and as an editorial policy, throughout the newspaper), but something happened last week that to me was simply astonishing. So I have to at least recognize it with a simple golf

clap and say, “Well done.”

Now, before I talk about it, let me be the first to admit that my Spanish is not good enough to really decipher what behind the scenes issues may be in play, or for that matter what it will mean to Ecuador in the long run. I am by no means a political columnist nor do I know why what I’m about to discuss happened.

That said.... did you all see that President Correa’s political party, Alianza Pais, chose it’s former Vice President Lenin Moreno over it’s current Vice President Jorge Glas, to be their candidate for next year’s Presidential election. And then Glas was chosen as Moreno’s running mate!

Yes, Moreno was chosen because he has the experience and he is well respected, and he will carry on a lot of Correa’s policies, but nonetheless......

I say, well done!

Whether you support he and Correa’s policies, you have to give credit to a country that has taken this route. Peacefully. Without name calling, tweeting, yelling or just simply being jerks to each other.

Now, I’m sure I’ll hear from a lot of you accusing me of leaning one way or the other on this election (or the US election). But I’ll push back right now and tell you that all I am applauding is the civility of how this happened.

That’s what is lacking in today’s US Presidential (actually it has sunk so low that I will use a small “p”) presidential election campaign.

I remember when these contests in the US were civil. Heck, most of us expats can remember that. But look at what is has become. So, with that I’ll say this to both US candidates, “Shame on you.”

Many of you know which way I lean in the election in the US, but I’m not going to say my choice is innocent and that the other side is solely responsible for this. I do believe one candidate is clearly more qualified and experienced to be president.

But, that person has just as much responsibility to try to carry this up to an adult conversation as the other. Acting childlike back at someone just because they are acting childlike, only further demeans the office of the Presidency (capital letters here because in my opinion there are few things more sacred for

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a democracy than having it’s citizen show civil respect to it’s President).

This concerns me greatly. For so many reasons. But one that chaffs me the most is that the uncivil behavior of our leaders has been a stimulus for uncivil behavior between our citizens when discussions turn to politics.

There are BIG issues in this upcoming US election. BIG, BIG issues. And yet the media, and the citizens of my home country, are paying attention to what amounts to the small piles of crap that my puppy leaves on the lawn.

And that starts from the top.

I truly believe that if one of the candidates for US president, in the next three and a half weeks, did nothing but speak as an adult about the real issues, not about how bad the other persons is or how their ideas are dangerous, they could

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win the election by a large majority. And that would (fingers crossed here) at least start to heal the wounds this uncivil reality show has become.

Sadly however, I don’t see that happening. I see this going deeper and deeper into the mud as we crawl to the November 8th showdown.

And for that, I applaud you Ecuador, for at least being civil in one of the first steps of your election. [Clap, Clap]

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www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

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continued from page1 traveling to Ecuador and I am very proud to be representing my own culture in an International context, particularly in a country with its own very serious Indigenous issues’.

Caroline Rothwell stated that ‘I am so excited by this opportunity to be exhibiting at the Bienal de Cuenca. To be developing work that responds to such an environmentally rich place as Ecuador is incredible context for the practice’.

‘Ecuador, and all the leading visiting Latin American and American curators, artists, collectors, and media will be awed by what these artists will stage’, added Bradshaw.

‘The four installations will have never shown before, and each artist has also risen to the added challenge of bringing the work in a suitcase as accompanied baggage! It will be a truly marvelous exhibition and so exciting to send images back to Australia’, Bradshaw stated.

Founded in 1987, the Bienal de Cuenca is one of the world’s most established international art events. An important colonial city of 700,000 inhabitants in Ecuador’s stunning highlands with four major universities, Cuenca is also a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site.

Fragile/Frágil will be officially opened by the Australian Ambassador to Ecuador on Saturday 22 October 2016 and will close on 5 February 2017.

The Salon del Pueblo, a four-story ex Colonial monastery, is located directly across from Cuenca’s main Cathedral in the main town plaza.

Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chief Curator, Rachel Kent, is essayist for the exhibition, and printed material has been designed by Annaliese Cairis, chief designer at the Art Gallery of NSW, with printing done pro bono by SNAP Printing Botany.

About twenty Australian-based friends and colleagues will also be travelling to Cuenca for the opening week, making it the first time the Bienal stages a specific VIP program for overseas visitors. The VIP program for the XIII Bienal de Cuenca has been designed and directed by Natalia Bradshaw.

Fragil is slated to return to Australia in June 2017 for an exhibition at one of Australia’s leading galleries - Kronenberg Wright Artists Projects – and will be opened by Raul Gangotena, Ambassador of Ecuador in Australia with a public program focusing on cross—cultural issues in the visual arts.

The first time participation for Australian artists in the Bienal de Cuenca is supported by the Australian Government through the Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as by the Swaus Foundation and by an anonymous benefactor.

Volume 1 • ISSUE 15

October 5, 2016 • www.cuencadispatch.com

ISSUE The Story of “Big Red Is Dead”

16

WHAT’S INSIDE?

By Frances A. Hogg

098 167 3885 | info@savorcom.com WORLD NEWS - Page 4

ulises narvaez guerrero Ceo - ulises@savorec.com david a. Johnson Publisher - dave@savorec.com

CANADIAN NEWS - Page 6

hugh Prather I wrote a couple of scripts. The one many hours on buses and an- sites. executiveAfterVice President hugh@savorec.com Franny with Big Red and carpenters, Jeremiah and Damian

I

t had been four months to the day since the 7.8 earthquake that destroyed so many lives in Ecuador. Along with my business partners Kristen Sawyer and Zach Cashero, I was on my way to Manabí province to visit our other partners, Sara Coppler and Geoff Odell. Both Sara and Geoff are experienced disaster-relief and international development specialists.

Only months in advance of our planned launch of La Revista Zero, our partners left Cuenca to help at the coast. We stood behind their decision. We all knew that the earthquake had changed everything.

While we managed fund-raising events in Cuenca, Sara and Geoff worked to establish Proyecto Samán, in Canoa, providing temporary housing and help to rebuild the lives of the residents. Kristen, Zach and I had planned to use our visit to inspect the settlement and report back to project supporters about the impact their donations had made, as well as to explain why their continued financial support is necessary.

expensive taxi ride the six kilometers from Canoa to the Proyecto, we reached the settlement in time for lunch. Over rice, lentils and soup, we interviewed volunteers and staff. We also talked with residents. We heard again and again that the most pressing need was for a way to transport people and supplies from the city to the settlement.

The only vehicles available were an old truck called Big Red and a small car, both owned by volunteers. The vehicles were over-used and suffering near daily breakdowns. Sara Coppler planned a brain-storming session for the next evening.

After a shared meal and music, ideas started flowing. What is the best way to explain the current situation, the need and possible resolution of the transportation problem? “Let’s make a movie!” someone said. We needed something clever.

Something funny. Something people would want to share on their social media

everyone liked the best involved the death and funeral of Big Red, and the efforts of a little boy to fix the problem using magic.

Volunteer Kathy McCullough (an artist and writer from Cuenca) and I made props from found objects: a miniature cardboard Big Red; lengths of garland made from roadside weeds; a funeral wreath fashioned from vines; mourning veils cut from mosquito netting. Other volunteers made a costume for the young star of the film, Yeferson Gómez, and gave acting lessons to the residents of the settlement. Kristen and Zach decided locations and planned camera angles with Geoff, the photographer.

Filming started after lunch. There were a few hiccoughs. The magician’s hat proved too large and kept engulfing young Yeferon’s head. Little boys living at the Proyecto fell in love with a tiny bicycle prop and kept running off with it. A smoke effect proved difficult because the wind continued on page 3

Tara mastracchio director of Personnel - tara@savorec.com

US NEWS

- Page 7

yvonne albornoz account executive - yvonne@savorec.com owner: michael soares

HEALTH & WELLNESS

- Page 10

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.

STRANGE NEWS

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World News

Albania

Albania proud Pope Francis named a new cardinal

W

hen Pope Francis visited Albania in 2014, he was brought to tears by a priest’s description of the two decades of imprisonment, torture and forced labor he suffered under Albania’s brutal communist rulers for refusing to renounce his Catholic faith.

On Sunday, Francis honored the Rev. Ernest Troshani Simoni’s witness by naming him to the College of Cardinals.

Troshani, who turns 88 later this month and uses his Troshani birthplace as one of his names, was one of 17 new cardinals named by Francis who will be formally elevated at a Vatican ceremony Nov. 19. He is among four cardinals over age 80 who can’t vote in a conclave to elect a new pope but were named to the club because of their service to the church.

For Albania’s tiny Catholic Church, the nomination was a deeply symbolic gesture acknowledging the suffering of Catholic clergy during the reign of Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, who banned religion in 1967.

“That is an homage to a cleric symbolizing all Albania’s suffering clergy,” said the Rev. Gjergj Meta, a church spokesman.

Troshani recounted his life story to Francis during the pope’s Sept. 21, 2014 one-day visit to Tirana, a visit meant to highlight the interfaith harmony that exists among the majority Muslim nation of 3.2 million. It was the end of the day and Francis was meeting with priests and seminarians at the Tirana cathedral.

Troshani recalled his arrest, after celebrating Christmas Mass on Dec. 24, 1963 and being placed in isolation. He told of being condemned to death, but the sanction was commuted to 25 years of forced labor.

During his incarceration, he became the spiritual guide to many other prisoners, who then came to his defense when he was again sentenced to death in 1973 after a revolt. He was spared because of their testimony.

Troshani was freed in 1981 but had to continue preaching clandestinely until the communist regime fell in 1990.

SOUTH AFRICA

Drones carrying medicines, blood face top challenge: Africa

efficiently than land transport in rural Malawi.

Once understanding dawned and work began, young students and their teachers would spill out of the nearby school, cheering, each time they heard the drone approaching. “It was very exciting,” UNICEF official Judith Sherman said.

As drones quickly pick up momentum around the world in everything from military strikes to pizza delivery, Africa, the continent with some of the most entrenched humanitarian crises, hopes the technology will bring progress.

This second-largest continent, with harsh landscapes of desert and rain forest and extremes of rainy seasons and drought, is burdened with what the World Bank has called “the worst infrastructure endowment of any developing region today.” Rural highways, often unpaved, disintegrate. In many countries, access to electricity has actually declined. Taking to the air to soar over such challenges, much as Africa embraced mobile phones to bypass often dismal landline service, is a tempting goal.

Those trying out drones for humanitarian uses in Africa warn that the technology is no quick fix, but several new projects are exploring what can be achieved.

The highest-profile one yet begins this week in Rwanda, as the government and U.S. company Zipline launch a drone network to deliver blood supplies and medicines to remote hospitals and clinics. Even in one of Africa’s smallest countries, such deliveries can take weeks by land. With drones, it will take hours.

The speed and limited space of drones have focused aid groups and businesses on how to deliver small, sensitive and potentially life-saving cargo.

Earlier this year, a partnership was announced between Zipline and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.

Off Africa’s eastern coast in Madagascar, another U.S. company, Vayu, has completed drone flights to deliver blood and stool samples from rural villages with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

HUNGARY

Media advocate: Hungary paper closure blow to press freedoms

E

uropean advocate for media says that the closure of Hungary’s main opposition newspaper is a “huge blow” to the country’s media diversity and press freedoms.

Dunja Mijatovic, media freedom representative for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said Sunday that it’s “hard to believe” that the apparent end of the Nepszabadsag daily newspaper was solely a business decision.

She says that the deterioration in Hungary of media diversity was a bad example for countries hoping to join the European Union.

Mijatovic also told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Vienna that the European Commission “should pay greater attention to the issues related to press freedom in Hungary.”

Mediaworks, the publisher of the left-wing Nepszabadsag, said it suspended further editions from Saturday because of “considerable losses.”

DID YOU KNOW?

A

t first, the drone took some explaining. Anxious villagers buzzed with rumors of a new blood-sucking thing that would fly above their homes.

Witchcraft, some said.

The truth was more practical: A United Nations project would explore whether a small unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, could deliver HIV test samples more

Solar energy and harnessing the power of the sun for reasons beyond natural light is not a new concept. British astronomer John Herschel converted solar power by using a solar collector box to cook food while on an expedition in Africa in 1830. And in 1931 Albert Einstein collected a Nobel Prize for his work in solar and photovoltaic experimentation. According to Solar Energy World, a solar energy and green living resource, by using renewable energy sources, such as solar power, one can greatly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

This includes emitting 20,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide each year into the atmosphere; 50 fewer pounds of nitrogen oxide; and 70 fewer pounds of sulfur dioxide.

Publisher’s Letter

Letter from the

PUBLISHER I

DAVE JOHNSON

did not write a publisher’s letter last week. I didn’t really have anything to say so I used the space for something else. This week, I am going to keep my letter short, because I still don’t have much to say. The Presidential election is getting nearer and my Facebook feed seems to include nothing more than one side bashing the other and memes trying to simplify what should be a complex discussion. I won’t dip my foot into the political pool (most people know where I stand anyhow) but I will say that I am astonished that the political discussion has been reduced to a verbal bar brawl. And sadly, most people posting seem to have no clue about our political process, not that I am an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I can’t help but think the rest of the world is watching and laughing. My only political comment is this – with a country that possesses some of the most brilliant minds in the world, one would think that we could have come up with more suitable candidates. I really can’t wait for the pain of this election year to subside.

Lately, I have felt a little adrift when it comes to my entrepreneurial plans. I have a lot of great ideas, but I lack the “bandwidth” to execute them all. Luckily, Michael and I had a meeting today and I have decided, with his guidance, to put most of my energy into The Cuenca Dispatch. The response we are getting to this newspaper has been tremendous. I have to admit that I never expected it to become as popular as it has. Moving forward, I am going to take many of the ideas I had for Savor Cuenca Magazine and incorporate them into the newspaper. Our goal is to have 100% of the content generated locally. Now that I am able to focus on a one project, I look forward to watching The Cuenca Dispatch grow and evolve. We have big plans.

This is my favorite time of year in Cuenca. From the guaguas de pan and the colada morada to all the great events that take place, November in Cuenca is awesome. I hope that you will all be out and about enjoying the festivities.

Certainly, these celebrations are one of the major reasons living in Cuenca is so wonderful.

Thanks for reading and enjoy!

"Ifa tree fallsin a forest and no one isaround to hear it, doesit make a sound?"

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

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Haiti

Haitians worship among devastation caused by hurricane

S

urvivors of Hurricane Matthew put on their Sunday finest and picked their way through downed power lines to sing praise and pray in ruined churches, while desperation grew in other parts of devastated Haiti and international rescue efforts began ramping up.

Haitian authorities were still unsure of the extent of the disaster, with some communities still cut off. But tens of thousands of homes were obliterated and the dead number in the hundreds.

Guillaume Silvera, a senior official with the Civil Protection Agency in the stormblasted Grand-Anse Department, which includes Jeremie, said at least 522 deaths were confirmed there alone — not including people in several remote communities still cut off by collapsed roads and bridges.

National Civil Protection headquarters in Port-au-Prince, meanwhile, said Saturday its official count for the whole country was 336, which included 191 deaths in Grand-Anse.

Despite the loss, families packed what remained the city’s churches, many seated in pews under open sky because Matthew ripped away roofs and even walls of the sanctuaries. At least one was so badly damaged that worshippers set up an altar and prayed outside.

GERMANY

Manhunt for German bomb plot suspect; 1 man in custody

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erman police searched nationwide Sunday for a 22-year-old Syrian man believed to have been preparing a bombing attack, who slipped through their fingers as they were closing in on him, and were questioning a second Syrian man on suspicion he was involved in the plot.

The man in custody was one of three apprehended in the eastern city of Chemnitz on Saturday. He was the renter of the apartment that police raided in their search for the main suspect, Jaber Albakr from the Damascus area of Syria, Saxony police spokesman Tom Bernhardt told The Associated Press. The other two men have been released.

He said the man in custody was Albakr’s “countryman,” but wouldn’t give other details.

“We believe he is a possible co-conspirator,” Bernhardt said.

Another man who knew Albakr was taken into custody for questioning Sunday afternoon in a raid on his Chemnitz apartment.

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Canadian News

Ottawa

Canadian Forces mulling leaving sexual crimes to civilian courts

The Canadian Forces has launched the first internal review of the military justice system in generations and among the issues being looked at is whether all military sexual crimes should be handled by civilian courts.

The military justice system has been under the microscope over the last two years following complaints that many sexual crimes committed by service members have been glossed over or ignored.

Currently, such offences can be referred to either civilian court or the military court system for a court martial, depending on the circumstances. But Col. Robert Holman, the Canadian Forces’ deputy judge advocate general for military justice, says that could change.

“One of the constant parts of discussion, particularly in the context of things like sexual offences, is why does the military have to have jurisdiction over sexual offences in courts martial?” Holman said in an interview. “Why can’t it go downtown? We’ll take a look at that.”

Holman is leading the year-long review, which was ordered in the summer by the judge advocate general, Maj.-Gen. Blaise Cathcart.

While the military justice system has been regularly updated over the years, particularly in 1998 after the Somalia Inquiry, Holman said this is the first real top-to-bottom examination since the 1950s.

Holman acknowledged there are concerns about the system, particularly as it relates to sexual offences. And he said those complaints as well as defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance’s pledge to stamp out such misconduct “had some impact” on the decision to open the review.

But he also suggested such a study is long overdue. And while making the system more responsive is one consideration, “I would frankly say there’s another issue, and that is resources.”

The Canadian Forces has three full-time military judges whose sole job is to preside over courts martial. But while the Canadian Forces had 47 courts martial last year, only 11 were contested trials. Meanwhile, there are more than a dozen military prosecutors and several defence lawyers for the accused personnel.

“Meanwhile, we have lots of other legal business that needs to be done,” Holman said. “So to me, it’s a legitimate question as to whether or not we would use our scarce legal resources more efficiently by redirecting them somewhere else and looking at other options.”

Saskatchewan

Prairie farmers take financial hit as oil and gas slowdown stalls drilling rigs

For 56-year-old farmer Shannon Webb, waking up Friday to six inches of snow coating his grain fields near Wynyard, Sask., the frustration of an interrupted harvest wins out, for now, over worry about the ongoing oil-and-gas drilling downturn.

Like many Prairie farmers, Webb has used a steady paycheque from working on drilling rigs in winter and summer for decades to pay down his land and equipment debt and stabilize his farm income. He’s been able to leave the rig to tend his farm in spring and fall and go back to the oilpatch when dry weather or frozen ground allows drilling to ramp up again.

“I was supposed to go back (to the oilpatch) by Nov. 1 but I don’t think I’m going to get much more than about two weeks out of that job, anyway,” he said in disgust.

Webb has been working on rigs since 1978, about 38 years. He says the current downturn, marked by two years of depressed oil prices, is the worst he’s seen since the big oil price crash of the 1980s.

But on Friday, he’s most concerned about the 2,000 hectares of wheat — more than half of the 3,500 he planted — that is covered in a white mantle.

If luck holds, he says, the snow will melt and the land dry out in time to get equipment back in the fields before the real winter sets in.

Farmer Keith McCarty, 52, would love to have a rig job to go to as he, too, deals with a harvest that’s not quite finished.

At a time when he should be transitioning from wheat fields to oilfields, he is stuck on the family farm near Webb, Sask., waiting for a call — the rig he manages in Alberta was shut down last Dec. 18 for the Christmas break and it hasn’t been contracted to work since.

“Being without work, yeah, it’s pretty stressful, pretty hard,” he said, noting he has two kids in college and another in high school. “You know the farm only gives you so much.”

Ontario

Ontario ticket captures $20 million Lotto 649 jackpot

T

he $20.5 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw was won by a single ticket purchased in Ontario.

The unofficial winning numbers for Saturday’s jackpot were 3, 27, 33, 38, 42 and 48 with the bonus number being 32.

The draw’s $1 million guaranteed prize also went to an Ontario ticket holder.

The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Oct. 12 will be approximately $5 million.

DID YOU KNOW? A profound sense of smell is one of the many interesting characteristics about dogs. Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucus to help keep them moist and enable them to absorb scents. Dogs also will frequently lick their noses to sample smells through another sensory organ - their mouths. Dogs’ senses of smell are quite intense. Unlike humans, who have roughly 5 million scent glands, dogs have no less than 125 million and as many as 300 million such glands, depending on the breed. Dogs’ ability to sniff things out is far stronger than humans’. A dog’s nostrils, or nares, can move independently of one another, helping man’s best friend pinpoint the location from which a smell is coming.

US News CALIFORNIA

2 children pulled from San Francisco Bay recovering

O

fficials say two children pulled out of the San Francisco Bay in critical condition after a recreational sailboat carrying 30 people capsized are doing well and one has been released from the hospital.

The San Francisco Fire Department says one of the children was released Sunday, and another who required CPR remains hospitalized in stable condition.

The two children were taken to a hospital along with a third child and five adults after a 34-foot sailboat named Khaleesi capsized for unknown reasons Saturday afternoon about 100 yards off Pier 45.

Fire Department Assistant Chief Bob Postel says the 5-year-old was unconscious and not breathing when he was taken from the water. A good Samaritan performed CPR on him until a police officer took over.

Postel says there were a lot of recreational and rescue boats on the water because of Fleet Week, and crews were able to reach the distressed sailboat quickly.

NEW YORK

Bronze ceiling: Girls seek statue of woman for Central Park

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

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“We’re trying to crack the bronze ceiling,” deadpans Pamela Elam, who is spearheading the effort along with Stanton’s great-great-granddaughter, Coline Jenkins.

The aim of the awareness and fundraising campaign — called Central Park, Where Are The Women? — is to erect the statue by 2020, the centennial of U.S. women’s right to vote.

“There are no statues of women, and there’s tons of men,” says Pippa Lee, 10, a scout with Manhattan’s Girl Scout Troop 3484. “We really need a woman’s statue for girls to look up to, not just Mother Goose or Alice in Wonderland. They don’t count.”

The effort has drawn the support of the Central Park Conservancy, a private nonprofit whose millions of dollars help beautify the urban oasis. Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver also has given the green light to the suffragist monument, which is to rise by Central Park West at the 77th Street entrance.

So far, the nonprofit raising private donations — the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund Inc. — has collected at least $150,000 of about $500,000 needed to create and maintain the monument. About the same amount would cover landscaping and an educational program.

Across the street, the New-York Historical Society plans exhibits and lectures on key roles of women in American society.

On a bright fall Thursday, 10 scouts from Troop 3484 joined activists in the park to make their case. Stori Small, 10, noted that she wants women to be represented by “an actual person; I don’t want it to be a cartoon character.”

During one weekly scout meeting in Central Park, the fifth-graders collected $123 from passers-by on a sidewalk near the future statue site, while chanting “Where are the women?” Sunflowers graced the girls’ hair, a symbol of the suffrage movement that began its march to victory with a convention in upstate New York in 1848.

The girls plan to collect donations on Thursdays through the fall.

For the same cause, students from Manhattan’s LaGuardia High School are selling bracelets inscribed with the words “Bring women of history out of the dark and into the park.”

Any artist may submit a monument design following certain criteria, with a handful of finalists creating models to be displayed at the New-York Historical Society. A jury will pick the winner sometime next year.

NEW MEXICO

3 juveniles in Albuquerque caught with clown masks, handgun

A

lbuquerque police say three people dressed as clowns are in custody after being found with a possible firearm.

Police spokesman Simon Drobik says officers were dispatched Sunday to a call about a “clown sighting” near a kids’ clothing store.

Authorities located three juveniles donning clown masks.

Drobik says they were also in possession of what appears to be a handgun.

The investigation is ongoing.

It’s not clear what charges the three could face.

The incident comes amid a rash of hoaxes and threats of scary clown sightings across the nation.

Police in Alamogordo have identified three boys who allegedly haunted a middle school dressed with a clown mask.

Roswell police have urged residents not to dress up as clowns after reports surfaced of clowns with bats walking around the city.

LOUISIANA

‘Warrior Dash’ climbing obstacle collapses; 4 hospitalized

A

climbing obstacle with more than 20 people on it collapsed during a 5K obstacle race near Baton Rouge, and four people — including a 10-yearold child — remained hospitalized Sunday, the State Fire Marshal’s Office

Wander through Central Park past monuments to figures including Christopher Columbus, Alexander Hamilton, William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott, and it may suddenly hit you: Where are the women?

There are none, if you discount fictional characters like Mother Goose and Alice in Wonderland.

Even a heroic dog has its place amid the park’s 843 acres of greenery, but every one of the 23 statues or busts of real humans in the park honors a famous man.

Some Girl Scouts are now trying to change that. They’ve joined activists raising money for a park monument to two women who revolutionized the country: suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

said.

“We don’t know exactly how many were injured,” but do know 12 were taken to hospitals by ambulance or helicopter, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Brant Thompson said Sunday. He said he believed the child was a girl, but he wasn’t certain.

“We do know ... we had broken bones, lacerations, back injuries, neck injuries, arms, legs, feet. There was blood splattered around the collapsed structure,” he said.

He told The Associated Press that preliminary findings indicate that there was inadequate bracing on the obstacle called the “Diesel Dome,” shown on the website for the national “Warrior Dash” race series as a 30-by-50-foot arched wooden framework.

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| ISSUE 16 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

US News

OHIO

Singer John Legend opens Ohio theater named in his honor

promising drug to fight aging that Arlan Richardson has ever seen.

A professor at the Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, Richardson has been doing this kind of research for 40 years.

“It’s the best bet we have,” he said.

Now, scientists are moving forward and testing the drug in dogs.

Researchers at the University of Washington’s Dog Aging Project gave rapamycin to 16 dogs and imaged their hearts.

“It started to function better. It started to look like a more youthful heart,” said Matt Kaeberlein, co-director of the Dog Aging Project, who has presented this research at conferences but hasn’t yet published it.

Those dogs took rapamycin for only 10 weeks. Here’s what happened to Momo and his “brother,” Sherman, who took it for much longer.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Used A Military-Style Helicopter To Seize A Marijuana Plant From An Elderly Woman With Glaucoma In what can only described as an absolutely absurd use of tax dollars, the Massachusetts National Guard and State Police used a helicopter to seize a single marijuana plant from an 81-year-old woman who was using the drug to treat her glaucoma and arthritis. Margaret Holcomb, of South Amherst, was growing the plant in her backyard fenced away from her neighbors.

Although medical marijuana is legal in Massachusetts for these conditions, Holcomb is not a medical card holder. She said she was concerned about finding a doctor to sign off for one as well as the cost of marijuana that is sold through license dispensaries.

Margaret Holcomb said she was growing the plant as medicine, a way to ease arthritis and glaucoma and help her sleep at night. Tucked away in a raspberry patch and separated by a fence from any neighbors, the plant was nearly ready for harvest when a military-style helicopter and police descended on Sept. 21.

In a joint raid, the Massachusetts National Guard and State Police entered her yard and cut down the solitary plant in what her son, Tim Holcomb, said was a “pretty shocking” action — one that he argues constitutes unlawful surveillance and illegal search and seizure.

Holcomb said he was at his mother’s home eating a late lunch with his sister when they heard whirring blades and looked up to see a military-style helicopter circling the property, with two men crouching in an open door and holding a device that he suspects was a thermal imager to detect marijuana plants.

O

scar- and Grammy-winning artist John Legend has helped dedicate an Ohio theater named in his honor.

The Springfield News-Sun reports Legend spoke Sunday at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the recently renovated theater. He also performed several songs in the updated performance space.

Legend, a Springfield native, donated $500,000 for the project.

At Sunday’s ceremony, the singer recalled memories of growing up and performing in the city. He said he wants to extend opportunities to young people living there.

The 680-seat John Legend Theater is housed at the Springfield Center of Innovation: The Dome.

Students from multiple districts will have the chance to use the theater and learn how to run a production.

The Dome was once a high school and is now home to several education programs.

Oklahoma

This pill could make your dog (and maybe you) live longer

S

ee Momo.

See Momo run.

See Momo run faster, farther and with far more vigor, energy and youthfulness, his owners say, now that he’s taking a drug meant for humans with cancer.

“It’s been remarkable,” Paola Anderson said as she watched Momo, her 13-year-old white Pomsky, run around the backyard, keeping up with dogs a third his age.

The drug is called rapamycin. After nearly a decade of research showing that it makes mice live up to 60% longer, scientists are trying it out as an antiaging drug in dogs and humans.

Rapamycin was discovered nearly 50 years ago in soil collected from Easter Island in the South Pacific and studied in a Canadian lab, and it’s the most

Money Matters

WELLS FArGO, GrEED AND FrAUD. WILL ThE US BANKING INDUSTrY LEAD US DOWN ThE PATh TO ANOThEr FINANCIAL MELTDOWN AS IN 2008?

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

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Dodd-Frank’s requirements saddle smaller banks with regulations designed for larger banks. As a result, the law forces well-managed institutions to unnecessarily divert resources to compliance, or worse, to close their doors.

By driving small banks out of business, Dodd-Frank has opened the playing field for bigger banks. And what Wells Fargo’s fiasco shows is that mega-banks often have a hard time managing their employees. Will the government now come up with a new set of regulations for bank employee incentive plans?

Dodd-Frank was supposed to prevent future mortgage meltdowns like the one that shattered the U.S. economy in 2008, an event U.S. politicians regularly characterize as a crime orchestrated by Wall Street. Due to the complexity of the mortgage industry, the politicians have largely been able to get away with such simplistic characterizations.

An honest assessment of what happened in 2008 cannot ignore the role that well-intended financial regulation played.

MUCH TO LEARN FROM THE 2008 COLLAPSE The Clinton and Bush administrations, seeking to expand home ownership, encouraged relaxed credit standards to increase mortgage lending. As home buying rose, so did home values. The banks, in turn, used these higher values to justify loans to buyers with less-than-stellar credit worthiness.

Investors saw the mortgages as attractive investments and began buying them up, sending the associated risks of many questionable mortgages into the equities markets. Eventually, the housing bubble burst, taking much of the equities market down with it.

Financial institutions and credit rating agencies played a role in the 2008 mortgage debacle, but does anyone believe that the implied government protection for many unsound mortgages didn’t play a role?

CFPB Director Richard Cordray told The Wall Street Journal the bureau is now paying close attention to the harm caused by incentive compensation, including sectors such as debt collection and credit card add-on products.

Isn’t that encouraging?

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. He now lives

N

o matter what government regulators propose, corruption continues to plague the banking system. Today’s headline news of a record settlement against Wells Fargo shows how much good the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has done for the average bank consumer.

Signed into law in 2010, Dodd-Frank was supposed to prevent the recurrence of events that caused the 2008 financial crisis. The Wells Fargo sales scam, in which sales people manipulated customer accounts without their knowledge, is not another financial meltdown. But it certainly undermines confidence in the U.S. banking system.

A RECORD FINE The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has slapped Wells Fargo with a $100 million fine for illegal sales practices for opening as many as 2 million deposit and credit card accounts without consumers’ approval. That’s more than double the previous largest civil penalty from the bureau, a $40 million fine against Morgan Drexen Inc. in March for allegedly charging illegal fees, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The fines against Wells Fargo actually total $185 million, including penalties assessed by agencies besides the CFPB. Wells Fargo ran a full-page ad in today’s Wall Street Journal taking responsibility for the sales scam and bullet-pointing the steps it is taking to refund affected customers and prevent future such instances.

TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE One thing the crisis points out is that technology is not a silver bullet for consumer financial protection. Bank technology enabled certain Wells Fargo sales-people to set up additional accounts for customers without their approval. The employees also transferred funds to unauthorized accounts, resulting in fees for insufficient funds.

According to a 2015 lawsuit against the bank by the Los Angeles City Attorney, employees also advised some customers that certain products were only available as part of a package with additional accounts, retirement plans or insurance.

These employees were motivated to do this by the bank’s incentive compensation program.

CFPB said the bank has terminated about 5,300 employees for engaging in improper sales practices.

One lesson is that technology, the focus of much excitement in today’s financial community, is only a tool – to be used or misused.

THE BIGGER ISSUE The bigger story here is financial regulation gone amok.

Dodd-Frank was intended to keep financial institutions honest and responsible.

What it has done, however, is strengthen large banks at the expense of small ones.

The number of U.S. community banks (those with less than $10 billion in assets) fell 14% between Dodd-Frank’s passage in 2010 and late 2014, according to The New York Times. The newspaper noted that when regulations drive consolidation, banking system risks increase.

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10

Avoiding Trauma with The llama

By James Drummondo, Fintastic Adventures de Ecuador, www.flyfishingecuador.com

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I

THE BOSS Tests the Amount of Laughter One Person Can Take

Community

| ISSUE 16 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

’ve been trekking and fly fishing in the Cajas region for the last five years and have come across many a llama and I’d like to share two personal experiences.

I’ve witnessed births, mating rituals, matches between bulls for those mating rights, carcasses and skeletons, start to finish you might say.

Llamas were reintroduced into Parque Nacional Cajas around 1996. They’re free to roam the park but for some reason just love to hang out along the road. Llamas are very curious animals so maybe they’re just tourist watching. Mama llama is probably telling her wawa (that’s Quichua for baby), “Now don’t get too close to the humans, they’re not too intelligent and very unpredictable. Remember mi wawa , they’re wild animals.”

Last year I was driving across Tres Cruces, which is the continental divide in El Cajas. Tres Cruces sets at 4,167 meters (13,123 feet). and is also the most western part of the continental divide of South America. At the top of the divide there is a roadside parking lot from where you can catch one of two trail heads or climb the stairs to the view point.(highly recommended) One side of the road is lined with a log railing and the other of course is a sheer rock wall, not a whole lot of extra elbow room especially when traffic is present. On this particular day the largest herd of llamas I have ever seen, at least twenty, were just hanging out on the road. Above us, atop a rock cropping, was the alpha male overlooking his heard.

Here’s the scenario I saw happening in my head, and yes I do usually think the worst, I guess that’s just always been part of my job description while in the fire service. The weather was wet and cloudy as it is sometimes up in the Cajas. There were a few cars stopped hazardously along the road and the drivers were out taking pictures of the heard. Nobody bothered pulling into the parking lot. A dozen or so llamas, mostly mothers with their crias (babies) were gathered between the roadside wall, moving and parked vehicles and wood railings. The only escape route for the llamas was through the group of iphone snap happy humans. Many of the llamas had their ears folded back which is a typical sign of distress, aggression or nervousness for many large mammals. I had a fireman partner who had ears so big, even his would fold back when he felt endangered. Pay attention to the ears.

I had already parked my vehicle in the lot to begin our hike and we quickly found ourselves in the midst of this potential llama mishap. After waiting a minute and getting a feel for the scene we quickly made our way along the road side around the gathering without any incidents. Like most mammals, once one gets spooked it’s contagious. All it could have taken was for just one llama to get spooked or feel threatened and it would have been a mass exodus through the crowd and approaching vehicles. I don’t think I even have to mention the typical ‘mother bear’ scenario.

On another trek we had an encounter with one very large, very aggressive and very horney male llama. This confrontation developed quickly and could have become muy peligroso. The llama spotted us from a distance, ran towards us up the narrow path, brushed against the four of us as he jolted passed, turned around and engaged us with an attitude. Heading down the path I was in the front but now I was the furthest from the llama with my clients in between. I immediately told the other three to get in front me and start heading down the trail. The two gals gladly obliged but by then the llama was already trying to mount Jim from behind. Jim is a big guy and quickly threw an elbow which connected rather sharply to the llama’s snout. The llama backed off for a few seconds but came at us again. After waving and slapping my jacket, throwing my backpack at him and then using my walking stick to put some distance between us, he decided to back off. All makes for amusing tales afterwards while enjoying the fire back at the restaurant but we were lucky. This was a rare incident but it did happen and luckily no one was injured.

The mishap potential is there no doubt. Cajas is not a petting zoo and the llamas are wild animals. Enjoy the Cajas, be smart, don’t push your luck when trekking through El Cajas because El Cajas will push back I promise you that. Tips for the day: Give the llamas their space and carry a walking stick. With today’s photo technology and zoom capabilities there’s no need to get too close. Dress prepared for changing weather. Know your limits. If you are not familiar with the hiking routes in the Cajas it’s always best to first go out with a guide.

OVIE AVEN

wearing' single Mom who doesn't really put out an effort to better her situation - financially or romantically. It takes a crazy lady like Michelle to point out her flaws. Bell gets a chance to be a little more dowdy and down to earth as a brownie baking Mom. Dinklage as Renault is a man on a mission of revenge. Feeling he is owed more than a silly apology, the Samurai wanna-be is in destruct mode. I love when Dinklage gets a chance to put in a little comedic time and I have seen him do it well (check out KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM if you don't believe me!). Spending the last few years in serious Tyrion Lannister mode - this had to have been fun for him.

Anderson as young Rachel is so adorable I can't stand it. She takes to Michelle when most people would run the other way. She is accepting of the craziness and wants the best for not only her Mom but the lady who is making things difficult. Mumolo as Dandelion Mom

BY JERI JACQUIN Helen is completely insane and the showdown with Michelle is nothing short of Matrix action.

Coming to theatres this Friday from direcLabine as Mike is what most would consider tor/writer Ben Falcone, Melissa McCarthy and the average nice guy who really does have a Steve Mallory along with Universal Pictures are crush on Claire. His "hitting" skills could use a the rules of knowing who is THE BOSS. little work but then again the fact that he doesLife hasn't always been easy for Michelle Darn't have those skills would makeACQUIN me take notice.

Y ERI nell (Melissa McCarthy). Being turned away There is a scene that Labine had me falling out from families, she made it clear early on that of my chair and I want to thank him for being oming theatres this such Friday director Tim and 20th Century Fox comes she was going to becometo something all on her a goodfrom sport about it. Yes, you'll knowBurton it own. Becoming the 7th richest person in the when you see it. a tale from the novel by Ransom Riggs that tells about MRS. PEREGRINE’S HOME world, she has no problem telling people what Other cast include: Cecily Strong as Dana she thinks orFOR feels. UNUSUAL CHILDREN. Dandridge, Mary Sohn as Jan Keller, Eva PeterEspecially to her(Asa assistant Claire (Kristen as Chrystal,man Timothythat Simons as Stephan, Jacob Butterfi eld) is son a young knows he is a little off the beaten path. The Bell) treating her roughly and not really caring Aleandra Newcomb as Mariana, Presley Coley one person that he is close to is Grandfather Abraham about her life. What Michelle doesn't realize is as Hannah, Kathy Bates as Ida Marquette and(Terence Stamp). From the time he that watching her from afar isGrandfather Renault (Peter Ben Falcone as Marty. was young boy, would tell him stories of his travels and photos of the people Dinklage), a former lover and co-worker who in his life.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give THE BOSS is still holding a 25-year old grudge. In an act four and acall half tubs of popcorn out of five. Abraham, he runs over to discover of revenge, Renault calls thereceives authorities toa strange When Jacob from Grandfather This must be the year of jaw dropping and report Michelle for insider trading. aSentenced house that is ransacked. He notices a light outside and follows it into the woods where thoroughly hilarious inappropriate comedy to time in prison, Michelle bides Grandpa hasa new been attacked.

Trying tohome tell with Jacob tohurting. “findI the bird” it becomes clear that they because I came my sides her time. Claire finds job working with love that McCarthy delivers her lines with disMike (Tyler Labine) who has a tad bit of a crush are not alone in the forest. tain, snap, straight faced and a stare than can on Claire. Keeping herself busy raising daughter go byshe and Jacobto is having a difficult time dealing with his Grandfather being gone. kill.

Rachel Days (Ella Anderson), is surprised The audience couldn't contain themselves come home (Kim from work to find Michelle onworried her Mom Dickens) is and Dad Franklin (Chris O’Dowd) doesn’t seem moved by and the laughter got very, very loud! Okay, I doorstep. Knowing there is no place for her to much having his own ‘daddy’ issues.

Sending Jacob was part of that which makes it even more fun.to see therapist Dr. Golan (Allison go since her assets had been seized; Claire agrees the start a of trip the film the very end I toJanney), let her stay until for a while. it is brought up that From perhaps totoWales were Grandfather came from will give almost wanted the theatre to turn up the volAsking Michelle to take Rachel to her Danthemeeting, young boycomes closure ume of the film because there were very few delion Michelle up with a he wild needs. moments where andof I Cairnholm and the tavern where idea and a way to make Off they gomoney as again.

DadUsing and Jacob findpeople theweren't littlelaughing town didn't want to miss anything!

Claire's brownie recipe she creates her own they will bird watching I also lovedto thatgo Falcone, McCarthy and Mal- and Jacob wants to find the home troop of girls andbe sells staying. the brownies! Franklin wants lory had no problem bringing the male he jokesmeets Emma (Ella Purnell) looking The problem is Michelle stilllived has to deal his Grandfather in.with It doesn’t take long before in for the ladies to enjoy. Of course it made Renault who wants to steal what's hers, dealing exactly like the photograph – not aging one bit. jaws completely drop (pun intended) and I with feelings of family and keeping crazy Danknew that that alone to was meet cause for me to tellAlma LeFay Peregrine (Eva Green) delion Mom Helen (Annie - what's Emma takesMumolo) Jacob through a portal Miss everyone to see it. Hey, it's time the guys got in a bossy ginger to do? and she begins explain on the jokes. They all live in a home during World War II and Miss McCarthy as Michelle is ato sharply dressed everything.

As much asloops I enjoy Bellthat as well, keep it is McCarthy rich lady with a bad attitude and fam- to create Peregrine has about the lifeability a day frozen in time. Keep their day who steals the entire show and I personally ily. Thinking only of herself it is inevitable that safe from bombs that later drop during war is all Miss don't have a problem with that in the slightest.Peregrine wants to do to keep her looking down (sorry Peter) on someone will She looks great too! I want to throw a shoutcatch up. McCarthy is just brilliant in this role children safe. out to Kathy Bates who has a small role in the giving straight forward comedy that truly did He also meets the other children with peculiars - Enoch (Finlay MacMillan), Olive film. Yes Ms. Bates I think everything you have have everyone in the theatre laughing hysteridone and continue to do is justFiona frakken fantastic cally and shooting an asner or two. Never eat (Lauren McCrostie), Horace (Hayden Stone), (Georgia Pemberton), Hugh – well sort so thanks and it is great to see you outside of a or drink during a McCarthy movie is what I'm of (Milo Parker), and Claire (Raffi ella Chapman), Bronwyn (Pixie Davies), Millard (Cameron horror story. beginning to think. That being said there isn't King), Victor Davison) and Twinsof a(Joseph & Thomas Odwell).

So if the you’re Masked looking for a whammy good anything about this film(Louis and her role that I didlaugh then head out this weekend for THE n't like.

Their biggest fear now is Barron (Samuel L. Jackson) who is looking to destroy all the BOSS...take lots of friends.

Bell as Claire is a little less flamboyant but Peculiars.

Jacob jumps between time keeping In the end - watch your assets! his father clueless and back to the home instead doing the 'television-sweater-loose-bra-

MOVIE MAVENS

MRS. PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR UNUSUAL CHILDREN B J J

C

when Miss Peregrine and the children are in danger. The young man also feels strongly for Emma knowing he has to say goodbye when the time comes.

All of this is only a matter of time!

Butterfield as Jake has the right amount of empathy in his facial expressions to carry this film for the entire two hours plus. Perhaps it’s his wide-eyed wonder or his questioning eyebrows but either makes for a young man thrown between two worlds. Butterfield continues to win over audiences since HUGO, ENDER’S GAME and a truly stunning performance in 10,000 SAINTS. Purnell as Emma is full of sad wide eyed wonder floating when she needs to, wearing lead shoes when she doesn’t. Stamp as Grandpa Abraham pops in and out through the story as much as Jacob goes in between time.

Green as Miss Peregrine brings her growly low voice once again to this character. I really enjoy her as an actress but I have to say that typecasting is becoming closer than I care to think about. Growly has followed her through DARK SHADOWS, 300: Rise of an Empire, SIN CITY: A Dame to Kill For, and the television series PENNY DREADFUL. Miss Peregrine feels a lot like the character Serafina Pekkala from THE GOLDEN COMPASS as a watchful eye over children in both cases.

Jackson as Barron is a mildly amusing character but to be honest his talking was slurred but what I can only think is really bad fitting denture prosthetics. O’Dowd as Dad Franklin provides a bland performance and I hate that because I love O’Dowd!

MacMillan, McCrostie, Stone, Pemberton, Chapman, Davies, King and Davison have each a specific peculiarity and are delightful to watch. Of course I have my favorites which are Parker as the very unseeable Hugh and the Odwell twins as the Masked Twins. I love how Hugh uses his special gifts to make me laugh and the Masked Twins keep my curiosity peaked!

Other cast include: O-Lan Jones as Shelley, Helen Day as Miss Edwards, Jennifer Jarackas as Aunt Susie, Rupert Everett as the Ornithologist and Dame Judi Dench as Miss Avocet.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give MRS. PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR UNUSUAL CHILDREN three and a half tubs of popcorn out of five. Each Peculiar that the children have is cool & interesting. There are some nice storylines here but there is a lot of story to tell. That explains the over two hours which started to wane on my eyes a little.

Burton is a favorite filmmaker in our household filled with CORALINE or FRANKENWEENIE or, obviously, NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. This is just a good film, but is it a memorable one? That will be for Burton fans to decide as this story seems right up his alley.

The film has all the trademark dark eyes, dark creatures (although they look a little like grown up versions of the Del Toro critters from DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK from 2010), a little spookiness and a little yucky in the eye department. With Halloween right around the corner this might be the creepiness families will go for.

In the end – stay peculiar!

Strange News

How The Turnip Prize Grew From A Joke Into A Global Contest

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

11

R

egardless of whether you support Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, one thing is certain: Someone wants to make a buck off you this election season.

Whenever a presidential campaign is in full swing, businesses and entrepreneurs come swarming around, hoping to make a buck off people who want to show their affinity for a candidate or their distaste for another.

There are Clinton and Trump toilet paper, bobblehead dolls and T-shirts.

Someone is even making cookies that look like the candidates.

In what may be an interesting marker, there are more weird items of Trump available than Clinton.

This may be because his candidacy inspires as many products that deplore him as support him (hence the Trump whoopie cushion).

But having more items in your image doesn’t necessarily mean more value down the road, according to campaign memorabilia expert Jim Warwick, who owns White House Gifts in Washington, D.C. He predicts Hillary Clinton memorabilia will be very popular in the coming years, regardless of the election outcome.

“Clinton will have way more long-term value than Trump’s for the very reason of possibly being the first woman, much like the value of Obama’s first campaign,” Warwick told The Huffington Post. “It will truly be an historic event and anything associated with Hillary will be around for many years, and 100 years from now will be one of the most prized of political memorabilia years.”

However, collectors take note: Things like campaign toilet paper, cornhole games and “Trumpy Cat” T-shirts may not be worth breaking the bank.

“They will have no value, except for the Halloween masks,” Warwick added.

“Those will be in the Smithsonian collection most likely for future reference to this campaign year.”

Norway’s Prime Minister Caught Playing Pokemon Go In Parliament

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new book chronicles the history of the spoof Turnip Prize, which is awarded annually for the world’s intentionally worst work of modern art.

The parody of the better-known Turner Prize encourages entrants to “take the least amount of effort possible” in creating their pieces, which are then judged on how crappy they are.

Trevor Prideaux launched the competition in Wedmore, southwest England, in 1999 as a humorous response to what he believed was the Turner Prize’s “decline in integrity.”

“It was in protest to Tracey Emin entering her unmade bed into the Turner Prize,” he told The Huffington Post this week. “A few locals in the pub agreed we in Somerset could come up with equally shit art to challenge it.”

What started as a tongue-in-cheek award for locals has expanded into a global competition, with dozens of artists from around the world now vying each year for the turnip-impaled trophy on a rusty 6-inch nail.

Many enter under pseudonyms and their titles are usually an amusing play on words. In 2015, Bonksy took the prize for a doodle on a piece of wood entitled “Dismal And,” ― an amusing reference to street artist Banksy’s pop-up bemusement park Dismaland which he opened in nearby Weston-super-Mare that summer.

Prideaux teamed up with Royston Weeksz, an art critic who also goes under a pseudonym, for the new book “The Turnip Prize — A Retrospective,” which showcases examples of the award’s best worst entries.

Entries for this year’s competition are open from Nov. 1 to 21. Organizers will announce the winner at The New Inn in Wedmore on Dec. 5.

Now You Can Wipe Your Butt With The Candidate You Hate The Most

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orwegian prime minister Erna Solberg was caught in the act of trying to catch them all.

News photographers captured Solberg playing Pokemon Go on Tuesday while listening to a heated debate at the Storting, Norway’s parliament.

Solberg’s love of Pokemon Go isn’t exactly a state secret.

Back in August, Solberg even took some time off from a state visit to Slovakia to hunt for Pokemon on the streets of Bratislava, according to TheLocal.No. Her decision to play Pokemon Go during a debate might seem rude, but it seems the game’s popularity crosses some Norwegian political lines.

Solberg is the leader of Norway’s Conservative Party, and the person speaking during her Pokemon Go session was none other than Trine Skei Grande, the leader of Norway’s Liberal Party. Grande was caught on camera playing Pokemon Go herself during an August meeting of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense.

Grande had just finished asking a question when her attention switched to the app.

When reporters for VG, a Norwegian news website, asked Grande to comment on her multitasking, she explained that some people “have heads that listen better when doing something brain dead.”

Pikachu was unavailable for comment.

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| ISSUE 16 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

ASK DR. MORA

HOROSCOPES ArIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, it is time to be on the lookout for fresh financial opportunities. Set new goals for yourself, and put your finances at the top of your priority list.

TAUrUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, don’t bother attracting people through false advertising.

Instead, be authentic and you will find you garner much more attention and adoration.

GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, the universe is trying to send you cues this week. But you will only receive these cues if you keep your eyes and ears open. Things may not be what they seem.

CANCEr - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, if you want others to open up, you have to start the conversation by sharing something from your heart as well.

Make an effort to be more open in the days ahead.

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, this week you have the strength and motivation to accomplish your goals. You will sigh with relief when everything gets accomplished on time and in order.

VIrGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 This week you have a green light to spoil yourself, Virgo. It isn’t ack in 1990 when I decided to start with a clinic in my native city of Cuenca, everybody something you do often, so let loose a little bit and splurge on thought I was out of my mind. My friends, my veterinarian colleagues, the people in our some luxuries. town did, no one could believe that after being in the veterinarian field in the USA, working as a doctor there, that I would be trying to set up a clinic here.

LIBrA - Sept 23/Oct 23 At that time, there were no small animals doctors in Cuenca. Which meant there was also no Libra, a dear friend or relative could use your support right education in the population about the meaning of the word "pet." Dogs were only dogs. There about now. Offer a helping hand or even a shoulder to cry on so was not a culture of vaccination or deworming and the professionals at the time did not have the this special person knows you’re there to help. education or the training to solve the health issues of dogs and cats.

After receiving a good education in the USA, I would have been just another veterinarian there. SCOrPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Here on the other hand, there was a need to have some guidelines to follow, there was a need to Scorpio, make an effort to be a social butterfly in the week see that there were options for the patients, there was a need to feel bucked up by a professional ahead. This will quench your thirst to be around others this in the painful moment of having a dog or a cat seriously ill, there were some young colleagues week. Don’t be afraid to reconnect with old friends. that badly needed education. Coming back home was the right thing to do.

For 10 years at CLINCIA VETERINARIA MORA, the main issue was to educate the people so SAGITTArIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 the kids at that time would grow up thinking of dogs and cats as pets, as members of the family, Sagittarius, this is a great week to establish a financial strategy as little brothers. Facing this challenge, we invested time and resources in the radio, newspaper that fits into your lifestyle. If this involves revisiting your and TV monthly, sometimes weekly. professional ambitions, then so be it.

It seems to us that we made it one step at a time. First deworming and vaccinations became normal. Later, hospitalizations for sick pets were to become accepting. Little by little there were CAPrICOrN - Dec 22/Jan 20 more pet owners willing to pay to get their pets better. Laboratory testing and radiographics Capricorn, don’t be afraid to shake things up a bit this week. You came in a while as people were getting used to receiving good medical care. Ultrasound, may not have time to mince words, so don’t hesitate to get to tomography and magnetic resonance were coming and now we have in our city places where the point. Others will appreciate your candor. we can receive very good medical care for our pets.

On December 14th, CLINICA VETERINARIA MORA will be turning 25 years old, along the way AQUArIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 being the number one medical practice for pets in Cuenca. We started with 2 general practitioner It’s time to be your own teacher and become an expert in any doctors; now we are a team of 5 specialist doctors. subject you desire, Aquarius. Start doing your research and you We now have different areas to serve you and your pets: there is an area for diagnosis with may be surprised at the discoveries. digital radiology, electrocardiography, echography and laboratory; there are areas to hospitalize dogs and cat separately; there are maternity, physical therapy and odontology areas; and even PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 isolation and quarantine areas and 2 surgery rooms.

Pisces, this week you might start seeing a platonic pal in a more We are performing ophthalmologic surgeries, neurosurgery, traumatology, gastro enteric and amorous way. The affinity you share may be the foundation for cancer surgeries. a great relationship.

In the past 24 years we have walked a long way to be here. It is our passion, we love it. And we know there is a lot to be done. We need to grow alongside you and your pets. There are new FAMOUS BIrThDAYS challenges; there are needs to be fulfilled.

OCTOBER 9 - Bella Hadid, Model (20) We hope that we will have the answers you are looking for. And if we do not have them yet, OCTOBER 10 - Aimee Teegarden, Actress (27) we will work our hardest to have them for you in the future.

OCTOBER 11 - Emily Deschanel, Actress (40) OCTOBER 12 - Tyler Blackburn, Actor (30) Dr. Mora will be a regular contributor to The Cuenca Dispatch and is offering the expertise OCTOBER 13 - Kate Walsh, Actress (49) of his clinic to answer any pet related questions you may have. Please submit your question OCTOBER 14 - Mia Wasikowska, Actress (27) to: “Ask Dr. Mora,” c/o The CuencaDispatch @gmail.com OCTOBER 15 - Emeril Lagasse, Chef (57)

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Fun and Games

CLUES ACROSS 1. Bunco 4. In bed 8. Telegraphic signal 9. About rune 11. Iowa State town 13. Technique of a pianist 15. Grandmother 16. Small lake 17. Divides evenly into (Math) 18. Water’s edge 20. Combustion residue 21. Islamic ruler 22. “Good Wife” investigator 25. Solid water 26. Tibetan gazelle 27. Duets 29. Common shade trees 30. Cancellation key 31. “Good Wife’s” Gold 32. “Good Wife” husband 39. Herring-loke food fish 41. Self-immolation by fire ritual 42. TV delivery system 43. Ad __ 44. 2nd smallest planet 45. First on moon 46. Androgyne

48. Skating jump 49. Remove fat from 50. Point midway between NE and E 51. London park 52. Pig pen

Time (abbr.)

29. Norse goddess of old age 31. A type of salamander 32. Appease 33. Not common 34. Church of Pope Francis 35. Common frog genus CLUES DOWN 36. Wild goats 1. Chief Polish port 37. Customer 2. Japanese motor co.

38. NAACP founder 3. Carbolic acid Florence 4. Mures River city 39. Outbuilding 5. Small bread roll 6. Inexplicable occurrence 40. N.E. Chinese province 44. Distribute by measure 7. Thrown in track and 47. Scoundrel field 10. Military leader (abbr.)

12. Indian dress Solution 13. Children’s tale bear 14. Opposite of cameo 16. Portraiture stance 19. 1/2 an em 20. Pouchlike structures 21. Music awards est. 1973 23. Belonging to a diocese 24. Memory whose contents cannot be changed 27. Transfer property 28. Universal Standard

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| ISSUE 16 | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | www.cuencadispatch.com

Health & Wellness

The best (and worst) foods for heart health

No one wants to hear from their doctors that they have joined the millions of people across the globe to be diagnosed with heart disease. The Heart Foundation reports that heart disease, which includes diseases of the heart and cardiovascular system and stroke, is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, affecting both men and women and most racial/ethnic groups. Heart disease also is one of the leading causes of death in Canada, claiming more than 33,000 lives per year.

Many factors contribute to the development of heart disease, including smoking, lack of exercise and stress. Diet and whether a person is overweight or obese also can have a direct link to heart health. Diet, particularly for those with diabetes and poorly controlled blood sugar levels, is a major concern.

A variety of foods are considered helpful for maintaining a strong and healthy heart and cardiovascular system, while others can contribute to conditions that may eventually lead to cardiovascular disease or cardiac arrest. Moderation enables a person to sample a little of everything, but not to make any one food a habit. The following are some foods to promote heart health and some foods you might want to avoid.

Good · Tree nuts: Tree nuts contain unsaturated fats that can help lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) and improve HDL (the good stuff). Nuts also are a filling source of protein and other healthy nutrients. · Whole grains: Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates for energy, as well as protein and fiber. Fiber can help scrub cholesterol from the blood, lowering bad cholesterol levels. · Fatty fish: Many cold-water, fatty fish, such as halibut, herring and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are heart-healthy. Omega-3s also can be found in walnuts, flaxseed and some soy products. · Beans: Beans and other legumes are an excellent source of protein and can be a stand-in for meats that are high in saturated fat. Beans also contain cholesterollowering soluble fiber and folate, which can reduce blood homocystein levels.

The Bean Institute reports that consuming beans may reduce cholesterol levels by roughly six to 10 percent. · Yogurt: Researchers in Japan found yogurt may protect against gum disease.

Left untreated, gum disease may elevate a person's risk for heart disease. Yogurt contains good bacteria that can counteract bad bacteria and boost immunity. · Raisins: Raisins contain antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation.

Inflammation is often linked to heart disease and other debilitating conditions.

Fresh produce also is a good source of antioxidants.

Poor · Fried foods: Many fried foods have little nutritional value, as they tend to be high in saturated and trans fats. French fries are particularly bad because they are carbohydrates fried and then doused in salt. · Sausage: Processed meats have frequently earned a bad reputation among cardiologists, but sausage can be a big offender, due in large part to its high saturated fat content. · Red meats: Enjoying a steak is probably not as bad as eating a deep-fried brownie, but it's best to limit red meat consumption to about 10 percent or less of your diet. Red meats can have a considerable amount of cholesterol, saturated fat and calories. · Added sugars: Sugar can increase blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

Sugar often hides out in foods that you would not associate with the sweetener.

Plus, many people unwittingly consume too much sugar simply through sugarsweetened beverages and ready-to-eat cereals. · Salty foods: Leave the salt shaker in the spice cabinet and opt for herbs for flavoring, advises the American Heart Association. High-sodium diets often are to blame for hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease. · Dairy: Artery-clogging saturated fat also can be found in dairy products, particularly the full-fat versions. Butter, sour cream and milk can be problematic when people overindulge. Opt for low-fat dairy when possible.

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any beloved dishes might be enjoyed more often if they were only a little healthier. Author and former personal chef Michelle Dudash was once asked by a client if the she could make a healthier version of chicken parmesan. The result of that request is the following recipe for "Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach," which Dudash ultimately included in her book, "Clean Eating For Busy Families" (Fair Winds). The recipe was a hit with Dudash's client and will surely be a hit at home cooks' dinner tables as well.

Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach Makes 6 servings

For the sauce: 2 2 1 1/4 1/4 2 2 1/2

teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil cloves garlic, sliced 28-ounce can whole tomatoes teaspoon dried basil teaspoon dried oregano pinches salt pinches freshly ground black pepper teaspoon honey

For the chicken: 3 2 1/2 1/4 1/4 1 1/2 2 4 1 3/4 6

tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese tablespoons whole-wheat flour teaspoon salt, divided teaspoon freshly ground black pepper teaspoon dried basil pounds chicken breast, cut into 6 pieces, pounded to 1/4 inch tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided cups baby spinach teaspoon lemon juice cup fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 6 medallions (or shredded) cups cooked whole-grain thin spaghetti tossed in 2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 F and coat the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan with olive oil spray.

To make the sauce: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic and cook gently for 30 seconds. Do not brown. With your hand, squeeze each tomato into the pan and add basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and honey. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, lowering the heat as needed.

To make the chicken: Combine parmesan cheese, flour, salt, pepper, and basil in a medium dish and coach chicken with cheese mixture. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When oil is shimmering, add chicken, rounded-side down, and cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Arrange chicken in a baking pan. Pour remaining 2 teaspoons of oil into skillet and add spinach. Cook spinach for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted and swirl in lemon juice. Gently press spinach to release water and divide spinach on top of chicken. Spoon sauce around and over the chicken, place mozzarella on top, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve over spaghetti.

www.cuencadispatch.com | THE CUENCA DISPATCH | ISSUE 16 |

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

"What’s Happening..." is 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 Free Walking Tours of Cuenca by Cuencanos What: Walk around Cuenca and learn about this beautiful city through Cuencanos eyes. Learn more about Cuenca’s culture, traditions and history. English and Spanish.

When: Mondays and Tuesdays at 11:15 AM, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 AM Where: Seminario San Luis (Between Raymipamba restaurant and Tutto Fredo) – Maki Fairtrade Store Cost: Free Contact: freewalkingtourscue@hotmail.com 099 848 5390 International Theatre Festival, October 12-24 What: This 10th year of Cuenca’s exciting international theatre festival, “Escenarios del Mundo”,

A fabulous event for the Canines of Cuenca FAAN presents Perroween, for the animals in need.

Please join us and donate food to our amigos.

Sunday, 16 Oct, 11 AM to 6 PM, Oro Verde Hotel.

Please wear a costume to celebrate our canine friends and Halloween.

Piano: Peter Dudar $5 donation Contact: Darwin darxav1991@gmail.com Weekly free language exchange sessions Every Tuesday, starting promptly at 5:30 PM, join us to exchange languages, share and learn with native speakers of Spanish, French, German and other languages. We will talk about different cultures, languages and current events happening around the world.

Casual format encourages everyone to speak in the language they want to learn. Feedback on your efforts will be provided by our members who are native speakers of that language.

Every Tuesday, starting at 5:30 PM, free, Spanish Institute of Cuenca, Calle Larga 2-92 y Tomás Ordoñez, one floor up from street, Cuenca.

Jack Hardy: 099 890 3149 Call after: 10 AM. Pet/house sitter for Christmas I am seeking a responsible person to stay in my home and look after my dog from 6 Dec. to 29 Dec. She’s a middle aged boxer but still likes to play a lot. I make all of her own dog food so that would also be a requirement. I live in a three-bedroom house with a small backyard near the Coliseo. No children please. References would be appreciated.

Steve Frieler: navyretiree52@gmail.com 099 022 9102.

Call after: 10 AM Dog walking Cuenca Come on doggies, let’s walk Cuenca. We can give your dog some nice exercise time. If you’re too busy or too tired, call and let your doggie have a great time with us. If you’re on a trip and you can’t take your 4 legged buddy, we also offer pet sitting services at your home. www.facebook.com/Dog-WalkingCuenca-1584664491841015/ Karla Sanchez: dogwalkingcuenca@gmail.com 098 954 6281

highlights productions from 9 countries, from France to Uruguay.

When: October Wednesday, 12th thru Monday, October 24th. For times, see “Escenarios del Mundo” on Facebook Where: Pumapungo Theatre Cost: $6 Contact: laportea2@yahoo.com

MercArt Food Garden Artisanal Market What: Artisanal market related to gastronomy, decoration and home accesories.

When: Friday October 14th, Saturday October 15th, 12:00PM to 9:00PM and Sunday October 16th 12:00PM to 6:00PM Where: Casa del Rio-Quinta Lucrecia, Av. 1 de Mayo y 12 de Octubre Cost: Free Contact: Christina Rivadeneira at merc-art@hotmail.com Charity Concert for Animals What: Animalia: Please join us for a charity concert in benefit of Arca’s rescued animals. Enjoy a wonderful night in the company of 5 great artists.

When: Thursday, October 20, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Where: Teatro Sucre, Mariscal Sucre and Luis Cordero Cost: $10 Contact: Felipe Cardoso: 099 482 1507 * Tickets available at: El Surtido , Carolina Book Store, Arca Clinic, Arca Pet II Encuentro Internacional Danza Folklorica What: Folkloric dance, Cuenca culture and tradition. Come enjoy traditional dances with our special guests, local and from many other places.

When: Tuesday, October 11th to Saturday, October 15th Where: Teatro Sucre- Mariscal Cost: $5 Contact: Tania Cornejo: tania_cornejo02@hotmail.com

Cuenca Tattoo Convention What: 68 tattoo artists from all over North and South America come together for 3 days.

When: Monday, October 14th thru Wednesday, October 16th, 12:00PM to 10:00PM Where: Mall Del Rio Convention Center Cost: Free Contact: Charlotte Golden www.facebook.com/cuencatattooconvention/?pnref=story

CLASSIFIEDS Reflexology promotion at Gato Alado Project This promotion is from October 10th to 30th. You can have 2 reflexology session for $50. Reflexology is a foot massage in which I stimulate pressure points in the feet which has therapeutic effects on the entire body. It’s used for relaxation and to stimulate circulation and help to assist in different diseases.

Celeste Barbotto mcbarbotto@hotmail.com 098 771 5367 Address: Presidente Cordova 14-43

Best roses from Cuenca Are you looking for high quality roses and don’t know where to find them? If you’re looking for the best, then look no further than floristeria Challuabamba. We offer beautiful roses in a variety of colors that have been produced to the highest standards. We would be happy to showcase how our roses are carefully cultivated to ensure our customers receive the finest roses in the market.

For more information, feel free to contact me from 10 AM to 10 PM. Israel López: israel.lopez41@hotmail.com 098 668 0859 Garage sale - Diseno 80 store Find beautiful items: home decor, furniture, knitted clothing and accessories, silver jewelry, handicrafts, sport clothing, earrings, necklaces and bracelets, toys, preserved roses, Christmas décor.

Great bargains. Large variety from Diseno 80 store.

October, Thursday 13th and Friday 14th from 10 AM to 5 PM. Ordonez Lasso 555 y Los Cedros, Monte Carlo Building- Conference Room.

Diseno: diseno80@hotmail.com 098 764 2429 | Call after: 8 AM TV room couch set Hi Everyone, We are moving out of the country and need to sell our TV room set. It’s very comfortable, modern and ideal for watching movies with friends. We are asking $800 for the set with pillows and protection covers.

Karina Capaldi: 098 741 7915 Call after: 6 AM

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

Best price on the market Hello, friends, I’m offering a high quality butter, made at diary factory in Quito for the best price you can find.

1 kilo (2.2 pounds) for $5.99.

If you bake a lot you will see the difference, plus i t’s a great cost saving option. It’s an excellent product for reasonable price.

If you order 5 packs I’ll deliver it to your place.

Alex: alexdan2507@gmail.com 096 905 9339 | Call after: 8 AM. 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 for sale - Toyota Prado 2001 Toyota Prado. Color: Plumb. Manual transmission. Interior: black leather. 210,350 km.

Matricula up to date. $17,000, negotiable. All reasonable offers considered.

Christopher Sills: 096 915 1699 Call after: 7 AM. Vitamin C IV megadoses From $20, plus home service. Did you know that the serum therapy of vitamin C in megadoses can help in your battle against cancer and other degenerative diseases?

Sueroterapia of vitamins and trace elements helps detoxify the body and nourish cells to treat cancer in hand with your conventional treatment. Home service.

Any time, Cuenca and Quito Lorena Paredes : lorenaparedesobando@gmail.com

The Vegetable Bar is thrilled to announce it’s new DELIVERY SERVICE! Any item on the Vegetable Bar Menu will be available to order through the Motodelivery App. Download the Motodelivery App from the Google Play store for your Android smartphone or for your desktop computer.

Or if you prefer, call us directly at 0989 358 169 and we will send Motodelivery to your home!

NOW EVErYDAY! The Vegetable Bar's Own Special Chicken Pot Pie $7.95

Delivery will be available from 8:30AM to 7:00PM Monday through Saturday and 8:30AM to 5:00PM on Sunday!

Try the Motodelivery delivery service this week and with any MEAL ordered from the Vegetable Bar, receive a FREE ORDER OF CHOCOLATE CAKE!

 WEEKLY SPECIALS  Friday, Oct. 13th: beer battered fish and Chips with homemade Coleslaw and Tartar sauce.

2-Piece $8.95 3-Piece $9.95

Saturday, Oct. 14th: ! FrEE FrESh ChILEAN Sunday, Oct. 15th: SALMON TASTING !

Vinegar braised Chicken, 11AM - 2:00PM bacon Wrapped green Pan-seared salmon with beans, garlic mashed kale and apple salad and Potatoes. sweet Potato Puree.

Piece $8.95 $10.95

Monday, Oct. 16th: spicy Chili and Cornmeal Casserole with a side of firehouse beans. $8.95

Tuesday, Oct. 17th: himalayan salt block Corvina, organic broccoli Tuesday, Oct. 17th: Wednesday, Oct. 18th: with balsamic reduction Jerk Chicken burger and african Chicken Peanut Thursday, Oct 19th: drizzle and kale and sweet Potato fries with stew with garlic Toast and spanish meatball & butter apple Walnut salad.

Chipotle mayo. rice bean stew $9.95 $7.95 $8.95 $7.95

Friday, Oct. 20th: beer battered fish and Chips with homemade Coleslaw and Tartar sauce.

2-Piece $8.95 3-Piece $9.95

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)

0989.358.169 | www.thevegetablebar.com