The Vegetable Dispatch - Issue 11

the

VEGETABLE

Volume 1  ISSUE 11

dis-

PATCH September 6, 2016  www.vegdispatch.com

“I lost almost 30 pounds eating at The Vegetable Bar”

WHAT’S INSIDE?

MOVIE MAVEN JASON BOURNE

Looks for Answers - Page 3

NATIONAL AND WORLD NEWS - Page 4

US NEWS

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(Note: versión española en la página 8)

hen I first came to Cuenca in September of 2014, I weighed 340 pounds. On top of that, I was taking medications for high-blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, depression and chronic heartburn. I was burned out beyond words and my goal, for the next 76 days, was to relax and lose a little weight. I was embarrassed on the flight down, because I had to ask for a seatbelt extender and I had plenty of time to think about how, once an international-class road cyclist with 6% body fat, I had let myself get so unhealthy. I resolved to do something about it.

On the way home, 76 days later, I had lost 30 pounds, but still needed a seatbelt extender on the airplane. I told myself that I was going to keep working toward

leading a healthy lifestyle and I even ran/ walked a 5K in the following January, my first participation in a sporting event in many years.

The fact of the matter is it is difficult to eat healthy in the United States. Most of the food is processed and if it isn’t, it is expensive. In researching how to lose weight the “reasonable way,” I discovered that it is more about modifying your lifestyle and the quality of food than it is exercise. This excited me because, as you may have discovered, finding the time to exercise on a regular basis is challenging at best. I rationalized that eating healthy shouldn’t be as difficult. Boy was I wrong.

Fast forward to February, 2015 and, again, I found myself on an airplane headed south, this time to relocate to Cuenca for good, or at least the foreseeable future. I had managed to lose

an additional 10 pounds and no longer needed a seatbelt extender, but just by a centimeter or two. When I arrived, I settled in and started working on my goal of publishing a magazine. I quickly forgot about my goal of getting healthy and moved on with my new adventure. I didn’t watch what I was eating and my diet was carbohydrate intensive. I am not sure if it was because I was walking a lot or the altitude or a combination of things, but in the next fourteen months I managed to lose another 6 pounds without even trying, but I still felt unhealthy - I was lacking energy and I felt tired most of the time. In June of this year, I shared this with Michael, the owner of The Vegetable Bar, and he said my lack of energy was due to my diet and said I could change the way I feel and lose weight if I ate every meal at continued on page 3

SAVINGS GALORE! See our Coupons on Page 7 and Our Specials on Page 16

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CANADIAN NEWS

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STRANGE NEWS

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

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By Michael Stephens

S

o, we've GONE BIG! What do you think?

Normally I use this column to push and prod all of us to think a little differently. To move away from how things used to be to instead adjusting to how they are now.

But today I just want to sit back and smile. I want to enjoy the day as I look around at what we've done here at the Vegetable Bar. I want to be proud for a few minutes.

Because you see, when we first opened, we set some pretty big goals.

We first wanted to give you the best and healthiest food in Cuenca. We think we're doing pretty good with that.

Second, we wanted to offer first-class service. Not just good service for here in Ecuador, but rather what we all expect from top-level restaurants in North America or Europe, or wherever you're from. And now, we think we can proudly say we are getting there.

Third, we wanted this to be a "community center." A place where people say, "Hey, why don't we just meet at the Vegetable Bar?" And we are seeing more of that every day.

So I'm thrilled! And I'm basking in it for a little bit. But only for a minute, because we've just set another MASSIVE goal!

Today we are introducing our new, real newspaper to you. We're not just our little Vegetable dis-Patch newsletter anymore. We are leaping forward to become a real newspaper that will stretch itself to grab all of your attention!

And in this first inaugural issue we have put together something we hope brings pleasure to both our ex-pat and Ecuadorian customers. That's why you see our new Spanish language section. Because these wonderful people represent one-third of our customers. So they deserve our attention too!

Overall, we've set a goal to become a serious media outlet here in Cuenca.

We are going to cover local, national and international news. We are going to go more in-depth on some stories. We are going to make you want to look for the Vegetable dis-Patch every time you come down to your building lobby. Or every time you walk in here.

We want to be a newspaper you seek out. Not just one that you pick up because you are bored.

I know, that's a BIG goal. But as we said in our last edition, we believe in Go Big or Go Home. And I can tell you all that Cuenca is our home, so we aren't going anywhere!

And we've got more surprises coming. So get ready for us to shake up the status quo here in Cuenca!

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Research indicates that people who laugh a lot are much healthier and may live longer than those who don’t find time to chuckle. A good, deep belly laugh can provide your body and mind with a great workout. Dr. Lee Berk at the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California found that laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. The organization Laughter Works, which teaches people how and why to laugh, says laughter can cause blood pressure to drop, blood to become oxygenated and endorphins to kick in, which can improve mood. And that’s just the beginning. Laughing can help reduce stress and promote stronger relationships between people who laugh together. Data indicates children around the age of six laugh the most, laughing roughly 300 times per day, while adults average only 15 to 100 laughs per day.

CALL: 0999800901 CONTACTO: 0999815043

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

continued from page1 his restaurant. He even offered me a discount which made the idea more appealing.

I took him up on his offer and began to eat every meal there.

But, life got in the way as it has a tendency to do and I just couldn’t find the time to eat every meal there. After the first month I felt great and my energy had increased to a level I had not experienced in fifteen years. The best part though, I had lost 12 pounds. I had started Michael’s program at 294 pounds and at the end of the month, I tipped the scale at 282.

July was one of the worst months of my life. I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say, I ate horribly. I managed to get myself to The Vegetable Bar a few times a week trying to minimize the damage my emotional eating would cause. At the end of the month, I stepped on the scale and was surprised to learn that I had lost 6 pounds in spite of “falling off the wagon.”

This month, I am doing a little better, but I have not been as diligent as the first month. Even still, I have lost an additional 8 pounds and am tipping the scale at 268 which is 26 pounds lighter than when I started. More importantly, after a blood test, my doctor took me off the blood pressure and diabetes medicines. I have been off the depression medicine for six weeks and I only get heartburn occasionally and only when I haven’t eaten at the Vegetable Bar. My energy has skyrocketed and I have lost a great deal of weight. I have not been nearly as diligent as I should, but that is reality. What this “lifestyle modification program” has done is make me more aware of what I am eating.

If you want to better your health, lose weight and jettison some of the medications you are taking, I highly recommend talking to Michael at The Vegetable Bar. He has created a special program for those that want to better their lives through healthy eating, which includes a special discount on the food.

Take my word for it, you have everything to gain, and nothing to lose but weight!

DID YOU KNOW? The terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" are often used interchangeably today, but there are some subtle differences between the two. The term "Hispanic" originally indicated a relationship to Hispania and the Spanish-speaking people who called the region home. Hispanic was later used to indicate Spanish-speaking subgroups that originated in various areas of the world, including Spain, Central America, the Caribbean, and more. The word "Hispanic" was first adopted by the United States government in the early 1970s and has since been used in local and federal employment, mass media, academia, and business market research. It has been used in the U.S. Census since 1980. The term "Latino," which the government adopted in 1997, is most commonly used in the western portion of the United States. Many people now use the term "Hispanic" when referring to a person who speaks Spanish while designating the term "Latino" to refer to people from a particular country or countries. Many Latinos are mistakenly classified as Hispanic. For example, Brazilians are Latinos but not Hispanics, as the official language of Brazil is Portuguese.

JASON BOURNE Looks for Answers

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By Jeri Jacquin

aking one last swing at answers to his life this week in theatres from writer/ director Paul Greengrass and Universal Pictures is the man known as JASON BOURNE. Living his life completely off the grid, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is living fist to someone else’s mouth. So too has Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) who continues to attempt to hack into the CIA files and discover their secrets. One she didn’t expect to find was more information on Jason Bourne. Knowing what she found would be important to him, she tracks him down.

Bourne agrees to meet with Nicky and almost immediately chaos ensues as the CIA becomes aware of his presence. CIA Director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) isn’t about to let Bourne get away and working with Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) they send out their Asset (Vincent Cassel) to ‘neutralize’ him.

That’s when the chase begins and Bourne learns there is more behind what his father knew and when he knew it. What he doesn’t understand is why Heather seems to be helping him at every turn. Knowing the cat and mouse game is going no where, Bourne decides its time to go straight to the source.

During a convention in Las Vegas as Aaron Kalloor (Riz Ahmed) who has been working with the CIA is about to release a new program, Bourne discovers what is really going down. Between avoiding the Asset and getting answers from Dewey, he has his hands full of action, intrigue and staying one step ahead of everyone else.

That’s because he’s Jason Bourne.

Damon as Bourne really has taken this character through so many different levels. That being said I do hope that this character has finally been put to rest and let me tell you why.

Bourne is smarter than everyone he has gone up against and yet, somehow, they seem to forget that when chasing him. I like this character and I would rather he go out on a good note than

come back for one last hoorah!

Vikander as Heather is a woman who knows what she wants and has no problem doing what ever it takes to further her career. Upset with Dewey, she isn’t about to make his hunt for Bourne easy. Vikander gives her character the right amount of two-faced-ness so no one will ever be quite sure what she’s up to.

Jones as Dewey has a history with Bourne that comes to the surface. I love when Jones plays the bad guy and does it without twitching, one of Hollywood’s greats to be sure. Cassell as Asset gets to make a lot of mean faces, doesn’t really say a lot and lets his weaponry speak for him.

Kalloor as Ahmed is woven into the story but I’m not really sure it was necessary. Vinzenz Kiefer plays Christian Dassault who works with Parsons and just wants the facts ma’m, just the facts because ‘people have a right to know’ (oldest line ever).

Other cast include: Ato Essandoh as Craig Jeffers, Scott Shepherd as Director NI Edwin Russell, Bill Camp as Malcolm Smith, and Stephen Kunken as Baumen.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give JASON BOURNE three tubs of popcorn out of five. I don’t really have a grip against the film; I just found it fairly predictable. There is plenty of action, chase scenes, fist fighting and a ‘who do you trust’ scenario to go around. Now that Bourne has found the answers to his burning questions, I say he find a tropical island somewhere and settle down with an ocean view and a pina colada.

I think Bourne deserves to go out with answers and satisfaction which makes talking any more about the story impossible without spoiling it and frankly, I’m not into that. So if you’re itching to know what he knows then call up a bunch of friends who want to have an action packed night out and toast to the one and only JASON BOURNE. In the end – you know his name!

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

National & World News

DUBAI

Dubai opens massive Marvelbranded indoor theme park

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here’s a new giant panda in Madrid, and it’s the first female of the endangered species born at the Spanish capital’s zoo.

The zoo said Hua Zui Ba gave birth just before dawn Wednesday to a cub weighing 180 grams (6.35 ounces). The zoo says the cub is “well formed, very active and has excellent vital signs.”

It is already suckling, and zoo experts say they are confident of its progress in the crucial first week of life.

The specialists at the Madrid zoo were assisted by experts from China’s Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding. They knew the birth was approaching when Hua Zui Ba became increasingly lethargic, stopped eating and began to lick her paws.

The Madrid zoo now has four giant pandas.

GERMANY

Tiny particle blows hole in European satellite’s solar panel

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s summer temperatures soared outside, the world’s largest indoor theme park, featuring popular Marvel and Cartoon Network-branded rides, opened its doors to the public on Wednesday in the Middle East’s tourist hub of Dubai — the latest in a myriad of new attractions

here.

The first visitors at the 1.5 million square foot (140,000 square meters) -park reflected the diverse crowds that visit and live in Dubai, home to the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Middle East’s largest mall and a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree that is dotted with luxury hotels.

Saudi women dressed in abayas, the traditional loose black robes, and the full face-veil, rode alongside tank-top wearing British tourists and Indian families on the park’s roller coasters and attractions.

Several families with young children complained that some of the rides stalled several times. Others said they were thrilled by the adventure park’s indoor boulevard that leads visitors through Marvel and Cartoon Network zones, a “Haunted Hotel” and a Lost Valley Dinosaur zone.

The IMG Worlds of Adventure park recorded about 3,000 visitors Wednesday as temperatures rose to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) outside.

Ali al-Subai, a visitor from Saudi Arabia, said he was happy the Gulf region has a place like this to visit during the summer. The 26-year-old said he visits Dubai at least four times a year and hopes his country too can one day open similar theme parks.

“It’s very, very nice. Better than I imagined,” he said. “We wish for this in Saudi Arabia — the rides, the cinemas.”

In October, a $2.8 billion theme park is slated to open on the main highway connecting Dubai with Abu Dhabi, the UAE seat of government.

SPAIN

It’s a girl! Giant panda gives Madrid Zoo 1st female birth

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ith its sights firmly fixed on Earth, Europe’s eye in the sky never saw it coming.

A tiny piece of debris has punched a gaping hole in the solar panel of one of its Earth observation satellites, causing visible damage but not enough to affect its routine operations, the European Space Agency said Wednesday.

The unknown particle just a few millimeters big slammed into the back of a solar panel on Copernicus Sentinel-1A on Aug. 23. Using on-board cameras, engineers have determined that the hole is about 40 centimeters (16 inches) in diameter.

The European Space Agency said the loss of power caused by the strike is “relatively small” — less than 5 percent of the wing’s usual output.

The incident highlights the danger that both natural and man-made debris poses to satellites and other spacecraft orbiting Earth.

The likelihood of such a strike is calculated at between 1:35 and 1:130 during the satellite’s five-year lifetime, said Holger Krag, who heads the agency’s space debris office.

Smaller, dust-sized particles hit satellites all the time, but this one was several magnitude’s bigger, he said.

While the particle probably had a mass of less than one 1 gram (0.04 ounces), scientists calculated that it was traveling at up to 40,000 kilometers an hour (24,856 mph) when it hit Sentinel-1A. The satellite was launched in 2014. It uses radar to track environmental changes such as sea ice cover, land use or oil spills.

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

HUNGARY

Good boy! Dogs know what you’re saying, study suggests

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cientists have found evidence to support what many dog owners have long believed: Man’s best friend really does understand some of what we’re saying.

Researchers in Hungary scanned the brains of dogs as they were

listening to their trainer speaking to determine which parts of the brain they were using.

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They found that dogs processed words with the left hemisphere and used the right hemisphere to process pitch — just like people.

What’s more, the dogs only registered that they were being praised if the words and pitch were positive. Meaningless words spoken in an encouraging voice, or meaningful words in a neutral tone, didn’t have the same effect.

“Dog brains care about both what we say and how we say it,” said lead researcher Attila Andics, a neuroscientist at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, said in an email. “Praise can work as a reward only if both word meaning and intonation match.”

Andics said the findings suggest that the mental ability to process language evolved earlier than previously believed and that what sets humans apart from other species is the invention of words.

While other species probably also have the mental ability to understand language like dogs do, their lack of interest in human speech makes it difficult to test, said Andics.

Dogs, on the other hand, have socialized with humans for thousands of years, meaning they are more attentive to what people say to them and how.

Researchers imaged the brains of 13 dogs using a technique called functional MRI, or fMRI, which records brain activity.

The dogs— six border collies, five golden retrievers, a German shepherd and a Chinese crested — were trained to lie motionless in the scanner for seven minutes during the tests. The dogs were awake and unrestrained as they listened to their trainer’s voice through headphones.

“The most difficult aspect of this training is for dogs to understand that being motionless means really motionless,” said Andics, who published the findings in the journal Science.

While dog owners may find the results unsurprising, from a scientific perspective, it’s a “shocker” that word meaning seems to be processed in the left hemisphere of the brain, said Brian Hare, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, who had no role in the research.

Emory University neuroscientist Gregory Berns cautioned that the study involved a small number of dogs. Before concluding it’s a smoking gun for word processing, “they should have looked for other evidence in the brain,” he said in an email.

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ALASKA

US News NEW YORK

Troopers say no survivors Some Entenmann’s Little Bites snacks are being recalled in Alaska midair crash

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wo small planes collided in the air over a remote area of western Alaska, killing all five people aboard the two aircraft, officials said.

State troopers said the crash occurred northwest of the village of Russian Mission, 375 miles west of Anchorage.

The crash scene covers a large area that is accessible only by helicopter, said Clint Johnson, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Alaska division.

Troopers said responders at the scene confirmed there were no survivors on either of the planes. The troopers didn’t give an exact number, but the Alaska National Guard said earlier that there were a total of five on board the planes.

The collision occurred just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, Guard officials said.

Johnson said an initial report was about a possible plane crash involving a Piper PA-18 in the area of Russian Mission, followed shortly after that with another report of another, separate plane that was overdue. “And then subsequently, shortly after that, is when we started putting two and two together as far as a possible midair,” he said.

The planes involved in the crash are a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan carrying three people and a Renfro’s Alaskan Adventures Piper PA-18 super cub with two people aboard, according to the Guard. A Guard helicopter with medics on board left Bethel around noon to head to the crash site.

Representatives of Hageland, which is operated by Ravn, Alaska, did not immediately respond with comment. A Renfro employee said the company was not immediately releasing information.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators were headed to the crash scene Wednesday afternoon, Johnson said.

NORTH DAKOTA

Oil pipeline protesters disrupt construction sites

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ut down the Little Bites. The maker of the snacks is recalling some varieties of its fudge brownies and chocolate chip muffins because they may contain pieces of plastic.

The announcement was made late Wednesday by Bimbo Bakeries, which owns the Entenmann’s brand. It said the problem stems from a manufacturing failure at a contract bakery in Illinois.

The affected products were distributed to stores in the last two weeks. One injury was reported.

The products include Little Bites Fudge Brownies 5-packs with a “best by” date of Oct. 8 and UPC code of 7203001342, Little Bites Chocolate Chip Muffins 5-packs with a “best by” date of Oct. 8 and UPC code 7203001353 and Little Bites Chocolate Chip Muffins 10-packs with a “best by” date of Oct. 8 and UPC code 7203002111. The products also include Little Bites Variety 20-packs with a “best by” date of Sept. 24 and UPC code 7203001799.

Consumers are being told to dispose of the product or return it to the retailer for a full refund.

GEORGIA

Singer Toni Braxton to be honored at Hip-Hop Awards

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rammy-winning singer Toni Braxton will be honored at the BMI R&B/HipHop Awards in Atlanta.

Braxton will receive the BMI President’s Award on Thursday for her musical achievements. The private event salutes songwriters, producers and publishers of the past year’s top songs in the genres.

Actor-comedian Chris Tucker will host the awards, which is being held in Atlanta for the first time in its 15-year history. Producer DJ Khaled & Friends will open the show.

Braxton released her self-titled debut in 1993 with the help of L.A. Reid and Babyface, who is expected to attend the awards. She won three Grammy Awards including best new artist off that album, which sold more than 8 million copies.

Her 1996 follow-up “Secrets” was certified eight-time platinum and won two more Grammys.

Illinois

Prison sentence sought for Illinois man in photo hack case

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rrests have been made in North Dakota and Iowa during protests against the construction of the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

Authorities cut free a man who bound himself to construction equipment and arrested at least two protesters Wednesday during a rally near Highway 6 outside St. Anthony, North Dakota.

The site is about 20 miles west of the main protest near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, where pipeline construction has been halted for days.

Several anti-pipeline protesters also were arrested during a rally Wednesday in Boone, Iowa. The local sheriff’s office says they could face misdemeanor trespassing charges after blocking access to a Dakota Access construction staging site.

In North Dakota, Highway Patrol Lt. Tom Iverson troopers briefly closed the highway due to the protest, and construction was temporarily halted.

ederal court records show that prosecutors are seeking a nine-month prison sentence for an Illinois man accused of hacking into email and electronic accounts of 30 celebrities and stealing private information, including nude videos and photos.

Edward Majerczyk pleaded guilty in federal court in Los Angeles last month to one count of felony computer hacking.

Prosecutors say the 28-year-old used a phishing scheme to illegally access more than 300 email and other online accounts between November 2013 and August 2014.

His process entailed sending emails to victims that appeared to be from security accounts of internet service providers and asked for the victims’ user names and passwords. He then illegally accessed the email accounts of those who provided that private information and obtained private photos and videos.

Some of these photos were later leaked on websites such as Reddit and 4chan. org in a scandal known as “Celebgate.” As many as 100 celebrities were targeted, including actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst as well as model Kate Upton.

Majerczyk isn’t accused of selling the material or posting any of it online himself.

Thom Mrozek, a spokesman with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, said an investigation into who leaked the sensitive information is ongoing.

Federal agents said Lawrence broke down during a September 2014 meeting about nude photos of her that appeared online.

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FREE WAFFLES Wednesday, September 7, 2016

VIRGINIA

Hacker who targeted Bush family gets 4 years in prison

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omanian hacker who targeted the Bush family, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and others was sentenced to more than four years in prison Thursday, but will be sent to Romania to serve time on a prison sentence there first.

Marcel Lazar, 44, of Arad, Romania is better known by the nickname Guccifer.

In 2012 and 2013, he went on a hacking spree that enveloped roughly 100 victims, from private citizens to former presidents.

He hacked the email account of Dorothy Bush Koch, daughter of President George H.W. Bush and sister of President George W. Bush. As a result of the hack, the website The Smoking Gun published private family photos and pictures of paintings by George W. Bush.

Lazar hacked Powell’s Facebook account and sent out posts under Powell’s name stating “You will burn in hell, Bush!” and “Kill the illuminati!”

Guccifer also hacked an email account of Sidney Blumenthal, a confidant of Hillary Clinton, in March 2013. That subsequent leak of Blumenthal’s emails was the first time that outsiders became aware of Clinton’s private “clintonemail.com” address, which she used to communicate with Blumenthal. It became part of the investigation of whether Clinton mishandled sensitive emails.

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FREE CHICKEN POT PIE for 1st 50 CUSTOMERS FRIDAY, September 9, 2016 DINE-IN ONLY

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South Carolina grandmother has been charged with ill treatment of animals in the dragging death of a dog.

Multiple media outlets say 66-year-old Rita Mintz was arrested by Calhoun County sheriff’s deputies, who said she had dragged a dog behind a vehicle Aug. 26. .

Mintz told WLTX-TV after she was released that the incident was an accident.

She said she’d been trying to get the dog away from her grandson because it had snapped at the boy.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mintz has an attorney. A telephone listing for a Rita Mintz in Orangeburg wasn’t in service.

Phone:

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SOUTH CAROLINA

South Carolina grandmother charged in dog dragging death

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the

VEGETABLE

dis-

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Español "He perdido casi 30 libras comiendo en The Vegetable Bar!"

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uando vine por primera vez a Cuenca en septiembre de 2014, pesaba 340 libras. Encima de eso, yo estaba tomando medicamentos para la alta presión sanguínea, diabetes tipo 2, la depresión crónica y la acidez estomacal. Yo estaba frustrado más allá de las palabras y mi objetivo para los próximos 76 días, fue relajarme y perder un poco de peso. Yo estaba avergonzado en el avion, porque tuve que pedir un prolongador de cinturón y tuve mucho tiempo para pensar acerca de cómo, una vez un ciclista de clase internacional con 6% de grasa corporal, tuve dejé llegar tan insalubres. Entonces, decidí se des pre cupo su cuerpo hacer algo al respecto.

En el camino a casa, 76 días más tarde, me había perdido 30 libras, pero todavía necesitaba un extencion del cinturón en el avión. Me dije que iba a seguir trabajando en pos de llevar un estilo de vida saludable y hasta me corro un 5K en el siguiente mes de enero, mi primera participación en un evento deportivo en muchos años.

El hecho es que es difícil comer sano en los Estados Unidos. La mayor parte de los alimentos que se procesan y, si no lo es, es caro. En la investigación de cómo bajar de peso en la "forma razonable", he descubierto que es más acerca de la modificación de su estilo de vida y la calidad de la comida, de lo que es el ejercicio. Esto me motivo, porque, como ustedes han descubierto, encontrar el tiempo para hacer ejercicio en forma regular es difícil en el mejor de los casos. He racionalizado que comer sano no debería ser tan difícil. Me equivoqué.

Un avance rápido hasta febrero de 2015 y, de nuevo, me encontré en un avión rumbo al sur, esta vez para trasladarme a Cuenca, para bien, o al menos en el futuro previsible. Yo había logrado perder un adicional de 10 libras y ya no necesitaba un extencion de cinturón de seguridad, pero sólo por un centímetro o dos. Cuando llegué, me instalé y comence a trabajar en mi objetivo de publicar una revista. Rápidamente me olvidé de mi meta de conseguir sano y se movió sobre mi nueva aventura. Yo no veía lo que yo estaba comiendo y mi dieta era intensivo de carbohidratos. No estoy seguro si era porque yo estaba caminando mucho o la altitud o una combinación de las cosas, pero en los próximos 14 meses he conseguido perder otros 6 kilos sin siquiera tratar, pero todavía me sentía enfermo - que me faltaba energía y me sentía cansado todo el tiempo. En junio de este año, compartí esto con Michael, el propietario del Vegetable Bar y dijo mi falta de energía fue debido a mi dieta y me dijo que podría cambiar la forma en que siento y perder peso si comía cada comida en su restaurante. Incluso me ofreció un descuento que hizo de la idea más atractiva.

Yo tomé su oferta y comence a comer cada comida allí. Pero, la vida se puso en el camino, ya que tiene una tendencia a hacer lo y yo simplemente no podía encontrar el tiempo para comer alli cada comida. Después del primer mes me sentí genial y mi energía había aumentado a un nivel que yo no había experimentado en los últimos quince años. La mejor parte, aunque, había perdido 12 libras. Yo había empezado Michael's programa en 294

libras y al final del mes, me inclinó la balanza en 282.

Julio fue uno de los peores meses de mi vida. No entraré en detalles, pero baste decir, comí horriblemente. Me las arreglé para comer en Vegetable Bar unas cuantas veces a la semana intentando minimizar el daño mi apetito emocional. Al final del mes, me subí a la báscula y me sorprendió al saber que yo había perdido 6 libras a pesar de la "caída del vagón".

Este mes, estoy haciendo un poco mejor, pero no he sido tan diligentes como el primer mes. Aún así, he perdido un adicional de 8 libras y me estoy inclinando la escala a 268 que es 26 libras más ligero que cuando empecé. Lo que es más importante, después de un examen de sangre, mi médico me llevó fuera de la presión arterial y los medicamentos para la diabetes.

Me han cortado la depresión la medicina durante seis semanas y solo me da acidez ocasionalmente y sólo cuando no he comido en Vegetable Bar. Mi energía se ha disparado y he perdido mucho peso. No he sido casi tan diligente como yo, pero esa es la realidad. Lo que este "programa de modificación de estilo de vida" ha hecho más consciente de lo que estoy comiendo.

Si quieres mejorar tu salud, perder peso y deshacerte de algunos de los medicamentos que esté tomando, yo recomiendo altamente hablando con Michael en Vegetable Bar. Él ha creado un programa especial para aquellos que quieren mejorar sus vidas a través de una alimentación saludable, que incluye un descuento especial en la comida. Toma mi palabra, usted tiene todo que ganar y nada que perder, pero de peso!

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

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Canadian News MONTREAL

Montreal puppet show apologizes for playing inappropriate song in front of kids

acts and images of very young children.

Although data is limited, some believe online child sexual exploitation has reached “a level of epidemic proportions” that if left largely unaddressed will have devastating consequences for generations of children”, the memo said.

Access to technology and social media are no longer optional for many young people, who see them as essential to their social status, the study says. At the same time, camera-equipped smartphones and the constant proliferation of apps, games and communication services has overwhelmed parents and guardians.

The consultants found a “fairly good mix” of programs and services across Canada dedicated to fighting sexual cyberexploitation, but resources “are being strained.”

Alberta

Fentanyl deaths climbing in Alberta, with 153 dead in first half of 2016

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rganizers of a Montreal-area puppet show found themselves apologizing to the public after a song about prison rape was performed during a family-friendly show where children were present.

They said a series of errors led to the song, “Prison B----,” being played during the open-air festival in the Verdun borough last weekend.

“We sincerely regret the discomfort experienced by the parents who were present, as well as for having lacked vigilance over the entire contents of our show,” Promenade Wellington said in a statement.

A video posted online shows several children watching and one dancing along to the song as two puppeteers manipulate a puppet onstage.

Ronit Milo, who posted the video after attending the show with her 3-year-old son, said she was surprised the song was chosen for an all-ages event.

“There was no disclaimer before the performance that there would be any adult content,” she told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.

She said her son was too young to understand the song’s lyrics and she was satisfied by the festival’s response.

In a lengthy statement apologizing for the incident, the organizers promised to pay more attention to their programming choices.

“For future editions, we will make sure the selected shows will be presented in appropriate locations,” it read. “We will show greater vigilance and tighter constraints over what content will be presented to which members of the public.”

The group that presented the skit also posted a message on Facebook apologizing for the incident.

Cabaret Decadanse said the show is usually performed for an adult audience and that it was sorry if the lyrics offended anyone.

OTTAWA

Gaps in system expose Canadian children to online exploitation, study warns There are “serious gaps” in efforts — including resources, training and research — to protect young people from online sexual exploitation, warns a study prepared for the federal government.

It means “much more still needs to be done” to ensure the safety of vulnerable children, especially in regions that lack the people and programming to make a difference, says the examination of 60 public-sector and non-profit agencies across the country.

The study, completed in March for Public Safety Canada by an Ottawa consulting firm, was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. Public Safety commissioned the research to build on its efforts against online exploitation and “ensure that federal investments are targeted at the areas of greatest need,” the study says.

It follows an internal department memo that advised in February of insufficient police resources to keep pace with the burgeoning threat to children from online sexual predators.

Cybertip.ca, a national tip line to report suspected online sexual abuse of children, has seen increases in reporting, including with respect to the severity of

T

he number of overdose deaths in Alberta connected to fentanyl continues to climb, with this year’s numbers looking to beat last year’s, which was the dangerous street drug’s deadliest to date.

The best efforts of the province and its partners have not dented the number of fatal fentanyl overdoses. In fact, the year-to-date numbers show the death toll is higher in 2016 than it was in 2015, with the majority of those lives lost in Calgary.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2016, 153 people have died from fentanyl-related complications across Alberta, compared with 139 in 2015 during that same stretch of time.

Of those 153 deaths this year, 61 occurred in Calgary, compared with 43 in Edmonton, nine in Grande Prairie, nine in Red Deer, five in Fort McMurray, five in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat and 21 in various other areas.

Brandy Payne, associate minister of health, said the numbers remain concerning.

“My heart goes out to the families and friends of anyone who’s lost a loved one to drug abuse,” said Payne “We are continuously looking at how we can tackle the problem on a number of fronts,” she said. “We have to continue to take action in order to reduce fentanyl’s impact.

“We’re seeing, across Canada and North America, that fentanyl is continuing to be a problem and seeing increases in overdose deaths … there’s still work to be done.”

Payne said that work takes the form of harm reduction, dependency treatments and working arm-in-arm with law enforcement.

The province is still leaning on the use of take-home injection kits of the opioid overdose antidote Naloxone, which has proven to be effective in preventing fentanyl-related deaths if an overdose is caught in time.

Naloxone is now more readily available in Alberta and more frequently used.

It can now be attained without a prescription from many pharmacies across the province as well as various agencies.

Prior to that change in May, Naloxone injection kits were dispensed at an average of about 20 per week.

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

How to bake healthier treats

RECIPE

Reefnet Salmon With Salsa Verde

B

aking can be a relaxing and rewarding pastime that parents can share with their children. Baking promotes a variety of skills, including the ability to follow instructions and make measurements. Baking also employs mathematics, making baking a rather delicious science experiment. Perhaps one of the few pitfalls of baking is indulging in too many sweet treats when taste testing and then enjoying the fruits of your labors.

But bakers concerned about their health can substitute healthy ingredients when recipes call for foods bakers would prefer to avoid.

The following ingredients can make healthy additions to baked-good recipes without sacrificing flavor. · Whole wheat flour: Flour is at the heart of many baking recipes, including those for cakes, cookies and pies. Refined white flour may not be the healthiest ingredient, so try whole wheat flour, which is full of nutrients and an extra dose of fiber. Fiber can help lower the risk for heart disease and diabetes. Try slightly less than one cup of whole wheat flour for regular flour as a swap if a recipe calls for one cup of flour. · Fruit puree: When a recipe calls for oil, margarine, butter or shortening, consider replacing such ingredients with fruit purees, which often add moisture and texture just as well but without the same amount of calories.

Applesauce and prunes can be helpful in chocolate dishes. Pumpkin or sweet potato are other purees that can add a nutritional boost as well. · Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is a powerhouse of protein and flavor with relatively few calories per serving. It can make a super substitution in recipes for things like sour cream, buttermilk

Serves 4

or even cream cheese. · Applesauce: Believe it or not, unsweetened applesauce also can replace some or all of the sugar in a recipe. When doing a 1:1 ratio swap, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup. · Marshmallow or meringue: Ever check the nutritional information for many store-bought cake frostings? They pack a considerable amount of calories, sugar and fat. Some also are made with hydrogenated oils. Consider using a marshmallow fluff or homemade meringue to top cupcakes or decorate cookies. · Stevia: Stevia is an herbal plant that grows primarily in South America. Stevia has a long history as a sweetener in that area, and now has become a popular sugar substitute elsewhere. Stevia is an all-natural, nocalorie, no-carbohydrate sweetener. The FDA approved only the purified form of stevia, called stevioside. Remember to check each brand's sugar-to-stevia ratio to make sure you get the right measurements for your recipe. · Egg whites: Replace a whole egg in a recipe with two egg whites or 1/4 cup of egg substitute. · Chocolate nibs: Nibs are processed morsels that do not have the same amount of added sugar as many chocolate chips. Dark chocolate nibs can provide a healthy dose of antioxidants as well. · Evaporated skim milk: Try evaporated skim milk in place of heavy cream to make whipped cream for a low-fat option.

Baking brings family together, and the treats prepared can make an enjoyable finale to a great meal. With healthy substitutions, any recipe can be altered for the better.

For the salsa verde: 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups loosely packed torn fresh-baked bread (without the crust) 1/4 cup white verjuice or fresh lemon juice For the salmon: 4 5- to 6-ounce skin-on reefnet-caught wild salmon filets 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon unsalted butter Salt Freshly ground black pepper To make the salsa verde: Place the basil, parsley, mint, garlic, and salt in a food processor.

With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the chunks of bread and continue to process until the bread is gravel-size. Add the verjuice or a couple of squeezes of lemon, tasting for a balance of acidity and sweetness. Set aside at room temperature. (If making the day before, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.)

To cook the salmon: Season both sides of the salmon filets with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick sauté pan, heat the olive oil until almost smoking over medium-high heat. Add the butter. As the butter is browning, add the salmon, skin side down. Using a spatula, press the salmon into the pan and decrease the heat to medium-low. Let the skin crisp for 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully flip the fish over in the pan. Turn the heat off and let the fish cook in the residual heat for another minute or so. (You may need to increase the cooking time, depending on the thickness of your salmon.)

When serving, place a salmon filet on each serving plate and spoon the salsa verde around the salmon.

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

11

Fiction & Poetry

To Dream of a Lavender House

By Frances A. Hogg

I

met her at Bill and Emily’s anniversary party. She was leaning in the kitchen doorway, twirling the stem of her wine glass. She was more “hippie-dippy” than most women I’ve been attracted to, but since my divorce from my bankexecutive former wife. Perhaps I was looking for something different.

“Hi,” I said, reaching out my hand. “I’m Joe.” She tilted her head to the side and looked at me for a moment before accepting my outstretched hand, but instead of shaking it, she turned my palm upward and studied it. Finally she nodded, smiled, and said, “Well, I suppose you’re not dangerous. My name’s Phoebe.”

“You read palms?” I asked.

“Palms, and dreams.”

“You interpret dreams? That’s an interesting hobby,” I said. I was pleased that she appeared so friendly. I could use a friend. A young, pretty, female friend.

“My job, actually. I’m a psychotherapist.”

She shook my proffered hand. “Dr. Phoebe Chafets.”

I hoped I had not offended her. I scrambled for an intelligent-sounding response that would indicate, truly or not, my respect for both her profession and her affectations. “Are they related?” I asked. “Psychology and dreams?”

“Of course.”

I grinned. “I suppose you get tired of people you meet at parties asking for your professional opinion.”

“What’s your question?”

“I have a reoccurring dream,” I said.

“Dreams that reoccur indicate a need to resolve an issue.”

“I dream about a house.”

“That’s very common. When we dream of houses, generally, we are subconsciously examining ourselves.”

“Really?”

“Sure. Different parts of houses relate to different areas of our lives.

For instance, to dream of searching for things in an attic can indicate a concern about losing one’s mental faculties. To discover unusual items in a basement often shows concern about one’s sexual orientation.”

“I never dream about basements,” I said.

“Hmmm,” she said, looking at me over the rim of her wine glass with incredibly huge brown eyes. She pressed a card into my hand. “Call me.”

I put it off for a few weeks. Sure, I was interested in her, and I was lonely. But I wouldn’t have called her if the dreams about the odd, little house hadn’t seemed to increase in frequency. Who can say how often one dreams the same dream? Most they slip away with the first stirrings of consciousness. It is only in the dream that we realize, “I’ve been here before! I know this place!” But this time, perhaps because of meeting Phoebe, I was aware. I paid attention.

We met in her office, above a stationery store downtown. She wore a pretty

Indian-print dress that reminded me of my college days, and those hippie girls who didn’t wear bras. I tried to keep my focus on our professional relationship.

“Tell me how the dreams begin,” said Phoebe. “Tell me everything you remember.”

I thought about it.

“I always know I’m going there because of the smell.”

Her eyebrow moved upward and she scribbled some notes. “Olfactory sensations are actually very unusual within dreams. Do you recognize the scent? Is it good, or bad? Does it remind you of anything?”

“It’s a good smell. It reminds me of my mother.”

Her eyebrow went up another notch.

“Her closets,” I said. I don’t know where that idea came from, but it was true.

“Cedar?” Phoebe asked.

“No. Something flowery.”

“Lavender, perhaps?”

“Maybe. I think so.”

Phoebe rested her notebook on her knee. “Our dreams are fraught with symbolism. Even symbols we don’t understand. And people in different cultures dream and understand the same symbols in the same way. Did you know that?”

“No,” I said. I was glad she was no longer focusing on my mother.

“Lavender is both a color and a flower.

Each form has different meanings. For example, the color lavender is historically related to homosexuality,” she said.

“Not likely,” I replied, quickly. “What does the flower symbolize?”

She smiled. “It is known for its soothing fragrance and healing properties.

Lavender brings sleep and tranquility.

It connotes purity and devotion, but it also warns of danger. Tell me. After you smell the lavender, what happens next?

Describe to me what you see.”

I closed my eyes. “I’m walking down a long, country road. I see that it ends at a gate, in a white picket fence. There is a house beyond it. It’s painted a light purple—” “What color, again?” Phoebe asked.

“It’s a lavender-colored house,” I corrected myself.

“What’s inside?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I never get farther than unlocking the gate.”

“Next time, go in. Walk around. Explore.

After all, it’s only a dream.”

I saw her again two weeks later.

“Are you still dreaming about the lavender house?”

“Yes. More often than before.”

“And have you explored it?”

“I’ve walked around it. I looked in all the windows.”

“What did you see there?”

“Furniture. A dog that barked at me.

And . . .” I had a hard time explaining to her exactly what I had seen. “Something wispy.”

“You didn’t see it clearly?”

“No. It was there, and then it was gone.”

“You didn’t go inside?”

“I’m ashamed to say I didn’t, because the wispy thing frightened me.”

“You shouldn’t be ashamed, Joe. We are all afraid to go inside ourselves, initially. We are afraid of introspection.

But because you tell me this dream reoccurs more and more often, I believe you may be on the cusp of some important discovery or release.” She scribbled some notes. “The fact that you could not clearly see the thing that you feared is just your mind protecting yourself. So this is what I want you to do.

Next time when you smell the lavender, be prepared. Believe that you have a digital camera in your pocket. When you see the thing, however fleetingly, take a picture of it, and tell yourself that when you look at it later and you will be able to clearly see what it is.”

“An imaginary digital camera?” I asked.

“Will that really work?”

“Believe me, it will be as real as you need it to be.”

“All right,” I said.

I had to admit, Phoebe had got me hooked. I wanted more than anything to understand why my mind kept taking me to the lavender house. What was I afraid of? What was I holding back from myself? I put her advice to the test.

I saw her the next week.

“How did it go?”

“I went into the house this time,” I said.

“What happened?”

“The dog started barking at me. It lunged at me and I knocked over a table and broke a lamp.”

“Did you see the wispy thing this time?”

“I saw something.”

“Did you take a picture of it?” she asked.

“Yes.” “Have you looked at it?”

“No.” “Why?” “I’m afraid.”

Phoebe reached for my hand and held it. “Let’s look at it together, then.

Close your eyes. Take out your imaginary camera, look at the image, and tell me what you see.”

I did. The picture I saw made me drop the camera and put my hands quickly over my eyes.

“What did you see?” Phoebe demanded.

“A woman,” I whispered. “A woman, screaming.”

“Ah.” Phoebe said. “We’re getting somewhere.”

I tried again to enter the house in my dreams. To see the thing my mind didn’t want me to see, but every time I felt the motion of things around me, of things swirling around me. I told Phoebe, “I know it sounds crazy, but I think the house is haunted.”

“Perhaps it is,” she said.

It had been six weeks since I had started counseling with Phoebe. I asked her out. She said she didn’t date her patients. I told her I didn’t need to be her

patient anymore. She told me, “Call me in a month, and we’ll talk about it.”

I desperately wanted to see her on a non-professional basis, so I didn’t return.

Instead, I took long drives and long walks. I parked my car out in the country and took a stroll down a long tree-lined lane. I was thinking about other things— an issue at work and about my brother’s legal problems—when I smelled the strong, compelling fragrance of lavender.

When I saw the white picket fence, closely planted with spiky lavender, I felt a chill and hesitated a moment before daring to look beyond it. But there it was—the same house I had been returning to, again and again, in my dreams! There was a “For Sale” sign in the yard. I opened the gate. I walked around the house and looked in the windows. There was no furniture there.

No dog. No fearsome presence. I took note of the Real Estate agent’s phone number.

I called her. She said her name was Sandy. She invited me to meet her at her office downtown.

“Just on the market!” Sandy said. “And for a fabulous price! The owner moved abruptly and she’s extremely motivated to sell.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“A very silly reason, actually.”

“I want to know.”

“It’s nothing—nothing—” “Aren’t real estate agents subject to disclosure laws?” I asked. “Are you trying to avoid telling me that someone died there?”

“No, no, no, of course not!” she said.

“Nothing like that!”

“What, then?” I demanded.

Sandy appeared a little alarmed at my vehemence. “The seller got it into her head that the house is haunted.”

“Haunted by what?” I pressed.

Sandy found a sheet of paper from the sales file and read from it. “The seller claims that a few months ago she began to notice that her front gate had been left open repeatedly. Then she thought she saw a face peering in at her through the windows.”

I slumped in my chair as Sandy continued to read.

“Her dog barked at nothing. And she says that some furniture was overturned and a lamp was broken.”

Sandy looked up at me and smiled, hopefully. “But Mr. Morrison, surely you don’t believe in haunted houses, do you?”

Frances A. Hogg is a prize-winning playwright and writer, writing instructor and editor, photographer, author of the Callie Sadler mystery series and various short-story collections, and happy expat resident of Cuenca, Ecuador.

She is the founder of the Cuenca International Writers Conference and the Cuenca Writers Collective.

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

M

any of us who’ve relocated to Cuenca have lost something in that process— inches and pounds. It’s no secret that living at higher altitudes increases one’s metabolism. And the lower oxygen content makes your heart work just a bit harder with everyday tasks such as walking, climbing stairs or simply doing chores around the house. The benefit of course is you are burning more calories. All this along with fresher food is a great recipe for a much healthier life style.

If you’re concerned about your health and interested in feeling better, it’s all about a healthier diet and exercise. The healthy diet part is easy; eat at restaurants like the Vegetable Bar more often. The exercise part takes a little more effort. Don’t think that you’re too old to start; it’s never too late. To quote 80-year-old Deshun Wang, a latecomer to fitness, “Potential can be explored.

When you think it’s too late be careful you don’t let that become your excuse for giving up.” Get out there and walk. Many of my clients are in their seventies and my oldest to date was 85. He just fished at 13,000 ft!

Walking around town is great.... until that big blue bus come barreling down the street leaving that lingering black cloud in its wake. The river walks throughout Cuenca are pretty and provide safe, scenic walking paths along the river. These are great resources but there is still the traffic and other urban distractions.

So, my suggestion? It’s time to get up into the Cajas. Above the 10,000 foot mark. It’s easier and more enjoyable than you may think.

I’ll put this out there now, I’m not a doctor and I know that living and/or walking at higher elevations is not beneficial for everyone. So, before you take me up on my advice about ‘walking high,’ I recommend that you consult with your physician.

I’ve been guiding fishing and hiking outings throughout the El Cajas region for years and the most common thing I hear from clients when the day is done is, “Boy am I going to sleep good tonight” or “I’m sure going to feel this tomorrow.” What I really enjoy is bumping into past clients around town and hearing that they actually felt great the following days after the hike. There are reasons for that, called fresh air and nature.

We are very fortunate to have the Cajas National Park or Parque Nacional Cajas right in our backyard. The name “Cajas” is derived from the indigenous Quichua word “cassa,” meaning “gateway to the clouds or snowy mountains”.

The Quichua also refer to El Cajas as ‘The Balcony of Heaven,’ my favorite. The first entrance into Cajas, Laguna Llaviucu (aka Zorrocucho) is only 13 kilometers outside the city and is one of the most beautiful and easiest walking areas in the entire park. A great location for a DIY (Do it Yourself) hike.

When you’re in Cajas, you are experiencing one of the most unique national parks in the world. The scenery is stunning and the climate ever changing. The trick to enjoying what Cajas has to offer is going prepared for the elements; intense sun on cloudless days, wind, rain, hail, fog, drizzly mist, low flowing clouds, todo bien. Everyday is different. All four seasons in one day; one hour sometimes. Enjoy the elements, soak it in, it feels great.

A day in the Cajas will recharge your batteries, both physically and emotionally, clear your head, open your eyes and ears, dismiss any stress, sooth your soul and make you happy, I promise.

Take it slow, take it easy, pay attention to what your body is telling you. Do a little research on high altitude sickness just in case.

I will be introducing low-level Cajas DIY (Do it Yourself) hikes on my website.

These hikes easily accessible, safe and not to long. For additional information regarding the DIY hikes please visit http://www.flyfishingecuador.com/ and click on ‘Hiking’ My father always ended his toasts with the same five words, “To Health and Happiness, Cheers”

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

FUN & GAMES

13

Solution

I am a pop singer born in England on February 1, 1994. I have an older sister named Gemma and as I child I worked in a bakery. My band is signed to Simon Cowell’s label, and we have sold million of copies of our albums worldwide.

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

French Coca-Cola workers find huge cocaine stash in juice delivery

C

oca-Cola workers found a huge stash of cocaine when they opened a delivery of fruit juice concentrate from Costa Rica at their factory in southern France.

Local newspaper Var-Matin said the haul weighed 370 kg (815 pounds) with a potential street value of around 50 million euros ($56 million). Those figures could not be confirmed by Coca-Cola and the local prosecutor could not be reached for comment.

“You can well imagine the surprise,” said a spokesman for Coca-Cola, adding that the workers alerted police and were ruled out as potential suspects.

The stash was hidden inside a container of juice that was opened on arrival at the factory in the town of Signes on Aug. 26.

Pizza by drone: unmanned air delivery set to take off in New Zealand

N

ew Zealand pizza chain aims to become the world’s first company to offer a commercial drone delivery service, a milestone in the once-unthinkable quest to save time and money with an air-borne supply chain dispensing with people.

Some of the world’s biggest companies including Amazon.com Inc and Google, or Alphabet Inc as it is known, have plans to make deliveries by drone and aviation authorities in the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand have been relaxing rules to allow air deliveries.

Last month, U.S. convenience store chain 7-Eleven Inc [SILC.UL] conducted the first single commercial drone delivery - coffee, donuts and a chicken sandwich as part of a trial.

Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd conducted a demonstration pizza delivery by drone in the New Zealand city of Auckland on Thursday, and afterwards said it aimed to be the first company to launch a regular drone service, late this year.

“We’ve always said that it doesn’t make sense to have a 2-tonne machine delivering a 2-kilogram order,” Domino’s Chief Executive Officer Don Meij said in a statement.

With clear skies and small population of 4.4 million, New Zealand last year became one of the world’s first countries to clear commercial drone deliveries.

“Our enabling laws and regulation means we have the ideal environment,” New Zealand Transport Minister Simon Bridges said after the Domino’s test flight.

But Philip Solaris, director of another drone company, X-craft Enterprises, said that while New Zealand has accommodating regulations on drones, Domino’s would be held back by a rule requiring drones to be kept in sight at all times.

“I can’t truly see how commercially viable that idea is because you would have

to literally have somebody walking along to keep it in the line of sight, watching it at all times,” Solaris said.

Domino’s service would still need to overcome “random hazards (like) power lines, moving vehicles, children in the backyard playing”, he said.

The Domino’s and 7-Eleven deliveries both used drones provided by U.S.headquarted Australian drone company Flirtey.

Domino’s said it is also looking at opportunities for drone delivery trials in Australia, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Japan and Germany.

In Australia, drone deliveries will be legal next month, provided the drones stay at least 30 meters (100 feet) from houses.

In the United States, drones will be allowed to make deliveries from Aug. 29, but not across state lines or over people.

Naked Donald Trump statue up for auction, could fetch $20,000

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life-sized nude statue of U.S. Republican presidential contender Donald Trump is going up for auction, with profits from the sale going to an immigrant support group.

Julien’s Auctions said on Wednesday that the statue, called “The Emperor Has No Balls,” is expected to fetch $10,000 to $20,000 at the Oct. 22 auction in Los Angeles.

The statue is one of a series that appeared unannounced in public spaces in New York and four other U.S. cities earlier in August. The orange-tinted likeness showed Trump with a massive belly, small fingers and some missing genitals.

Most were confiscated or destroyed by local authorities and the Los Angeles statue is the only one remaining, Julien’s said.

The statues were created by an anonymous artists collective called INDECLINE. A portion of the auction profits will go to the National Immigration Forum, which campaigns for the rights of immigrants.

Trump has pledged to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico to keep immigrants out and to deport the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States, should he be elected. He is due to give a speech on Wednesday as he seeks to find a balance in his immigration stance.

Trump is not the only politician to be represented in the October auction of street and contemporary art. American pop artist Knowledge Bennett’s “Hillary Clinton Cojones,” featuring the Democratic White House hopeful wearing a tuxedo, is expected to fetch up to $15,000, Julien’s said.

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

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

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

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

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: 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 September 7th: 12PM - 1PM at the New Comers’ Luncheon at the Vegetable Bar Cost: $10 Contact: Diana at info@actcuenca.com or Linda Chase: lchaselchase@yahoo.com Comedian Cork Proctor in concert, September 10 What: Beneifit concert by Comedian Cork Proctor, the man whos "Mind is an Open Mouth." Cork has also been called “the Oral Assasin” and “The poor man’s Don Rickles.” All proceeds will go to Sara Coppler for the Projecto Saman in Canoa.

When: Saturday, September 10, at 3 PM Where: The Vegetable Bar, 3 de Noviembre y Jacaranda Cost: $20 in advance/$25 at the door. Make your reservations now at www.paypal.com, pay to carolyninseattle@gmail.com Contact: Carolyn V. Hamilton: carolynvhamilton@gmail.com | 099 998 8777 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

Samsung 60" Ultra HD Smart TV Crystal clear - cinema in your home. Available immediately. $1500.

Samsung UN60H6350AF 60" 1080p LED-LCD TV - 16:9 - HDTV 1080p - ATSC - 1920 x 1080 - DTS Studio Sound, Dolby, DTS Premium Sound 5.1 - 4 x HDMI - USB - Ethernet - Wireless LAN - PC Streaming - Internet Access - Media Player. Contact Joe: heymates@live.com Translator/interpreter Perfectly bilingual translator / interpreter available (English Spanish - English) for the translation of all kinds of documents: legal, medical, literary, etc. Also for interpretation on the spot for shopping, sightseeing, medical vists, etc.

Juan: bukocharlie@yahoo.com 096 906 2494 Opportunity to Cusco/Machu Picchu 5D/4N from $765, limited offer. Sep 22-26. Special promotion.

4 nights of accommodation at 3 star hotel in Cusco, transfer in/out, transportation during excursions, all meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner with a typical show dinner. Also this program includes excursions like city tour in Cusco, visit to Machu Picchu go through its squares, temples, platforms, ceremonial shrines, royal palace. In addition to appreciating the famous solar clock Intiwatana and Sacred Valley. What are you waiting for? Cazhuma Tours has been helping travelers for more than 15 years. For more information, please contact me, Sucre 14-21 and Estevez de Toral Gisella Martínez: reservas@cazhumatours.com | 283 2052 Spanish lessons like conversation Hello, my name is Yamara. I’m from Cuenca, Ecuador.

I’m a psychologist, so, I could offer Spanish lessons like conversation that could help you to get a good development in this country. Because of my university career, I have some skills that could be helpful for you, such as: friendly, responsible, comprehensive, tolerant, patient. Moreover, I really enjoy a good conversation.

My English is not very good. However I could understand your request about improve your Spanish. We could meet in a cafe, restaurant or something like that. The rate is per hour.

If you are interested, please call me or send an email.

Yamara: yamararv@gmail.com | 099 570 3112 Indurama, 6-burner gas stove with rotisserie 6 burner stove in excellent condition: $430. Available immediately. 1 gas tank also available $45.

David: david.26.ross@gmail.com | 099 908 6455.

Call after: 9 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.

Raw Shamanic Retreat What: Every day, depending on the ceremony proposed, we do a cleansing diet, workshops and games that will help you for a deep ceremony experience.

When: Wednesday, September 28th to October 4th.

Where: San Pedro de Vilcabamba, Loja.

Cost: Varies Contact: Michel: healingandshamanicgarden@gmail.com 099 365 4305.

Cuenca Art Walk 2016 When: Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2; 11 AM to 4 PM. Opening Reception: Friday, September 30, from 7 to 9 PM in the Mayor’s Gallery, on the corner of Antonio Borrero y Simón Bolívar in el Centro.

Where: Cuence, El Centro.

Cost: Free Contact: CuencaArtWalk@gmail.com.

CLASSIFIEDS Looking for someone moving to Ecuador who may be shipping a container I need to bring to Ecuador a coffee table, 2 nightstands, possibly a mattress. I would arrange to have it delivered to your address and pay a fee.

Stephanie: estefaniaarias@hotmail.com | 099 595 6712.

Call after: 8 AM.

Pranic healer, energies therapist, holistic Pranic healing is a highly evolved and tested system of energy medicine that utilizes prana to balance, harmonize and transform the body’s energy processes. Is an effective system of no-touch energy healing.

Gracia: ma.grazia.p@gmail.com | 099 185 7588.

Weaving loom and accessories Wooden weaving loom from Patricia Barrera shop. Includes shuttles, hook, wrapping board, instructions for measuring and 1-hour class on use of loom. $100 firm.

Gertie: 097 947 4823. Call after: 9 AM. 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.

Calling walkers, or would-be walkers Looking for people interested in meeting at 6.30 AM on a regular basis at the Planetarium in Parque de la Madre for about an hour’s walk along the Tomebamba. Not anticipating breaking any speed records, but not for dawdling either.

Hoping for fitness, the discipline of a regular practice and mutual support. If this sounds like your cup of tea, please email me so we can start tout de suite.

Finn OGorman: finnogorman@yahoo.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

Saxophone, for sale High-quality alto saxophone, in fantastic condition. Purchased new in the US. in 2012 for $1600. Looks great (no scratches or dings) and sounds great. $900 price also includes five saxophone music books (Latin, jazz, blues, showtunes, popular), hard plastic case, 15 reeds, cork grease, neck strap, cleaning chamois, and on-stage saxophone stand. Located near El Centro. Please email best times to view.

Nancy: ngood1@aol.com

We build slide wire cable awnings for decks or patios Slide wire cable awnings are perfect for managing the amount of sunlight or shade that enters your patio area. If you decide you want to shade your patio for a period of time, you can fully extend the cable canopy to completely cover the area. If you change your mind later, simply retract the canopy and let in the desired amount of sunlight.

9 AM to 7 PM, Cuenca Paul: a.nvise@hotmail.es | 099 809 9146.

El Centro restaurant is looking for a server and short order cook A successful El Centro Restaurant is looking for a server (mersaro/a) who speaks English and a short order cook.

Good pay and hours. Email or phone enquires only, please.

Orlando Ortiz: orlandoinecuador@gmail.com 098 824 6499.

Call after: 8 AM.

Desktop computer, printer, chair Desktop: Intel i3 processor, 4th generation, Gigabite mainboard, 4 GB RAM memory, 120 GB SSD drive, 1 TB SATA drive, Nvidia GTX610 graphics card, Windows 10, Microsoft Office 2013. Includes 2 – 20” monitors. $550.

Epson L355 printer, scanner, copier with inkwells $375.

Office Chair $125.

Mick: nmekkelsen@gmail.com