The Vegetable Dispatch - Issue 12

the

VEGETABLE

Volume 1  ISSUE 12

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PATCH September 13, 2016  www.vegdispatch.com

A Series on Rebuilding: Empanadas de Maria

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

WHAT’S INSIDE?

WORLD NEWS - Page 4

US NEWS - Page 6

M

aria used to have her own restaurant. It was small, she says. Located on the beach.

Green plantain empanadas were her specialty among other dishes of the coast, like encocado, a plate of seafood swimming in coconut sauce, or corviche, a deep-fried empanada stuffed with fish. I imagine that her restaurant was tidy inside the quaint walls. Just a few tables and a cover over ahead, she tells me. The way she runs her newest endeavor, her kitchen and restaurant at Proyecto Samán, shows how highly she values service. Clean silverware, fresh ají, a pile of napkins, speedy delivery of fresh empanadas. I imagine that her restaurant on the beach worked the same way. The surfers and tourists and locals would sit down on plastic chairs, wave and smile, call out “Cinco empanadas, porfa!” because one is never enough, and sit back, listening to the soundtrack of the waves.

The empanadas that Maria serves us here at Proyecto Saman are the same she used to serve in her restaurant. Green plantain, no flour. The plantain is pounded to a pulp, turned into dough, maza, and molded perfectly. Inside the empanada

is where the secret lies. She has two options, chicken or cheese, although, she says with a smile, she will also make shrimp empanadas if we purchase the shrimp in town and bring them to her.

Volunteers at Proyecto Samán give conflicting reviews as to which empanada is best. The cheese empanada is filled with fresh queso mixed with chopped herbs.

Chicken empanadas have shredded meat, stirred into a thick stew, almost like a potato soup. You can smell the empanadas frying through the camp. Proyecto Samán, home to thirty-two families who are rebuilding their lives after the earthquake, has a mission of cultivating new beginnings.

The families and community members are encouraged to find new, innovate ways to make money again as they move forward, day by day.

Maria capitalized on her market. The empanadas filled a need that she saw.

Every day, there is a group of volunteers who hover in proximity to Maria’s tent between the hours of 11 and 12. Right before lunch, when our stomachs are growling and our projects are stalling, we wait to hear if it’s empanada time. When we see one volunteer walk back towards

us, after going to the “bathroom,” with a plate of hot empanadas in hand and a smile on his lips, we know it is time. Speed walking through the dust so as not to appear too desperate, we stroll towards Maria. She greets us with a smile. She knew we would be coming.

She serves empanadas out of the tent that is also her living area and kitchen.

Every family has two tents, one for sleeping and personal use inside, the other used as an outside kitchen/living space. She has a large refrigerator, a sink with running water, and a portable stovetop hooked up to the gas tank. There is one plastic table with three chairs for her family and restaurant patrons. On top of the table is a vat of ají. It waits for us, taunting us slightly. We talk about our projects with Maria and her daughter as we wait for the fresh batch. By our feet, toddlers run through the dirt, talking in a language all their own. A family of squawking chickens struts by. It is the perfect descansito, a little break, where I can see that life, livelihood, hope, is here.

Maria is one of the many residents at Proyecto Samán who has started rebuilding her life after the earthquake. continued on page 3

THE ANGRY CRITIC Movie Review-Ben Hur

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

- Page 10

STRANGE NEWS

- Page 11

Veronica Arpi The Expert

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| ISSUU 11 | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | www.vegdispatch.com

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s a business owner it really ticks me off. I've finally put a restaurant in the Ordonez Laso neighborhood that provides good food and good service at a reasonable price. And jobs to 19 people. And just after we opened, the city decided it was time to rip up Ordnoez Laso for only God knows how long!

Is it not enough that they've ripped up El Centro for the Tranvia? Imagine, a literal zipper down the middle of the city that split it in two.

As many of you know, Codi and I used to run Cafe Eucalyptus on Gran Colombia before we opened the Vegetable Bar. But we had to close it and sell it. Do you know why? Because the Tranvia work shut down the street in front of the restaurant. We had spent a year of our lives turning that beast around to become profitable again. And then in one day, "POOF!," like a cloud of smoke it all changed.

So we closed the place, opened the first Vegetable Bar and then after outgrowing that, moved here to our new location on 3 de Noviembre. I remember thinking, "the construction won't be a big deal over here." Boy, was I mistaken.

It's a constant headache, with buses now destroying our clean riverside fresh air with black smoke, dump trucks constantly laying down a fine layer of dust on us every day and never ending noise shattering our tranquil setting.

The silver lining to all this is that we opened during the construction and we are doing well. So, with our fingers crossed we look to even more business when the construction is finally done.

Again, I, ask, "Is all this construction really necessary?"

And my answer is a simple, "yes." That's right, I said "yes."

Why? Well, for a lot of reasons. But the biggest being that I have been coming to Cuenca since 2006. I spent time here then, again in 2009 and 2011 and finally settled here in 2013.

So I can tell you first hand that in 2006, the idea of a good transit system here in Cuenca—or the whole of Ecuador for that matter—was laughable. This city was simply a shadow of its former self from colonial days (when cars weren't a part of everyday life) and the 2006 version of it had little to offer its citizens in the form of reliable, inexpensive transportation. Sure, there were buses and you could go throughout the city and the country. But not easily. Or comfortably.

Or safely.

And THAT is what matters the most. Because the people of Cuenca need that to survive. In the span of 10 years they have seen more change than you can imagine. And they have adapted. But much of that adaption owes itself to a solid transportation system. And now that transportation system has to grow into the 21st century.

Don't get me wrong, I HATE the smog the buses create. And there are many critics of the Tranvia that feel it has been terribly mismanaged. Personally, I hate what that project and the Ordonez Laso work has done to my business(s).

But I love the hard-working people of the city. And I firmly believe THEY deserve good roads and safe affordable transportation.

Because transportation is critical to a thriving growing city. And all the inconvenience we are going through is going to lead to an interesting if not amazing system. Will it be the best it could have been? Who's to say? I'll leave that discussion to the people that know a lot more about it than me.

Myself, I believe it will be an improvement in the long run.

So it's okay for me to be bothered by what it has done to my business(s). But it's not okay for me to not look at the bigger picture and try to understand the good that can come from these changes.

The Cuencanos have had to adapt to massive changes over the last 10 year.

And this is just one more thing they will adapt to.

So, as I wrote in one of my prior columns, I need to adapt too.

But I'd be lying if I didn’t say I'm praying for the work to finish soon!

CALL: 0999800901 CONTACTO: 0999815043

www.vegdispatch.com | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | ISSUU 11 |

continued from page1 Her restaurant on the beach was destroyed on April 16, but after four months living at Samán, she has started serving empanadas again. As more people start visiting the camp to see what’s happening, word of her empanadas spreads further. One of the missions of Proyecto Samán is to unite the residents of the camp with those in Canoa by hosting fairs, festivals, and theater performances.

Maria is earning money again by selling each empanada for fifty cents. It is not much. Calculating out what she must make in a day, it hovers between $10 and $20. But it is something.

The act of rebuilding must come in small moments, dedicated tasks, and businesses growing. Donations have stopped arriving. It’s a time of transition for everyone, the time for accepting this new reality and moving forwards. Maria buys the ingredients to make empanadas, cooks them to the best of her ability, and lets the delicious flavor sell itself. Plate by plate, her family rebuilds.

As I learn more about the lives and strength of survivors after a natural disaster, it’s not hard to see how things could go badly. When your home, your business, perhaps the lives of loved ones, are all destroyed, you’re left with this question, “What’s next?” If you have nothing, some would say you have nothing to lose. Perhaps this provides some insight into the stories I read a few months ago about armed thieves stealing trucks of donations or when I try to imagine who the person is who would break into a broken down house the evening of the quake and steal everything inside. After everything is shaken, it’s hard to think in terms of what’s right and wrong. Everything seems difficult. The path out of desolation must seem infinite.

But when I talk to women like Maria, I see her strength in her dedication to this particular task, to making empanadas. She knows it’s a way that she can provide for her family. It’s one of the many ways of rebuilding a livelihood that has crumbled. She is fairly shy as I ask questions, and she doesn’t speak much of the past, but rather chooses to focus on what she’s doing now. She says she’d like to have another restaurant again some day. I sense hope, a future, in her actions. It has only been four months since the earthquake, but she’s not looking behind her, only forward. This is strength. It’s envisioning a time when she’ll be serving up empanadas in a new restaurant, in a new place, with her children playing nearby and her husband working in town, everyone moving along to the sizzle of plantain maza, the clatter of plates on a table, and the clank of coins adding up, day by day.

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098 167 3885 | info@savorcom.com

Ulises Narvaez Guerrero CEO - ulises@savorec.com

David A. Johnson Publisher - dave@savorec.com

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Tara Mastracchio Director of Personnel - tara@savorec.com

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Owner: Michael Soares and the Vegetable Bar The Vegetable Dispatch is published by Savor Communications. Any reproduction or duplication of any part thereof must be done with the written permission of the Publisher. All information included herein is correct to the best of our knowledge as of the publication date. Corrections should be forwarded to the Publisher at the address above.

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

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World News

ITALY

BRAZIL

CEO of troubled Italian bank Rio police want IOC head to explain Ireland’s games tickets Monte dei Paschi resigns

T

he chief executive of Italy’s troubled Monte dei Paschi di Siena has resigned after the bank was the worst performer in the recent stress test of EU banks.

The Tuscan bank announced the departure of Fabrizio Viola in a statement after a board meeting late Thursday. It said the search for a replacement is under way and Viola will remain in place until the successor is named.

The world’s oldest-running bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena is among the most troubled of Italy’s banks, which are struggling with 360 billion euros ($400 billion) in soured loans.

After the EU stress test, Viola had announced a 5 billion euro capital increase from private sources.

Guyana

Guyana prime minister orders pregnant TV anchor reinstated

T

he prime minister of Guyana has ordered the reinstatement of a TV anchor on the state-run station who said she was removed from her position because she is pregnant.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said the CEO of the National Communications Network must also issue an “unqualified apology” to Natasha Smith.

Smith said camera operators were initially directed to hide her pregnancy from viewers. She said later she was told by supervisors that she was being removed from her news-reading duties at the direction of CEO Lennox Cornette.

The NCN issued a statement denying that she was fired because she was pregnant. But the prime minister said late Wednesday that he had “no doubt” that was the reason and ordered her reinstatement as the Cabinet official in charge of public information.

FRANCE

45 people stuck overnight in cable cars at Mont Blanc

A

series of cable cars carrying tourists stopped working at high altitude over the Mont Blanc massif in the Alps on Thursday, prompting a major rescue operation and leaving 45 people trapped in midair overnight, France’s interior minister said.

Four helicopters were deployed after 110 people became stuck when the cable cars stalled because of a “technical incident,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. He said the helicopters rescued 65 people before the efforts were suspended for the night because of rough flight conditions.

First aid workers were transported to the site and will be spending the night in the cable cars with those who are trapped, Cazeneuve said. Rescuers provided blankets, food and water to help weather the chilly mountain conditions overnight.

The cable car, which offers spectacular up-close views of Western Europe’s tallest mountains and deep valleys below, connects the Aiguille de Midi peak in France, at 3,842 meters (12,605 feet), to Pointe Helbronner in Italy, at 3,462 meters (11,358 feet).

Cables carrying the Panoramic Mont Blanc cars reportedly tangled around 4 p.m. (1400 GMT). Workers from the operating company tried to untangle the lines but failed. They alerted authorities and French and Italian mountain rescue specialists were brought by helicopter to evacuate passengers.

Passengers were transferred to other cable cars that brought them down the mountain to Courmayeur in Italy. Descending from the cable cars, one passenger told reporters “it ended well” despite five or six hours suspended midair in cold mountain conditions.

French police said the evacuation was suspended at 9:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.

EDT, 1930 GMT), and will resume Friday at 7:15 a.m. (0515 GMT, 1:15 a.m. EDT).

Chamonix Mayor Eric Fournier said earlier on BFM television that “there’s nothing fundamentally to fear.”

The cable car journey normally takes 30-35 minutes. The Panoramic Cable Car is operated in the summer season, when large numbers of climbers and tourists converge on the area. Another series of cable cars takes skiers and visitors to the peak of the Aiguille de Midi year-round.

R

io de Janeiro police investigating a ticket-scalping case want the IOC president to explain why Ireland’s allocation of Summer Games tickets went up.

The Olympic Council of Ireland received 296 more tickets after exchanges between Thomas Bach, head of the International Olympic Committee, and Patrick Hickey, a high-ranking IOC member and head of the OCI, police said on Thursday.

Hickey, 71, is facing charges in Brazil for ticket scalping, conspiracy, and ambush marketing in a case that broke during the Olympics.

Investigator Aloysio Falcao said they found a July 2015 text from Hickey to Bach requesting more tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for the football, basketball and 100-meter finals. The Associated Press obtained the log of those text messages, in which Hickey lays out his “wish list.”

Falcao said police retrieved information from spreadsheets by OCI sports director Martin Burke, who was named on Thursday as a suspect, showing how the allocation of tickets had gone up last year. There was no record of a text sent in response to Hickey’s request.

“What we know for a fact is that the allocation went up after that text,” Falcao said. “We don’t know what Bach’s response was, so that’s why we want to hear from him.”

The IOC did not respond to an immediate request for comment.

Bach canceled his trip to the opening of the Paralympics in Rio on Wednesday.

Police said he would have been summoned to speak as a witness. The IOC said he would be in Germany instead for the official state mourning ceremony for former West German President Walter Scheel, who died last month at the age of 97. It’s unclear if Bach will go to Brazil for any of the Paralympics, which last until Sept. 18.

The IOC promised to cooperate on Wednesday, but the officials said no one with the organization has sought authorities to clarify.

Hickey is among 10 people charged by Brazilian prosecutors with ticket scalping. He was arrested on Aug. 17 in a dawn raid on his Rio hotel room.

After a two-day stay in a local hospital to undergo tests, he was held in a highsecurity prison complex.

Hickey was freed last week when a judge ruled that he wasn’t a risk to the public or the investigation. His passport was confiscated, and he must remain in Brazil until the case is concluded.

Police have said that Hickey plotted with businessmen to transfer tickets illegally from a sports company called Pro 10 to hospitality provider THG Sports, which was a non-authorized vendor and allegedly sold them for very high fees. Police investigators said the scheme was planned to bring in $3 million.

The head of THG Sports, Kevin James Mallon, was arrested on Aug. 5 in the case, but was set free, like Hickey. He faces the same charges and must remain in Brazil.

Publisher’s Letter

www.vegdispatch.com | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | ISSUU 11 |

L

ast night, while walking home from a long day at the office, I was struck by an overwhelming sense that something great was about to happen. I can’t explain it, but I walked the rest of the way home with a huge smile on my face.

The last couple of months have been tough. I am OK with tough. The Marines have a saying; “Pain is weakness leaving the body” (I was never a Marine, but I served my country in the Air Force). I am no stranger to adversity, and I think I have faced more than most. I am not bragging, just stating a fact. If I had not learned to overcome adversity, I wouldn’t be the man I am today – I thrive in adverse conditions.

But the last three months have really put my mettle to the test. I won’t go into details, except to say that there wasn’t one, two or even three catastrophic things that impacted my life but an entire series of events. Just when I seemed to have control of the situation, another shoe, bigger and heavier than the one before, would fall. It seemed unending and culminated in my sister, who we’d been supporting for the last two years, betraying us in the most egregious of ways.

At this juncture, I felt beaten and, frankly, was about to give up, move back to the United States and reevaluate my life. But good, bad or indifferent, I do not have the capacity to quit, so I took a deep breath, put my head down and “hammered”. Hammering is a term we used in cycling for riding at your absolute limit. It is an all or nothing attitude. In auto racing they have a saying - “checker or wrecker”. During this time, I discovered who my real friends are, made some new ones and even repaired a few burned bridges.

As I was walking home last night, I realized that the sensation I felt was marking the end of the hardship, if just for a little while. It was that moment when I realized that I will get the checkered flag and not end up on the back of a tow truck.

In the movie Forest Gump there is a great scene where Lt. Dan is on top of the mast of a shrimping boat in the middle of a hurricane. He yells up to the heavens, “Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It’s time for a showdown! You and me! I’m right here! Come and get me! You’ll never sink this boat!” I have thought of this scene quite a bit in the last three months. I even watched the movie a couple of times. What happened after the storm is what excites me. “After that, shrimpin’ was easy. And since people still needed them shrimps for shrimp cocktails and barbecues and all, and we were the only boat left standing, “Bubba-Gump” shrimp’s what they got.”

The storm, for the most part, appears to be over. I am still standing, and the result is The Vegetable Dispatch. If you’d asked me three months ago if I would be publishing a newspaper, I would have said, “you’re insane”. But thanks to Michael, owner of The Vegetable Bar, and his encouragement, excitement and enthusiasm, publishing a weekly newspaper is exactly what he and I are doing.

This has created the need for me to reevaluate my pre-storm goals and ambitions. We, my best friend Ulises, and I are moving forward with Savor Cuenca Magazine in the most amazing electronic and interactive format available. Savor Cuenca Magazine will bring a new dimension of publishing to Cuenca with picture galleries, embedded audio, video and much more. We are moving forward with SavorBUX (a Groupon-like site where you will be able to buy gift certificates from your favorite merchants at 30-70% off). We are moving forward with Savor Communications, an international advertising, marketing and publicity firm and have already secured some very impressive clients, including Ecuador’s National racquetball team and Vivian Tettamanti, a world-renowned manufacturer of high-end handbags and other leather goods. We are moving forward with the Yungilla Meeting and Event Center, a luxury retreat center where we will be hosting events like health and wellness fairs, charity events, barbecues, wine dinners and other cool events. But mostly we are moving forward because as Forest says, “my momma always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move forward.”

The past is in the rearview mirror and I find myself, oddly, moving ahead as a newspaperman. Like me, print media is far from dead— it is evolving. When combined with electronic media and other innovative projects, newspapers and magazines play a large role in delivering valuable information. We’re bringing the innovation. We’re bringing the passion. We’re bringing the experience and the vision to make The Vegetable Dispatch and all of our other projects the leaders in Ecuador’s media market.

I feel fortunate to have faced and weathered all the adversity I have encountered in my life. It has made me stronger, wiser and more resilient. It has sharpened my focus and strengthened my passion. I have wanted to be a publisher since I was in fourth grade and have built my career around that goal.

I am proud to be part of The Vegetable Dispatch and excited about the future.

Life really is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get!

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| ISSUU 11 | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | www.vegdispatch.com

US News

NEW YORK

CALIFORNIA

Tim Tebow agrees to $100,000 Wells Fargo fined $185 million bonus to sign with Mets for improper account openings

C H

aving flopped with the New York Jets, Tim Tebow will try to revive his career as an outfielder with the Mets.

Four years removed from his last regular-season snap as an NFL quarterback, the 29-year-old agreed Thursday to a minor league contract with the Mets that includes a $100,000 signing bonus.

He will report Sept. 18 to the Instructional League in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and test his baseball skills for three weeks against players just months removed from high school and college.

The Mets then will decide whether he goes to the Arizona Fall League, a winter league or gets personal tutoring to prepare for spring training.

Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders and Brian Jordan are the only significant players to have extensive careers in both Major League Baseball and the NFL during the past three decades.

“We don’t have to listen to what everybody else wants us to do with our lives,” Tebow said during a telephone conference call. “We get to do what we want.”

Tebow will be allowed to leave the instructional league for his job as an analyst for the SEC Network, then return.

“I’m not worried about it, practically speaking,” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. “Perception is something different.”

The amount of Tebow’s signing bonus — the maximum before the Mets could incur a tax under baseball’s labor contract — was obtained by The Associated Press from a person familiar with the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because the figure was not announced.

“We’re mindful of the fact that at age 29 Tim is starting this endeavor and there is a certain amount of realism that we have to accept,” Alderson said.

Asked last month whether the Mets were interested, Alderson responded: “Are you insinuating we need a Hail Mary at this point?”

But he changed his mind after Tebow worked out for scouts on Aug. 30.

“While I and the organization I think are mindful of the novel nature of this situation, this decision was strictly driven by baseball,” Alderson said.

“This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued with the potential that Tim has.

He has demonstrated over his athletic career that he is a tremendous athlete, has great character, a competitive spirit. And aside from the age, this is a classic player development opportunity for us.”

Tebow won the 2007 Heisman Trophy at Florida and played for the Gators’ 2006 and 2008 national championship teams. Denver selected him with the 25th pick in the 2010 draft and he signed a contract with the Broncos that guaranteed $8.7 million over five years.

Known for his Christian faith, kneeling and praying, Tebow became the Broncos’ starter late in the 2010 season, held the job for much of 2011, then was traded to the Jets. He was a backup for 2012, was released and later was let go during preseason by New England in 2013 and Philadelphia in 2015.

“I believe Tim has a big heart and he’s a good person,” said former Broncos teammate Eric Decker, who’s now with the Jets. “He’s such a competitor that this is an outlet for him. But from the outside, I can see how it looks as a publicity stunt.”

Tebow hasn’t played baseball regularly since his junior year at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where he hit .494 and was all-county as a senior.

Tebow thought outfield and first base were his most likely positions.

alifornia and federal regulators fined Wells Fargo a combined $185 million on Thursday, alleging the bank’s employees illegally opened millions of unauthorized accounts for their customers in order to meet aggressive sales goals.

The San Francisco-based bank will pay $100 million to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a federal agency created five years ago, $35 million to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and $50 million to the City and County of Los Angeles. It will also pay restitution to affected customers.

It is the largest fine the CFPB has levied against a financial institution and the largest fine in the history of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.

Roughly 5,300 employees at Wells Fargo were fired in connection with this behavior, according to the city attorney’s office.

The CFPB said Wells Fargo sales staff opened more than 2 million bank and credit card accounts that may have not been authorized by customers.

Money in customers’ accounts was transferred to these new accounts without authorization. Debit cards were issued and activated, as well as PINs created, without telling customers.

In some cases, Wells Fargo employees even created fake email addresses to sign up customers for online banking services.

“Wells Fargo built an incentive-compensation program that made it possible for its employees to pursue underhanded sales practices, and it appears that the bank did not monitor the program carefully,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray.

The behavior was widespread, the CFPB and other regulators said, involving thousands of Wells Fargo employees.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer called Wells Fargo’s behavior “outrageous” and a “major breach of trust.”

“Consumers must be able to trust their banks,” Feuer said.

Wells Fargo’s aggressive sales tactics were first disclosed by The Los Angeles Times in an investigation in 2013 . The story series prompted the Los Angeles City Attorney office to sue Wells Fargo over its tactics.

In a statement, Wells Fargo said: “We regret and take responsibility for any instances where customers may have received a product that they did not request.” Wells Fargo said they’ve refunded $2.6 million in fees associated with products that were opened without authorization.

Despite the L.A. Times investigation, Wells Fargo is still known for having aggressive sales goals for its employees. Wells Fargo’s executives highlight every quarter the bank’s so-called “cross sale ratio,” which is the number of products the bank sells to each of their individual customers. The ratio hovers around six, which means every customer of Wells Fargo has on average six different types of products with the bank.

ALABAMA

Alabama teen found not guilty of terrorism charge

A

n Alabama teen has been found not guilty after he was accused of trying to aid terrorists.

Al.com reports that Peyton Pruitt of St. Clair County was found not guilty Thursday by reason of mental defect. His lawyers say the 19-year-old Pruitt will undergo another mental evaluation at a mental facility.

Last year, Pruitt was arrested and charged with soliciting support for a terrorist act. Court records state that Pruitt tried to steer resources worth less than $1,000 to terrorism.

Pruitt’s lawyer and education workers said Pruitt is intellectually disabled and lacks reasoning skills.

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www.vegdispatch.com | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | ISSUU 11 |

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VEGETABLE Una serie sobre la Reconstrucción: Empanadas de Maria

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

M

aría solía tener su propio restaurante.

Era pequeña, ella dice. Ubicado sobre la playa.

Empanadas de plátano verde eran su especialidad, entre otros platos de la costa, como encocado, un plato de pescado en salsa de coco, natación o corviche, frito, empanadas rellenas de pescado. Me imagino que su restaurante fue ordenada dentro del pintoresco Muros.

Sólo unas pocas mesas y una cubierta más adelante, ella me dice. La forma en que ejecuta su nuevo emprendimiento, su cocina y restaurante en el proyecto Samán, muestra cómo valora altamente el servicio. Limpiar la platería, el ají dulce, un montón de servilletas, entrega rápida de empanadas frescas. Me imagino que su restaurante en la playa funcionaba de la misma manera. Los surfistas y turistas y lugareños sería sentarse en sillas de plástico, wave y sonrisa, llamada "Cinco empanadas, porfa!", porque uno nunca es suficiente, y siéntate, escuchando el sonido de las olas.

Las empanadas que Maria nos sirve a nosotros aquí en el proyecto Saman son las mismas que sirven en su restaurante. No, harina de plátano verde. El plátano es golpean a una pulpa, convertido en masa, maza, y perfectamente moldeado. En el interior de la empanada es

donde radica el secreto. Ella tiene dos opciones, el pollo o el queso, aunque, ella dice con una sonrisa, ella también hará gambas empanadas si compramos los camarones en la ciudad y llevarlos a ella.

Los voluntarios en el proyecto Samán dar reseñas conflictivas en cuanto a que la empanada es lo mejor. El queso empanada se rellena con queso fresco mezclado con hierbas picadas.

Empanadas de pollo tiene la carne desmenuzada, agitados en un guiso espeso, casi como una sopa de patata. Usted puede oler las empanadas freír a través del campamento.

Proyecto Samán, hogar de treinta y dos familias que están reconstruyendo sus vidas tras el terremoto, tiene una misión de cultivar nuevos comienzos. Las familias y los miembros de la comunidad están invitados a encontrar nuevas formas innovadoras de hacer dinero de nuevo a medida que avanza día a día.

Maria capitalizados en su mercado. Las empanadas llena una necesidad que vio. Cada día, hay un grupo de voluntarios que hover en proximidad a Maria's carpa entre las horas de 11 y 12. Justo antes del almuerzo, cuando nuestros estómagos son gruñir y nuestros proyectos están paralizando, podemos esperar a escuchar si es la empanada.

Cuando vemos un voluntario camine hacia nosotros,

después de ir al "baño", con un plato de empanadas calientes en la mano y una sonrisa en sus labios, sabemos que es el tiempo. Velocidad caminando a través del polvo para no parecer demasiado desesperado, daremos un paseo hacia María. Ella nos saluda con una sonrisa.

Ella sabía que estaríamos próximos.

Ella sirve de empanadas fuera de la carpa, que también es su salón y cocina. Cada familia tiene dos tiendas, una para uso personal y de dormir en el interior, el otro fuera utilizado como una cocina/ salón. Ella tiene una nevera grande, un lavabo con agua corriente, y una estufa portátil conectado al depósito de gas.

Hay una mesa de plástico con tres sillas para el restaurante de su familia y de sus patronos.

En la parte superior de la tabla es una tina de ají. Se espera de nosotros, riéndose de nosotros ligeramente. Hablamos de nuestros proyectos con María y su hija mientras esperamos la nueva tanda. Por nuestros pies, los niños corren a través de la suciedad, hablando en un lenguaje propio. Una familia de graznido pollos struts. El descansito es perfecta, un poco de descanso, donde puedo ver que la vida, la subsistencia, la esperanza, está aquí.

María es uno de los muchos residentes en el proyecto Samán que ha comenzado

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PATCH Noticias raras

Camión vuelca en Delaware, derrames miles de centavos en I-95

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arios carriles en una autopista en Delaware se cerraron después de que un camión que transportaba pennies volcó y derramó su contenido sobre la carretera. La policía del Estado de Delaware dijo a CBS Filadelfia el remolque del tractor se volcó en 1-95 y derramó miles de centavos en blanco en la highway. Según WPVI el camión se dirigió a la Casa de Moneda de los Estados Unidos en Filadelfia, alrededor de las 2 de la mañana jueves, antes de que se estrelló contra una barrera, volcó y se incendió. El conductor sufrió heridas leves y fue atendido en la escena.

El conductor sufrió heridas leves y fue atendido en la escena.

No estaba claro qué causó el accidente o si el conductor se enfrentan a cargos. El tráfico fue desviado a un camino por varias horas, como la tripulación intentó borrar la calzada de centavos, gasolina y otros residuos.

Las Vegas par lloran perro mascota con memorial vallas

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na pareja en Las Vegas rindió homenaje a su recientemente fallecido perro poniendo un par de carteleras agradeciendo la Yorkie para los recuerdos.

Un par de carteles fueron erigidas en Las Vegas -- uno en el paraíso y Twain y el otro en el paraíso y Karen -- rindiendo homenaje a un yorkshire terrier llamado “Rey Louie Siegel.”

“Usted no será olvidado”, el billboard lee. “Gracias por todos los buenos recuerdos.”

La cartelera dice Rey Louie nació el 20 de diciembre de 2008, y murió el 31 de agosto, 2016.

Judith Pérez, Rey Louie del propietario, dijo que el perro estaba echado por el veterinario la semana pasada debido a la inflamación del cerebro y el líquido sobre su lomo quitarle su capacidad de caminar.

Ella dijo que su novio, Steve Siegel del Siegel Group, tuvo la

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FLORIDA

Florida authorities say Iowa man admits 14-year-old slaying

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uthorities say an Iowa man has confessed to a 14-year-old South Florida slaying and is now charged with murder.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday that 38-yearold Joshua Odom confessed to the 2002 crime last month to police in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was living.

A Des Moines police spokesman says Odom waived extradition and was returned to Florida face charges in the killing of 70-year-old Richard Busey of Wilton Manors.

Investigators say Odom agreed to go to Busey’s apartment for drinks and sex in April 2002 but instead killed Busey for drug money.

Des Moines police said in a news release that Odom approached a sheriff’s deputy at the building that houses the sheriff’s department on Aug. 11 and said he wanted to confess to killing someone. The deputy contacted the police department and a detective interviewed Odom. Des Moines police then contacted Florida investigators who said the details Odom provided matched the Busey slaying.

Odom was arrested in Iowa on Aug. 25 and brought to Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. Odom is charged with first-degree murder and theft. Court records don’t list an attorney. Odom had no criminal charges pending in Iowa.

Movie Review of Ben Hur

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guess I should start by saying I did not see the original film. Of course, being a movie aficionado, I have heard people rant and rave about the original and I know it is considered one of the best movies of all time. In fact, the original Ben Hur was nominated for 12 Oscars and won 11 of them, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, Charlton Heston. Knowing all this, I wonder why anyone would think it was a good idea to remake it. Moreover, why would they think that a director such as Timur Bekmambetov (say that fast 10 times), with films like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and Day Watch under his belt would be up to the task of reproducing such an epic movie. Only one of Bekmambetov’s US films can even be considered a marginal success and that was Wanted with Angelina Jolie (grossed $134 Million at the box office). Apparently, he was one of Russia’s most successful directors; but obviously success in one culture doesn’t necessarily equate to box office success in another.

From an outsider’s perspective, the remake of Ben Hur had train wreck written all over it.

It is a good thing I didn’t know many of these facts before I went to see the film.

It is also a good thing I didn’t see the original because I am sure I would have been disappointed. Because of these things, or maybe in spite of them, I actually found the movie to be fairly decent. If you are not familiar with the plot, this is rottentomatoes. com synopsis: The epic story of Judah Ben-Hur, a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala, an officer in the Roman army. Stripped of his title, separated from his family and the woman he loves, Judah is forced into slavery.

After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but an encounter with Jesus leads him to the Crucifixion, where he discovers forgiveness and finds redemption. What this synopsis leaves out is the awesome chariot race where Judah bests his brother Messala and wins the favor of the roaring crowd. The end.

I am not going to be a pompous wind bag like the guy who writes the review for The New York Times and try to find some life altering message behind the plot —that isn’t why I go to see movies. If you are one of “those types” of people here is what Bosley Crowther (with a name like his you can bet the review is going to be pretentious) has to say about the film: “Ben Hur (the current iteration) is by far the most stirring and respectable of the Bible-fiction pictures ever made.

This is not too surprising when one considers that the drama in “Ben-Hur” has a peculiar relationship and relevance to political and social trends in the modern day.

Its story of a prince of Judea who sets himself and the interests of his people against the subjugation and tyranny of the Roman master race, with all sorts of terrible consequences to himself and his family, is a story that has been repeated in grim and shameful contexts in our age. And where the parallels might be vague in the novel which was first published, after all, way back in 1880, they could be made clearer in the film.”

Blah, blah, blah. The first thing I wonder after reading Bosley’s (who names their kid Bosley, anyhow) review is how much did the producers pay him to write it? Most other people reviewing this movie weren’t so favorable. In fact, most critics rated it poorly. I am not sure that many people go to the movies, buy popcorn, a beverage and a candy bar and say to themselves, “I am really glad they remade this movie because I had a real desire to validate my feelings about the current political and social trends of modern day society.” I am willing to admit that I may be wrong, but I am thinking that most people go to the movies to be entertained; unless they are huge pseudo intellectual douche bags trying to find meaning in an otherwise meaningless existence.

In case I haven’t made myself clear, I write my reviews for the masses, not the snobby elite. I don’t need validation and I don’t feel like I have anyone to impress. For me a movie needs three things to be considered entertaining-sex, gratuitous violence and more sex. This film lacked all three, but was still worth seeing. I would not go so far as saying it was the “most stirring and respectable Bible-fiction picture ever made.” I would give that honor to Monty Python’s “In Search of the Holy Grail”. To sum things up, the remake of Ben Hur was a solidly entertaining film that was worth the price of admission. These days, what more can you ask for?

www.vegdispatch.com | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | ISSUU 11 |

a reconstruir su vida después del terremoto. Su restaurante en la playa fue destruido el 16 de abril, pero después de cuatro meses viviendo en Samán, ella ha comenzado a servir las empanadas de nuevo. A medida que más personas comienzan a visitar el campamento para ver lo que está sucediendo, palabra de sus empanadas se propaga aún más. Una de las misiones del Proyecto Samán es unir a los residentes del campamento con aquellos en canoa por acoger ferias, festivales y espectáculos de teatro. María es ganar dinero vendiendo cada empanada de cincuenta centavos. No lo es tanto. Calcular lo que ella debe hacer en un día, oscila entre $10 y $20. Pero es algo.

La Ley de reconstrucción debe venir en pequeños momentos, dedicado las tareas, y las empresas en crecimiento. Las donaciones han dejado de llegar. Es un momento de transición para todos, el tiempo para aceptar esta nueva realidad y avanzar. Maria Compra los ingredientes para hacer empanadas, cocineros al mejor de su habilidad, y permite que el delicioso sabor vender a sí mismo. Placa por placa, su familia se reconstruye.

Como puedo aprender más acerca de la vida y la fortaleza de los sobrevivientes después de un desastre natural, no es difícil ver cómo las cosas pueden ir mal.

Cuando su hogar, su negocio, quizás las vidas de seres queridos, son todos destruidos, usted se encuentra con esta pregunta, "Qué es lo siguiente?" Si no tienes nada, algunos dirían que no tienen nada que perder. Quizás esto proporciona una perspectiva sobre las historias que leí hace unos meses acerca de ladrones armados robando camiones de donaciones o cuando intento imaginar que la persona es quien se dividiría en una casa descompone la noche del terremoto y robar todo el interior. Después de todo es sacudido, es difícil pensar en términos de lo que es correcto e incorrecto. Todo parece difícil. El camino de la desolación que parece infinita.

Pero cuando hablo con mujeres como María, veo su fortaleza en su dedicación a esta tarea en particular, para la elaboración de empanadas. Ella sabe que es una manera de que ella puede ofrecer a su familia. Es una de las muchas maneras de reconstruir una vida que se ha desmoronado. Ella es bastante tímido como hago preguntas, y ella no habla mucho del pasado, sino que elige centrarse en lo que está haciendo ahora. Ella dice que le gustaría tener otro restaurante de nuevo algún día. Tengo la sensación de esperanza, en un futuro, en sus acciones. a sido sólo cuatro meses desde el terremoto, pero ella no es mirar detrás de ella, sólo hacia adelante. Esta es la fuerza. Es la visión de un tiempo cuando ella estará sirviendo empanadas en un nuevo restaurante, en un lugar nuevo, con sus hijos jugando en las cercanías y su marido trabaja en la ciudad, todos en movimiento junto con el chisporroteo de plátano maza, el estruendo de las placas sobre una mesa, y Clank de monedas sumando, día tras día.

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idea de las vallas publicitarias.

“En primer lugar, me gusta, ¿verdad?” dijo Pérez KSNV-TV. Pérez dijo que pronto llegó en torno a la idea de conmemorar los recuerdos que ella compartía con su amada mascota.

“Una dosis de primor, una dosis de amor, que acaba de hacer su día”, dijo Pérez.

Dijo el rey Louie se convirtió en una celebridad local cuando fue el cartel para un evento canino en el rumor de resort.

“Estaba en las carteleras antes de este evento que tuvimos en el rumor, “Yappy Hour’, entonces nos dijo que sería un hermoso homenaje por todo lo que él nos dio para que todos sepan que había pasado”, dijo Pérez.

Rumor llorado Rey Louie pérdida en un post de Facebook. “entristecido por el fallecimiento de nuestro largo tiempo Rumor mascota y querido amigo el rey Louie Siegel. Nos encantó tener usted en nuestro Yappy horas y en representación de nuestro hotel con el primor! Usted será extrañado grandemente!”, dice el periódico.

‘Streetwise’ cat utiliza paso de peatones para cruzar la calle legalmente

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n chofer en Inglaterra vio un cumplidores de la ley cat esperando la luz para cambiar antes de cruzar la calle en un cruce peatonal local.

Justin Scrutton dash cam video compartido del “callejero” gato como se esperó pacientemente el tráfico para detener antes de caminar a lo largo de un paso de peatones.

“Gato utilizando un paso de cebra”, Scrutton escribió. “Sólo en Dartford...”

Scrutton aplaudió el felino como parecía seguir el tráfico adecuado etiquette mirando para ambos lados antes de cruzar la calle de dos vías.

“Me sorprendió cuando el coche al otro lado de la carretera detiene demasiado y el gato cruzó con calma”, dijo a ITV.

Portraits Professional Head Shots by Jack Hardy JackandHardy PHOTOGraPHer

“Photographs Make Great Memories" Jack

Commercial and portrait photography, weddings and other special events.

099.775.4029 | saipanjack@gmail.com | www.photographypeople.com 4 Rivers Center for Arts, Sucre 13.12 y Juan Montalvo | Hours by appointment

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Health & Wellness

How to eat after 50

RECIPE

Enjoy summer with homemade sorbet Makes about 1 quart

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s people age, their dietary needs begin to change. Foods that were once staples of your diet as a youth may be restricted once you hit a certain age, while other foods you may have always avoided may now be necessary to fuel and support a healthy body.

Eating healthy foods and exercising may not be enough to sustain health, as hormonal changes and other health effects as a person reaches age 50 can have a profound impact on his or her nutritional requirements. The following are a few things men and women over 50 may want to consider as they look to eat a healthy diet for years to come.

Vitamin D Both men and women age 50 and up have a reduced ability to produce vitamin D through exposure to the sun. Extra vitamin D will be needed from foods and supplements.

Everyone over the age of 50 should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU (10 µg), according to Canada’s Food Guide. Without adequate vitamin D, bone strength and health can deteriorate because vitamin D promotes calcium absorption. Vitamin D also has other roles, including helping neuromuscular and immune function and reducing inflammation.

Friendly fats People over age 50 should increase their intake of unsaturated fats and reduce consumption of saturated fats. Nutrient-rich unsaturated fats can guard against heart conditions, protect against stroke, keep skin supple, and even help men and women maintain good neurological health. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in nuts, olives, seeds, and fatty fishes.

Increase protein According to Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition

and Dietetics, as they age, men and women need more protein in their diets to maintain their muscle mass. The amount of protein needed at a younger age no longer may be adequate. Look for lean sources of protein from fish and poultry. Beans are also a lowfat source of protein that can help fulfill daily protein requirements.

More fiber Eating more fiber can help with digestive and intestinal problems, such as constipation.

Constipation can occur when fiber intake is not enough, coupled with a more sedentary lifestyle. The best way to get fiber is through diet. Leave the skins on fruit and vegetables and choose whole fruits over juices. Wholegrain breads and cereals also are good sources of fiber. Dry beans and lentils can add a fiber boost. Always increase fiber slowly to determine your tolerance.

Fewer calories The National Institute on Aging says women over the age of 50 need between 1,600 and 2,000 calories, depending on how physically active they are. Men need between 2,000 and 2,400 calories per day. With each passing year there is a decrease in the energy required to maintain body weight, so caloric intake should be adjusted accordingly.

More water As a person ages, his or her body may not signal it is thirsty as well as it once did, so it’s possible that you may not recognize when you are thirsty or dehydrated. The Mayo Clinic recommends around nine to 10 cups of beverages per day to remain hydrated.

Eating healthy and changing one’s diet is important as a person ages, as dietary needs at age 50 may be quite different from what they were at age 30.

2 3/4 3/4 2 tered 6 2

teaspoons grated lime or lemon zest cup sugar, divided cup water pounds kiwi fruit (about 8 kiwi fruit), peeled and quartablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice limes, quartered

In a small bowl, mash the zest with 1 teaspoon of the sugar to release the oils. Combine the remaining sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Cook until the syrup is clear. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a food processor or blender, purée the kiwi fruit with the juice, syrup and sugared zest. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 3 hours.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Or, to freeze without an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a 9-inch nonreactive square pan. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze just until solid, 2 to 3 hours. Scrape out into an electric mixer or food processor and process briefly until light and fluffy. Serve at once or transfer to a container, cover, and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. At serving time, garnish with a lime wedge to squeeze over each serving.

DID YOU KNOW? A lack of regular exercise can be more harmful than previously thought. According to a study published in The Lancet in 2012, across the globe sedentary lifestyles are now causing as many deaths as smoking. Data indicates that a lack of physical activity is causing 5.3 million deaths per year and that the problem is so bad some believe it should be treated as a pandemic. Exercise can reduce rates of obesity, strengthen bones, help a person manage stress, and reduce a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Strange News

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Truck in Delaware overturns, spills thousands of pennies onto I-95

California man finds 18-ounce gold nugget

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everal lanes on a highway in Delaware were closed after a truck carrying pennies overturned and spilled its contents onto the road.

Delaware State Police told CBS Philadelphia the tractor trailer overturned on 1-95 and spilled thousands of blank pennies onto the highway.

According to WPVI the truck was headed to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia around 2 a.m. Thursday before it crashed into a barrier, overturned and caught fire.

The driver suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. It was unclear what led to the crash or if driver would face charges.

Traffic was detoured to a separate road for several hours as crews attempted to clear the roadway of pennies, gasoline and other debris.

Las Vegas couple mourn pet dog with memorial billboards

California man struck gold, pulling a large 18-ounce gold nugget out of a local creek.

According to KFSN, the T-bone-steak-shaped chunk of gold was pulled out of a creek near Jamestown, east of Stockton. It could be worth an estimated $70,000.

Oscar Espinoza discovered the nugget while searching in the heart of California Gold Country and quickly told his friend, Jamestown Hotel owner Charlie Morgan, of the astounding discovery.

“Oh my God,” Morgan told CBS San Francisco. “I thought, ‘That’s a lucky guy!’”

While he wouldn’t say exactly where he found it, Espinoza said the nugget was discovered at Gold Prospecting Adventures mining camp, which could drive up its price.

“It’s more valuable this way because it’s a piece of history and his meltdown is just another piece of gold,” Gold Prospecting Adventures owner Bryant Shock said.

Espinoza has asked Morgan to keep the nugget in a safe until he is able to find a buyer.

‘Streetwise’ cat uses crosswalk to legally cross street

A Las Vegas couple paid tribute to their recently deceased dog by putting up a pair of billboards thanking the Yorkie for the memories.

A pair of billboards were erected in Las Vegas -- one at Paradise and Twain and the other at Paradise and Karen -- paying tribute to a Yorkshire terrier named “King Louie Siegel.”

“You will be missed,” the billboard reads. “Thanks for all the great memories.”

The billboard says King Louie was born Dec. 20, 2008, and died Aug. 31, 2016.

Judith Perez, King Louie’s owner, said the dog was put down by the vet last week due to brain inflammation and fluid on his spine taking away his ability to walk.

She said her fiance, Steve Siegel of the Siegel Group, had the idea for the billboards.

“At first, I was like, really?” Perez told KSNV-TV. Perez said she soon came around to the idea of commemorating the memories she shared with her beloved pet.

“A dose of cuteness, a dose of love, just made your day,” Perez said.

She said King Louie became something of a local celebrity when he was the chauffer in England spotted a law abiding cat waiting for the light to change poster canine for an event at the Rumor resort. before crossing the street at a local crosswalk.

“He was on billboards before this event we had at Rumor, ‘Yappy Hour,’ so we Justin Scrutton shared dash cam video of the “streetwise” cat as it waited said it would be a beautiful tribute for all he gave us to let everyone know he had patiently for traffic to stop before walking along a crosswalk. passed,” Perez said.

“Cat using a Zebra Crossing,” Scrutton wrote. “Only in dartford...”

Rumor mourned King Louie’s loss in a Facebook post.

Scrutton applauded the feline as it appeared to follow proper traffic etiquette “Saddened by the passing of our long time Rumor mascot and dear friend King by looking both ways before crossing the two-way street.

Louie Siegel. We loved having you at our Yappy Hours and representing our hotel “I was amazed when the car on the other side of the road stopped too and the with your cuteness! You will be greatly missed!” the post said. cat calmly crossed,” he told ITV.

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Canadian News

| ISSUU 11 | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | www.vegdispatch.com

OTTAWA

QUEBEC

Alberta wildfires hit Canada second Bombardier gets final installment of quarter capacity utilization rate Quebec’s $1 billion investment

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anadian plane and train maker Bombardier Inc said on Friday it had received anada’s industrial capacity use in the second quarter of 2016 shrank from the final installment of $500 million from the province of Quebec as part of the previous quarter in the wake of a major wildfire in the energy-producing a previously announced investment in its CSeries aircraft program. province of Alberta, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

The Quebec government signed a deal with the company in June to invest $1 Capacity utilization was 80.0 percent in the second quarter compared to 81.4 billion in the CSeries program, which has struggled with years of delays and cost percent in the first quarter. overruns The utilization rate for oil and gas extraction dived by 4.2 percentage points to 73.9 percent, largely due to the wildfire, Statscan said.

OTTAWA Manufacturing as a whole operated at 82.2 percent capacity, down from 83.4 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

After four consecutive quarters of growth, the utilization rate of transportation equipment manufacturing fell 1.1 percentage points to 93.5 percent.

Canadian credit unions offer payday loans, citing debt pressure

TORONTO

Former Canadian PM rebukes Trump on NAFTA, predicts his defeat

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ormer Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney on Sunday criticized Donald Trump’s potential plan to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and said the U.S. presidential candidate will likely lose the Nov. 8 election.

Speaking on CTV’s “Question Period” politics talk show, Mulroney, who in the 1980s signed a CanadaU.S. free trade deal, said scrapping NAFTA will hurt the United States.

“Millions and millions of jobs in the United States depend directly upon their trade with Canada and Mexico,” Mulroney said. “You tear that up - my mother used to say, ‘You’re cutting off your nose to spite your face.’”

Republican presidential nominee Trump has railed against the NAFTA trade deal with Canada and Mexico as a U.S. job killer, saying that if elected, he would be prepared to scrap it if he could not negotiate much better terms for the United States.

The North American Free Trade Agreement took effect in 1994 during the administration of President Bill Clinton, the husband of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trump also has a hardline immigration plan that emphasized deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes. His proposals include building a wall at the border with Mexico.

Mulroney said that while Trump’s rhetoric “carried him through the Republican primaries,” he does not think “something that negative carries you to the White House.”

Trump’s campaign team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More Canadian credit unions are offering lower-cost alternatives to highinterest payday lenders, a product they say is needed to meet increased demand for emergency loans and prevent borrowers from becoming trapped by debt.

Credit unions, major financial players in some Canadian provinces, are offering the product as the economy struggles with weak oil prices and high debt levels.

Executives say because credit unions are owned by members, they can provide loans more cheaply than for-profit payday lenders.

“We are trying to target the market of the payday loan providers, bring people through the door and hopefully get them onto stronger financial footing,” said Eddie Francis, president of WFCU Credit Union, which publicly launched a payday service last month.

Payday loan demand is seen by many as a byproduct of Canada’s weak economy, which shrank in the second quarter. Household debt is also near a record high.

“You just need to look out the window of any credit union branch or bank branch and what do you see across the street but a payday lender,” said Linda Morris, a senior vice-president at Vancity Credit Union.

Canadian authorities have stepped up scrutiny of the industry. Critics say the high-interest loans, meant to be a bridge between paychecks, can keep people in debt.

Fun and Games

Solution

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Travel

Holiday travel tips

illions of people travel to visit family and friends each holiday season. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, during the Christmas and New Year's holiday period, the number of trips to and from a destination 50 miles or more away rises by 23 percent compared to the average number for the rest of the year.

While many people look forward to reunions with family and friends come the holiday season, long-distance holiday travel can take both a physical and financial toll. But there are ways to enjoy holiday travel and maybe even save some money at the same time. · Be flexible with your travel dates.

Holiday travelers who are flexible with regard to their travel dates may be able to avoid traffic or long lines at the airport. The BTS notes that people traveling between 50 and 99 miles away from home are most likely to travel on Thursday and return on Saturday. So those making short trips who want to avoid traffic may actually benefit by driving home on Sunday after leaving home on Friday rather than traveling on Thursday and Saturday. The BTS notes that travel days are spread out almost equally among people who travel 100 miles away from home or more, so the day travelers choose may not matter as

much as the time of day they choose to travel. Flights during off-peak hours, for example, may help travelers avoid long check-in and security lines at airports. · Be flexible with airports. Air travelers who are flexible with regard to their departing and arriving airports may be able to save time and money. Small airports might not boast the shopping

and dining amenities of large airports, but small airports have less flights and, as a result, tend to experience less flight delays, saving travelers time.

Small airports also may not charge as much for overnight parking as large airports. When considering flights from various airports, factor in the cost of parking and transportation to and from each airport. A flight that takes off

at your ideal travel time but costs more than the alternative might actually save you money if you can save on transportation and parking. · Book early flights. Early flights may be less likely to be delayed than flights in the afternoon and evening. The later into the day your flight departs, the more likely that departure might be affected by delays or inclement weather at other airports and in other cities. Waking up early might not be ideal for everyone, but check-in and security lines tend to be short in the early morning hours as well. Those lines get longer as morning becomes afternoon and afternoon becomes evening. · Save money with package deals.

Holiday travel is expensive, as airlines and hotels recognize the holiday season is peak travel season. Package deals from sites such as Orbitz® combine flight and hotels into one price, and such deals may even include rental cars. Travel bundles can save travelers considerable amounts of money. Compare the prices when booking each individually to the price of a package deal, and choose the one that best suits your budget.

Savvy men and women can save both time and money by employing a handful of strategies when booking holiday travel.

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www.vegdispatch.com | THE VEGETABLE DIS-PATCH | ISSUU 11 |

15

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

"What’s Happening..." will be updated weekly with a large variety of events that both ex-pats and Ecuadorians will enjoy.

If you have an interesting event you would like to publicize, please email us at thevegetablebar@yahoo.com for consideration.

Ticket sales for A.C.T. Presents “Talking With” What: “Talking With,” a series of monologues by various women of “insight” into life.

Suitable for adult audience. Performance is Sunday, September 18 at 6 PM, Museo Pumapungo When/Where: Tuesdays: 4 PM - 8 PM at the Vegetable Bar

Thursdays and Fridays: 10 AM - Noon at San Sebas Café

Saturdays: 11AM - 1PM at the Vegetable Bar

Cost: $10 Contact: Diana at info@actcuenca.com or Linda Chase: lchaselchase@yahoo.com 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 at 3 PM- 6PM Where: Cafe Austria (Hermano Miguel and Simon Bolivar) Cost: Free Contact: Nicholas Barringer: barringernicholas@gmail.comGolden Lecture: Secrets of the Amazonian Rain Forest in Ecuador What: In this lecture, biologist and expert Naturalist Guide - Norby Lopez - Cofounder and creator of Napo Wildlife Center in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, will help you discover some of the secrets of the Amazonian Tropical Rain Forest in Ecuador.

When: Tuesday, September 13, 6PM - 7:30PM Where: Escuela Central / Museo de la Ciudad - Benigno Malo and Gran Colombia, Cuenca Cost: Free Contact: Felipe Cardoso: 099 482 1507.

Walking Tour of Feria Libre What: Small group tour to all areas of the market.

When: Tuesday, September 13th at 1 PM and Thursday, September 15th at 3 PM. Where: Feria Libre Cost: $8 per person, or $15 per couple.

Contact: Elliott Segelbaum: esegelbaum@gmail.com

American style furniture We are a small furniture company that has been working with the expat community in Cuenca, Ecuador for more than 2 years. We have many satisfied clients and very good references. We build custom American style furniture like: beds, night stands, bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, dining tables, sofas, desks, closets and more. We work with excellent materials.

Give us a call. We speak English.

Paul: a.nvise@hotmail.es 099 295 2212. Call after: 9 AM. Belly Dance Passion Compania de Danzas Arabes Sussy Shabanna presents her “Belly Dance Passion.” Show at Teatro Sucre (next to Parque Calderon) this Saturday, September 10, at 6:30 PM. Sussy and her 40 students ranging in age from 7 to 30 will perform various styles of belly dancing wearing colorful costumes.

This is the third consecutive year for the show and it is a very entertaining presentation, full of energy and happiness.

Tickets are $6 and are available at the door on the night of the show, or at Café Austria (Hermano Miguel y Simon Bolivar) or at Sussy’s Estudio de Danza (Republica 1-46 y Huaynacapac) Sussy Shabanna: 098 361 7011.

Meet the author, book signing and chat Lydia Crichton crafts stories of suspense that are rooted in complex and controversial social and political issues. Meet the author for chat about Grains of Truth, an Egyptian adventure.

“Lydia Crichton has done herself proud with this as her debut novel, and she’s created a protagonist/heroine who is so engaging she will keep readers coming back for more…I can hardly wait!” – MK, Popcorn Reads Saturday, 17, September, 10 AM to noon, Free, Carolina Bookstore, Hermano Miguel 4-46 y Calle Larga, Cuenca.

Lydia Crichton: lydia@lydiacrichton.com 099 954 4217.

Call after: 9 AM. WPL Construction W.P.L. Construction, a general contracting company with American workers and 30+ years of experience in all areas of the construction field. From the smallest jobs to building your dream home, our licensed, trained English speaking professionals have the capability to make your dream a reality. Free estimates, professional designing, knowledge of Ecuadorian and American construction.

An honest day’s work, for an honest day’s pay.

William Cheney: 099 863 2687 Call after 8 AM.

Jazz Concert with Gilberto Rivero (Saxophonist) Quartet What: “Gilberto Rivero Quartet” (Spain). The second promotional concert of Cuenca Jazz International.

When: Thursday, September 15, 2016, at 8 PM Where: Teatro Pumapungo Cost: $ 10. Tickets are available at, Más Musika and El Surtido in El Centro Cuenca.

Contact: Esteban Orellana: esteban786@hotmail.de 095 962 4370.

Passport Services for U.S. Citizens in Cuenca What: The U.S. Consulate will offer notorial services, accept passport applications and deliver completed passports by appointment.

When: Thursday, September 15th.

Where: Abraham Lincoln Center Cost: See information at: https://ec.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/ Contact: For Appointment: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d4da8a829a1f49outreach Meet the Author, Book Signing and Chat What: Meet Lydia Crichton, the of Grains of Truth, an Egyptian adventure.

When: Saturday, 17, September, 10 AM to noon Where: Carolina Bookstore, Hermano Miguel 4-46 y Calle Larga, Cuenca.

Cost: Free Contact: Lydia Crichton: lydia@lydiacrichton.com 099 954 4217.

Bazaar at Common Grounds What: Craft Fair - Vendor bookings hen: Saturday September 17th from 9am to 4pm Where: Common Grounds, Eduardo Crespo Malo y Gran Colombia, Cuenca Cost: $20.00 Contact: Commongrounds@outlook.com 097 284 9162.

CLASSIFIEDS Indurama Ri-395 no frost multi-flow refrigerator White, works beautifully and in very good condition. We are selling it because we shipped a new one in our container. $300 you haul.

Patricia: pgegge@hotmail.com

Vegan cookbooks, for sale - Forks over Knives Vegan Cookbook. Condition is like new $20 -The ultimate book of Vegan cooking. 256 pages with recipes illustrated with photographs, nutrition facts and more. Condition is like new. $20 Massi: massiel03@yahoo.com Mariethas Bagels My Jewish baker is back. W offer Brooklyn style bagels. We have bagels of 100 and 150 g in various flavors, plain, jalapeño with cheese, everything, onion, garlic, sesame seed, chia seed, integral, egg bagels, additional English muffin, bagel dog, Marietha: mcrr27@hotmil.com 099 500 0309 Watch collector selling watches Are you an avid watch collector? I have 25 watches you really want to see. Omega, Bulova, Seiko, Cornavin, Orient and more.

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

Anytime, Honerato Vasquez | Arlos: 098 884 3531.

Thursday men’s breakfast Friends and brothers of Cuenca Wayfarers Lodge #69, the only English speaking Masonic lodge in Ecuador, will meet at 9 AM this Thursday for their monthly breakfast at San Sebas restaurant,1-94 San Sebastian y Mariscal Sucre, the corner of Parque San Sebastian. All brothers and those interested in Freemasonry are welcome to join us.

September 8 at 9 AM, San Sebas Restaurant, Cuenca.

Ron: ron087@gmail.com Home care My name is Maria, I lived in the United States 23 years. I have experience in home care and LPN for 18 years, I take care of people in their houses or in my house, I do enemas of organic coffee for liver and colon cleansing.

Av. Loja y Pichincha, Cuenca Maria: manucalo07@hotmail.com 098 980 4404 To place your FREE ad, e-mail it to freead@savorec.com

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

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

My advice is for you to act on if you so choose. Like us, GringoWisdom on Facebook Hugh Prather: gringowisdom22@gmail.com | 099 537 5396 Adhikara, Cuenca Enjoy relaxing yoga classes at Adhikara Yoga studio. There are classes for all levels and abilities, various teachers and styles.

Come check out our bilingual yoga classes. We move slowly, with a focus on correct alignment making sure that you build strength and stability in the body. Hatha yoga classes 8:15 - 9:45 AM, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Vinyasa Flow Tuesday and Thursday, evenings 6:30 PM. Remigio tamariz 2-40 y Federico Proaño Aubree Jeanne: adhikara.yoga.3@facebook.com 099 255 6981 English and Spanish teacher, child-care and cooking My name is Eleida Aguiar, I´m from Venezuela, and I have experience using special techniques to teach children to help them with their homework after school. Besides that, I teach both English and Spanish and I care for children. In addition, I am also a good cook.

Calle Pachacamac. Condominio el Jardin, apt. 102, Cuenca.

Eleida Aguiar: aguiar_eleida@hotmail.com 099 279 1657.

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

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

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

Looking for a great breakfast place?

Well come and join us at 7:00 AM any day of the week.

Our breakfast menu now includes custom omelets. You tell us anything on our menus that you want in your omelet and we will add it. No questions asked and it’s only $3.95. Also try our gluten-free pancakes and crepes for only $3.95.

NOW EVERYDAY! The Vegetable Bar’s Own Special Chicken Pot Pie - $7.95

 WEEKLY SPECIALS  Tuesday, Sept. 13th: Thursday, Sept. 15th: Grilled Citrus Wasabi Wednesday, Sept. 14th: Spicy Chili in an Individual Chicken and Rice Paper Himalayan Salt Block Clay Pot with a Spring Rolls with Thai Shrimp Tacos with Curried Cornbread Top Peanut Sauce.

Mango Salsa $8.95 $8.95 $8.95

Saturday, Sept. 17th: Sunday, Sept. 18th: Cajun Grilled Chicken & Pan-Seared Salmon with Lime Black-eyed Bean Kale and Apple Salad and Salad w/ Guacamole Sweet Potato Puree $8.95 $10.95

Friday, Sept. 16th: Beer Battered Fish and Chips with Homemade Coleslaw and Tartar Sauce. $8.95

Monday, Sept. 19th: Spicy Fish and Olive Spaghetti with Garlic Buns. $7.95

Paseo 3 de Noviembre y Jacaranda (antes Hotel Oro Verde) Hours: 7:00am-8:30pm

www.thevegetablebar.com