Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

If you have S/.1,350 you may have natural gas at home and decrease significantly your monthly spending using propane gas for your kitchen or electricity for your water heater, according to a report printed today by Peru21.

Calidda is the company in charge of the distribution of the gas, and it is currently offering this service in nine Limenian districts (San Juan de Lurigancho, Surco, Pueblo Libre, San Miguel, Magdalena, Cercado de Lima, Jesús María, San Martín de Porres and Los Olivos).

There are two modes available for the instalation: in view or built-into the wall.

The cost of the first option is S/.1,350 for each appliance permanently connected to the gas pipes: for two appliances the cost increases to S/.1,930.

Meanwhile, in the second alternative, the price for one connection  is some S/.1,580, and for two it would be S/.2,270.

Connecting to the system takes a day mostly, although it depends on the number of conections or points a costumer wishes to install at home.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

According to a recent poll conducted by Compañía Peruana de Opinion Publica (CPI), a Peruvian market research company, the majority of people in Lima and Callao would like to have a referendum, so that the citizens can decide about the modification of the Constitution.

The changes that the polled would like to see are 1) turning the mandatory vote into an optional vote, and 2) the partial renovation of the congress.

According to the CPI poll, 67% of Limenians agree with this referendum, while 23.2% do not agree.

70.5% of women, and 75.8% of the middle and upper class  support the idea of a referendum.

73.6% agree with the renovation of half of the congress after two years and a half in office, and the figures are even higher amongst medium and upper class: 82.9%.

CPI's poll states that only 21.9% disagrees with this proposal, and that the undecided are only 4.5%.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Fourth International Congress of Ufology and Extraterrestrial Life, that will be held in Lima this week (between Wednesday and Sunday) will discuss about intergalactic external politics and will release “declassified” documents about beings from another planets.

Julio Chamorro, a former commander from Peru's Air and one of the lecturers told the press today that these topics concern the greatest potencies since the forties.

This congress, which is being organized by Alfa and Omega Missionary Association and the radio show “Journey to another dimension” will have three international lecturers: a former officer from Chile's Air Force, Pablo Henríquez; Jaime Rodríguez (Ecuador) and Julio César Acosta Navarro, from Brazil.

The congress' schedule include testimonies from Peruvians who claim they have been contacted by extraterrestrials.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Exactly a year after asking for the elaboration of the first Digital Cities Motorola Ranking, the company announced the results of this research: "the most digital city" in the region is Sao Paulo.

Los Olivos (Lima, Peru) was ranked 11th and Callao was in 20th position.

"This initiative was made with the aim to measure the level of digitalization that Latin American cities may have," explained Manuel Moreno, Marketing Manager of Motorola's Wireless Broadband to El Comercio.

He pointed out that 150 cities from 15 Latin American countries participated, and by last June 25 cities were selected as finalists.

Not only the interconnectional services offered by local municipalities was evaluated for this study, but also their integration with several tools and platforms.

"In Los Olivos, for example, we can see tools that allow citizens to make transactions on-line, with to need to actually go to the city hall," said Moreno.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Thousands of faithful devotees are following today the image of Lord of the Miracles today, in the penultimate route of this year through the streets of Lima, after the mass celebrated by Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani outside Las Nazarenas church.

Medical staff and patients at the Arzobispo Loayza National Hospital will also pay their traditional homage to the image.

Later on, the Lord of the Miracles will receive another homage from managers and workers of Diario Oficial El Peruano and Andina News Agency.

Finally the image of Christ will go to Las Nazarenas church until November 1st.

As in previous years, the Peruvian National Police and the Firefighters Department will deploy their personnel to protect the thousands  of believers.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The story of the theft of a lung of the exhibition "The Human Body. Real and fascinating" that captured everyone's attention in early October, was actually a farce, that was aimed to generate greater ticket sales, according to the local TV program "Prensa Libre."

Prensa Libre's journalists claim that Katherine Seymour, Public Relations Director of Premier Exhibitions (owners of the exhibition), sent a report to to Bryan Wainger, the attorney for the US based company.

In this report, Seymour refers to a conversation she had with Susan Hoefken, manager of Impact Productions, organizer of the event which took place in a shopping mall in Lima.

According to the report, Hoefken admits that the lung was never stolen, and that its disappearance was part of a marketing campaign to draw public attention and sell more tickets. The document also confirms that she had the lung.

The document was sent to Peruvian Police by Premier Exhibitions' attorney.

Hoefken declared she was surprised and that she "does not know Katherine Seymour," and denied any marketing strategy.

Reportedly, she may give a press conference later today "to make things clear."

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

More than 400 people gathered at Agua Dulce beach, in the Limenian district of Chorrillos, to form with their bodies a quite suggestive phrase: “Amo Amazonía” ("I love Amazon.").

Despite the weather was not the best, the people's mood was in fact the best as they were photographed by the artist John Quigley, recognized worldwide for creating human art images.

The event was organized and conducted by Amo Amazonía, which is carrying out several activities aimed at promoting natural and cultural wealth of the Peruvian jungle.

"We must be proud of our people and our resources [...]. What we want is to show the Peruvian jungle, and move it to Lima so that everyone can know about it,” said Kike Basurto, General Coordinator.

The organization is preparing a concert, scheduled for next Saturday at the Parque de la Muralla in Cercado de Lima. This show, which will feature nine Peruvian bands (including La Mente, Bareto and Los Mirlos) is free.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

In order to pay homage the Lord of the Miracles' effigy, the Municipality of Lima organized a contest of “Dona Pepa” traditional nougat, which allowed thousands of people to taste and enjoy this typical Limenian dessert.

According to Andina, this turrón finally weighed 2,500 kg., and some of the ingredients were flour, eggs, quinces and dried plums, butter, toasted sesame seeds, anis seeds, candies and tasty molasses.

The winners of this contest were Turrones Las Limeñitas and Turrones San José.

This contest is organized every year.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A taxi driver was killed by a bullet shot by the police officer he was trying to run over, reported local media today.

Reportedly, Luis Alberto Caceres Samame (24) was arrested at a local mini market, in Jicamarca (Lima) when he was trying to pay with a counterfeit fake S/. 100 soles note.

The owner of the business and other customers captured him when he tried to escape; then they beat him to make him confess where his accomplices were.

He indicated that they were nearby, waiting for him in a black car.

The group, accompanied by a police officer, went outside to look for his accomplices.

Then the police officer detected the car, with license plate COL-184; it was at that moment when its driver, Leoncio Genaro Salazar Samar (35), started the engine and tried to run over the policeman, who shot him.

Salazar died instantly, while a third man managed to run away. The police found more counterfeit money inside the car, according to local press.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Credit cards and debit cards as well can be used, from now on, to pay for clean water service in Lima, via the new service that Sedapal (the company in charge of this service in Lima) is setting up for its customers in Lima and Callao.

This way, the bills can be paid at any of the 17 Sedapal offices in Lima to make their payments.

This new system makes Sedapal the first company providing public services that also offers a mean of payment other than real, physical money.

The cards that are accepted for this system are the ones from Visa, Diners Club and Master Card, but also the cards from La Curacao, Carsa and Ace Home Center stores.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.