Menorca Sun

CRUSHING WIN FOR VIVEMENORCA - See Page 16

Issue: 14 Friday 21 November 2008 www.themenorcasun.com

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CRUSHING DEFEAT FOR THE RUGBY CLUB - See Page 15

... and the golfers HAM it up!

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Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

ANGER OVER POWER CUTS Following the big power cut of last Thursday, Gesa received 310 calls of which only 17 complaints were thought valid of following up with paperwork.

This seems to The Menorca Sun to be a ridiculous number, given the disruption and loss of working hours, with the inevitable financial losses to business, to be deemed worthy of attention.

PIME estimated that 30,000 working hours were lost during the cut in supply. In the case of bars and restaurants it is claimed that overall half a days takings were lost.

The Consumers Office in Ciutadella received a further 40 complaints over the weekend asking for the electric company to assume responsibility.

Astonishingly and in sharp contrast to Ciutadella, the comsumers office in Mahón did not attend to a single call in complaint.

A spokesman said that, ”On the day there were many residents calling to ask what the

POLITICIANS DEMAND ANSWERS Politicians across the Balearics are demanding to know why an emergency back-up system did not kick into action when the region was blacked out by power cuts yesterday.

A leading minister accused the electricity company of “negligence,” and called for sanctions against power supplier Gesa.

Interior ministry chief Maria

Angeles Lecinena said she wanted to know the “exact” reasons why a back-up system was not operational after the double fault halted supplies from Alcudia’s Es Murterar power station at 12.06 pm until later into the afternoon.

She said it was a grave incident and demanded to know why emergency procedures were not activated.

HOTEL GOES BANKRUPT Many suppliers and tradesmen on Menorca have been affected at various levels by the closure and financial meltdown of the TRH Tirant apart hotel in Fornells Several of the creditors will now form a group in order to seek some sort of payment for the debts. Those include another hotel on the island which is owed 36,000 euros from the 2007 season for clients that were passed onto them by the Tirant.

At the same time, the sixteen financial institutions involved in the financing of the group are hoping for a “limited impact”

on the loans that were given to the group.

Including suppliers, TRH have debts of over One Billion euros !! The banking syndicate involved thought that this could not be refinanced and, on Friday of last week, moves were made towards bankruptcy.

Biggest creditor is thought to be the Banco Popular which is involved with loans totalling 200 million euros. There are then fifteen other major bank debts, the smallest of which is 15 million.

TRH have three more hotels in the Baleares, all in Mallorca.

problem was, but since then we have not received a single call or complaint.”

GESA hope that the laying of the underwater cables from Mallorca to the mainland, from 2010 there will be no more power cuts.

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? Figures released reveal that in the first three quarters of 2008 every person spent an average of 122.83 euros on the various lotteries that run here in Spain.

That represents a grand total of over 126 million!! Of that 11 million came from Menorca.

So that’s where all the money is going.

Shop bad debts in Spain rise by 150 percent in September In September this year, the amount lost to Spanish shop businesses through bad debts rose to 29 million euros, 150 percent over and above the corresponding figure for the same month last year when the loss stood at 11.6 million euros.

The National Institute of Statistics reported yesterday that the number of items returned unpaid to traders in the Balearics totalled 5’229 euros in September, representing

an increase of 42.5 percent in comparison to the same month last year. The value of goods which were due for payment rose to 109’172 euros, 7.8 percent more than the same month in 2007. The Balearics registered the largest bad debt for unpaid items in the whole of the country during September, 68.2 percent higher than the State average (3’109 euros) and 74.6 percent more than in September 2007.

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

Church Fayre

RED CROSS NEWS

A reminder that the Anglican Church Christmas Fayre is next Sunday, 30 November.

It will be held at the Taj restaurant in Mahón and starts at 1.00 pm.

Entrance is FREE. As well as a tombola and cakes and produce stalls there will be a Father Christmas Grotto for the children.

The Red Cross Craft Group has got off to such a good start, that they will be selling some of their beautifully produced gifts at the Charity Christmas Fair, to be held on Sunday 23rd November, at Bar Pons in Calan Porter. Unique handmade items, such as padded coat hangers with matching lavender bags, aprons and cot blankets, will be on display, at very reasonable prices.

The Charity Christmas Fair will start at 10.00am - other stalls include the Age Concern

GOV. TO SPLASH THE CASH The Government is to offer 29 billion € in loans to Pyme small businesses in Spain next year.

The money will come via the ICO, Official Credit Institute, and was announced in Madrid this week by the Minister for the Economy, Pedro Solbes. It’s expected that 150,000 small companies will benefit from the measure. He also said that a year moratorium would be granted to those having trouble repaying loans from the ICOPYME.

Tombola, Red Cross Raffle, and you can stock up on your Christmas pickles and gifts!

Call Sylvie on 971 377 185 for further details.

The Craft Group would be delighted to welcome new members, and is always needing donations of fabric, ribbon, wool etc. Please note that with immediate effect, meetings will now be on a Monday at the Picadero, from 10.00am until 12.30pm. Call Janet Brown on 971 188 856 for further information.

KARTING FUN! Fancy a spin in a Go-Kart... well you can’t unless you’re under 18 and happen to be in Alaior on Saturday.

A temporary track is being set up in Av. Verge del Toro and kids from 6 to 18 can do a couple of laps for FREE! The timings are, from 6 to 14 years old the track is available

between noon and 4pm. From 14 to 18 the track is available from 4pm to 6.00pm.

The event is being organised by the local council and Karting Rock Cala en Bosc.

Judge pulls out of Franco probes A top Spanish judge has pulled out of investigations into the fate of more than 100,000 people who vanished during the civil war and Franco dictatorship.

Justice officials say Baltasar Garzon complied with demands that inquiries should be handled by courts in the regions where crimes were committed.

Judge Garzon announced last month that the opening of mass graves from Spain’s 1936-39 civil war could start.

But Spain’s top criminal court later suspended the exhumations.

It imposed the halt to allow it to rule on whether Judge Garzon had the competence to launch the inquiry.

Judge Garzon’s supporters condemned the ruling as “brutally inhumane”.

But others said the judge’s intervention violated the 1977 Amnesty Law, that pardoned politically-motivated crimes by General Franco’s friends and foes alike.

In October, Judge Garzon named Gen Francisco Franco and more than 30 members of his regime as instigators of alleged crimes against humanity.

In a 68-page edict, the judge

referred to 114,000 alleged victims who “disappeared” over a 15-year period, following Gen Franco’s military uprising against the elected Second Republic government in July 1936.

Judge Garzon also said that mass exhumations could start - including, controversially, at the grave where poet Federico Garcia Lorca is thought to be buried.

But earlier this month, Spain’s top criminal court, the National Audience, ruled that “the activities related to the exhumation of bodies must be suspended while this court resolves ques-

tions raised by the public prosecutor regarding the competence of the judge to make this move”.

Its ruling followed an appeal from the public prosecutor, who had said Franco-era crimes could not be examined because of the Amnesty Law. By guaranteeing that the past would not be raked over, the law underpinned Spain’s delicate transition from dictatorship to democracy.

However, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has recently asked Spain to abolish the law, saying it contradicted international treaties.

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EL ROBIN HOOD Hundreds of people aged under 35 who had queued for days for the chance to buy flats at discount prices from a Spanish property developer began reserving their new homes yesterday.

They had begun to line up last Sunday outside Jose Moreno’s office in Fuenlabrada near Madrid after he unveiled plans to build 2,100 apartments which he would sell at just over cost to eligible applicants.

All that was required was a 120 euro ($150) deposit, an identity card showing that the buyer is aged between 18 and 35, and an attestation that he or she owns no other properties.

More than 2,500 were in the queue when the first candidate, a 30-year-old woman who gave her name as Teresa Alcantara, put her name down.

The flats of 70-90sq m, which will include a parking spot and a communal swimming pool,

are being sold for between 120,000 and 168,000 euros.

Similar sized apartments in the city of some 200,000 people - the hometown of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres - usually sell for at least 200,000 euros.

A self-styled “Robin Hood”, the bearded and bespectacled 58-year-old Moreno who comes from a modest background, says he wants to help those who cannot normally afford to buy a home.

Property prices have more than doubled over the past decade in Spain as low euro zone interest rates fuelled sales. No one on a low income can afford the mortgage repayments.

Moreno said earlier he would take the names of up to 5,000 people. Those who do not make the cut will still be able to make a free provisional reservation in case anyone drops out. He said each apartment would sell for just 3% more than it costs to build. “That is a lot. Why ask for more?” he asked

ON YER BIKE! Mobility Coucillor, Damia Borras, announced on tuesday that he had come up with an immediate solution to the lack of a to the lack of facilities where riders can obtain their motorbike licence in Menorca.

He concirmed that the problem had been resolved but said he could not divulge the loca-

tion until the next press conference which is set for this week.

All he would confirm was that Trafico had accepted the proposal on a temporary basis.

Since last September, those residents wh wish to take their test for the licence have to travel to Palma due to the lack of facilities here on the island.

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Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

ETA CHIEF ARRESTED IN FRANCE The suspected military chief of the Basque separatist group, Eta, has been arrested in southern France, the French interior minister has announced.

Michele Alliot-Marie said Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, alias “Txeroki”, was arrested overnight in the Pyrenees.

She said he was suspected of the murder of two Spanish civil guard officers in the French town of Capbreton in 2007.

Eta stands accused for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation.

The group resumed its campaign of violence in June 2007, following the failure of secret dialogue with the Spanish government. Correspondents say Mr Aspiazu Rubina was a key figure in the decision.

The arrest would be the biggest blow to Eta since the detention

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of its political commander, Javier Lopez Pena, in a joint SpanishFrench operation in the French city of Bordeaux in May. However, in the past, high-profile arrests have always been followed by fresh attacks and Eta is far from defeated.

In a statement, France’s interior minister said Mr Aspiazu Rubina, 35, had been arrested overnight in the Hautes-Pyrenees region of south-western France.

The Basque news agency, Vasco Press, said that Mr Aspiazu Rubina, whose nickname means Cherokee, had been detained along with another suspected Eta member in the town of Cauterets.

Ms Alliot-Marie did not provide any other details about the arrest, but said he was “suspect-

ed of being the perpetrator” of the murder of two Spanish civil guard officers in Capbreton on 1 December 2007.

“This arrest shows again the resolute commitment of the French police and gendarmerie in the fight against all forms of terrorism and illustrates once again the excellent co-operation between France and Spain in the fight against Basque terrorism,” the French statement added.

The two Spanish civil guards were shot during a surveillance operation on suspected Eta members. Their deaths prompted thousands of Spaniards to denounce the separatist group at a march in the capital, Madrid.

French police arrested a man and a woman over the attack several days later, but a third sus-

pect remains at large.

Earlier this month, Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said two recently arrested suspected Eta members had said Mr Aspiazu Rubina had told them he had participated directly in the shooting.

One of them had said he “heard Txeroki recognise that he was the assassin of the two policemen,” he added.

Eta suffered a major blow in May with the arrest of Mr Lopez Pena, alias “Thierry”, along with three other suspected members of the group.

Mr Lopez Pena is alleged to have ordered the December 2006 bombing of Madrid’s airport, which ended the 14-monthold ceasefire with the government and killed two people. GH

THE SUSPECT At the time of his arrest in France, Mikel Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, 35, was the most wanted leader of the Basque separatist group Eta still at large.

The suspected Eta military chief, who goes under the name of “Txeroki”, was born in the Basque city of Bilbao but Spanish police believe he had lived in France for a number of years.

He is alleged to have planned a series of attacks in Spain and France after taking over Eta’s military operations in late 2003.

Rubina is said to be a hardliner behind Eta’s decision to return to violence in 2006 after failed talks with the Spanish government. He personifies a radical young generation that has taken control of Eta. When Mr Aspiazu Rubina was 20 he became involved in organised violence known as “kale borroka” (Basque for street fighting), which Eta uses to recruit radical new members.

Earlier this decade he moved into the notorious “Vizcaya” Eta commandos and was trained by their leader, Soledad Iparragirre Genetxea, known as “Anboto”, who was arrested in France in 2004.

Rubina was allegedly involved in two failed operations, a

planned car bomb attack weeks before the 2004 elections and a plan to assassinate King Juan Carlos in Mallorca in the same year.

Since then police suspect he was connected to all major Eta operations.

Eta had called what is said was a “permanent” ceasefire in 2006.

But Spanish media say that Rubina recruited new Eta members during the ceasefire to try to establish a “new Eta” with young recruits from the kale borroka to revitalise armed operations.

When the secret talks with the Spanish government failed, Eta returned to violence with a bomb attack that killed two people at

The Spanish Cabinet has approves the draft of new Penal Code. The measures are considered the harshest seen in Spain since the return of democracy.

Under the proposals are harsher sentences for terrorists and sexual crimes, with those guilty now facing between 1 and 20 years control on their release from jail. Their movements will

be controlled electronically and they will have to be permanently available to the authorities.

Sexual abuse will carry between three and six years in jail, compared to two and three years at present.Mobbing at work will see between six months and two years for those found abusing or humiliating in the workplace.

People who exploit others in

Madrid’s Barajas Airport in December 2006.

It is thought that the Madrid attack was a result of Rubina’s increasing influence in the organisation.

A few months later Eta formally announced the end of the ceasefire.

Rubina is linked to the murder of a judge in 2001 and the French interior ministry says he is suspected of involvement in the killing of two Spanish policemen in southern France last December.

The undercover detectives were shot dead as they took part in a surveillance operation against Eta suspects.

Spain’s ruling Socialist Party hailed the arrest.

In a statement it said: “This is magnificent news of great importance because it is the chief of the Eta commandos, the person who was behind attacks, who gave the order to kill and who himself killed, a very bloodthirsty terrorist.

“It is very important to have decapitated a very hierarchical organisation like Eta.” Eta is responsible for the deaths of more than 820 people in its 40-year campaign for an independent Basque nation. GH

employment or sexually face between five and eight years, and those guilty of corruption will face between six months and four years. The code also makes specific mention of prosecuting those authorities and civil servants who failed to prosecute town planning or building irregularities. GH

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

5

Odyssey denies that Spain can prove recovered treasure came from a Spanish ship

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

The Odyssey treasure company from Tampa, Florida in the United States has denied the claims made by Spain over the origin of gold and silver which they recovered off the Spanish coast in 2007.

The boat containing the treasure, valued at 500 million dollars, had earlier been named

by Odyssey as the ‘Black Swan’.

They have now sent a report to the court in Tampa saying that the pieces recovered were from a wide area, and that there was no evidence of a ship, or as to whether the sinking had been caused by a storm, explosion or

1272: Following Henry III of England’s death on November 16, his son Prince Edward becomes King of England.

1620: Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact.

1783: In Paris, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent, Marquis d’Arlandes, make the first untethered hot air balloon flight.

1791: Colonel Napoléon Bonaparte is promoted to full general and appointed Commander-inChief of the Armies of the French Republic.

1877: Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record and play sound.

1905: Albert Einstein’s paper, “Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?”, is published in the journal “Annalen der Physik”.

This paper reveals the relationship between energy and mass. This leads to the mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc².

1942: World War II: Battle of Stalingrad - General Friedrich Paulus sends Adolf Hitler a telegram saying that the German 6th army was surrounded.

1953: Authorities at the British Natural History Museum announce that the “Piltdown Man” skull, held to be one of the most famous fossil skulls in the world, was a hoax.

1963: In Dallas, Texas, US President John F. Kennedy is killed and Texas Governor John B. Connally is seriously wounded by an assassin, identified as Lee Harvey Oswald, who was later captured and charged with the murder of police officer J. D. Tippit. That same day, US Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in as the 36th President of the United States.

1974: The Birmingham Pub Bombings by the IRA kill 21 people. The Birmingham Six were sentenced to life in prison for this but subsequently acquitted.

1975: Juan Carlos is declared King of Spain following the death of Francisco Franco.

1980: A deadly fire breaks out at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada (now Bally’s Las Vegas). 87 people are killed and more than 650 are injured in the worst disaster in Nevada history.

1986: Iran-Contra Affair: National Security Council member Oliver North and his secretary start to shred documents implicating them in the sale of weapons to Iran and channeling the proceeds to help fund the Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

1995: Toy Story is released as the first feature-length film created completely using computer-generated imagery.

accident.

Gregory Stemm from Odyssey says that nothing recovered by them can be linked to the vessel which the Spanish Government claims to be the source of the treasure, ‘Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes’, part of the Spanish Armada, and which went down in 1804. Stemm claims the treasure could have come from ‘any ship at the time’.

Odyssey vice president, Melinda MacConnel, told the press on Monday that there was no doubt that jurisdiction in the case corresponded to the courts of the United States.

21 - 27 November

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Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

FRANCO’S WAR Last week we gave you a bit on the background to Spain’s Civil War. This week we bring you a potted account of the actual conflict itself; a war that last three years and claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

The Nationalist Rising, led

by Sanjurjo, Mola and Franco, commenced on July 17, 1936 thus precipitating the three year Spanish Civil War .

In the early days of the war over 50,000 people who were caught on the “wrong” side of the lines were assassinated or executed. In these paseos (“strolls”), as the executions were called, the victims were taken from their refuges or jails by armed gangs to be shot outside of town. The corpses were abandoned or interred in graves dug by the victims themselves. Local police just noted the appearance of the corpses.

Probably the most famous such victim was the poet and dramatist Federico García Lorca. The outbreak of the war provided an excuse for settling accounts and resolving long-standing feuds. Thus, this practice became widespread during the war in conquered areas.

Three days later the leader of the Coup, José Sanjurjo died in Estoril, Portugal, in a plane crash when flying back to Spain in an aircraft piloted

by Antonio Ansaldo. One of the main reasons for the crash was his very heavy luggage.

Ansaldo warned him that bags were too heavy, but Sanjurjo answered him: “I need to wear proper clothes as the new caudillo of Spain.”

His death left the Nationalist’s command split between Mola in the North and Franco in the South. On 21 July, the fifth day of the rebellion, the Nationalists captured the main Spanish naval base at Ferrol

in northwestern Spain. This encouraged the Fascist nations of Europe to help Franco, who had already contacted the governments of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy the day before. On July 26, the future Axis Powers cast their lot with the Nationalists. A rebel force under Colonel Beorlegui Canet, sent by General Emilio Mola, advanced on Guipúzcoa. On September 5, after heavy fighting it took Irún closing the French border to the Republicans. On September 13 the Basques surrendered San Sebastián to the Nationalists who then advanced toward their capital, Bilbao but were

Federico García Lorca halted by the Republican militias on the border of Viscaya at the end of September. The capture of Guipúzcoa had isolated the Republican provinces in the north.

Franco was chosen overall Nationalist commander at a meeting of ranking generals at

Salamanca on September 21.

He outranked Mola and by this point his Army of Africa had demonstrated its military superiority. Franco won another victory on 27 September when they relieved the Alcázar at Toledo. A Nationalist garrison under Colonel Moscardo had held the Alcázar in the centre of the city since the beginning of the rebellion, resisting for months against thousands of Republican troops who completely surrounded the isolated building. The inability to take the Alcázar was a serious blow to the prestige of the Republic, as it was considered inexplicable in view of their overwhelming numerical superiority in the area. Two days after relieving the siege, Franco proclaimed himself Generalísimo and Caudillo (“chieftain”) while forcibly unifying the various and diverse Falangist, Royalist and other elements within the Nationalist cause.

In October, the Francoist troops launched a major offensive toward Madrid, reaching it in early November and launching a major assault on the city on 8 November. The Republican government was forced to shift from Madrid to Valencia, out of the combat zone, on 6 November. However, the Nationalists’ attack on the capital was repulsed in fierce fighting between November 8 and 23.

A contributory factor in the successful Republican defense was the arrival of the International Brigades, though only around 3000 of them participated in the battle. Having failed to take the capital, Franco bombarded it from the air and, in the following two years, mounted several offensives to try to encircle Madrid.

On 18 November, Germany and Italy officially recognized the Franco regime, and on 23 December, Italy sent “volunteers” of its own to fight for the Nationalists.

With his ranks being swelled

by Italian troops and Spanish colonial soldiers from Morocco, Franco made another attempt to capture Madrid in January and February 1937, but failed again.

On 21 February the League of Nations Non-Intervention

Republican Renegades Committee ban on foreign national “volunteers” went into effect. The large city of Málaga was taken on 8 February. On 7 March German Condor Legion equipped with Heinkel He 51 bi-planes arrived in Spain; on 26 April the Legion was responsible for the infamous massacre of hundreds, including numerous women and children, at Guernica in the Basque Country; the event was committed to notoriety by Picasso. Two days later, Franco’s army overran the town.

After the fall of Guernica, the Republican government began to fight back with increasing effectiveness. In July, they made a move to recapture Segovia, forcing Franco to pull troops away from the Madrid front to halt their advance. Mola, Franco’s second-in-command, was killed on June 3 in another plane crash, and in early July, despite the fall of Bilbao in June, the government actually launched a strong counteroffensive in the Madrid area, which the Nationalists repulsed with some difficulty. The clash was called “Battle of Brunete” (Brunete is a town in the province of Madrid).

After that, Franco regained

the initiative, invading Aragón in August and then taking the city of Santander. With the surrender of the Republican army in the Basque territory and after two months of bitter fighting in Asturias (Gijón finally fell in late October) the war was effectively ended in the north front with a Francoist victory.

Meanwhile, on August 28, the Vatican recognized Franco, and at the end of November, with Franco’s troops closing in on Valencia, the government had to move again, this time to Barcelona.

Possibly the most decisive battle of the Civil War, and its turning point, was the Battle of Teruel, fought in and around the city of Teruel from December 1937 to February 1938. The combatants fought the battle during the worst Spanish winter in twenty years and it was one of the bloodier actions of the war. The city changed hands several times, first falling to the Republicans and eventually being re-taken by the Nationalists who relied heavily on German and Italian air support. In the course of the fighting, Teruel was subjected to heavy artillery and aerial bombardment. The two sides

Hitler’s Condor Legion intervened to great effect for the eventual victors, the Nationalists

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

suffered over 140,000 casualties between them in the two month battle.

On March 7, the Nationalists launched the Aragon Offensive.

By April 14, they had pushed through to the Mediterranean, cutting the Republican government-held portion of Spain in two. The Republican government tried to sue for peace in May but Franco demanded unconditional surrender, and the war raged on. The Nationalist army pressed southward from Teruel and along the coast toward the capital of the Republic at Valencia but was halted in heavy fighting along the Republican’s fortified XYZ Line, built to defend the capital of the Second Spanish Republic in Valencia..

The Republican government then launched an all-out campaign to reconnect their territory in the Battle of the Ebro, beginning on July 24 and lasting until November 26. The campaign was militarily unsuccessful, and was undermined by the Franco-British appeasement of Hitler in Munich with the concession of Czechoslovakia. This effectively destroyed the last vestiges of Republican morale by ending all hope of an anti-fascist alliance with the Western powers. The retreat from the Ebro all but determined the final outcome of the war. Eight days before the new year, Franco struck back by throwing massive forces into an invasion of Catalonia.

Franco’s troops conquered Catalonia in a whirlwind campaign during the first two months of 1939. Tarragona fell on 14 January, followed

by Barcelona on 26 January and Girona on 5 February.

Five days after the fall of Girona, the last resistance in Catalonia was broken. With the Nationalist victory assured the governments of the United Kingdom and France recognised the Franco regime on 27 February.

Only Madrid and a few other strongholds remained for the Republican government forces. Then, on 28 March, with the help of pro-Franco forces inside the city Madrid fell to the Nationalists. The next day, Valencia, which had held out under their guns for close to two years, also surrendered.

Franco proclaimed victory in a radio speech aired on 1 April, when the last of the Republican forces surrendered.

After the end of the War, there were harsh reprisals against Franco’s former enemies, when thousands of Republicans were imprisoned and at least 30,000 executed (though some estimates have the deaths numbered from 50,000 to 200,000). Many others were put to forced labour, building railways, drying out swamps, digging canals (La Corchuela, the Canal of the Bajo Guadalquivir), construction of the Valle de los Caídos monument, etc. Hundreds of thousands of other Republicans fled abroad, especially to France and Mexico.

Some 500,000 of them fled to France alone.

On the other side of the Pyrenees, refugees were confined in internment camps of the French Third Republic, such as Camp Gurs or Camp Vernet, where 12,000 Republicans were housed in squalid condi-

tions (mostly soldiers from the Durruti Division). The 17,000 refugees housed in Gurs were divided into four categories (Brigadists, pilots, Gudaris and ordinary Spaniards). The Gudaris (Basques) and the pilots easily found local backers and jobs, and were allowed to quit the camp, but the farmers and ordinary people, who could not find relations in France, were encouraged by the Third Republic, in agreement with the Francoist government, to return to Spain. The great majority did so and were turned over to the Francoist authorities in Irún. From there they were transferred to the Miranda de Ebro camp for “purification” according to the Law of Political Responsibilities.

After the proclamation by Marshall Pétain of the Vichy regime on 10 July 1940, the refugees became political prisoners, and the French police attempted to round-up those who had been liberated from the camp. Along with other “undesirables”, they were sent to the Drancy internment camp before being deported to Nazi Germany. About 5,000 Spaniards subsequently died in Mauthausen concentration camp. The Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who had been named by the Chilean President Pedro Aguirre Cerda special consul for immigration in Paris, was given responsibility for what he called “the noblest mission I have ever undertaken”: shipping more than 2,000 Spanish refugees, who had been housed by the French in squalid camps, to Chile on an old cargo ship, the Winnipeg.

After the official end of the war, guerrilla war was waged on an irregular basis, well into the 1950s, being gradually reduced by the scant support from an exhausted population and military defeats. In 1944, a group of republican veterans, who also fought in the French resistance against the Nazis, invaded the Val d’Aran in northwest Catalonia, but they were beated after 10 days. GH

The Italian troops surprisingly went on the offensive during the Civil War

7

Atrocities during the war

Contrary to popular belief they weren’t only perpetrated by the Nationalists At least 50,000 people were executed during the civil war.

In his recent, updated history of the Spanish Civil War, Antony Beevor “reckons Franco’s ensuing ‘white terror’ claimed 200,000 lives. The ‘red terror’ had already killed 38,000.”

Julius Ruiz concludes that “although the figures remain disputed, a minimum of 37,843 executions were carried out in the Republican zone with a maximum of 150,000 executions (including 50,000 after the war) in Nationalist Spain.”

A Spanish judge has opened an investigation of 114,266 people executed and disappeared during the Spanish Civil War and the Franco years between 17 July, 1936 and December, 1951. This includes Federico García Lorca’s death, among many others.

The atrocities of the Nationalists were common and were frequently ordered by authorities in order to eradicate any trace of leftism in Spain; many such acts were committed by reactionary groups during the first weeks of the war. This included the execution of school teachers (because the efforts of the Republic to promote laicism and to displace the Church from the education system by closing religious schools were considered by the Nationalist side as an attack on the Church); the execution of individuals because of accusations of anti-clericalism; the massive killings of civilians in the cities they captured; the execution of unwanted individuals (including non-combatants such as trade-unionists and known Republican sympathisers etc). An example of this kind of tactics on the Nationalist side was the Massacre of Badajoz in 1936 in which between 1,800 and 4,000 people were butchered.

The Nationalist side also con-

ducted aerial bombing of cities in the Republican territory, carried out mainly by the Luftwaffe volunteers of the Condor Legion and the Italian air force volunteers of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie. The most notorious example of this tactic of terror bombings was the Bombing of Guernica which resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths.

Atrocities by the Republicans have been termed Spain’s red terror by those on the Nationalist side. Republican attacks on the Catholic Church, associated strongly with support for the old monarchist and hierarchical establishment, were particularly controversial.

Nearly 7,000 clerics were killed and churches, convents and monasteries were attacked.

Some 13 bishops, 4184 diocesan priests, 2365 male religious (among them 114 Jesuits) and 283 nuns were killed. There are unverified accounts of Catholics being forced to swallow rosary beads and/or being thrown down mine shafts, as well as priests being forced to dig their own graves before being buried alive. Pope John Paul II beatified several hundred people murdered for being priests or nuns, and Pope Benedict XVI beatified almost 500 more on October 28, 2007.

Other repressive actions in the Republican side were committed by specific factions such as the Stalinist NKVD (the Soviet secret police). In addition, many Republican politicians, such as Lluís Companys the Catalan nationalist president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the autonomous government of Catalonia –which remained initially loyal to the Republic before proclaiming independence from it– carried out numerous actions to mediate in cases of deliberate executions of the clergy. GH

8

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCAMART. COM DARTS LEAGUE Right: The Anchor in high spirits!

Below & Bottom Right: Smithy’s on the way to victory over the Delfin.

Bottom: The Delfin A, happy in defeat!

MENORCA SUN

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

9

SHARKS LACK BITE! Last week saw the Autumn round of this inaugural informal competition at Son Park Golf Club. THE SHARKS, a male only low handicap group of regular players, challenged the Hombres and Mujers (THE HAMS) a mixed group of regular players of all abilities to contest the cup.

Both groups play two or three times a week at the club and basically consists of members but welcome guests and other members at any time.

The first two holes were closed as they were waterlogged, some of the bunkers were flooded the others as usual packed hard, more like concrete than sand, the greens were patchy in places but playable. The weather was to say the least, turbulent, with winds gusting to 30 plus mph, fortunately we missed the rain, or it missed us!

The HAMS being the challenged side elected to play better ball Stableford, each side scraping together eight

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players in four pairs, the original plan was to field ten players each but a number of regular players were missing due to unexpected family commitments in their home countries.

The first match out saw Penny and Keith beat Terry and Chubby by two points the second group Marion and Brian beat Yani and Eddie by seven points, the third saw Maggie and Richard lose by two points to Nobby and David, Derek and Ray halved the last match with Steve and Alan.

(Please note that surnames have been omitted to protect the innocent!)

The HAMS won the match beating the SHARKS by two and a half to one and a half.

The FOUR SEASONS CHALLENGE CUP was presented

by The Sharks captain Terry Craven to Richard Martin, the captain of the HAMS. The match was followed by excellent tapas served up

by Peter in the Halliseys bar

Say CHEESE! The HAMS on a ROLL... (groan!) clubhouse and the usual if only and I nearly stories were rolled out. Playing against low handicap players like Yani is a great experience, this guy

drives the ball into the next decade.

The HAMS, holders of the cup are open to challenge from other golfing groups

on the island for the Winter round, this is to be held sometime between January and March, please ring Richard or Terry for details.

Thanks for the picture of Sam’s birthday... it was her 21, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1th celebration, give or take SEVERAL!

10

Friday 21 November 2008

BUS SERVICES The bus services on Menorca are brilliant! They are clean, punctual and cheap, and they pretty much cover the entire island. To give you an idea of the cost of travel, the most expensive journey is Mahón (Maó) to Ciutadella at 4.25e. Most tickets are under 1.50€.

A few words of caution though… some of the services are fairly infrequent, so plan your journey carefully!

As mentioned above, the buses are usually spotlessly clean, and they discourage the consumption of food and drink whilst travelling. Also, if you want to show off your tanned beer-belly, you can’t! Shirts must be worn.

Only coins and 5€, 10€ and 20€ notes are accepted, so you’ll have to find somewhere else to exchange your hooky fifties!

There’s access for the disabled only on Lines 01, 02 and 03.

Finally, whilst every effort is made to ensure that these timetables are accurate and up to date, it’s always worth double-checking with the transport companies before travelling.

01 MAHÓN-ALAIOR-ES MERCADAL-FERRERIES-CIUTADELLA Approximate journey time between stops: Mahón (10 mins) Alaior (15 mins) Mercadal (15 mins) Ferreries (15 mins) Ciutadella Monday to Friday Mahón: 6.45, 8.15, 9.15, 10.15, 11.15, 12.15, 13.15, 14.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17.15, 18.15, 19.15, 20.15, 21.15, 22.15, 23.15*, 00.15* (*Fr) Ciutadella: 6.40, 7.40, 8.40, 9.40, 10.40, 11.40, 12.40, 13.40, 14.40, 15.15, 15.40, 16.40, 17.40, 18.40, 19.40, 20.40, 21.40, 22.40*, 23,40* (*Fr) Saturday Mahón: 8.00, 10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 16.00, 18.00, 20.00, 21.30

NIGHT BUSES CIUTADELLA-SANT LLUIS Friday Ciutadella: 0.00, 3.00 Ferreries: 0.20, 3.20 Es Mercadal: 0.35, 3.35 Alaior: 0.45, 3.45 Mahon Port: 1.00, 4.00 Mahon Bus station: 1.10, 4.10 Es Castell: 1.20, 4.20 Sant Lluis: 1.30, 4.30 SANT LLUIS-CIUTADELLA Friday Sant Lluis: 0.00, 3.00 Es Castell: 0.10, 3.10 Mahon Bus Station: 0.20, 3.20 Mahon Port: 0.30, 3.30 Alaior: 0.45, 3.45 Es Mercadal: 0.55, 3.55 Ferreries: 1.10, 4.10 Ciutadella: 1.30, 4.30 CIUTADELLA-SANT LLUIS Saturday Ciutadella: 23.00, 1.00, 3.00, 5.00 Ferreries: 23.15, 1.15, 3.15, 5.20 Es Mercadal: 23.30, 1.30, 3.30, 5.35 Alaior: 23.45, 1.45, 3.45, 5.45 Mahón Port: 0.00, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00 Mahón Bus Station: 0.10, 2.10, 4.10, 6.10

Sant Climent: 4.20 Es Castell: 0.20, 2.20, 4.20, 6.20 Sant Lluis: 0.30, 2.30, 4.50, 6.50 SANT LLUIS-CIUTADELLA Saturday Sant Lluis: 23.00, 1.00, 3.00, 5.00 Es Castell: 23.10, 1.10, 3.10, 5.10 Mahon Bus Station: 23.20, 1.20, 3.20, 5.20 Mahon Port: 23.30, 1.30, 3.30, 5.30 Alaior: 23.45, 1.45, 3.45, 5.45 Es Mercadal: 0.00, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00 Ferreries: 0.15, 2.15, 4.15, 6.15 Ciutadella: 0.30, 2.30, 4.30, 6.30 Saturday Es Migjorn: 23.55 Es Mercadal: 0.10 Ferreries: 0.25 Arrive Ciutadella: 0.45 Ciutadella: 01.00, 5.00 Ferreries: 1.20, 5.20 Es Mercadal: 1.35, 5.35 Arrive Es Migjorn: 1.50, 5.50 Saturday Sant Climent: 23.00 Mahón Port: 23.15 Mahón Port: 3.00, 4.00 Sant Climent: 3.15, 4.20

MENORCA SUN Ciutadella: 8.00, 10.00, 11.30, 14.30, 16.00, 18.00, 20.00, 21.30 Sunday and Public Holidays Mahón: 8.00, 10.00, 11.30, 13.00, 16.30, 19.00 Ciutadella: 8.00, 10.00, 11.30, 14.30, 16.30, 19.00 02 MAHÓN-ES CASTELL Monday to Sunday (* not Sunday and Public Holidays) Mahón: 7.20*, 7.45*, 8.15*, 8.45*, 9.15, 9.45, 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 11.45, 12.15, 12.45, 13.15, 13.45, 14.15*, 14.45*, 15.15*, 15.45, 16.15, 16.45, 17.45, 18.15, 18.45, 19.15, 19.45, 20.15, 20.45 Es Castell: 7.30*, 8.00*, 8.30*, 9.00*, 9.30, 10.00, 10.30, 11.00, 11.30, 12.00, 12.30, 13.00, 13.30, 14.00, 14.30*, 15.00*, 15.30*, 16.00, 16.30, 17.00, 18.00, 18.30, 19.00, 19.30, 20.00, 20.30, 21.00 03 Mahón-SANT LLUIS Monday to Sunday (* not Sunday and Public Holidays) Mahón: 7.15*, 8.10*, 8.30*, 9.30, 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 15.15, 16.30, 17.30, 18.30, 19.30, 20.15 Sant Lluis: 7.30*, 8.20*, 8.50, 9.50, 10.50, 11.50, 12.50, 15.45, 16.50, 17.50, 18.50, 19.50 14 MAHÓN-CIUTADELLA EXPRESS BUS – direct Monday to Friday Mahón: 7.00, 8.00, 11.15, 14.15, 15.15, 16.45, 22.15 Ciutadella: 7.00, 8.00, 11.15, 14.15, 21.15 21 MAHÓN-SANT CLIMENT Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Mahón: 7.45, 9.00, 9.30, 12.00, 13.30, 16.00, 18.00 Sant Climent: 8.00, 9.10, 10.10, 12.10, 14.10, 16.10, 18.10 Wednesday & Friday Mahón: 7.45, 9.00, 12.00, 16.00, 18.00 Sant Climent: 8.00, 9.10, 12.10, 16.10, 18.10 Saturday Mahón: 7.45, 9.00, 9.30, 12.00, 14.00, 16.00, 18.00 Sant Climent: 8.00, 9.10, 10.10, 12.10, 14.40, 16.10, 18.10

Sunday and Public Holidays Mahón: 9.00, 12.00, 16.00, 18.00 Sant Climent: 9.10, 12.10, 16.10, 18.10 31 MAHÓN-SANT CLIMENTCALA EN PORTER Monday, Tuesday & Thursday Mahón-Cala en Porter: 9.30, 10.30 Sant Climent-Cala en Porter: 9.40, 13.40 Cala en Porter-Sant Climent: 10.00, 14.00 Saturday Mahón-Cala en Porter: 9.30, 14.00 Sant Climent-Cala en Porter: 9.40, 14.10 Cala en Porter-Sant Climent: 10.00, 14.30 No service Wednesday, Friday & Sunday or Public Holidays 54 FERRERIES-ES MIGJORN Monday to Friday Ferreries-Es Migjorn: 6.40 Es Migjorn-Ferreries: 15.45 Saturday Ferreries-Es Migjorn: 8.35 Es Migjorn-Ferreries: 12.45 71 MAHÓN-ALAIOR-ES MIGJORN Monday to Friday Mahón: 8.15, 9.45, 12.30, 15.10, 17.30, 19.45 Alaior: 8.25, 9.55, 12.40, 15.20, 17.40, 19.55 Es Migjorn: 7.05, 8.45, 10.30, 13.00, 13.15, 18.45, 19.45 Saturday Mahón: 12.15 Alaior: 12.25 Es Migjorn: 9.00 No Service Sunday and Public Holidays 72 CIUTADELLA-FERRERIES-ES MERCADAL-ES MIGJORN Monday to Friday Ciutadella-Ferreries: 9.45, 12.30, 18.00, 19.00 Ferreries-Es Mercadal: 10.00, 12.45, 18.15, 19.15 Es Mercadal-Es Migjorn: 10.10, 12.55, 18.25, 19.25 Es Migjorn-Es Mercadal: 10.10,

17.55, 20.10 Es Mercadal-Ferreries: 10.20, 18.05, 20.20 Ferreries-Ciutadella: 10.30, 18.15, 20.30 No Service Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays BUS FORNELLS Monday to Saturday Mahón-Fornells: 12.40, 18.40 Fornells-Mahón: 8.30, 16.00 Mahón-Arenal: 12.40, 18.40 Arenal-Mahón: 9.00, 10.00, 16.20 Fornells-Arenal: 8.30, 11.40, 16.00 Arenal-Fornells: 9.00, 13.00 Fornells-Es Mercadal: 9.20, 13.20* Es Mercadal-Fornells: 8.15 Arenal-Es Mercadal: 9.00, 13.00* Es Mercadal-Arenal: 8.15, 13.15* (* not Saturday) Sunday Mahón-Fornells: 9.30, 13.00 Fornells-Mahón: 8.30, 12.10 Mahón-Arenal: 9.30, 13.00 Arenal-Mahón: 9.00, 12.30 Fornells-Arenal: 12.10 Arenal-Fornells: 9.50

10 - MAHON-AIRPORT Monday to Friday Mahón: 5.45, 6.15, 6.45, 7.15, 7.45, 8.15, 8.45, 9.15, 9.45, 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 11.45, 12.15, 12.45, 13.15, 13.45, 14.15, 14.45, 15.15, 15.45, 16.15, 16.45, 17.15, 17.45, 18.15, 18.45, 19.45, 20.45, 21.45 Airport: 5.55, 6.25, 6.55, 7.25, 7.55, 8.25, 8.55, 9.25, 9.55, 10.25, 10.55, 11.25, 11.55, 12.25, 12.55, 13.25, 13.55, 14.25, 14.55, 15.25, 15.55, 16.25, 16.55, 17.25, 17.55, 18.25, 18.55, 19.55, 20.55, 21.55 Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays Mahón: 5.45, 6.45, 7.45, 8.45, 9.45, 10.45, 11.45, 12.45, 13.45, 14.45, 15.45, 16.45, 17.45, 18.45, 19.45, 20.45, 21.45 Airport: 5.55, 6.55, 7.55, 8.55, 9.55, 10.55, 11.55, 12.55, 13.55, 14.55, 15.55, 16.55, 17.55, 18.55, 19.55, 20.55, 21.55

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Don’t forget that if you’re using your English phone always add the international dialling code for Spain, 0034, before calling the numbers below.

Emergencies - 112 Ambulances - 061 National Police - 091 (urgent) Guardia Civil -062 Local Police - 092 Fire Brigade - 092 Sea Rescue - 971 728 322 Airport - 971 157 000 British Consulate - 971 367 818 Councils Alaior - 971 371 002 Ciutadella - 971 381 050 Ferreries - 971 373 003 Es Castell - 971 365 193 Es Mercadal - 971 375 002 Es Migjorn - 971 370 111 Mahon - 971 369 800 Sant Lluis - 971 150 950 Taxis Alaior - 971 367 111 Ferreries - 971 480 685 & 660 411 965 Ciutadella - 971 367 111 Es Castell - 971 362 779 Es Mercadal - 971 367 111 Es Migjorn - 971 367 111 Mahon - 971 367 111 Sant Lluis - 971 150 641 & 971 367 111 Tourist Information Ciutadella - 971 481 515 Mahon - 971 363 790 The International Dialling Code for the UK is 0044

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

MUSEUMS & HISTORY Bastió de sa Font Plaça de sa Font, Ciutadella Tue to Sat: 10.00-14.00 and 18.00-21.00 The Municipal Museum is based in the bastió, one of the few remaining structures from the town’s 17th century fortifications. The permanent archaeological exhibition is worth a visit.

Diocesan Museum C/Seminari 9, Ciutadella Mon to Sat: 10.30-14.00 A small museum housing a diverse mix of archaeological finds, art and ecclesiastical objects.

Fort Marlborough Cala Sant Esteve, Es Castell Tue to Sun: 9.30-15.00 A major fortification built by the British in the 18th century to guard the entrance to the port of Mahón. The visit starts through the underground galleries before emerging into the (now dry!) moat and then up into the battlements.

Intelligent use of modern technology helps create a real feel for the age. 3€ (Sun. free) Fortalesa la Mola La Mola, Mahon Daily: 10.00-20.00 An imposing fortress that dominates the entrance to the Port of Mahon. Built in the mid-19th century to repel the British it later served as a high security prison.

Guided tours daily at 10.30, 12.30 and 17.30.

Military Museum Plaça de l’Esplanada, Es Castell Mon, Wed & Fri and first Sun of the month: 10.00-13.00 Housed in an old barracks on the Esplanada A fascinating little museum that takes you through the island’s rich military history.

Museum of Menorca Avda. Dr. Guardia, Mahón Tue to Sat: 10:00-14:00 & 18:0020:30. Sun: 10:00 to 14:00 A fascinating museum situated in a former cloister of a Franciscan monastery. Offers a great insight into the history of the island.

Nature Museum C/ Mallorca 2, Ferreries Sat: 10:30-13:30 & 17:30-20:30.

Sun: 10:00-14:00 The Museu de la Natura de Menorca is a captivating museum, exhibiting a wide range of the many natural wonders from the island and surrounding areas.

Sant Felip Castle Carrer Sant Felip, Es Castell Thur and Sun at 10.00 Twice weekly guided tours around one of 18th century Europe’s key defences.

WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK

SPORT ON TV

Friday 21 November Market: Ciutadella 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça des Born Market: Ferreries 9.00 to 13.30 Karaoke: Cala en Porter Aloha @ 21.00 You will survive!

Quiz: Arenal d’en Castel Smithy’s @ 20.00 Thinking caps on!

Prize bingo at the Deli on C/Gran.

All times given are local

Monday 24 November Market: Es Castell 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça de l’Esplanada Market: Sant Lluis 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça de Sa Creu Bowls: S’Algar See Saturday for details.

Red Cross Craft Group: Mahón El Picadero @ 10.00 - 13.00 Call Janet Brown 971 188 856

RUGBY LEAGUE Saturday 22 November Australia vs New Zealand World Cup Final 07.00 Sky Sports 2

Saturday 22 November Market: Mahón 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça de l’Esplanada Market: Ciutadella 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça des Born Market: Mahón 18.00 @ Claustre del Carme Bowls: S’Algar Sant Lluis Hotel @ 10.00 The Menorca Bowls Club meets at the bowls green opposite the San Luis Hotel , S’Algar. Newcomers always welcome. Bowls are available to hire.

For further information, please contact the Captain, John Smith – Tel: 971 939 045 Kids: Sant Lluis 10.00 @ La Rueda Medicinal Storytelling for young ‘uns from 3 to 7.

Quiz: Es Castell 7.00 @ The Delfin Saturday night quiz returns!

Go-Karting: Alaior 12.00 @ Av. Verge del Toro Sorry folks... it’s for kids between 6 and 18. Up to 14 years from midday, 14-18 from 16.00.

Sunday 23 November Flea Market: Mahón Parque des Freginal 9.00 to 13.30 Discover a few hidden treasures! A great place to potter around on a Sunday morning.

Trotting Races: Mahón Hippodromo, Av J.A. Clavé 400 @ 11.30 More horsey fun!

Christmas Fair: Cala’n Porter 10.00-14.00 @ Bar Pons In aid of Age Concern and the Red Cross. Only 35 days til Crimbo so start shopping for your pressies, and all in a good cause!

Bingo: Es Castell The Delfin @ 20.00

Tuesday 25 November Market: Mahón 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça de l’Esplanada Market: Ferreries 9.00 to 13.30 Jazz: Sant Climent Casino, Sant Jaume 2 @ 21.30 Menorca’s longest established jazz club.

Wednesday 26 November Market: Es Migjorn Gran 9.00 to 13.30 Market: Es Castell 9.00 to 13.30 Plaça de l’Esplanada Bowls: S’Algar See Saturday for details.

Bridge Club: Mahón 19.15 @ Hotel Port Mahón For info call Peter Barlow on 971 188 559.

Thursday 27 November Market: Alaior 9.00 to 13.30 C/ Reverendo Huguet Market: Fornells 9.00 to 14.00 C/ de ses Roques Live Jazz/Blues: Mahon Akelarre Jazz Bar, Moll de Ponent 42 Regular Thursday night jazz and blues jam session with the Lou Deach Quintet.

Quiz: Es Castell The Delfin @ 20.00 Get the old brain cells working at the Delfin’s weekly pub quiz. Teams of up to four.

Karaoke/Quiz: Sant Climent Coach & Horses @ 20.00 Sing ‘n ponder night!

DO YOU RUN AN EVENT? THEN LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT IN OUR FREE LISTINGS!

FOOTBALL Saturday 22 November St Mirren vs Celtic SPL 13.30 Setanta Sports 1 Plymouth vs Cardiff Championship 13.45 Sky Sports 1 Nottm Forest vs Norwich Championship 18.20 Sky Sports 1 Aston Villa vs Man Utd Barclays’ Premiership 18.30 Setanta Sports 1 Sunday 23 November Spurs vs Blackburn Barclays’ Premiership 14.30 Sky Sports 1 Sunderland vs West Ham Barclays’ Premiership 17.00 Sky Sports 1 Monday 24 November Barnsley vs Burnley Championship 20.45 Sky Sports 1 Wigan vs Everton Barclays’ Premiership 21.00 Setanta Sports 1 Tuesday 25 November Arsenal vs Dynamo Kiev Champions League 20.45 ITV4 Villarreal vs Man Utd Champions League 20.45 ITV1 AaB Aalborg vs Celtic Champions League 20.45 Sky Sports 2 Wednesday 26 November Liverpool vs Marseille Champions League 20.45 Sky Sports 2 Bordeaux vs Chelsea Champions League 20.45 Sky Sports Xtra Thursday 27 November Schalke 04 vs Man City UEFA Cup 19.00 Channel 5 NEC Nijmegan vs Spurs UEFA Cup 19.00 ITV4 Portsmouth vs AC Milan UEFA Cup 21.05 Channel 5

11

BOXING Sunday 23 November Ricky Hatton vs Paul Malignaggi Championship Boxing 03.00 Sky Box Office RUGBY UNION Friday 21 November Gloucester vs Bristol Guinness Premiership 21.00 Sky Sports 1 Saturday 22 November England vs South Africa Friendly 15.30 Sky Sports 2 Ireland vs Argentina Friendly 15.45 BBC1 Scotland vs Canada Friendly 15.45 BBC Interactive Wales vs New Zealand Friendly 18.15 BBC2

Watch Sky and/or Setanta Sports in the following bars (please note that not all of these bar have Setanta Sports, always check first!); Es Castell: Brogans Scandals Delfin Teapot Punta Prima: The Blue Anchor Sebastian Place Cala en Porter: Galleon Champs (has Showtime) Irish Bar Village Pub Salamandra Binibeca: Bar Palomino Cala Galdana: Black & White Bar Pub Mississippi Son Bou: Kit Kat Bar Sant Tomas: Bar Halley Sant Tomas Cala’n Bosch: McCarthy’s Karaoke

CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS If you want your social or sporting organisation to be included in our listing then simply drop us a line at hello@themenorcasun.com.

Menorca Cricket Club Founded in 1985 the M.C.C. are based at the delightful Biniparrell ground which is to be found on the road between S’Ullestrà and Llucmaçanes in the Sant Lluis area. Games are played most weekends and spectators are very welcome. www.menorcacricketclub. com Age Concern The island’s Age Concern have a shop on C/ Padera 39 in Es Castell. Mem-

bership Secretary is Sheila Cox 659 185 407.

Menorca Bridge Club The club meets every Wednesday evening at 7.15 at the Hotel Port Mahón. Call Janet Brown 971 188 856.

Menorca Bowls Club The Menorca Bowls Club meets at the bowls green opposite the San Luis Hotel, S’Algar on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Meet 10.00 for a 10.30 start. Newcomers always welcome. Bowls are available to hire. For further information, please contact the Captain, John Smith – Tel: 971 939 045

Red Cross Call 648 168 034 Es Castell Brass Band A new venture supported by the local council. If you play a brass instrument and would like to get involved then call Dave on 663 459 245.

Menorca Charity Players Currently in rehearsals for their production of ‘Allo ‘Allo. The company is always on the look out from new talent.

Chris Coleman 696 434 787.

MenHoCa Futbol 7 Doing the Brit community proud in Menorca’s 7s league. They train in Malbuger. Lee 659 987 362.

The Picadero Art Group They meet at the El Picadero restaurant every Tuesday at 10am. Call Liz Quayle on 647 237 210.

Rotary Club of Menorca Meets on Tuesdays at La Minerva on the port in Mahón.

Masonic Lodge Call Jeremy McHale on 971 361 606.

Royal British Legion Call Geraldine Dogget on 971 188 210.

Club de Golf Son Parc - Menorca Open all year round, 10 and 12 month membership available. Interesting rates for Winter Green Fees and tuition. For more information please call 971 188

875 Menorca Mountainbiking Tired of riding your mountain bike alone? Want to know new paths and new friends in Menorca?

Meet every Sunday, 8:00am @ Biosfera Square (Consell Insular).

We run about 40 - 60 Km of Menorca mtb country tracks. www.EsDarrerQueTanqui.com El Castillo Art Group The group meets at the El Castillo bar bistro in Addaya every Thursday morning at 10 am. Everyone welcome. For further information, please contact Carol or Denise at 971 358 350/322.

12

Friday 21 November 2008

SUDOKU

MENORCA SUN

Welcome back from Mars if you don’t know how to do Sudoku! Do we really need to explain it? Good, we didn’t think so! Solutions on page 15.

SCRIBBLE PAD

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LAUGH? I NEARLY WET MY KNICKERS! How to Keep a Woman Happy It’s not difficult, all you have to do is to be: 1. A friend 2. A companion 3. A lover 4. A brother 5. A father 6. A master 7. A chef 8. An electrician 9. A carpenter 10. A plumber 11. A mechanic 12. A decorator 13. A stylist 14. A sexologist 15. A gynecologist 16. A psychologist 17. A pest exterminator 18. A psychiatrist 19. A healer 20. A good listener 21. An organizer

22. A good father 23. Very clean 24. Sympathetic 25. Athletic 26. Warm 27. Attentive 28. Gallant 29. Intelligent 30. Funny 31. Creative 32. Tender 33. Strong 34. Understanding 35. Tolerant 36. Prudent 37. Ambitious 38. Capable 39. Courageous 40. Determined 41. True 42. Dependable 43. Passionate WITHOUT FORGETTING TO: 44. Give her compliments regu-

PUB QUIZ larly 45. Love shopping 46. Be honest 47. Be very rich 48. Not stress her out 49. Not look at other girls AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOU MUST ALSO: 50. Give her lots of attention, but expect little yourself 51. Give her lots of time, especially time for herself 52. Give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes IT IS VERY IMPORTANT: 53. Never to forget: birthdays, anniversaries and arrangements she makes HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY!!! : 1. Bring beer 2. Feed him well.

3. Let him have the remote control (Ed. I’m dead meat now!)

1. If cats are `feline`, which animals are `ovine`?

2. Hippomania is the name given to the obsession of which animals?

3. Which 1995 film featuring talking animals is based on a book by Dick King-Smith?

4. What animals head did a Minotaur have?

5. Other than humans, what are the only animals that have sex for pleasure?

6. What was the band The Animals` only UK number one hit single?

7. What word is used to describe animals which can live on land or in water?

8. What type of animals are the cartoon characters Chip and Dale?

9. What was the name of the farm where the animals lived

in George Orwell`s `Animal Farm`?

10. Which two films that have won best picture Oscar`s in the 1990s have types of animals in their title?

Answers Page 15

HOROSCOPES AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18) Hope can solve nearly all of your problems sometime. Until next week when all of your dreams will be dashed to pieces. This week is not your lucky week. It’s next week instead!

So that’s something to look forward to whilst your picking up your teeth with your broken arm.

TAURUS (Apr 20-May 20) The hospital may become a familiar place over the coming two weeks, although for what reason the mystics are surprisingly opaque. Don’t be in the market for any of what anyone is selling. Dogs will find themselves inexplicably attracted to your shins, this week.

LEO (Jul 23-Aug 22) This week, Microsoft Word may define your grammar as “poorly constructed” and full of “run on sentences”. A picture frame will feature highly in your week and will probably make you feel like you’d never gotten out of bed. Indeed, you’ll probably end up going back to bed as soon as this weeks’ mishaps have had done with you.

SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21) Your lack of modesty will cause you problems this week, you idiot. Pickles are a source of joy for you this week.

PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20) Cold winds encircle your future. All the time you spent on learning French is never going to pay off. Being righteous will only make you enemies.

GEMINI (May 21-Jun 20) “Have a good day!” is not something you’ll want to hear from anyone as you suffer from a bottom related illness. Three is the magic number because some people have a magic superfluous nipple which can change the colour of the sky.

VIRGO (Aug 23-Sep 22) The first part of the week will be full of fun and sunshine. After a car crash you will see a light at the end of a tunnel. Do not be vexed, this only means the car is facing the other way.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21) When the fish wander home cooking gently, who’ll be there to open the froth? Rotten food can be an unhealthy way to lose weight! Your favourite place may change this week as you have new reason for utter joy.

ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 19) You will be plagued by happy people, but don’t be swayed by them, stay miserable. Money is a source of evil you can’t do without. Credit card companies may seize on your lack of self-control.

CANCER (Jun 21-Jul 22) Mythology states that all kinds of crazy rubbish happened.

You believe that, don’t you?

That’s why your here. Please pay at the exit. The partner of your dreams will realise you are unworthy of attention, today. Stock up on junk food and alcohol.

LIBRA (Sep 23-Oct 22) Employee of the month awards carry a penalty - the penalty of ridicule. Remember to chew before you swallow

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19) The Nigerian bank that is holding your email-friend’s money does not exist. Peaches and cream are a cheap and enjoyable dessert menu for any supper guests.

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

________________________________

________________________________

PROPERTY TO LET ________________________________

LANGUAGE SERVICES ________________________________

TO LET apartment in Cala en Porter. 6/12 month. Renewable rental. €500 p/m winter, €600 p/m summer. 2 bedrooms, ground floor, fully equipped, communial gardens, large pool. Tel: 971 377 184 mob: 686 887 237 (mornings)

Translating Services. Having Trouble with Paperwork? Let us help you at Trafico, Hacienda, etc. Tel: 629 666 453

Villa to rent. Cala n Porter. All year round. 800€. Tel: 619 866 162

English Lessons. Tesol qualified. Ring 617 266 384 or mail hodgkinson. mw@gmail.com

Villa to rent. November 2008 - May 2009. 550€. Tel: 619 866 162

Professional and bilingual person offers their services for translation. English to Spanish and Spanish to English.

Tel: 617 361 714

TO RENT. All year. Beautiful country villa. 4 bed 2 bath. Stable & Paddock.

Pool & Hot tub. 850 monthly. 629 605 159

SPANISH LESSONS. To suit all needs and levels. Experienced tutor. Tel: 971 368 849 or 639 635 136 ________________________________

Ground floor apartment to let in Santa Ana. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, air conditioning, large patio, fully furnished, parking space and communal swimming pool. Tel: 619574679 Tel: +447974 940521 Tel: 971 15 60 16

CARS/BIKES ________________________________

Apartment to let in Es Castell. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), air conditioning, 3 terraces, parquet floor, fully furnished, parking space and communal swimming pool. Tel: 619574679 Tel: +447974 940521 Tel: 971 15 60 16 ________________________________ PROPERTY FOR SALE ________________________________ House Sol del Este., semi detatched unique location. Lounge d/room, kitchen. 4 b/rooms (2 en suite), full bathroom, terraces harbour views. Attic wash/store room, d/glazing, heating & a/c. Communal pool and gardens.

360,000€. Tel: 647 722 352.

RIEJU MRX pro freestyle motorbike.

74cc, hardly used. Cost over 3,000€ selling for 1,500 0128. Call 610 877 723 FOR SALE. Toyota Rav4 2004. Leather seats. Full equip. Sat Nav. Excellent Condition. 629605159 ________________________________ COMPUTERS ________________________________ Computer repairs: Software & hardware (we even pick up and drop off).

696 735 070

13

Plot of 900m2 in Punta Grossa/Arenal - 35,000€ Son Ilar - Garage of 50m2 - 65,000€ Apartments 2 bed Es Castell - 129,000€ 2 bed Es Castell - 150,000€ Cala Corb front line sea views - 175,000€ Sea view Es Castell - 175,000€ 1 bed with pool and parking - 179,000€ 3 bed Es Castell - 185,000€ 2 bed, pool, parking and gardens - 188,000€ 1 bed ‘El Pino’ with pool and parking - 190,000€ 2 bed ‘Castellmar’ pool, parking sea views - 195,000€ Mahón 4 bed, 2 bath - 250,000€ Cala Torret sea view - 259,000€ Houses 2 bed Es Castell - 220,000€ 2 bed Es Castell - 227,000€ 2 bed Sol del Este - 250,000€ 3 bed house with 90m2 garage - 260,000€ 3/4 bed with sea views in Son Vilar - 250,000€ Small farmhouse Son Vilar - 275,000€ Villas Santa Ana 3 bed with plot and space for pool - 400,000€ A selection of rental properties for short term or long term from 500€ per month.

Also available are villas, shops, businesses and plots. www.propertymenorca.com Andy Tysoe (API Registered) Colegiado No. 599 Mobile: 617 812 024 Next door to Banco Santander (Es Castell) Free parking opposite.

Apartment for Sale. Es Castell. 3 bed (2 double), large lounge/diner, separate fitted kitchen, full bathroom, woodburner, very light and airy. 185,000€.

Tel: Dave 658 183 549 ________________________________ COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ________________________________ Traspaso. Pub in Es Castell. Completely legal and Fully equipped. Tel: 629 666 453 ________________________________ SERVICES ________________________________ Interior & Exterior Painting Service. No job too small. Call: 696 735 070

Tarot Readings-15Euros.

Painting, Tiling, General maintenance.

No job too small. Call Warwick 699 006 571 ________________________________ FOR SALE ________________________________ 800 watt generator. Black & Decker Circular Saw 190mm. 14” TV. 696859397 Industrial Gas Plancha. 60 cm x 40 cm. 190€. Tel: 629 666 453 Giant Screen for Sale. 2m x 2m. As New. 150€. Tel: 629 666 453. ________________________________ WANTED ________________________________ Wanted: exercise cycle and small chest freezer. Tel: 618 579 186

FOR SALE Small solid table pine colour.

85x40 extends to 85x85 - 70€ Corner computer table, 2 shelves.

124w x 83d. Pine colour - 70€.

Both excellent condition.

Floor standing air-con unit. New hot/cold air, was 300 sell for 180€.

Circular pine wood dining table, 109 r ext to approx 149 oval - 85€.

2 baby gates - 10€ each Tel: 649 975 003

Qualified Aromatherapist Combining massage and 100% therapeutic essential oils treating a variety of muscle problems and ailments, personal blends to Relax or stimulate, treatments from Stress anxiety, asthma, colds, congestion, insomnia etc. 2 international diplomas at A grade, member of ICHM. Special offers on all treatments.

Christmas gift vouchers and products.

Tel: Sue 649 975 003

Treat your friends or Family to a Birthday Chart for Xmas from 20 Euros Call Jackie today 971 389 041 679 598 251

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14

Friday 21 November 2008

LA LIGA

A double day of delight for the Barcelona. Not only did they slip past a Recreativo side that Guardiola feared would be hard to break down, but all of Pep’s rivals dropped points too.

The Dream Boys from Camp Nou opened a three-point lead at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday after goals from Lionel Messi and Seydou Keita gave them a 2-0 win at struggling Recreativo Huelva.

Spain midfielder Xavi fooled the Recreativo defence by playing a short ball to Messi from a freekick and the Argentine smashed the ball into the roof of the net for his seventh league goal of the season.

Thierry Henry shot against the bar and a post before Keita sealed the win near the end with a simple tap-in from Samuel Eto’o’s mishit shot.

Messi said it had been a struggle to overcome Recreativo’s stubborn resistance.

“The whole squad is responsible for the win and I am very happy,” Messi said in a pitchside television interview.

Sunday’s victory extends Barcelona’s winning streak in the league to nine and the Catalans have 28 points from 11 matches ahead of unbeaten Villarreal on 25 who are still the only unbeaten side in the Primera.

Villarreal, though, twice surrendered the lead to draw 2-2 at Malaga and will be smarting after a losing the lead in injury time against the strugglers - on a pitch that manager Manuel Pellegrini was not at all happy about.

“In my opinion you shouldn’t have to play on pitches in this state,” complained the Villarreal bigwig.

“And Rubinos (the referee) was under pressure. He gave a lot of fouls against us and

Sergio Asenjo kept star-studded Real at bay!

in one of them they scored,” continued Pellegrini using the trusted ‘Fergie defence.’

Former Manchester United striker Giuseppe Rossi opened the scoring for Villarreal in the seventh minute when he fired a powerful low shot from the edge of the area that squirmed under keeper Francesc Arnau.

Portuguese midfielder Duda equalised with a superb longrange freekick with just under half an hour gone and Robert Pires put Joseba Llorente through shortly after halftime, the striker’s shot flashing between Arnau’s legs.

Helder Rosario snatched a late equaliser with a glanced header from a corner.

Real Madrid and Valencia had both missed opportunities to take provisional top spot on Saturday.

Fourth-placed Real’s poor run of form continued when they lost 1-0 at Real Valladolid in a match that proved to be an ideal cure for insomnia!

Star of the show for the winners was 19-year old goalkeeper, Sergio Asenjo. The average age of the Valladolid 11 was just under 30. Without him, it would have been 67. Still young enough to beat Real Madrid though.

These are tough times for Real’s coach Bernd Schuster and it finally looks like his goose is gandered.

Both Marca and AS are citing the German’s failure to lead Sunday’s voluntary training session as evidence of his lack of concern at the his side’s current sickly state.

The fact that he was attending his baby daughter’s baptism has been overlooked somewhat. But expect a change soon.

The Sun’s football corresponant spent Saturday night injecting bleach into its eyeballs in a desperate attempt to banish the images of the Valladolid vs Real Madrid match from its brain, so missed out on this corker at the Mestalla where Valencia were beaten 3-2 at home by Sporting Gijon.

Sporting’s swashbuckling football stylings have now seen the side win five of the six games played since being put through the football wringer at the start of the season.

Whilst Preciado’s players may find it hard to keep up their momentum, they look good for another season in the top flight.

And as the club possesses one of the few sets of support that actually travels to games, that

MENORCA SUN

would be a very good thing.

On a similar note, there were only 100 odd Sevilla fans in Getafe on Sunday. A city with five million or so people can surely offer up more exiled supporters than that rather paltry, but noisy, number?

Despite their lack of support Sevilla overcame the Madrid club 2-0, but the team aren’t a patch on last season.

The side swapped flair for physical power over the summer, something that Getafe’s midfielder Javier Casquero agreed with on after the game, “They lost important players in midfield along with Dani Alves.

These are players who made a big difference. Now, they play very high up the field and are very competitive,” .

Diego Forlan scored two second-half goals as Atletico Madrid thumped visiting Deportivo Coruña 4-1, but no matter what poor old Javier Aguirre does, the Mexican manager is derided and damned in the Spanish press.

First he was criticised for overplaying Kun Agüero, and then for resting him. And it has been a similar situation with Diego Forlán - another player who simply doesn’t have a 50-match season in his legs.

So, it is with a tremendous but inevitable air of ‘told-you-so’ self satisfaction that Monday’s papers are full of praise for the 4-1 win over a dreadful Deportivo which saw Kun and Diego starting together.

Last-placed Osasuna are still without a win after they lost 2-0 at fellow strugglers Athletic Bilbao thanks to goals from Joseba Garmendia and Fernando Llorente.

Osasuna are without a league goal in four matches. And only one scored in nine. Now we’re no experts, but that doesn’t sound very good!

The defeat for the Pamplona club leaves them stuck on five points and increases the pressure on coach Jose Antonio Camacho, while Athletic move up to 18th with nine points.

Plucky Numancia increased their survival chances after coming back from 3-2 down to win 4-3 on Sunday. So let’s check who they were playing... Espanyol... Oh. Still going down!

Steve Finnan started at right back for Espanyol. We hoped he wouldn’t get confused as he was playing against a team in all red and that contained 11 Spanish players.

Numancia took the lead when

Bernd Schuster performing a rendition of “Only the Lonely”! a long shot from the number 6 (it’s Numancia, you tell me their names then?) went in after good work on the left wing.

Espanyol equalised from a corner that found Moises, back to goal, who then in a kind of overhead kick, shot into the goal. An excellent finish.

1-1 at half time, about right and no warning of what was to come.

1-2: a break down the left and a stooping glancing header put Numancia ahead 2-2: Jarque’s header hit the ground, the bar and defender before going in.

3-2: Tamudo brought down in the area. Penalty. Which he took himself despite his recent record and buried it bottom corner.

3-3: A great curling shot into the top right-hand corner.

3-4: With Espanyol pushing forward. Numancia raced away down the left and the guy hammered it from the edge of the area into the far corner. A worthy match winner.

So three points for an effective Numancia team who took their chances well and got a

round of applause from the home fans. Well, we all secretly like Numancia don’t we ?

For Espanyol it was pretty poor. Finnan looked off the pace, but then he’s been injured. Some of the players are just not good enough. Simple as that.

Almería moved up level with Deportivo in eighth spot after beating Mallorca 2-1. Negredo had not been included in Del Bosque’s national squad for the upcoming friendly, but he sent a message to the coach with both of his side’s goals. The striker hooked a shot past Lux on the stroke of half time and then converted a second half penalty after Castro handled, with Keita getting one back for the visitors late on.

Betis are up to the top half of the table as well after a 3-1 victory over Racing Santander.

Sergio García was another who was left out of Spain’s squad, but he proved to be the star of the match, scoring a goal in each half and setting up Emaná for another in between.

Munitis got Racing’s goal near the end. GH

It is now over a month since the lads from MEHOCA last suffered defeat. In that time they have gone four games without defeat including three wins and a draw. They have also managed to turn what was looking like a hard season into one full of hope for the months ahead.

The attitude of the players has also seen a huge improvement enabling them to come from behind on more than one occasion.

Last Saturday at San Luis they again left it late having to scrape a winner in the dying seconds

when they earlier looked like they had the game won.

Leading 4-2 going into the final three minutes the lads some how manged to find themselves at 4-4 in the dying seconds.

With practically the last kick of the game however a winner was dug out from somewhere making for a fair result in the end.

The editors have been asked to point out that Lee Ball was the Man of the Match. Otherwise he said he will burn down our houses, sell off our women as slaves, and get a good price for our kids as child soldiers in Moss Side.

Friday 21 November 2008

MENORCA SUN

15

RUGBY CLUB CRUSHED Menorca rugby club crashed to their second successive fifty point defeat last weekend, this time at the hands of Ibiza by 0-58.

It’s now three defeats in the opening three games for a team that prior to the campaign was hoping for a good season to build upon their successes in

Menorca Sun spot the ball competition!

Eric Dittman 07/08.

Last week’s match against Ibiza Rugby Club had to be brought forward owing to travel problems encountered by

the visitors. For the same reason the official match referee was unable to take control of the game.

His place was taken by one of the Ibiza technical team who did a good job.

Conditions for the match were hardly ideal with the strong Tramuntana wind blowing throughout but it was Ibizia that coped better with the conditions.

Ibiza RC are one of the favourites this year to take honours and arrived for this encounter in superb physical condition.

From the off the Ibizan team took charge and they looked a lot fitter and sharper than Menorca and quickly gained control of the game.

They played a physical game and the island team were unable to handle the problems they created.

The scores came quickly and easily against a Menorca unable to cope with the on-slaught.

It’s probably back to the drawing board for Menorca, but as compensation both Tomasso Petrotta and Eric Dittman had strong games.

GOOD TIMES ROLL

CHILL OUT SOLUTIONS 1. Sheep 2. Horses 3. Babe 4. Bull (no... true!)

5. Dolphins 6. House of the Rising Sun 7. Amphibian 8. Chipmunks 9. Manor Farm 10. Silence of the Lambs and Dances with Wolves

Times are good for the island’s Spanish Division Three clubs.

Alaior, Ciutadella and Sporting Mahonés are all going great guns in 9th, 7th and 5th respectively.

The odd man out is Es Mercadal who sit second bottom with a paltry four points and increasingly look like fish food for the rest. Another Villacarlos (to return to one of M.S’s favourite themes!)?

Surprisingly, big spender Sporting are just shading the two of the other island clubs despite having a much bigger budget, and to be honest they’ve struggled to get the results the money ‘demands’.

Maybe, but early days, that money does not always buy success!

Alaior are having a good run, and at the weekend they registered their fourth successive undefeated game with a goalless draw at home to Manacor.

Shocked civil servants were at a loss today as to what to make of a phone call from a service user who apparently had no complaint to make. A member of helpline staff at the DVLA took the call yesterday afternoon from an office worker in Chelmsford.

The man claimed he had just felt like saying thanks for their online car tax renewal facility which had saved him wasting his lunch-break braving a squally shower and a post office queue, where he later found out there had been a fight, an incontinence episode and someone trying to pay for their TV license with softmints which had held up the queue for ages.

‘I just kept waiting for the ‘but’ and it never came’ said the Helpline assistant at the Swanseabased offices, ‘It got a bit awkward really. He said it was a really easy system to use, really quick, and had saved him a lot of bother. ‘A great example of a successful government IT project adding real value to people’s lives’ he said. Trouble was, our

customer care helpline software doesn’t have a drop-down for any of that so I had to pass him on to a supervisor’.

The caller was then passed up the chain of command as increasingly senior civil servants pored through procedure documents in an attempt to log the issue. Eventually the Secretary of State for Transport, Geoff Hoon was called out of a meeting to take the call. Similarly stumped, Mr Hoon apologized profusely for the general crapness of the entire government and offered to resign immediately.

The call eventually returned some two hours later to the original operator on the helpline.

‘At this point the bloke had had enough’, he said. ‘Bloody helpline system, bloody paperpushers, bloody waste of tax money’. He was fuming. So I ticked the boxes for complaints about ‘attitude of staff’, ‘query not resolved’ and ‘abusive customer’ which meant I was no longer obliged to manage his call, so I hung up’.

Government urged to pass law stopping Poles from going home Tough new border controls are being proposed at Britain’s ports and airports to prevent the mass emigration of Eastern Europeans from leaving the United Kingdom.

Under controversial plans being put together by a cross party committee, Polish people will now be stopped by customs officials and returned to their jobs as plumbers, builders and waitresses. ‘The British economy cannot survive the mass exodus of the most highly skilled and hardest working sector in the construction and service industries’ said a government spokesman. ‘And if they think they are going home before my loft conversion is finished they can forget it.’

One Conservative shadow minister was sacked from the front bench after allegations of racism against the departing

Poles. In a speech to his constituency association he was reported to have said ‘Bloody Poles, they go over there, and leave all our jobs. Our street used to be a lovely area. But then one Pole moved out, and then his next door neighbour went back to Warsaw, and before you know it, the whole neighbourhood is empty of ‘em.’

The government is now introducing a points system under which people can only emigrate if they are without certain skills, qualifications or personnel recommendations.

‘We were actually thinking of a certain section of British populace. You know the Big Brother contestants, sacked hedge fund managers and estate agents.

But the trouble is the really useless people can never get their act together to go.’

EASYPEASY

BALLBREAKER

16

Friday 21 November 2008

ViveMenorca produced a scintillating performance last Sunday to humble visitors CAI Zaragoza at the Pabellon.

It was the kind of showing that the team has been promising, in patches, during their first seven games. The win, by an impressive 102-74, displayed the true ability of the team and more than offered hope for the rest of the season.

Never behind, the boys from the island were head and shoulders above a team that went into the game on a 50/50 record as opposed to ViveMenorca’s one win from seven.

Under pressure coach, Ricard Casas, can take heart from the win. One of the best motivational coaches in the league, he managed to hit the ‘sweet spot’ with his charges in a dominating forty minutes basketball.

It was a historic day on the Island of Menorca as the home team produced arguably one

of their top performances in their four season ACB history.

This was the highest winning margin for the club in the top flight eclipsing their 22 point win over Cajsol in 2007 - bizarrely also in Round 8! It was the highest valuation by a Menorca team, the second highest fourth quarter score they have ever produced while they broke their record for assists with a stunning total of 26. It was a fantastic display by Menorca at both ends of the court with some great defence complimented by a sensational shooting display.

Marino Bazdaric led the way with 20 points as Menorca went crazy in the final quarter scoring a staggering 38 points to break the century mark.

Yes... 38 points, in an awesome display of offensive (and, let’s not forget, defensive) play. Zaragoza were, quite simply blown away in ten minutes of flawless basketball by the island’s favourites.

The arena was, once again,

MENORCA SUN

a riot of colour and noise as the fans got behind the team from the first tip off through to the last play of the game.

If there are a better, more enthusiastic, more passionate set of fans in the league then the Menorca Sun ain’t seen or heard them!

The fans created the platform for ViveMenorca’s superlative display.

As ever, the American Point Guard Pooh Jeter was instrumental in most of ViveMenorca’s effective plays. At only 6ft 2ins Jeter is one of the smallest players in the league but he is key for the island team. His 13 points gave him 134 for the season so far, and placed him in the top ten scorers in the league.

As mentioned Bazdaric was on fire, the Croatian notching 20 points for the game’s best.

Captain Stojic chipped in with 16 and showed quality throughout the game.

But three facets marked ViveMenorca’s win...

Firstly, they finally came together and displayed steel, particularly defensively, for the full game. In too many of the previous games they’d had good periods followed by what can only be described as a collapse that had lost them the points. They remained totally focused and earned their reward.

Secondly, their three point efforts hit the mark more often than not with 12 from 23 tries.

There’s nothing more dispiriting than conceding regular three point efforts. With radar like precision they scored three-pointers at key times during the game.

Finally, their second line players performed out of their skins. In particular Urko Otegui was everywhere, making his physical presence felt to unsettle the visitors and produce a game winning display.

Casas has taken some flak in the past couple of weeks but the guy is mint and one of the most astute coaches in the

competition.

ViveMenorca can face the next few rounds with confidence.

The team played Estudiantes on Wednesday and have a free weekend coming up. GH

ViveMenorca’s Urko Otegui: best game of the season to help down Zaragoza

Across: 1. Simulated military peration (3,4) 5. No longer in existence (7) 9. To be unwell (3) 10. Depressed spirits (5) 11. Gravy (5) 12. Bind (3) 13. Pendent ornament (6) 16.

Choose (6) 19. Poultry enclosure (4) 21. Plunge head-first (4) 23. Floor coverings (4) 24.

Truce (5-4) 25. Remaining (4) 26. Partly open (4) 27. Chinese secret society (4) 28. Break (6) 31. Fuel oil (6) 35. Snow runner (3) 37. Modify (5) 38. Growl angrily (5) 39. Entirely (3) 40. Black magic (7) 41. Incident (7) Down: 1. Cereal grain (5) 2. Garments (5) 3. Entertain (5) 4. The Orient (4) 5. Otherwise (4) 6. Armistice (5) 7. Daughter of one’s brother or sister (5) 8. Mock (5) 14. City in central Texas (7) 15. Phantom (7) 16. Ruin (5) 17. Beverage of lime juice (7) 18.

Small house (7) 20. Body of salt water (5) 22. Poles for sails (5) 28. Leases (5) 29.

Seat (5) 30. Surplus (5) 32. Inhabitant of Iraq (5) 33. Simultaneous firing of artillery (5) 34. Cavalry weapon (5) 35. Tarry (4) 36. Small island (4)

SCRIBBLE PAD

Second Hand Furniture Bought and Sold Tel: 971 150 483