Week 140

Edition 140

www.thecourier.es

Friday, October 25, 2013

PLEASE COME BACK! Airport offers cash for new flights INSIDE TODAY

By Alex Trelinski The owners of Alicante­Elche airport are going to pay air­ lines to reinstate routes that they scrapped in recent years. AENA wants more routes flying out of El Altet in 2014, and they’ve got the gov­ ernment green light to pass on to the airlines the entire passenger levies on any new routes that are launched next year from Alicante­Elche.

AENA is hoping that this will be a big incentive for old carriers like Ryanair as well as new ones to re­introduce all­year connections to cen­ tres that have disappeared over the last 2 years. This applies as much to domestic routes within Spain as well as to foreign destinations, with a possible annual sav­ ing of 350 thousand Euros for a new service. Currently each plane with some 150 passengers has to pay a tax of 2250 Euros, which would be waived on a new route next year. On the AENA wish list are connections with Rome, Vienna, and Lisbon, whilst domestically

they are after year round services with cities like Seville and Santander.

Further south, there’s mixed news over the planned opening date for Murcia’s Corvera airport.

The regional government has been given a legal green light to carry on with their plans, but the judge­ ment from the regional court throws a spanner into the works. It says that for the time being, the existing

concessionaire at Corvera, Aeromur, which the govern­ ment “sacked”, can contin­ ue to stay there whilst things are sorted out.

Aeromur are legally fighting Murcia’s move to remove them, and have been told by the Murcia Court to keep the Corvera facilities in good order.

Murcia President, Ramon Luis Valcárcel has repeatedly said over the last few weeks that he is close to

signing deal with airport operator AENA for the clo­ sure of San Javier with all services being transferred to Corvera in the spring.

Meanwhile 60 AENA work­ ers at San Javier met on Wednesday and have called for a meeting with Valcárcel to get reassur­ ances about their jobs and what they claim are some 500 indirect positions that would be affected by the move to Corvera.

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DON’T FORGET

Don’t forget that you can have an extra hour in bed this Sunday morning as Central European Time moves into winter mode, with the clocks switching back an hour at 3.00am to 2.00am. UK time makes the same switch from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time.

Our latest edition is always online at www.thecourier.es

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Are you a snapper? Do you have a great photo? Send it to design@thecourier.es and if we think it is good enough we will publish it as our Picture of the Week TELEPHONE

96 692 1003 679 096 309 965 99 66 66 E­MAIL office@thecourier.es WEB www.thecourier.es HEAD OFFICE Calle Luis Canovas Martinez 1. Urb Aguas Nuevas, Torrevieja 03183, ALICANTE PHONE: 96 692 1003 Email: office@thecourier.es OPENING HOURS Mon ­ Fri 1030 to 1730 EDITOR Alex Trelinski CONSULTANT EDITOR Donna Gee ADVERTISING SALES 966 921 003 office@thecourier.es TELESALES 966 921 003 679 096 309 Sally Los Alcazares, San Javier 618 391 491 Myra Quesada, Rojales, Torrevieja, San Miguel Tel. 618 583 765 Jean La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 618 898 034 Patrick International Rep 5 Languages Tel 685 901 265 Writers Donna Gee Sally Bengtsson Jeanette Erath Alex Trelinski Dave Silver Tony Mayes John McGregor

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Picture of the Week

JUNGLE DRUMS

“I took this photo of a hummingbird moth in my garden in Catral this week” PHOTO BY YVONNE KRAJEWSKA

Jerezana’s last journey

BENIDORM CURBS “MADGE-MOBILES” Benidorm Council has had enough of the fit and able using mobility scooters around the area, and will be introducing new laws to curb their misuse. The change is expected to be voted through next month when users will have to be at least 55 years old, or to be certified as dis­ abled. Scooters users will not be allowed to travel faster than what the council calls “walking speed” and they are

promising tough action over drunken scooter drivers or those who are high on drugs.

SCHOOL’S OUT

TRAGEDY struck Jerezana the giraffe last Saturday when the 2 year old died due to a road acci­ dent. She was travelling from Jerez to the Bioparc de Valencia when a truck crashed into the convoy carry­ ing the animal at 12:30am. The col­ lision gravely injured Jerezana, and trip was eventually resumed with the convoy arriving at the Bioparc de Valencia at around 8am, where a team of vets was waiting for her, but she had to be put to sleep.

She was suffering from jaw frac­ tures and a loss in bone tissue, injuries that hampered her ability to eat, with vets believing that it would be impossible for Jerezana to recover. She was meant to have joined a group with her sister Buleria in Bioparc, where she would have mated with a male giraffe.

Jerezana was a baringo giraffe, also known as Rothschild’s giraffe, an endangered subspecies from Uganda.

Students got the ball rolling with a two­day classroom walkout and yester­ day teachers and parents joined in the strike action in protest at Spain’s edu­ cation cutbacks and reforms. Mariano Rajoy’s government has slashed public spending to try to bring Spain’s deficit under control, but protestors argued that young people are struggling to study, because of the high cost of going to univer­ sity.

WANTED – MORE HEADLINE NEWS! DO YOU have a story that might grab the headlines?

What’s all the gossip about round your way? A spate of robberies, perhaps – or maybe you’ve spotted a celebrity in the neighbourhood. Whether your news involves fire, police, ambulance, accidents – or hap­

Monday Sunny High 28 Low 18° Chance of rain 0%

pier events like family weddings (particularly Golden and Diamond ones!), Just phone the Courier office on 966 921 003 or email office@thecourier.es We’re waiting for your call…and next week’s Front Page story.

Friday Sunny High 28 Low 19° Chance of rain 0%

Saturday Sunny High 28° Low 18° Chance of rain 0%

Tuesday Cloudy High 25° Low 13° Chance of rain 25%

Wednesday Rain High 19° Low 16° Chance of rain 99%

Sunday Sunny High 28° Low 18° Chance of rain 0% Thursday Rain High 18° Low 15° Chance of rain 79%

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Friday, October 25, 2013

AXED AND SLICED FOUND GUILTY

A 37 year old Spaniard has been arrested for axing to death his 24 year old Romanian girlfriend, cutting up her body, and then set­ ting fire to their farm cottage. The Monday night incident happened north­east of Villajoyosa in Teix between Relieu and the mountain village of Torremanzanas. The Benidorm born man apparently had a row with his partner, which turned violent.

Sources say that they had been together for more than 5 years, and there had been no previous reports of any violence between them.

The man, who had no police record, sur­ rendered to the authorities the following day after his father and uncle came to his home and found him naked in a drunken and drugged up state. He is scheduled in appear in court today in San Vicente del Raspeig,

having been held in custody at the Guardia Civil barracks at Sant Joan d'Alacant.

Meanwhile, the Torremanzanas Mayor said that the 800 strong community had been shaken by the murder in an area not used to violent crime, adding that the couple kept themselves to themselves. The village held a five minutes silence on Wednesday.

OUT IN THE OPEN

A German man who beat his ex­part­ ner to death in their Costa Blanca bar has been jailed after a jury trial in Elche.

The man co­owned the La Corona bar with his ex­girlfriend on the Pinar de Campoverde Urbanisation in Pilar de la Horadada. Although no longer a couple, they agreed to carry on running the bar after they separated.

The jury heard that the killer entered the bar kitchen, where the 62 year old victim – also German – was cleaning in June 2010 and, apparently without warning or motive, began to shout at her and hit her. He is said to have beat­ en her repeatedly until she died at the scene from her injuries late at night. Her body was found in the morning by a cleaner.

Vicious gang attack

Over 50 of Spain’s leading experts on sex and pornogra­ phy will be coming shortly to the area, as Elche’s IFA Exhibition Centre hosts over 200 performances and demon­ strations in the 3rd Alicante Erotic Festival on November 9th and 10th. Organisers are promising shows that will be “unin­ terrupted”, teaching all kinds of ways to enjoy the world of sensuality and sex. “Artistic” Director and porn movie maker A local restaurant owner was amongst a group of people Conrad Son said that there will be something called a space 'swinger', where couples can experience a range of erotic who was violently assaulted by a four man gang, who also and sexual activities conducted between two or more people. held six customers hostage late last Friday night. The prem­ ises were at La Campaneta on the CV­91 road between Orihuela and Almoradi, with the four masked and hooded thieves barging in at 11.30pm. When they entered the restau­ rant, they firstly removed everybody’s mobile phones, and Spain is officially out of recession, according to the Bank of then began their 90 minutes of terror.

Spain. After over 2 years of negative growth, Spain’s econo­ They ransacked the bar, smashing everything in sight until my grew by 0.1% in the last quarter. The rate at which jobs they got get the contents of cash register, the cigarette were being destroyed in the recession, which has thrown mil­ machine, and the fruit machine. They also stole the personal lions out of work and increased poverty, eased to its slowest property of the owner and his family as well as those of the rate since the start of the crisis in 2008, the bank added. six customers, five of which were women. The owner’s brother arrived at the restaurant and saw the four hooded men beating him on the restaurant terrace, before being kicked repeatedly before being dragged into the restaurant again at gun point. Besides hitting the owner, the thieves also A man aged in his 50’s has been arrested for child sex struck his father, brother, and the customers.

After the gang had left and stolen two cars belonging to the abuse in Novelda, with reports suggesting that a dozen vic­ tims may be involved. He is alleged to be a well­known figure customers, the owner went outside and hailed a passing in the town who has had strong connections with junior foot­ Guardia Civil patrol car, with an ambulance arriving shortly later to treat the injured. ball in the area.

HAPPY DAYS? SEX ARREST

Wear it with pride

The Torrevieja Pipes and Drums helped with the annual launch of the Poppy Appeal across eastern Spain, as Benidorm’s Rincon de Loix hosted a major parade. Besides the Pipes and Drums, the parade consisted of Standards from many Legion Branches, together with other military organisation, two Chelsea Pensioners – here in Spain for this occasion ­ as well as a contingent of Dutch and Spanish vet­ erans. Also marching were Legion members and friends as part of an international event. The British Legion website has details of Remembrance Services and branches in the area where poppies are available for sale. www.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/spain­north

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Friday, October 25, 2013

DANCING QUEENS WHAT A CAT-CH!

Raquel Pena’s Sevillana dancers got into the swing of things when La Zenia Boulevard put on a weekend event to highlight breast cancer awareness.

Throughout the two day entertainment extravagan­ za, the dancing queen’s Flamenco for All dancers and a galaxy of other per­ formers wooed and wowed a rolling audience of thou­ sands. Last weekend’s occasion came through a fundraising partnership between Maria and the Pink Ladies and the shopping mall’s management team to commemorate International

Breast Cancer Awareness Day. An impressive sum of over 4100 Euros was raised for the AECC early detection programme. A big highlight of the weekend saw 1600 helium filled pink balloons being released on Saturday

evening to the strains of Nessun Dorma sung by Paul Michael, with many of the balloons having a personal message attached to them in remembrance of a loved one who had lost their fight against cancer.

TAXI BARRIER

A new barrier will be put in at Alicante­Elche airport to make life harder for unautho­ rised taxi drivers and compa­ nies. Elche council and the airport authority, AENA, are to install the equipment which will only open for taxis who have a special barcode print­ ed on their license which allows them to operate direct­ ly out of the airport. More ran­ dom inspections will be carried out on the nearby roads by the Guardia Civil, to help pacify the Elche­based drivers who have been angry that not enough has been done to stop com­ panies from other areas illegally muscling in on their territory.

Pay per prayer

Locals in Beniparrell in Valencia are up in arms after their priest told them that he won’t pray for the dead dur­ ing mass unless they cough up some money. Shocked parishioners heard the cleric tell them directly from his pulpit that he wants help for maintaining the cemetery and he wants hard cash.

In what people have called a 'lack of respect', the parish priest of Beniparrell is

demanding money that 'churches never normally ask for' and which families cannot afford. He has even gone as far as pinning up a notice outside the church of Santa Bárbara and the cemetery saying those who do not pay their annual tax on their relatives' graves – between 10 and 15 Euros – will not have any prayers said for them until they do.

Next week’s All Saints'

BETTER ACCESS

Day on November 1st, marks an annual tradition in Spain where those left behind pray for their depart­ ed family members and visit the cemetery to tidy up their graves and lay flowers. But they will not get prayers ded­ icated to them in church that day if they still owe money.

Local mayors have been told to get their act together over improving disabled access to existing and new walkways. The President of La Fundación Accede (Access Foundation) told council bosses at a meet­ ing in Torrevieja’s Hotel Cabo Cervera that getting things right would be a big boost to tourism. The gathering was also addressed by a Malaga councillor who explained the measures they took and the positive effect they had on his city. The Mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolon, attended the meeting along with his counterparts from Guardamar, Almoradi, and Rojales. Dolon pledged that new walk­ ways at El Acequión, Los Náufragos y Cala Ferris would be wheelchair­friendly.

GERMANY CALLING

Air Berlin is to launch four new routes over the winter season from Alicante­Elche air­ port. Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart and Zurich have been added to their winter portfolio, having successfully run services throughout the summer period. The company say they will be offering an extra 32 thousand seats compared to the previous winter, and that overall traffic for them over the last year via Alicante­Elche has gone up by 8%.

It was the catch of the day for a Liverpudlian man who netted a whopper of a catfish whilst on a Spanish fishing trip.

Bernie Campbell netted a 206 pound mon­ ster in the River Ebro near Barcelona, with the blighter stretching to 2 and half metres!

It’s said to be a world record for an albino wels catfish, with the previous best stand­ ing at 196 pounds last year.

Tenacious Bernie spent half an hour wrestling with the mammoth fish, nearly being pulled into the water several times.

But he finally caught his prize and despite injuring his shoulder in the gargantuan effort, was delighted with his success.

“When you pick up the rod, you can reel

in and it’s as if there’s nothing there until it’s about 40 yards from the bank – then it hits you”, said Bernie. “This one nearly pulled me in three or four times. You brace yourself and hope for the best. I’ve never caught an albino catfish and I was deter­ mined to get one this time. As it came in I saw it was an albino, then I looked again and my son Gary said to me ‘it’s mas­ sive!’.”

The group tried to pose for the traditional standing picture but the monster fish was too heavy to hold. So they sat down with it and quickly took a few snaps, checked the weight and then put it back into the water safe and sound.

WATCH THE WEEVIL

2 parked cars in an Elche street got a shock this week when a palm tree infected by red weevil collapsed on them. The incident on Avda.

San Vicente Ferrer surprised local officials who said that they carried out a monthly check on all of the palms in the area, but would immedi­ ately carry out a fresh inspection.

BINNED

Ex­Torrevieja Mayor, Pedro Hernández Mateo is set to start a 3 year prison stretch. That’s after the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal against a Valencian High Court ruling which found him guilty of corruption over a 2004 rubbish col­ lection contract worth just under 100 million Euros. The Court also upheld his 9 year ban from holding any elected public office. It’s unclear yet whether Hernández Mateo will seek a Government pardon, with no starting jail date set.

HOLA EVERYBODY

Spain has seen more than 2 million extra tourists so far this year, according to official government figures. Up to the end of September, Spain welcomed over 48.8 million internation­ al visitors, which is up by 4.6% on the same period last year.

Visitors from the UK and Scandinavia were the main reasons behind the growth. The Costa Blanca region saw a rise of over 8% in foreign tourists between June and September, compared to the same time in 2012

KEEP IT DOWN Spain’s traffic department has spent a million Euros on 16 new speed cameras – both mobile ones and radars fitted inside vehicles. DGT’s boss, María Seguí says most of the fitted speed cameras on Spanish roads are 'obsolete', and the majority are on motorways, which is not where most fatal accidents occur. They want to install mobile speed cameras on minor roads, where the lion's share of death­crashes happen. Last year alone, speeding on N­ roads, or single­carriageway

inter­provincial highways, and the much smaller regional roads was respon­ sible for 60 % of the coun­ try’s 1,144 traffic deaths.

HALLOWEEN FUN Torrevieja ‘s Youth Association and La Sal de Torrevieja are staging a Halloween parade this Thursday night, starting at 9.30pm in the Plaza de la Constitution, routing its way around the city, before fin­ ishing on the Paseo de Vista Alegre. Proceeds from the night will go to the Food Solidarity charity.

KNEE TREMBLER An earth tremor centred on San Miguel de Salinas was felt on Monday morning around Torrevieja and Los Montesinos. It measured 2.2 on the Richter Scale, and struck at 9.48 am.

LEARN THE LINGO Pilar de la Horadada is launching a series of English lessons next month aimed at the area’s shop owners and service staff.

The 8 hour long sessions are aimed at improving cus­ tomer service.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Banking on details British ex­pats in Spain may need to have their international bank account details ready to hand if they’re contacted by the UK Department of Work and Pensions. As from January next year, the DWP will need an International Bank Account Number (IBAN) and Bank Identification Code (BIC) in order to make payments to expatriates’ accounts in Spain and other Eurozone countries. This change is due to new European Union reg­ ulations which aim to make payments between EU countries faster and more secure.

The DWP already holds IBAN and BIC details for most of its customers, but ex­ pats whose details are not yet held by the DWP will soon get a letter asking for them.

Bank customers will not be asked to pro­ vide any further details of their accounts, such as passwords, since it is only the IBAN and BIC details that are needed If you receive a letter, then you should complete the attached form and return it to the DWP as soon as possible. Failure to do so may mean payments being stopped because after January 31st 2014, banks in Eurozone countries will not accept any DWP direct payments without these details. Expats only need to provide addi­ tional bank details if they receive pay­ ments into a Eurozone account outside the United Kingdom and have received a letter from the DWP. Those whose pension or benefit is paid into a UK account are unaf­ fected by this change in EU regulations.

STAYING MUM

A cocaine drug distributor who used young children as look outs has been arrested by the National Police. The arrested woman from Elda in Alicante Province allegedly used her young chil­ dren to keep an eye out for her close to their home as well as in her block for peo­ ple who were getting suspicious about her activities. The house had been raided last year with agents intercepting drug deals that were being carried out in front of children.

UP YOURS

Spanish voters would give all politicians the finger if a general election were to be held now. A survey says that over half of the

voters would stay at home due to their low opinion of the political parties. The think tank, Simple Lógica, found that only 48% of registered voters would take part in the next election in 2015, easily being the biggest abstention figure since the return of democ­ racy in the 70’s.

Four people including two 15­year­olds have been arrested after an 'erotic' video of one of their classmates was spread around the internet via the free text­mes­ saging application, WhatsApp. Police heard that the victim, a 15 year old girl from the Valencia area, knowingly sent a video of herself in compromising posi­ tions to a boy of the same age, said to be a friend, although it is not known whether he was her boyfriend.

He then uploaded it onto social network sites and passed it on to several other people, including the three teenagers – two of whom are aged at least 18 and the other aged 15 – all of whom have been taken in for questioning and face charges which could lead to a custodial sentence.

They were caught after the girl's mother found out that a video of her daughter in sexual poses was making its way round cyberspace via WhatsApp.

Spanish judges have ordered the release of a convicted Basque militant, after the European Court of Human Rights ruled against her continued detention. Ines del Rio, of the separatist group Eta, has been serving a 30­year sentence for bomb attacks in the 1980s.

The High Court backed the ruling of a Strasbourg court on Monday against Spanish laws that denied her right to earn remission through prison work. Spain says dozens of Eta prisoners could now be eligi­ ble for release.

Monday's Strasbourg ruling "gives us no choice", concluded a prosecutors' report at the High Court requesting Del Rio's immedi­ ate release. The penal chamber subse­ quently ordered her immediate release.

Groups representing victims of Eta's bloody four­decade campaign for independence for regions of northern Spain and south­west France denounced the Strasbourg ruling in protests on Monday, while supporters of the prisoners held marches in favour.

Eta declared an end to its armed cam­ paign in 2011.

WHAT’S APP KIDS?

MILITANT FREED

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Friday, October 25, 2013

editor@thecourier.es COURIER POSTBAG: YOUR VIEWS ON OUR NEWS

No say but always pay IT's amazing how the rubbish in the streets has woken the costal residents up to the fact that we are always short changed by the administration in Orihuela.

The minority government is strug­ gling to make the money go round and we on the coast are the losers.

They are spending the money on projects in Orihuela and the surround­ ing villages in the hope that they will get re­elected.

There is no need for the government to take the coast into consideration as

A Deutsche treat with Francisco...

we have no representation. Which is in part the fault of residents not bother­ ing to vote in the local elections and the press not even bothering to have someone present when the plenary meetings are being held.

So people on the coast are not aware what gets decided in Orihuela.

Is it not about time that we get going and take notice as it affects all our lives from young to old.

A COSTAL RESIDENT (Details sup­ plied)

RE ‘Frustrated Fiona’s’ comments on banks, in September 2009 my husband and I also became very frustrated when Bank Inter wanted to charge us €40 per month to run the account!

That was to receive our incoming pensions in one transaction from Currencies Direct and to pay our util­ ities by direct debit.

A young lady in the Torrevieja branch was very sorry BUT they did not make enough money from us!

They had handled ALL our incoming monies, house, car etc as well as our regular monthly income since 2006. So we set out to do a survey of all the banks in Quesada ­ and Deutsche Bank came in first with fly­ ing colours.

We moved the account to DB and have no regrets.

It was a very smooth tran­ sition with the help of Francisco Garcia Garcia (Tel: 966718036, email Francisco.Garcia­Garcia @db.com JANINE WILLIAMS, Quesada

THERE’S NO COPPING THE AIRPORT ROBBERS

A point of order on flu jabs...

I HAD my hand luggage snatched out of my trolley at Alicante airport recently whilst I was standing right next to it.

The two thieves parked at the bus stop to Benidorm ­ top floor of the airport ­ and one got out to buy a cola, leaving the car door open.

He walked past me to the cola machine and obviously watched as I was discussing bus times. I had good hold of my handbag, but couldn’t hold the hand luggage as well. He just ran past me, snatched the bag and jumped into the waiting car which sped off.

Obviously I reported this to the Policia Nacional at the airport, who told me these guys are known to them and this isn't the first time it's happened. So why on earth aren't they up on the top floor, patrolling instead of sitting ­ at least four of them ­ in the office downstairs?!

I had some treasured things in the bag and some jewellery, but my insurers here in Spain ­ Linea Directa ­ tell me that I'm not covered to claim for anything under my household policy. Apparently as this is such a common occurrence, no insurance companies will cover this type of theft.

I'm not naive, but sometimes I really dislike this country...

JEAN A (via website) WITH reference to the article ‘Oh Harry, what have you done’ (Issue 139), I would like to point out that as far as I am aware all pro­ ceeds from the book go to The Bobby Moore Trust and not to make Harry more ‘apparent­ ly unnecessary cash’, as you put it.

If I am wrong, please tell me so ­ but if I am correct, then I feel some sort of comment in print would be appropriate. Yours in good faith.

JOHN BILTON

One that didn’t get away: The Guardia got their man on this occasion

Harry the Trust-worthy q

Our football correspondent JOHN McGREGOR replies: Football is all about opinions, and I'm not anti­Harry Redknapp, I just think he's misguided about a few things and perhaps badly advised, especially about money. But as you say he is donating money

to the Bobby Moore Cancer Fund, which is a great thing to do for his old friend, one to whom our nation owes a lot in terms of digni­ ty, respect and not just for his footballing ability. I think Harry could perhaps do with one or two of those qualities sometimes.

IN Edition 139 (October 18), you published two articles concerning flu jabs.

On the front page was Alex Trelinski’s ‘Get the needle ­ life saving flu jabs available’ while on Page 22 you had a controversial article by Dr Machi M head­ lined ‘Who needs the flu jabs?’

In a democratic country, everybody can write what they want, but in this case ­ human health ­ it should not be permitted to con­ fuse public opinion.

The health authority is advertising flu vaccination.

On the other side, Dr Machi is warning readers that flu vaccine is a poison. I do not think that it is correct.

STANLEY JANYK, Orihuela Costa

The goods, the van and the ugly THE following is a warning to anyone who may have sold up or are moving house to beware of a scam i have been subjected to recently.

Having (finally) sold up in Catral I con­ tacted a removal company to transport my goods back to England. After a home visit I was given an estimate which turned out to be ridiculously low. On loading their wagon it cost exactly twice as much.

To identify the goods in transit, the firm number each item and place a "sticker" on same. After the van had been loaded I was presented with a form to sign for the number

of items in the vehicle. On doing so I saw that the carriage of alcohol, firearms or tobacco was not allowed.

I informed the ‘foreman’ that there was indeed some cigarettes and alcohol on board. Rather than unload the vehicle, he said: “Well, you will have to take a chance ­ the customs may get it’’. I had actually writ­ ten on the box that there was cigarettes and alcohol inside.

Apparently the van unloaded at the local depot, and reloaded onto a larger vehicle for England. A good point I would have thought to return my goods and negate any risk to

the company.

Three weeks later, my goods arrived in England minus the cigarettes and alcohol and I was given two stickers and told the customs had ‘seized’ the goods! On check­ ing with the customs in order to pay the full price and receive my goods, I was told that I needed to provide details of the seizure from the ‘Notice of Seizure’ which would have been issued to the driver/agent at the time.

Needless to say, a notice has never been found despite numerous calls to the firm and I’m left £500 lighter.

Had the company informed at the outset

and returned my ‘illegal’ goods at the first opportunity the problems would never have arisen Indeed, the firm have the gall to tell me their vehicle is now on a blacklist because the goods were found when it was X­rayed.

Which is rather strange as there were actu­ ally two other boxes (unmarked) with spirits we had collected over the years.

My message is, beware who you hire. I doubt if this is the first time this has hap­ pened and won't be the last.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, Cheshire (ex Catral)

Friday, October 25, 2013

I’VE never been a good judge of anything, so it was with some trep­ idation that I agreed last week to help find the winner of a Food Tasting contest in Quesada.

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JUDGE DREAD

I was one of those who picked out what proved to be the winning dish – a tasty chick­ en curry – and no one was more surprised than old grumps herself.

Mind you, there were only two entries ­ and I almost chose the other one because the curry was awash with onions, the odious vegetable I wish nature had never invented.

If I’d known I was guaranteed third prize, I’d have entered the contest myself. I make a mean scrambled eggs on toast with a subtle baked­bean garnish VOTING TIME: I could – and my Welsh rarebit is some­ have won third prize thing to die for. Or should that be to die from? No, make that to Dai from...

In my youth, I used to think I had another great talent in addi­ tion to being able to spell verbal diarrhoea as well as speak it.

As a teenage reporter in South Wales, I wrote a weekly pop music column in which I waxed lyrical on the Top 10, the teenagers’ gospel. Among the Pontypridd Observer’s readers were five enthusiastic musicians who called themselves The Senators. The group’s Tommy (real name Woodward) was a Welsh founder, bass guitarist Vernon Hopkins, version of the Fonz ­ jeans, winkle­pickers, a worked at the Observer as a compositor and likeable layabout. He also had a brilliant voice it was big news locally when he recruited and when exiled singer­songwriter Gordon charismatic local lad Tommy Scott as lead Mills came home to the Rhondda looking for talent, he was bowled over by Scott’s act. singer.

I thought Tommy’s disc was doomed - and it turned him into a superstar!

Off went the boy from nowhere and his backing group to London with a recording contract and a name change enforced by the fact that there was already a Tommy Scott the circuit.

Gordon, inspired by the hugely popular period movie of the same name, opted for Tom Jones.

The embryo superstar flitted between London and Treforest, where wife Melinda and son Mark continued to live in the basement of mother­in­law Vi’s terraced house.

His first single, Chills and Fever, was released with little impact and during one of his trips home he invited me to nip down and hear a preview of his new single written by manager Mills and Les Reed.

I duly arrived at 3 Cliff Terrace and stamped

on the grill in the pavement outside. If you wanted Vi, the routine was to knocked on the front door. For Tom or Melinda, you rattled the pavement grill.

Minutes later I was sitting in their living room listening intently to the demo disc of a song his manager Mills had written with Les Reed and thinking to myself: ‘That’s not going to make it. It’s too repetitive and doesn’t have enough melody.’

‘What do you think?’ asked Tom. ‘Brilliant!’

I lied. ‘I’m sure it’s going to be a big hit.’

A few weeks later, It’s Not Unusual topped the charts and Tom Jones was on his way to becoming an international legend.

I headed for London soon after and didn’t do too badly career­wise. But I never did get a call from the New Musical Express or Melody Maker.

Why? You be the judge.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

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10

Friday, October 25, 2013

SPIRITED AWAY

I arrived at the pub the other evening and was sur­ prised to find Dave the bar­ man leaning against the back of the bar, squinting up at the optics.

'Hello, Dave,' I said. 'Hello, Dave,' he said. Because we see each other every day, there wasn't much left for either of us to say. But then again, close friends don't need to be conversing all the time. On the other hand, however, questions some­ times need to be asked.

'So why are you leaning against the back of the bar, eyeing up the optics?' I inquired.

'Don't ask,' replied Dave the barman. So once again there was nothing much left for either of us to say. And then the other members of the hostelry's discussion group piled into the pub and soon the room was alive with the sound of speaking.

'What's up with Dave the barman?' asked Indoor Lou. 'He's usually leaning across

the bar, demanding that we buy drinks. Why is he just standing there, peering up at the optics?'

'Maybe he's done his back in,' suggested Ol' Red Eyes. 'Hey, Dave, I've got a good cure for a bad back.

Just lie on the floor and relax. Here, I'll show you.'

Ol' Red Eyes got down on all fours, rolled over onto his back, and with arms and legs still up in the air, instantly fell asleep.

'So what now?' asked Indoor Lou. 'Shall we help our­ selves to drinks and think about paying for them when Dave the barman emerges from whatever state of somnolence he's got himself into?'

There was a cho­ rus of approval from the pub's clientele

and a shuffling of feet as sev­ eral thirsty folk approached the bar.

'The first one over that counter gets bawled out and

then barred,' growled Dave the barman without taking his eyes off the optics.

Ol' Red Eyes lifted his head from the floor, yawned and said: 'A drink on the house would have been nice.'

Dave the barman snorted. 'If I were ever to offer you a free drink, Ol' Red Eyes, you'd be off that floor and onto a stool like a rat up a whatsit.'

'A drainpipe?' sug­ gested Ol' Red Eyes.

'No, definitely a rat,' said Dave the bar­ man.

At that point, Daft Barry entered the pub. 'Hi, guys. Sorry I'm late but I was tak­ ing a shower. I must confess I much prefer a shower to a bath. I haven't taken a bath in years. Come to think of it, I've not taken a shower in

years either. Anyway, why is Dave the barman squinting at those bottles hanging upside down behind the bar?'

'Nothing personal,' said Dave the barman, 'but I will not answer any of you until I discover which one is the thief! Yes, that's right. There is a criminal amongst you.

Someone has been creeping behind the bar when I've had my back turned and stolen spirits from my optics.

'I know this,' he went on, 'because every night I mark the level of the booze in the bottles with a pencil line. But when I reopen the next morn­ ing, the alcohol level has dropped and my pencil mark has been rubbed out and redrawn at the new level.

Clever but not clever enough. Nothing gets past me. I just need to find the cul­ prit now.'

Two hours later and Dave the barman was still no near­ er unmasking the booze thief. Daft Barry was ruled out because he wasn't sure

how to use a pencil. Ol' Red Eyes was likewise in the clear because he couldn't reach the optics from the floor, even with a very long pencil.

Indoor Lou was exonerat­ ed because he was the san­ est among us and we equat­ ed sanity with trustworthi­ ness. Besides, he only had a fountain pen.

Every other pub customer passed Dave the barman's interrogation and mein host looked positively negative.

And then a light bulb lit up in his head.

'Got it!' Dave exclaimed.

'There's that salesman guy who's on the road all day flogging stationery ­­ you know, pencils and erasers and the like. He can't get here before closing time so that's why I've given him a door key.

'I'll stay late and grab the salesman as he comes in.

You never know, he might be able to work out who the thief is.'

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Friday, October 25, 2013

SAY IT IN SPANISH Learn the lingo - with a little help from JEANETTE ERATH Spanish 94

specific preterite.

So now we know when to use the tenses let´s see how to ¡Hola! I hope you´ve had a good week and you conjugate them, the easiest part of the imperfect tense is that have learnt and remembered the preterite tense there are only three verbs that are imperfect, and we´ll get to and when to use it, as this week we are moving them a bit later: To form –ar verbs in the imperfect take off on the other Spanish past tense which is the the –ar and add: ­aba, ­abas, ­aba, ­ábamos, ­abais, ­aban Imperfect Tense.

Example: Hablar : hablaba, hablabas, hablaba, First we need to know when to use this tense, as mentioned it relates to past actions, and differs from the preterite because it relates to actions that occurred over a long period of time or that happened again and again. The Imperfect tense differs from the preterite in that it is non­specific, it happened a lot of times for example or for a long time, where it wouldn´t be practical to ask the preterite questions of ´for how long´ or ´when´ an action took place.

In these following sentences the timescale is not clear and so the sentences are in the imperfect tense: I used to work in London, She always had chips with her dinner, we enjoyed parties. It is not practical in these sentences to ask how long for or when they occurred. It is the addition of certain words that changes the sentence from the preterite to the imper­ fect. Consider the first sentence, ´used to´ means it happened over a long period of time which, in this I used to live in New York ­ Antes vivía en Nueva York case, is irrelevant, to put the sentence in the preterite we would say ´I worked in London for twelve years´ for exam­ hablábamos, hablabais, hablaban ple. In the second sentence ´always´ means it happened To form –er and –ir verbs drop the ending and add: many times and it would be almost impossible to work out or ­ía, ­ías, ­ía, ­íamos, ­íais, ­ían know how many, and in the third sentence we are talking Example: Comer : comía, comías, comía, comíamos, about parties in general that we used to like going to, there­ comíais, comían fore again there is no way of knowing how many parties or Vivir : vivía, vivías, vivía, vivíamos, vivíais, vivían when they were.

Remember the Imperfect tense is in general rather than the Note the 1st and 3rd person singular endings are the same,

it should be noted by the context of the sentence who is being talked about, however to avoid any uncertainty it is always possible to add the subject (yo/él/ella) to the sen­ tence.

Irregular verbs in the Imperfect So, which are those three verbs that we have to learn sepa­ rately? I am sure you could name at least two of them as they are: ser, ir and ver.

Here is how they are conjugated into the Imperfect tense: Ser: yo era, tú eras, él/ella era, nosotros éramos, vosotros erais, ellos/ellas eran Ir: yo iba, tú ibas, él/ella iba, nosotros íbamos, vosotros ibais, ellos/ellas iban Ver: yo veía, tú veías, él/ella veía, nosotros veíamos, vosotros veíais, ellos/ellas veían Again note that the first and third person singulars are identical.

In English when we are referring to a sentence which would be in the Spanish imperfect we may use the phrase ´used to´ for example, I used to live in London, so when thinking whether to conjugate to the imperfect think about whether in English you could say ´used to´, if the answer is yes then it is definitely in the imperfect tense.

Here are some sentences for you to translate into the imper­ fect tense: I used to work in New York, I rode a bicycle, I lived in an apartment in Manchester, I used to read a lot of books, we had a big house in the country, my partner called me every night, they used to eat in expensive restaurants, I saw her every day, I was a doctor, I used to go to school on the bus, I used to have a dog, I studied in Madrid.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

DAISY AND HER

Last week we rescued a tiny mixed breed mother and her two tiny puppies. Daisy was found on the streets of Lorca, heavily pregnant and she gave birth to two little girls, who we have named Ivy and Poppy, and all three are now looking for forever homes.Daisy is a wonderful devoted little dog who will become the best friend you have ever had. She is very small and I would estimate she is around four years old.

GIRLS

They are now all used to other dogs and cats. If you would like to offer Daisy or her two little girls a forever home you can contact me on the details below or you can call me on 664 709 758.

I am available for consultations throughout the Costa Blanca region, if you are having problems with your furry best friend. To book a consultation you can E­mail me at peter@thedogyouneed.com and I will contact you straight away. We can also look after your dogs while you are away, so please contact us for details. We have also set up an ani­ mal charity, where we help the most severely abused and injured animals in Spain. If you would be kind enough to donate anything to this

Ivy and Poppy

Daisy Her two daughters are little bundles of fun and are very small in size. Poppy has a tail but Ivy was born with no tail. They look like little hamsters when they run around the garden!

When Billy met Poppy

special cause you can do by PayPal, where the account details are peter@thedogyouneed.com or to our Nat West charity account, where the sort code is 60­16­03 and the account number is 73754900. Even one Euro will help, so please, please, try and support us. Every penny counts, many thanks.

PETS’ CORNER: CAN YOU TAKE IN A HOMELESS DOG OR CAT? BUTCH is a 9 year old Collie cross who came into our care in August. His coat was very matted and required a severe haircut, as you can see from the photo. Butch is a very placid boy, loves to go for a walk and walks well on the lead; He is fully vac­ cinated, micro chipped and castrated. For more info ple­ ase call 966 710 047, email info@satanimalrescue.com www.satanimalrescue.com

Amanda is a 5 year old German Shepherd, we res­ cued her and had her Leishmaniasis treated and she is now ready for a home, all she needs now is a tablet a day. She is good with other dogs and very affectionate.

Call. 645 469 253 www.pet­ sinspain.com

Amanda

Butch Mac is a 9 month old Podenco cross and looking for a new home. He is chip­ ped, vaccinated, has his passport and good with other dogs. Call: 645 469 253 www.petsinspain.com

Mac

Dani is a gentle soul, he was found wandering in the campo, he is thought to be anywhere between 12­ 18months, he is obedient gentle, loving and he likes to play and loves to be with people. If you can offer this super dog a home please call 650 304 746 or email: p.e.p.a.animalcharity@gmail .com

Tabatha has been found wandering about 3 weeks ago now. She is a mixed breed dog about 1yr that is very sweet and gets on with other dogs. Can anyone offer her a home or foster care, this is very urgent, as she cannot stay where she is. Please call on 650 304 746 or Email: p.e.p.a.animal­ charity@gmail.com

Dani

Tabatha

This little puppy was found abandoned at just 2 1/2 months in age. Not a good start in life. She has been rescued and we are looking for a permanent or a foster home for her. Contact 616655789 for more details www.catsndogsaid.com

Leroy was found wandering around the streets of San Miguel.

He is a young German Shepherd full of love for everyone. He has just been neutered and is now looking forward to making good friends with his forever home. Eleanor 610188349.

Leroy

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Friday, October 25, 2013

WHY LISA’S DEATH CHILLED ME Whose responsibility is it? Who shoulders the ine the terror in her head. I can feel her heart beating faster responsibility? Is it you? Is it him? Is it them? and faster as she fears for her life, and as the hope disap­

Sitting in my new house, relaxed and comfortable, with a cup of coffee by my side, I begin to read the news online. I’m well aware that the reports are, for the majority of the time, not good. There is death, injury and pain in almost every story, but then I come across a report that sends a chill through my body. I am used to seeing death; as a police officer it was sadly something I had to come to deal with, where I created a mechanism to cope with the pain and suffering of loved ones. I dealt with suicides, accidents and natural deaths all too regularly, but this event touched me more than should be possible.

It was a story about a Canadian woman in Australia who was allegedly murdered by her controlling fiancé. There is a video of her last moments, captured on a camera apparently set up by the partner to watch her every move. If he did kill this poor woman, then I hope this control will be his undoing.

Of course I dealt with domestic violence as a police officer.

It’s nothing new to me, and usually when I read such stories the impact isn´t as great as it has been this time. So, why is the death of Lisa Harnum having such a profound effect on me?

As I look at the video stills of a man clasping his hand tight­ ly around her face and over her mouth, I can begin to imag­

pears, crying out for help that was never to come. You see, the man accused of her murder is said to have lifted her over a balcony rail 15 storeys up and dropped her over the edge, 150 feet, to her death.

This woman suffered at his hands for a long time before her death at the age of just 30. Lisa was not allowed out of her home, and if she did venture outdoors with her fiancé, she would stare at the ground or at him for fear of being accused of looking at other men. Her fiancé arranged for a personal trainer to come to her house rather than allow her to go to a gym and he would regularly threaten her. When she finally plucked up the courage to tell him she was leav­ ing, she ended up dead on a cold stone floor.

As I mentioned, I am no stranger to domestic violence, and those of you who read my column regularly will know that I´m a violence survivor, however I can normally read these sto­ ries without my blood running cold as it did with Lisa´s tale.

So, why does my heart jump with fear when I read about this woman´s death more than others?

The thing is, I was Lisa, but for a stroke of luck I didn´t end up being thrown off a balcony, although at the time of my last attack I had the same fear; that same heart stopping moment that my life could in all reality end right here, right now. On that dark night as my body was being thrown around, my

head banging off walls, my hair being pulled out and the sound of my heart filling my ears, I had the dread that I was going to be pushed backwards and flung over the railings to the unforgiving hard floor below. For some rea­ son I was saved that night, thanks to my fight and a neighbour calling over to see if I wanted the police. I managed to free myself of my tormentor who is now on the other side of the world and I live in hope that I never have to see him again, but unfortunately Lisa wasn´t so lucky. I could have so easily been a headline in a paper such as this, just to be forgotten in time.

But what of my original question? Who? Who should be the one to report domestic violence, whether against a man or woman, whether partners, parents or children? My only answer to that is that it´s so hard to get out of an abusive relationship, where the abused becomes taken over by the abuser and even the strongest person can become a casual­ ty of this crime. Just look around you. I will continue to write about domestic violence because, sadly, it will never go away, and I will continue to remind you to please do some­ thing. If someone you know is being tormented, then do something about it. They will thank you in the end, but in any case, isn´t it better to lose a friend through their immediate anger than have to say goodbye forever?

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Friday, October 25, 2013

WELL MEANING WELBY’S NAIVETY

I think the still relatively new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is a decent guy as well as being a vast improvement on his predecessor, Rowan Williams, who always seemed to have plenty to say against the current government, yet was strangely mute when Brown and Blair were in charge.

Welby had a real life before becoming the big cheese in the Church of England, including being an oil company executive, so I found his remarks especially entertaining over the recent energy price rises announced in the UK. He urged companies like British Gas to act with “generosity rather than maximising prof­

it”.

I’m sure, of course, that Justin Welby did that all the time when working in the energy sector, waving a tam­ bourine in the air and shout­ ing hallelujah and praising the good Lord, whilst keep­ ing profits and dividends down to a minimum for his bosses! Oh Justin, how naive you are! The whole point of the energy compa­ nies is to make as large a profit as they possible can, and they couldn’t give a mil­ lion “Our Father’s” about social responsibility. That’s not their job, and that stopped being the case when the Thatcher govern­ ment privatised them back in the eighties. There’s no point now arguing the toss over whether that should or

should not have happened.

The reality these days is that absolutely nothing can be done about the cartel and cabal of companies that carry out the annual UK autumnal ritual of hiking up prices before the winter, and then shaving a small per­ centage off them after the annual cold snap.

I don’t blame the compa­ nies at all, but successive governments who have let them get away with it. All we were left with politically was the sight of Energy secretary Ed Davey laying into the likes of British Gas, accom­ panied by squeals from David Cameron and Ed Miliband. Labour‘s move to fix prices for 20 months if Labour come to power in 2015, is eye catching but it’s

just a gimmick. It doesn’t tackle the issue of social responsibility for the energy companies, and then what happens after the 20 months is finished? And a simple les­ son in economics: ­ Price fix­ ing never works, because you have to find the money for it from somewhere else.

And let’s not be silly and assume that if the gas and electricity companies had stayed publicly owned, that UK tariffs would have been dramatically lower compared to what we have now. I’d guess that the prices would have been higher and there would have been far less investment in the industry if some politicians and civil servants had their grub­ by paws on it all. As for Justin Welby, he does

at least have some time on his hands to pray for some divine inter­ vention, b e c a u s e that’s the only way the energy firms will change their behaviour!

16

Tony

Friday, October 25, 2013

Mayes

HE ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT

SPONGERS MILK THE SYSTEM

What do you do with a woman who has produced a football team of 11 kids and, as a result, is able to claim benefits which com­ pares with the income of a working person earning £60,000?

Two council houses are being knocked into one to house the family, which is costing the state a small for­ tune. What would you do with a couple with 6 children who live entirely on benefits because neither of them has worked since the birth of their first child in 2005? The cou­ ple, Maggie and Gavin Fisher get £27,000 in benefits each year and have just moved into a £150,000 council home. She has written on social media sites that work­ ing was a "mug's game" and added: "Why work when I can legally take your hard­ earned money and you can't say s*** to me." These cases and others rightly make peo­ ple's blood boil. Just imagine what a mess the country would be in if just a quarter of the population were as irre­ sponsible as these. It's Britain's crazy benefits sys­ tem which has caused all this madness, and I for one would like to see the UK political parties focus on this matter thoroughly in their manifestos for the coming election. I would like to see exactly what each would do to put an end to this selfish sponging, and it should not be mere talk. It should be a firm and decisive commit­ ment to act from day one after we go to the polls. And what would you do with these "professional" benefit claimants?

Britain’s trade unions must be feeling very pleased with themselves ­ knowing that they have dam­ aged the UK economy to the

q

tune of £400million since the Coalition came into power in 2010.

Strikes and stoppages have lost two million working days from the economy. Just imagine what Britain could have done with £400million ­ it could have saved lives in the NHS, provided money for cash­strapped care home provision, improved facilities in schools, and dealt with a few thousand potholes!

Instead wretched Lefties have wreaked their havoc, persuading workers in the public sector that somehow they should be exempt from the trials and tribulations which have hit people work­ ing in the private sector since the start of the economic downturn. Teachers, postal workers, police and firemen all seem to think they have a God­given right to their gen­ erous pay, pensions and working conditions which are often far better than the equivalent in the private sec­ tor ­ and, what makes it worse, are paid for by people

who are actually working to make the stuff and provide the services which drive the economy forward. As for teachers moaning over reforms which would create performance related pay, what the hell is the matter with them? Are they so naive that they think they all should be paid the same regardless of how good or bad they are at their jobs? For goodness sake, go back to your class­ rooms and learn a few facts of life! Yes, public sector workers should be paid as well as anyone else, but should not have preferential treatment ­ simply because they have bolshy, bloody­ minded union leaders more often than not working on a political agenda ­ trying to inflict as much damage to a Conservative­led govern­ ment as they possibly can.

They also know the public sector bosses are more likely to be soft touches when it comes to pay negotiations.

After all, it’s not private money, but public money that

is paying the bill, and council­ lors and MPs are notorious in spending other people's money, aren’t they? So, I applaud the Confederation of British Industry's call for union reform ­ to finish the job which Maggie Thatcher started. What a shame she didn't go the whole hog and sort trade unions out once and for all.

q

The CBI wants to make strikes illegal unless at least 40 per cent of the work­ force voted for it.

Sadly, at present, a simple majority of those actually vot­ ing can bring about an official strike ­ and that's crazy. If workers want to join a union they should take part in it and actually vote when it comes to important decisions ­ like striking. Many don't. That means you have perhaps a quarter of union members voting ­ and if half of them vote to strike then that's offi­ cial. It is literally the tail wag­ ging the dog. It's stupid, crazy, plays no part in mod­ ern industrial relations, is damaging to Britain, and plays right into the hands of political extremists. So, my answer to teachers, firemen and any other public worker who thinks they should get a better deal than those in the private sector ­ go to hell. It's about time you all got into the real world. If you don't like your pay, your pension or working conditions, then leave and get another job ­ if it's in the private sector you might be in for a rude awak­ ening. But, please don't con­ strue from all this that I'm on the side of employers, because I'm not ­ there are some appallingly bad, greedy bosses who are just as con­ temptible as some union leaders. So often we hear of bosses conspiring in their

board rooms to vote them­ selves ridiculous pay rises while at the same time doing their utmost to keep wage costs to the minimum.

Recent news stories about massive increases in the use of food banks in Britain high­ lights the huge division there is between the rich and poor, and some church groups say the UK is well on the way to creating the same class and pay divisions that there were in Victorian times. The num­ ber of food banks has spi­ ralled and it's true that many more people now know of their existence, which may explain some of the increased use of the banks.

But their very existence is a national disgrace and the Tories doing precious little to combat the divide between rich and poor and watching over, if not encouraging year after year of below inflation pay rises simply gives Miliband and Labour the ammunition to win votes at the next election.

In the news last week was Equalities Minister

q

Jo Swinson, who is seven months pregnant and was left standing during the PM's Question Time, because not one of her parliamentary col­ leagues gave up a seat for her. Would you give up your seat for a heavily pregnant woman? I know I would, because I come from that generation which was brought up to do just that, standing so that another, eld­ erly or frail person can sit.

Sadly, women have brought all this on themselves, claim­ ing that they are every bit as good if not better than men but they then can't have it both ways and expect men to wrap them up in cotton wool, open doors for them and carry their bags. It probably has contributed to a genera­ tion or two which displays absolute selfishness. How often do we see children and teenagers sitting on bus

seats and ignoring elderly passengers in the aisle cling­ ing on for grim death as the bus goes around the cor­ ners? But back to Jo Swinson ­ how many "mod­ ern" women would have actually accused a man offer­ ing her a seat as being sex­ ist? Because this is the mad­ ness we have got with socie­ ty being turned on its head.

Now here's a topic which will ignite the battle of the sexes.

Who looks after the environ­ ment more, men or women?

It's a debate which has been raging in the press. Women believe it's them ­ they cite that men own and use more gadgets, women are more likely to buy eco­friendly and organic goods from the supermarket and recycle more. A study found that despite women’s brains being 8% smaller than men’s, they use them in a far more efficient way. And this efficiency continues through to their energy consumption, so they say. They claim the female carbon footprint is smaller, as women make fewer journeys by car and plane for business and, on average, eat a lot less meat than their carnivorous coun­ terparts. So despite the female penchant to have every shade of shoe, frock, skirt and top and scarf going, their thoughts and actions are greener than the guys.

Men say women are general­ ly less energy efficient than they are as they have to fol­ low around them turning off lights and electric fires in empty rooms. One man said: "I tut in exasperation after she turns the shower on “to warm up” and leaves it run­ ning for five minutes before getting in. She’ll also leave her phone charging up for hours on end, a wasteful habit she shares with 54% of the population, according to recent research." What do I think? Well, who leaves the tap running constantly when cleaning her teeth; has to have twice as much wardrobe space than me; insists on using the dish­ washer and then runs a bowl of water for pots and pans because they can't all fit in?

When it gets colder, who puts the fires on rather than taking David Cameron's advice and put a jumper on? Global warming? Yup, blame it on the women!!

PS. I've just read this to her (to make sure she won't divorce me for writing it) and she reminds me who it is who keeps moaning about not putting the toilet seat down and shutting the toilet door!

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Friday, October 25, 2013

RICHARD CAVENDER

Bluemoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

BlueMoon Solutions is the computer and IT services com­ pany on the Costa Blanca, they provide quality computer services at realistic prices and specialise in working with home users and small businesses.

Richard moved to Spain seven years ago hav­ ing left his management background behind in the UK and decided to use his IT skills to help home users and small businesses with their PC problems. Now a relaxed 'computer man' he is out and about in the Spanish sun every day, making house and shop calls and using his vast experience and qualifications to (usually) sort out the problem there and then. Computers are his hobby as well as his work so don’t be surprised to get an answer to your email in the early hours!

ADVICE: Lynda wanted to know how she could back up ADVICE: Sue was fed up with having a poor ADSL Internet documents for a book that she was writing. connection.

Hi Richard ­ could I ask your advice? I am writ­ ing a book and feel I should save the docu­ ments (chapters) ­ a backup somewhere. I have a Mac computer. What do you advise me to do? Many thanks. Lynda

Q

Hi Lynda, yes there are a number of things that you can do, however I would recommend using an online service, something like DropBox (which works very well on Mac's as well as PC's), you can find out more about all of these types of services from the articles page on our website, specifi­ cally you can read an article about backing up at www.bluemoonsolutions.es/why­are­backups­important­and­what­do­i­need If you would like to try a free copy of DropBox with 2Gb of space then just go to the following link... https://db.tt/ZSvplToo ...and enter your details to download it.

Hope that helps.

A

ADVICE: Vic was getting an error message about connecting network drives when he started his computer

Q

Hi Richard can you help please I have a laptop with windows 7, bought a new Epson XP405 Wi­Fi printer set it up it print fine and prints from memory card OK, but when I start up my laptop I get an error message could not reconnect all net­ work drivers an error occurred while reconnecting Z to Epson C901E4 memory card network path was not found, if I turn on the printer before I start up the laptop I get no message but I may not want to use the printer all the time does this sound right to you. Thank you Vic.

A

Hi Vic, yes it sounds perfectly fine to me. All your computer is doing is looking for your printer’s memory card when it starts up, if it can’t find it (because your printer is not turned on for example) then it will give you that error message. Its fine, it’s not causing any damage or problems, it’s just informing you of a fact.

office@bluemoonsolutions.es www.bluemoonsolutions.es Mobile: 655 044 970

Office: 902 906 200

Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter @bluemoonspain Alternatively why don’t you sign up for my newsletter. You can do this by going to:­ www.bluemoonsolutions.es and fill in the form that is on any page except the front page.

Hi Richard. We have a problem and hope either you can answer it or you know “a man who can".

We have always had our internet supplied by Telefonica/ Movistar.

Because I have to work on line, live with Brussels, we decided to upgrade from our basic package of 3 to 10mbps. We have had now for four months and it is rubbish, actually worse than before! There are times when we have no connection at all (LAN or Wi­Fi), at other times it is very slow and just sometimes it is okay! We have been measuring the download speed and yesterday's aver­ age was 1.1 and today's 0.8!!! Sometimes we get to the dizzy heights of 8!

We called out a Telefonica technico, who checked everything out, supplied a new router etc. he said this was the best he could do as the problem did not belong to Telefonica, but was the fault of the very bad quality cabling on the urbanisation! He said that he thought that one of our neighbours had replaced their cabling at their own expense, but we cannot find anyone who has done this.

Our question is, is this a reasonable explanation? Or are we being fobbed off? If this the problem, then we need to replace our own cabling and/or go to the administration with the problem. Either way we need some professional advice.

Looking forward to hearing from you, Sue

Q

A

Hi Sue, I would tentatively agree with the diagnosis of the engineer in that the prob­ lem is your cabling (i.e. either the phone cabling within your house or the urbanisa­ tion cabling). The problem is that even if you replace all of your own cabling the problem could still be caused by the urbanisation cabling – you’re on a hide into

nothing.

How about moving providers to one of the wireless companies (in Gran Alacant you have either MegaVista, GranNet or Gran Alacant TV from what I remember), they will eliminate the need for you to rely on your phone cabling entirely by providing an Internet (and phone if you want it) service direct to an aerial on your roof – they then run the relevant cabling to take that signal to the computers in the rest of your house (therefore running new bespoke cables).

In terms of speed I think that they are, if not as fast, even faster, you can certainly get a reli­ able and fast connection with them.

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Friday, October 25, 2013

CHOLESTEROL FRIENDLY FOOD CINNAMON PORRIDGE WITH BANANA AND BERRIES Ingredients

100g porridge oats ½ tsp cinnamon, plus extra to serve 4 tsp demerara sugar 450ml skimmed milk 3 bananas, sliced 400g punnet straw­ berries, hulled and halved 150g pot fat­free natural yogurt

small bunch corian­ der, roughly chopped zest and juice 1 lime 1 red chilli, diced, deseeded if you like 4 tsp light soy sauce

Method

Method

1. In a medium­sized saucepan, mix the oats, cinnamon, sugar, milk and half the sliced bananas. Bring to the boil, stir­ ring occasionally. Turn down the heat and cook for 4­5 mins, stirring all the time.

2. Remove and divide between 4 bowls, top with the remain­ ing banana, strawberries, a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

ZINGY SALMON AND BROWN RICE SALAD Ingredients 200g brown basmati rice 200g frozen soya beans, defrosted 2 salmon fillets 1 cucumber, diced small bunch spring onions, sliced

1. Cook the rice fol­ lowing pack instruc­ tions and 3 mins before it’s done, add the soya beans. Drain and cool under cold running water.

2. Meanwhile, put the salmon on a plate, then microwave on High for 3 mins or until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, remove the skin with a fork, then flake.

3. Gently fold the cucumber, spring onions, coriander and salmon into the rice and beans. In a separate bowl, mix the lime zest and juice, chilli and soy, then pour over the rice before serving.

VEGETABLE & BEAN CHILLI Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, finely chopped thumb­sized piece ginger, finely chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 courgettes, diced 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 tbsp chilli powder 100g red lentils, washed and drained

1 tbsp tomato purée 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 195g can sweetcorn, drained 420g can butter beans, drained 400g can kidney beans in water, drained

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the garlic, ginger, onion, courgettes and peppers for about 5 mins until starting to soft­ en. Add the chilli powder and cook for 1 min more.

2. Stir in the lentils, tomato purée, tomatoes and 250ml water.

Bring to the boil and cook for 15­20 mins.

3. Add the sweetcorn and beans, and cook for a further 10 mins.

OPEN SANDWICHES - TOMATO, SARDINE AND ROCKET Ingredients A thick slice baguette 1 garlic clove 1 ripe tomato good­quality sar­ dines, from a can rocket

Method

1.Toast a thick slice of baguette.

Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over the surface.

2. Halve the tomato and squeeze and rub the flesh over the bread.

3. Top with the sardines and rocket.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Autumn Sale on Now! Spanish Government aims to break grip of auction mafia

Soraya Saénz de Santamaria

We are still basking in beautiful summer weather but the clocks are changing this weekend marking the beginning of darker evenings ahead. We have a large range of fully lined ready­made curtains direct from leading UK manu­ facturers. We have all types of curtains from plain faux silk to bold colourful flowers in a variety of quality fabrics!

We have all sizes, including extra­long 108 " (274cm) and both eyelet and pen­ cil pleat headers. Everything in our store is selected from current

Autumn/Winter 2013 ranges, ensuring we sell only the most up to date and in­ trend home textiles. We have an in store curtain eyeleting service so any pair of curtains we sell can be adapted and if required we also have a profes­ sional sewing service for any alter­ ations.

We are currently having an autumn sale to make way for new and exciting ranges in all home textile ranges, so why not come and see what we have to offer, we look forward to seeing you! See our ad below.

The time has come to break the grip the so­called subasteros have on the public auc­ tion business in Spain, says the Spanish Government. Vice­president Soraya Saénz de Santamaria has announced plans to cre­ ate a new online platform to auction fore­ closed homes and other assets, that anyone will be able to use once they are registered, bidding from “almost anywhere”.

Subasteros are members of a closed club who dominate public auctions, and are noto­ rious for the practises they use. They are suspected of rigging auctions in their favour, and intimidating outsiders to keep them away.

By scaring off outsiders, subasteros get to buy at lower prices, whilst vendors get a raw deal. Vendors are typically people who have had their homes repossessed and desper­ ately need to get the best price to minimise

the debts they have to pay off. It’s easy to see that subasteros are not a very pleasant bunch.

The new portal will be run by the same agency as the Official State Gazette, and the auction process will be “much more trans­ parent” says Saénz de Santamaria, who also points out that vendors will benefit from a bigger pool of buyers.

Once up and running buyers will only have to register once to get access to all auctions, which will reduce the cost of buying. It will be possible to bid “almost anytime, anywhere,” she said.

The previous Government, led by José Luis Zapatero, tried to introduce a similar portal in 2011, but despite much fanfair the portal never worked.

There were 72,000 properties sold at auc­ tion in 2012.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

5 Apartment Makeover Tips Spain’s golden Your apartment has a case of the "blahs" and it's time to freshen the place up! With a little time, a little effort, and (best of all) with very little money you can give your apart­ ment a nice little makeover that has a great big effect. You can make all these changes over the course of a weekend, and never put your lease at risk.

You CAN Put Color on Your Walls

"The place has no theme." Nothing changes the look and theme of an apartment better than changing the knobs on cabinets or dresser drawers, light switch plates and curtain rods. (And when the time comes for you to move out, you can take it all with you!)

handshake

Clutter Be Gone

"But I'm not allowed to paint." Living in an apartment may mean that you've signed a lease that doesn't allow you to paint the walls. Not a problem! Buy a length of tasteful yet inexpensive cloth from a sewing store and drape it from chic and classy hooks. Add pictures or paintings to finish the look.

Give Furniture a New Look

"There's no room here for everything." It's time to find a place for those things you said you'd find a place for last year. A space with no clutter has a chance to show off its lines. The general rule is: if you haven't touched it in three months (or forgot you even had it) throw it out. Remove or downsize the number of knickknacks, paintings or pictures, put them in a box and rotate them every other month. Less is definitely more!

"I would never use slipcovers." Grandma's slipcovers are a thing of the past. Now there are stylish slipcovers for living room furniture as well as for kitchen chairs that will give your dining area an elegant, sophisticated look. Check out slip­ covers in a variety of colors and patterns that will add just the panache you're looking for!

Grab a Screwdriver

By Michael Walsh

A mixed response follows the Spanish government’s decision to offer residency rights to wealthy non­EU property buyers. There was a fifty ­ fifty split in opinion after the Move Channel canvassed for reaction from property professionals.

The minimum purchase previously set at €160,000 was increased to €500,000. There are no restrictions. A villa can be commercially placed with tenants or the qualify­ ing investment could be spread over several properties.

Lay It on the Floor This may encourage co­operative investment or pur­ chase.

If so the fears of those sharing the views of Matt Oakley of Murcia Golf Properties would be dispelled. He says, “The initiative will have no effect. The price range is too high for the majority of buyers.”

A golden visa scheme could fuel rivalry between EU nations offering similar deals. Further inducements such as tax concessions have already been offered.

"It will be years before they change the carpet." The easi­ Stuart Markham of Costa Blanca based OP Group says. est change to make in an apartment is also the quickest! A “The Spanish government’s aim of opening its borders lovely area rug will pull a room together ­ and adding color to foreign investment is good news. We expect an coordinated rugs throughout the apartment will provide a increase in enquiries, mostly Russian and Chinese. lovely continuity throughout the entire living space, giving the Spain is first choice for several valid reasons apart from the sub­tropical climate. However, the absurdly high final touch to your makeover.

Congratulations! You just transformed your apartment €500,000 requirement could oblige investors to look at from "blah" to "Hoorah!" in five easy steps! Happy liv­ rival nations with a more affordable minimum invest­ ment limit.” ing!

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Background research before you buy property in Spain Many people rush from the first impulse to buy property in Spain to signing a purchase contract for a property.

Though this might result in a happy ending there is a high probability that it will lead to problems and regrets. It is much better to take your time and go about realising your ‘dream’ in a structured way. Here we look at sensible ways to approach the challenge of buying a property in Spain.

Doing the research

When one considers how expensive property is it a mys­ tery how little research many people do before they buy property in a foreign country like Spain. Background research before buying is time well spent and those that make the effort to do this will significantly increase their chances of a successful purchase. People who buy in a hurry without doing enough research are more likely to over­ pay and walk into the usual pitfalls with their eyes shut.

It is a good idea to start your research as early as possible and certainly before you visit Spain to view properties. Your research should continue throughout the time you are look­ ing to buy, though the focus will change from general back­ ground research to investigating specific issues as you pro­ ceed along the road to buying.

Background research is not a challenge that can be solved like a mathematical equation. There is no correct answer to prove. All you can do is try to get as clear an idea as possible of the issues you face so that you can take the best decisions. Nobody would deny that information empow­ ers people to make rational decisions, whilst making deci­ sions in the dark is a risky business.

Objectives

Broadly speaking your objectives in the process of back­ ground research are as follows: ­ To clarify the areas you wish to focus on. ­ To get a feel for the property market in the areas that interest you. ­ To identify the specific types of property best suited to your needs and budget.

­ To get a reasonable idea of what life is like in those areas (especially during the periods when you plan to use the property). ­ To identify any major risk factors when buying in Spain in general and in those areas in particular. ­ To identify individuals and companies that you might con­ sider dealing with during your purchase. ­ To help prepare a clear, written brief.

The methods you can use to achieve these objectives should include a blend of the following – all of them if possi­ ble.

Visiting Spain under your own steam

In the course of doing your research there is no substitute for visiting Spain under your own steam and spending time in the areas you are considering. Once again this might seem like a statement of the obvious but once again it is sur­ prising how few people do this.

Holidays are one way to get a feel for an area but they are not ideal and should not be used as the only basis for your research. Holidays tend to present too many distractions and may give you a distorted impression of the area, espe­ cially if you are planning to buy a permanent or semi­perma­

nent home. Therefore you should set aside time for a dedi­ cated visit with the specific intention of learning about the local property market and community. In this day and age of low cost travel the cost and effort of doing this is a small price to pay when you consider the size of the investment you are going to make.

The ideal way to research is to rent in the area for a few months before buying. If everyone were to do this there would be far fewer problems and regrets than is the case.

However this is often not practical, especially for people who are still working, in which case a week long ‘intelligence gathering’ visit is much better than no visit at all.

The purpose of the visit is to gather as much information as possible on property and life in the area (at different times of the year). You visit under your own steam so that you are completely free to decide what you look at and whom you talk to. If a company is paying for or subsidising your visit you won’t have this freedom and will probably only see and hear what they want you to hear. During your visit you should drive around visiting as many urbanisations, develop­ ments and residential areas as possible. Don’t be shy about talking to expats – they are easy to spot and are usually more than happy to talk to people considering buying in the area. Talk to rental companies in the area if rental potential is an important requirements of yours; they know their busi­ ness and are more likely to tell you the truth about the rental market than estate agents trying to make a sale. By all means look in estate agents’ windows and visit properties to get first­hand experience of what is on the market. However if you are just researching never lose sight of the purpose of your visit and try to avoid rushing into a purchase in a bout of over­enthusiasm. If you did it wouldn’t be the first time it has happened.

Internet research

The internet is a fantastic tool for doing background research. So much so that one wonders how on earth peo­ ple managed before the internet existed. With a few clicks you can find information on any part of Spain and the prop­

Your dream deal with Chantal Villas

If you’re looking to buy or sell a property on the Costa Blanca, then why not give Villas Chantal a try? They’ve been in the Spanish property business for over 2 years, and despite being new boys on the block they’ve quickly established a high reputation for quality service and taking the hassle out of the whole process!

Villas Chantal are getting so busy that they’ve opened up a new office at La Zenia on the Orihuela Costa, where you’ll find them just off the La Zenia round­ about close to The Bed Specialist. .

They’re currently on the lookout for prop­ erties to sell at La Zenia, Villamartin, Cabo Roig, Playa Flamenca, Campoamor and Quesada, so if you are looking to move, then make the personal service of

Villas Chantal your first priority as you put your home on the market. And it’s not just buying and selling that Villas Chantal deal in, as they have lots of people on the lookout for long term rentals in those areas listed above!

Villas Chantal make buying and selling property a stress­free experience as they will personally guide you through every­ thing, including getting those compulso­ ry energy certificates sorted out. And that’s not all from the team. They can sort out insurance for your home, boat or car, and if you can give you a helping hand if you are doing any renovation work. Villas Chantal will not be beaten on price, so why not make contact with them to get a free quotation?

5

Friday, October 25, 2013 tion on property and life in Spain, and the overseas property section of the Times Online website (www.timesonline.co.uk) is certainly worth a visit.

Exhibitions

There are now quite a number of overseas property exhi­ bitions held throughout the year around the UK. Many of them are organised by independent exhibition companies and bring together many different exhibitors, often from var­ ious countries. These types of shows are normally staged in one of the big regional exhibition centres like the NEC in Birmingham or Olympia in Earls Court, London. At the web­ site you can find the details of all the big exhibitions around the UK. However estate agents and developers from Spain are also now organising their own private exhibitions on a much smaller scale. These private exhibitions will be held over a weekend in a local hotel and will be promoted in the local press. In this case there is only one exhibitor, though estate agents often invite a selection of developers to accompany them. erty market in most areas. As well as looking for information on properties you should try to identify if there are any com­ mon problems affecting an area. This can be done by using well­chosen search terms with combinations of words that might flush out the problems, and by looking beyond the first couple of pages of search results. Online forums are also a useful source of information that often reveal common prob­ lems, and allow you to make contact with other buyers, own­ ers and residents in different areas. Expat community web­ sites for different areas and the online versions of regional Spanish newspapers in English are another rich sources of information that you should look into.

Spanish property magazines

There are now 5 or 6 monthly magazines dedicated to life and property in Spain, for example A Place In The Sun’s Everything Spain Magazine and Spanish Homes Magazine.

They offer a wealth of information on many different aspects of living and buying in Spain and you should read at least one of them in the course of doing background research. All of them can be subscribed to and most of them are also available at newsstands around the UK.

Press

In recent years hardly a day goes by without some or other article on buying property or living in Spain appearing in the national and regional press. Though many of these articles have tended to focus on the ‘dream’ of owning prop­ erty in Spain they can also be a useful source of information on the problems that people encounter. The Home section of The Sunday Times is a particularly good source of informa­

In the course of background research it is worth visiting exhibitions as they allow you to get a feel for the types of companies and individuals selling property in Spain, as well as collecting information on properties and regions.

However be aware that most companies will try and sign you up on the spot for a visit if you talk to them, and they can be surprisingly persuasive. Many of the ‘inspection visits’ on offer are free or heavily subsidised and seem like a cheap and easy way to research the property market in an area.

But bear in mind that these visits have been carefully

designed to close sales rather than inform people of their options. Inspection trips are not a good way to research the market and should only be considered once you are confi­ dent about the type of property you want to buy, the area you want to buy in, and the company you want to buy from. So when visiting overseas property exhibitions whilst you are doing background research don’t allow yourself to be per­ suaded into a visit that you are not ready for.

Books

This article focuses more than others on the process of buying property in Spain, whilst others have a wider remit and cover other issues such as trav­ el, moving in and living in Spain. You may wish to read some of the other books to get information on a wider range of subjects related to moving to Spain.

It is important that you do your back­ ground research in the right frame of mind.

You are trying to build up a picture that will help you take the right decision when the time comes. Consider setting your­ self a timeframe for carrying it out but don’t rush it. Start a file in which you keep all your notes and findings and try to be organised about the way you proceed. And avoid all con­ tact with pushy salesmen in this period as, despite the fact that we all know their game, they have remarkable powers of persuasion and their input is not helpful in this period, if ever.

Once you feel that you have gone far enough in achieving the objectives set out at the beginning of this article you can move onto selecting property companies and arranging to visit properties with a view to buying.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Repair a cracked granite work top

What you'll need

Step 3: Colour Granite Epoxy

• Acetone or Ammonia • Granite Epoxy • Colour Pigmentation Kit • Foam Brush, Toothpick or Palette Knife • Granite Sealer One of the worst things that can happen to your granite work table is for a crack to develop in the surface. A crack in the surface of your work table will be unsightly and frustrat­ ing at best and render the table virtually unusable at worst.

Fortunately, with a little patience and attention to detail you will be able to repair cracks in your granite work table effec­ tively and return your table to its former glory.

Next, you will use the granite epoxy colour pigmentation kit that you have purchased to add colour to the epoxy. Add colour so that the epoxy matches the colour of your granite work table top as closely as possible. Again, mix and apply this pigmentation according to the manufacturer's specifica­ tions.

Step 1: Clean Area

The first step you will need to take with this project is to clean the granite around the area of the crack thoroughly. To do this, you can either use acetate or a mixture of 50% dilut­ ed household ammonia. Just make sure that you clean the area completely and wipe it dry before continuing on to the next step. Be careful about using any other cleaning solu­ tions for this step, as some cleaning products have the potential to damage the finish of the granite.

Step 4: Apply Epoxy

Using a small tools such as a foam brush or palette knife, begin to apply the epoxy inside the crack in your table top.

When working in and around small cracks, a toothpick might be your best tool to use, as it can fit into tiny spaces that you could not otherwise access. Be aware that once the epoxy is applied and allowed to set, it will harden very quickly, so you will need to work quickly and efficiently to ensure that you get through your entire project before your epoxy hardens.

Step 5: Repeat Steps

Step 2: Mix Granite Epoxy

Once you have used the above steps to fill in portions of the crack in question, repeat the steps as many times as necessary to ensure that the entire crack is filled in. If you apply too much epoxy to an area, wipe the excess epoxy away before it has time to set, as it will be very difficult to remove at a later point.

The next step you will be taking is to mix your granite epoxy. This product can be purchased at any local hardware store. Once purchased, mix the epoxy according to the man­ ufacturer's instructions. Do not mix all of the epoxy at once, however. Only mix as much epoxy as you anticipate using in 10­15 minute intervals.

Once you have applied the granite epoxy to your satisfac­ tion, apply a layer of granite sealer to the top of the surface and allow it to set for 15­20 minutes. Once this first layer has dried, apply a second layer on top of it. Allow the table top to dry for at least 24 hours before using it again.

Step 6: Seal the Crack

Foreign Buyers Boost Spanish Housing Market According to the General Council of Notaries statistics for August, with regard to housing prices, they noted a “high volatility” in the market due to the reduced number of transactions and consid­ ered that, perhaps for this reason, the price per square metre of homes sold in the eighth month of the year recorded growth of 0.7%, reaching 1,219 euros.

This increase was due to the rising price of family homes sold (32.4%) in a month with very few transac­ tions (3,518 units). However, the price of apartments reg­ istered a decline of 10.8% year­on­year, to 1,185 euros per square metre, in line with the trend observed in recent months.

New apartments regis­ tered a price of 1,424 euros per square metre (­5%) and second­hand, 1,153 euros per square metre (­9.1%).

El Mundo reported that the number of house sales reg­ istered a decline of 28.1% year­on­year in August and totalled 15,027 transactions.

The decline has been driven by the 31.4% drop in the number of purchases of apartments and a drop of 14.8% in transactions for family homes. The number of purchases of new apart­ ments fell by 56% in August, year­on­year, while transac­ tions for second hand fell by

19.5%.

In addition, the number of new mortgages contracted in August registered a drop of 33.5% year­on­year.

According to the Notaries, the sharp reduction in the number of mortgage loans is due to the decline in the granting of mortgages for the purchase of a property (­ 34.9%). Specifically, the number of new mortgages granted for house purchases fell by 35.6% year­on­year, and those granted for other real estate transactions dropped by 28.5%.

Moreover, mortgage loans for construction fell by 31.9%. New mortgage loans for building a home dropped by 36.8% year­on­year, while loans for other types of construction fell by 10.4%.

The average mortgage value for the purchase of a property fell by only 0.9%, to 116,162 euros, and in the case of the purchase of a home, the Notaries noted an increase of 0.4% (to 111,790 euros ). Also, the average mortgage value for loans granted for construction pur­ poses fell by 22.3% year­on­ year, to 281,504 euros.

Finally, the percentage of homes purchased with mort­ gage financing stood at 31.8%, and the average per­ centage of the home pur­ chase price financed was 76.7%.

Friday, October 25, 2013

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Friday, October 25, 2013

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Friday, October 25, 2013

NOODLES WITH TURKEY, GREEN BEANS & HOISIN Ingredients 100g ramen noodles 100g green beans, halved 3 tbsp hoisin sauce juice 1 lime 1 tbsp chilli sauce 1 tbsp vegetable oil 250g turkey mince 2 garlic cloves, chopped 6 spring onions, sliced diagonally

Method

1. Boil the noodles fol­ lowing pack instructions, adding the green beans for the final 2 mins.

Drain and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin, lime juice and chilli sauce. In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil, then fry the mince until nicely browned. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Stir in the hoisin mixture and cook for a few mins more until sticky. Finally, stir in the noodles, beans and half the spring onions to heat through. Scatter over the remaining spring onions to serve.

SPICED CHICKEN WITH RICE & RED CRISP ONION Ingredients 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 140g/5oz each

1 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tsp curry powder 1 large red onion, thin­ ly sliced 100g basmati rice 1 cinnamon stick Pinch saffron 1 tbsp raisins 85g frozen peas 1 tbsp chopped mint and coriander 4 rounded tbsp low­fat natural yogurt

careful not to let it boil. Spoon the sauce over the fish, then serve with lemon wedges.

LEMON COD WITH BASIL BEAN MASH Ingredients

Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Brush the chicken with 1 tsp oil, then sprinkle with curry powder. Toss the onion in the remaining oil. Put the chicken and onions in one layer in a roasting tin. Bake for 25 mins until the meat is cooked and the onions are crisp, stirring the onions halfway through the cooking time.

2. Rinse the rice, then put in a pan with the cinnamon, saf­ fron, salt to taste and 300ml water. Bring to the boil, stir once, add the raisins, cover. Gently cook for 10­12 mins until the rice is tender, adding the peas halfway through. Spoon the rice onto two plates, top with the chicken and scatter over the onions. Stir the herbs into the yogurt and season, if you like, before serving on the side.

SALMON & SPINACH WITH TARTARE CREAM Ingredients 1 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil 2 skinless salmon fillets 250g bag spinach 2 tbsp reduced­fat crème fraîche juice ½ lemon 1 tsp caper, drained 2 tbsp flat­leaf parsley, chopped lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, sea­ son the salmon on both sides, then fry for 4 mins each side until golden and the flesh flakes easily.

Leave to rest on a plate while you cook the spinach.

2. Tip the leaves into the hot pan, season well, then cover and leave to wilt for 1 min, stirring once or twice.

Spoon the spinach onto plates, then top with the salmon. Gently heat the crème fraîche in the pan with a squeeze of the lemon juice, the capers and pars­ ley, then season to taste. Be

2 small bunches cherry tomatoes, on the vine 1 tbsp olive oil chunks skinless cod or other white fish fillet zest 1 lemon, plus juice of ½ 240g pack frozen soya beans 1 garlic clove bunch basil, leaves and stalks separated 100ml chicken or vegetable stock

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the tomatoes onto a baking tray, rub with a little oil and some seasoning, then roast for 5 mins until the skins are starting to split. Add the fish to the tray, top with most of the lemon zest and some more seasoning, then drizzle with a little more oil. Roast for 8­10 mins until the fish flakes easily.

2. Meanwhile, cook the beans in a pan of boiling water for 3 mins until just tender. Drain, then tip into a food processor with the rest of the oil, garlic, basil stalks, lemon juice and stock, then pulse to a thick, slightly rough purée. Season to taste.

3. Divide the tomatoes and mash between two plates, top with the cod, then scatter with basil leaves and the remaining lemon zest to serve.

MISO BROWN RICE & CHICKEN SALAD Ingredients 120g brown basmati rice 2 skinless chicken breasts 140g sprouting broccoli 4 spring onions, cut into diagonal slices 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds For the dressing 2 tsp miso paste 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp mirin 1 tsp grated ginger

Method

1. Cook the rice following the pack instructions, then drain and keep warm. While it’s cooking, place the chicken breasts into a pan of boiling water so they are completely covered.

Boil for 1 min, then turn off the heat, place a lid on and let sit for 15 mins. When cooked through, cut into slices.

2. Boil the broccoli until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.

3. For the dressing, mix the miso, rice vinegar, mirin and gin­ ger together.

4. Divide the rice between two plates and scatter over the spring onions and sesame seeds. Place the broccoli and chicken slices on top. To finish, drizzle over the dressing.

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Friday, October 25, 2013

FOOD CRAVINGS There can’t be many people who have never had a craving for a certain food at some time in their lives. Cravings, which may be indicative of allergies, are more often nature’s way of letting us know that we are not getting enough of certain vitamins or miner­ als. Frequently these cravings start because the overall diet is inade­ quate. It is interesting that when a client begins a weight reduction pro­ gramme they often complain of crav­ ings. Eric Mindell a world famous nutritionist gives an excellent descrip­ tion of some of the more common food cravings.

Peanut Butter is one of the top ten and this is not surprising when we know that this is a rich source of B vitamins. If there is a craving for peanut butter the person is often under stress and the nor­ mal B intake is not enough for the extra demand. As 50g of peanut butter equates to 284 calories it is advis­ able that the client takes B Complex supplements if they are not to gain weight.

Cheese is another top ten­ ner and if we feel a craving for this often our calcium and

phosphorous intake is too low. Ice cream is another craving and although high in calcium it is also high in fat but most people crave it for its sugar content. Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and diabetic clients often crave ice cream.

Cola cravings are indicative of an addiction to caffeine but even when replaced with decaffeinated the craving can continue and then may be due to addiction to the additives used to replace the sugar content.

Bananas are rich in potassium one banana has 555mg and if a person craves these it is usually because their bodies require more potassium.

Chocolate is definitely one of the foremost crav­ ings. Chocoholics are addicted to the caf­ feine as well as the sugar. Our advice to those chocoholics out there are to be aware that your body is trying to tell you something and in terms of damage limitation if you must have it the darker the better, White chocolate has the least nutrients and dark bitter chocolate is the most “healthy” as it contains flavonoids which are actually good for us.

For help and advice on your food related problems contact us today on 722 219 450 or info@slimfit­ europe.com as we are your trained nutritionists in this area.

Friday, October 25, 2013

23

HOW A DETOX COULD HELP WITH MENIERE'S DISEASE Q

My wife has had Meniere’s disease for approx. 30 years she is now 72 years of age and during the last 2years she is getting attacks more often and during the last 6months she is having virtually daily attacks and has to spend a lot of time in bed and getting very depressed.

We went to our doctor and she did not seem to know what we were talking about we did take an interpreter] the tablet she is taking is SERC 16mg X2 three times a day. Is there any way you can help her or know where she can get help.

A

I am so sorry to hear of your wife’s situation. Meniere’s dis­ ease is such a troublesome illness. Meniere’s is a disorder of the hearing system characterized by vertigo (spinning sen­ sation), tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ear) and deafness.

There is no single test for Meniere’s and so it is diagnosed by clinically examination, usually when other illnesses with similar presenting symptoms have been ruled out. Researchers don’t agree on the exact cause of Meniere’s diseases; however what is clear is that it arises due to a malfunction in the labyrinth sys­ tem of the inner ear. The labyrinth is made of a series of fluid filled channels that send signals of sound and balance to the brain and Meniere’s occurs when there is an abnormality in the amount and composition of this fluid. Meniere’s can also cause other problems such as nausea, vomiting, irregular heart­beats and depression. There is no drug treatment for Meniere’s, instead doctors treat symptoms as they show­up. SERC – the medication prescribed for your wife ­ is only used to treat verti­ go, which is just one out of many symptoms of meniere’s. Even though most researchers are unsure of the cause of Meniere’s disease, current research and even anecdotal evidence clearly points towards heavy metals, especially mercury as one of the causes of Meniere’s disease. In 2010 Conductor Benjamin Zander of the Boston Philharmonic gave evidence before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US of how remov­ ing his mercury amalgam fillings cured his Meniere’s disease.

Evidence notwithstanding, what we know for sure is that mer­

cury is toxic to the delicate organs of our ears. Even without waiting for conclusive research it makes sense for anyone suf­ fering from Meniere’s disease, a very debilitating disease, to take the steps to remove any mercury fillings they may have.

However even the process of removing mercury amalgam exposures the body to a heavy load of mercury which can cause a lot of ill health. And so it’s advisable to detox your body during the same time period you are removing your fillings. It may also be a good idea to see the effect of a mercury detox first, before she removes her amalgam fillings, if she has any present. There are other sources of mercury contamination besides amalgam like: environmental toxins, pesticides, insec­ ticides, cosmetics, vaccines, drugs etc. The only substance taken by mouth that has been scientifically proven to eliminate toxins from the body is Pectasol, a natural compound formulat­ ed from the inner pulp of citrus fruits. Pectasol binds to heavy metals deep inside cells, and is flushed out of the body through the urine. You can get Pectasol from MedB Health Shop. A container of 112grams goes for 83.98 Euros. Call 965071745.

Delivery is free.

Q A

What is your opinion on Prescription Drugs?

Prescription drugs play an extremely important role in ther­ apy. If you follow my articles, you may conclude that I have something against prescription drugs, but that’s absolutely not the case. Prescription drugs have saved my life on more than one occasion, and I suppose they’ve done the same for a lot of people. The problem in my opinion is that prescription drugs are dished out too readily by doctors even when there are preferable natural alternatives. Granted our knowledge of nat­ ural remedy is still in infancy, and a number of illnesses are best treated with prescription drugs, however what is true is that many chronic illnesses can be effectively managed using natu­ ral remedies. Illnesses such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure,

Arthritis, Abdominal disorders, auto immune diseases, depres­ sion, and many more illnesses can be managed and are man­ aged with natural remedies. There is even growing evidence to prove that cancer cells can be destroyed with a number of nat­ ural agents. Yet doctors are not allowed to prescribe such nat­ ural remedies even when proven to be better than prescription drugs, to avoid going against medical protocol and losing their jobs. When you realise that privately owned pharmaceutical companies play a vital role in deciding the goings on in hospi­ tals, you see that clearly there is a conflict of interest, which isn’t in your favour. In most cases, prescription drugs are best suited for emergency health situations and for treating acute disor­ ders, and seem to fail badly when used for longer periods to treat chronic disorders. Most chronic illnesses have been shown to respond far better with proven natural remedies.

Furthermore there is the added benefit that natural therapies are rarely produce horrible side­effects like prescription drugs.

Ideally, doctors and therapists should first consider prescribing supplements and natural remedies if possible, before progress­ ing to prescription drugs.

PLEASE SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO : contact@medb.es or to the editor of the courier.

24

Friday, October 25, 2013

Horoscopes Aries March 21 ­ April 19 Your inbox is probably crammed with party invitations. There's no such thing as a sim­ ple RSVP for you. Every call to accept or decline results in a lengthy conversation as you catch up with relatives and old friends.

It's possible that you'll receive a communi­ cation today that turns your life in a new direction. Doors that you've never consid­ ered may be opened wide for you.

Taurus April 20 ­ May 20 The planetary energies today are emphasiz­ ing family. This may be a good time to do some research, delving more deeply into your roots. Have you picked your grand­ mother's brain about her mother and grand­ mother? You'll be surprised at what you learn. You'll feel more connected with your family, and you may learn some facts that make you proud of your heritage.

Gemini May 21 ­ June 20 Your hard work is finally paying off. You can expect to receive acknowledgement and advancement, along with a possible salary increase or substantial bonus. You should receive the good news soon.

Celebrate tonight with family and friends.

They could also have some good news of their own to report, which makes for hap­ piness all around.

Cancer June 21 ­ July 22 This is a day for good news, particularly regarding the home. It's likely that some pos­ itive changes are occurring or are about to occur. You may be considering a move or a major renovation. Whatever it is, all signs indicate that the changes are for the better.

One way or another, by this time next year you'll be living in a bigger, better house.

By Pandora Leo July 23 ­ August 22 Good news from distant lands could have you feeling good about your life and eager­ ly anticipating the future. Your thinking is sharp and clear. This is a good day to make plans, particularly if they involve travel or education. If you have the feeling that the coming weeks bring some dramat­ ic changes for the better, your instincts are likely correct. You have reason to cele­ brate.

Virgo August 23 ­ September 22 When you give your imagination free rein, you have a creative way of expressing yourself. Today you might feel like doing some public speaking or creative writing.

You may devise a unique way to make a presentation or put together a proposal.

Communicating in a more intimate way will warm your heart and the hearts of your audience. Don't hold back.

Libra September 23 ­ October 22 Your mental acuity is high today. A recent innovation of yours could bring you some much­deserved recognition. Your mind is especially sharp at this point, and ideas come thick and fast. You have tremen­ dous talent. If you focus it, you'll make some positive inroads toward building your success.

Scorpio October 23 ­ November 21 Today you'll feel inspired to express your­ self in fun, creative ways. Don't be afraid to let loose with your wild sense of humour.

You could play a prank on a friend that makes him or her laugh and creates good feelings. Or you could share some jokes with others that make them smile and feel better. You enjoy playing the clown, and you're good at it!

Sagittarius November 22 ­ December 21 Expect a visitor to put you in touch with people who could make a real difference in your life. Changes are manifesting more quickly than you realize. Certainly all that's occurring is exciting, but the speed may have you feeling a little apprehensive. Fear often accompanies success. You can't move ahead without taking some risk.

You're up to this challenge!

Capricorn December 22 ­ January 19 Today's celestial configuration may leave you feeling more spiritually inclined than usual. As your thoughts turn to more pos­ itive horizons, you'll be optimistic about your future and the future of humanity.

Don't hesitate to express these opinions to others. They'll be cheered by your point of view.

Aquarius January 20 ­ February 18 This is bound to be an interesting day as you meet some new people who have fascinating ideas about esoteric subjects.

Listen closely and later jot notes on the conversation. Don't be surprised if you get some good news about advancing in your professional field. It looks as though a raise or promotion is coming.

Pisces February 19 ­ March 20 It's time to admit that your hectic lifestyle is catching up with you. Today you must start to get organized. Waiting until the last minute to take care of important tasks only causes anxiety. Make a list of everything you need to get done and prioritize it.

Consider yourself lucky if you can confine the list to one page!

Friday, October 25, 2013

25

26

Friday, October 25, 2013

VOLVO MAKES BATTERY TECH BREAKTHROUGH

VOLVO has developed a new way of ‘storing’ ener­ gy for its future electric vehicles. The Swedish firm is exploring the con­ cept of lightweight struc­ tural energy storage com­ ponents made from car­ bonfibre, containing “nano structured batteries and super capacitors.”

This technology is said to offer a lighter, more compact solution to the problem of energy storage, potentially removing the need for the heavy, bulky batteries used in current electric vehicles.

The investigation into the new technology is part of an EU­funded research project, undertaken by Volvo – the only major car manufacturer involved – and nine other organisations.

The new battery break­ through uses a combination of carbonfibre and polymer resin to create an “advanced

nanomaterial” that clothes structural super capacitors.

The reinforced carbonfi­ bre sandwiches the new type of battery, with the pan­ els formed around the vehi­ cle’s chassis – including the bonnet, doors and boot lid.

Some road cars such as

the Mazda 6 and many hybrid race cars already use capacitors to store kinetic energy harvested when braking, so the technology could soon be viable for pro­ duction.

The benefit of using a capacitor over a convention­

al battery is that charging and discharging of energy occurs much quicker,

improving response times.

Vo l v o h a s already b e g u n testing the technology on a proto­ type S80 saloon, with the Swedish firm implementing the system on the boot lid and plenum cover (the structural piece at the base of the windscreen that con­ nects the two front suspen­ sion turrets).

The test boot lid is actual­ ly lighter than the S80’s standard boot lid, saving on

volume and weight when compared to the regular pro­ duction car.

According to Volvo, the prototype plenum cover demonstrates that the strong, lightweight proper­ ties of carbonfibre mean the new material can deliver the structural rigidity needed in this area of the chassis, but will also cut the component weight by 50%.

The energy storage in this panel alone is enough to supply the car’s 12 volt elec­ trical system. It’s thought that by completely replacing an electric car’s existing bat­ tery components, the new material could save in the region of 15% of the overall mass.

AA celebrates 40 years of 'get you home'

THIS MONTH the Automobile Association is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Recovery service ­ originally called AA Relay ­ that promised to get you home or to your destination.

Back in 1973 there were very limited options if your broken­down car could not be fixed at the side of the road. The AA patrol could only tow you to your local garage to have it fixed or you would have to carry on your journey without the car.

But for the modest sum of £2.20 a year on top of standard AA membership the Relay service meant a guarantee that your jour­ ney would be completed ­ even if it meant

your car was passed from one patrol to another.

Robert Jones, AA recovery patrol of the year, says: "Thankfully our modern AA recovery trucks can seat up to six pas­ sengers in air­conditioned comfort and cover hundreds of miles at a time, which makes for a more pleasant journey than in the days of the early transporters.

"When you’re stuck at the side of the road, you just want to get to your destina­ tion. That’s what AA Recovery provides."

Recovery is the most popular AA mem­ bership option, and in 2011 the firm com­ pleted 850,000 recoveries covering 18.5 million miles in the process.

A MOTORIST is facing prosecution for driving without a licence for almost 40 years, traffic police have said.

The unnamed driver was also found to have no insurance when pulled over by members of the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) in Birmingham.

A police spokesman said the motorist

was stoppedin the Nechells area of the city at 9.40am last Thursday.

In a statement issued on its official Twitter account, the CMPG said: "Vehicle seized in West Mids for no insurance. Unbelievably, it appears the driver has not held a licence for almost 40 years."

40 years without a licence

Friday, October 25, 2013

27

28

Friday, October 25, 2013

CODE CRACKER Code Cracker is a crossword puzzle with no clues; instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number. In this week’s puzzle, 1 represents H and 16 represents C, when these letters have been entered throughout the puzzle, you should have enough information to start guessing words and discovering other letters.

QUICKIE

Across

Down

1 Swindle (4) 4 Pace (4) 9 Mistake (5) 10 Resolute (7) 11 Surprise (7) 12 Clean (5) 13 Expel (6) 15 Kind (6) 18 Speak (5) 20 Guilty party (7) 23 Outlive (7) 24 Trap (5) 25 Ray (4) 26 Transmit (4)

2 Sure (7) 3 Strong point (5) 4 Afraid (6) 5 Specimen (7) 6 Hairy­bodied insects (4) 7 Cook (4) 8 Position (6) 13 Contusion (6) 14 Employment (7) 16 Ground (7) 17 Shriek (6) 19 Cut (4) 21 Inventories (5) 22 Tall woody plant (4)

Last weeks Solution

Across: xx Down: xx

Scribble Pad

DOUBLE CROSS-WORD Solve the Double Cross­Word puzzle using either the standard or cryptic clues, the answers are exactly the same.

CRYTPIC CLUES Across 1 Cavalryman, American, in reckless come back (6) 4 Commotion concerning steak given to us (6) 9 Impartial ant, lured astray, loses deadhead (7) 10 Pacific kingdom dances tango (5) 11 Soundly study the plant (4) 12 Trick diplomacy is touching (7) 13 Biblical vessel is in the Ozarks (3) 14 Glance back at fortress (4) 15 Luxuriant drinker (4) 18 Quiz buzzer? (3) 20 Tearing off with unap­ preciative person (7) 22 Canter into broken pole (4) 24 I’d point after British Raid for the wife (5) 25 Chubby’s dance with the Queen turns into a party game (7) 26 Got the poor quarter (6)

27 Opt for the best (6) Down 1 Miss the article on a country that’s short of food (6) 2 Close look at sleep? (4­ 3) 3 Size of field for a medley­ race? (4) 5 Lent a gun to straighten out matters (8) 6 Prince and African leader’s animal (5) 7 Crude house song? (6) 8 Pull out bottle (5) 13 A mother, for example, welcomes parking that’s clear (8) 16 Octet is revised for this kind of terrier (7) 17 Excellent newspaper’s written about British car safety feature (6) 18 Beats up some support­ ers (5) 19 That is back in dry Middle Eastern capital (6) 21 Dirt in jug rim edge (5) 23 Wait for bed I made up (4)

STANDARD CLUES Across 1 Cavalryman (6) 4 Commotion (6) 9 Impartial (7) 10 Friendly Islands (5) 11 Grass stalk (4) 12 Touching (7) 13 Chest or coffer (3) 14 Retain (4) 15 Luxuriant (4) 18 Hairy­bodied insect (3) 20 Thankless sort (7) 22 Run with long strides (4) 24 Woman on her wedding day (5) 25 Tornado (7) 26 Poor, depressed neigh­ bourhood (6) 27 Pick out (6) Last weeks Solution Across: xx Down: xx

Down 1 Longing for food (6) 2 Nap (4­3) 3 Measure of land (4) 5 Straighten out (8) 6 Large black­and­white herbivorous Chinese mam­ mal (5) 7 Crude dwelling (6) 8 Pull off (5) 13 That may be seen (8) 16 Highland terrier (7) 17 Car safety device (6) 18 Clouts (5) 19 Capital of Lebanon (6) 21 Ingrained dirt (5) 23 Dwell (4)

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

3 letter words Add Aim Day Emu Era Ewe Eye Its Oar Ore Pit Sty 4 letter words Alga Alit Aloe

Also Alto Anew Arcs Cars Dart Deal Dyer Earn Ease Ells Even Harp Lira Lore Near Oleo Pass Pelt

Pier Rays Riot Road Sear Seas Sold Soya Stir Test Tile Trod Tsar Yale 5 letter words Adieu Alien Aloha

Amino Capri Creek Lilac Logia Metal Naive Peron Reset Riels Ruler Salsa Slant Soaps Stamp Tires Trade Trial Unpeg

6 letter words Gimlet Instep Saints Snooty Strand Strata 7 letter words Airmail Kneecap Martins Relapse 8 letter words Lopsided Passport

SPANISH-ENGLISH CROSSWORD

Improve your Spanish ­ clues in Spanish, answers in English or vice versa.

Across 1 Pulgada (4) 3 Regalos (8) 9 Principante (aprendiz) (7) 10 Acordar (5) 11 Floor (of room) (5) 12 Hermana (6) 14 A través de (6) 16 Armadura (6) 19 Huge (6) 21 Tiendas (5) 24 April (5) 25 Air hostess (7) 26 Passenger (traveller) (8) 27 All (4)

Down 1 Churches (buildings) (8) 2 Code (cipher) (5) 4 El más raro (6) 5 Focas (animales) (5) 6 Norwegian (7) 7 Sebo (4) 8 Cebollas (6) 13 Transfer (move) (8) 15 Grooves (in wood, metal etc) (7) 17 To scratch (with claw, nail) (6) 18 Reparación (arreglo) (6) 20 Clock (5) 22 Opaque (5) 23 Húmedo (clima) (4)

29

Friday, October 25, 2013 Across 8 What name for an afternoon rest or nap, especially one taken during the hottest hours of the day in a hot climate, comes from the Latin for ‘sixth hour’? (6) 9 What is the name of the ter­ rorist organisation set up in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the mod­ erate nationalism of the tradi­ tional Basque party usually known? (3) 10 Which politician was Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton from March 1966 to February 1974 and MP for Plymouth Devonport from February 1974 to April 1992? (4) 11 The name of which thick creamy dressing consisting of egg yolks beaten with oil and vinegar and seasoned, is derived from the name of the capital of Minorca? (10) 12 The 20th century US writer noted for his droll epigrams was Ogden (Who)? (4) 13 What name is often applied to the regions around the North Pole? (6) 16 What name for a large sin­ gle upright block of stone, especially one shaped into or serving as a pillar or monu­ ment, comes from the Greek

for ‘single stone’? (8) 17 Staffordshire bull, West Highland white, Lakeland and Jack Russell are all varieties of which breed of dog? (7) 18 What name is given to an attendant in a hospital respon­ sible for the non­medical care of patients and the mainte­ nance of order and cleanli­ ness? (7) 22 Which chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes is caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, person­ ality changes and impaired reasoning? (8) 25 Which word can mean both ‘the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property’ and ‘gives way’? (6) 26 Used especially in brewing and distilling, what name is given to a cereal grain (usually barley) that is kiln­dried after having been germinated by soaking in water? (4) 27 Which 10­armed oval­bod­ ied cephalopod with narrow fins as long as the body has a large calcareous internal shell? (10) 30 In the human body, which vessel or tube carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart? (4)

SUDOKU (Easy)

Quiz Word

31 What is the SI unit of elec­ trical resistance, transmitting a current of one ampere when subjected to a potential differ­ ence of one volt? (3)

32 Which English county has border with Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire? (6)

Down 1 Which city in Tuscany is famous for its ‘leaning tower’?

(4) 2 Which city is the capital of and most populous city in Norway? (4) 3 Which marine crustacean has an external shell that attaches itself permanently to a surface and feeds by filtering particles from the water using its modified feathery legs? (8) 4 What name is often applied to persons claiming to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and to communicate between the dead and the liv­ ing? (7) 5 What was the name of the nightclub in Mathew Street, Liverpool, which hosted its first performance by The Beatles on February 9, 1961? (6) 6 Which English actor, come­ dian, writer and film producer co­wrote, with his wife Connie Booth, and starred in the tele­ vision sitcom Fawlty Towers?

(4,6) 7 What name is often used to describe wealthy and fashion­ able people who travel widely and frequently for pleasure?

(3,3) 14 What is the surname of the ‘streaker’ who is best remem­ bered for a topless run across

the pitch of Twickenham Stadium during an England v Australia rugby union match on January 2, 1982? (3) 15 Which volatile liquid, obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from live trees, mainly pines, is used as paint thinner, solvent and medicinal­ ly? (10) 19 During the English Civil War, what name was typically given to anyone supporting the king against parliament? (8) 20 By what shortened name is the powerful hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide better known? (3) 21 With what type of music, popular between 1897 and 1917, would you principally associate Scott Joplin? (7) 23 What is the name of the hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth? (6) 24 What name often used to describe a wealthy, powerful person in business or industry, comes from the Japanese for ‘great lord’? (6) 28 Which word can precede: away, ball, bell, brand, door, sale and up? (4) 29 Which foodstuff consists of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH LAS PLANTAS ­PLANTS Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch.

(Answers below)

el árbol

la flor

el arbusto

la hoja

el bulbo

la margarita

el cactus

la rama

el tallo

la rosa

el tronco

la semilla

el tulipán

las malezas

la corteza

las raíces

la enredadera

la tierra

Sceince QUIZ

ANSEWRS: 1. The Escalator 2. chlorophyll 3. Vinegar 4. 0.5 5. Elsa 6.

Bismuth 7. Snowy Owl 8. Photochromic 9. Goat 10.

Squirrel 11. Rookery 12. Front legs 13. A Spinning Propellor 14. Hippopotamus 15. Herons

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Word Solution Across: xx Down: xx

Empareja estas palabras ­ Match the Spanish and English words You will find the answers at the bottom of the quiz.

1.el árbol, 2.el arbusto,

16.las malezas, 17.las raíces,

j.the bush, k.the leaf, l.the stem,

3.el bulbo, 4.el cactus, 5.el tallo,

18.la tierra

m.the daisy, n.the bark, o.the cactus, p.the vine,

6.el tronco, 7.el tulipán, 8.la corteza, 9.la enredadera,

a.the bulb, b.the roots,

10.la flor, 11.la hoja,

c.the rose, d.the tulip, e.the tree,

12.la margarita, 13.la rama,

f.the weeds, g.the earth,

14.la rosa, 15.la semilla,

h.the trunk, i.the branch,

Soduko

Span ­ Eng

q.the flower, r.the seed

Quizword

Answers: 1e, 2j, 3a, 4o, 5l, 6h, 7d, 8n, 9p, 10q, 11k, 12m, 13i, 14c, 15r, 16f, 17b, 18g.

1. What Did Jesse Reno Invent Using Traditional Conveyor Belt Principles To Pull Folding Steps Up A Slope?

2. what makes plants green?

3. Acetic Acid Is More Commonly Known As What?

4. What Is The Value Of Sine 30 Degrees?

5. What Was Joy Adamson's Lion Cub Called?

6. Which metallic element soothes ulcers?

7. Which Is The Largest Owl Found In Britain?

8. What Type Of Glass Darkens When Exposed To Light?

9. The eyes of which animal have rectangular pupils?

10. What animal lives in a drey?

11. What Apparently Inappropriate Name Is Used For A Gathering & A Breeding Place For Seals?

12. Where are a cricket's ears located?

13. What Is Represented By The Blue And White Quartered Circle Of The BMW Logo?

14. What animal's name translates as 'water horse'?

15. What kind of animals would be in a siege?

Fill It In

30

Friday, October 25, 2013

TRELI ON THE TELLY BRODY SAVES IT

episodes that were without Damian Lewis as Brody.

Instead we got a plot that saw Carrie being hung out to dry over the CIA bombing Tons of shows to write and a boring sub­plot about about this week, so let’s Brody’s daughter, Dana. A lot get cracking with the news of it just didn’t add up, espe­ that Channel Four’s cially the way Saul treated Homeland has returned to Carrie and it’s as if the writ­ form after two weird

with ALEX TRELINSKI

ers took us down a path that almost destroyed the credi­ bility of a brilliant show.

Fortunately the return of Lewis has brought things back to normal, and remind­ ed me of the excellent two seasons of Homeland.

q

Anna’s rape a few weeks ago in Downton

Abbey has also led to a cred­ ibility issue amongst some of the show’s fans. The very act itself came almost out of the blue, followed by Anna’s atti­ tude of pushing her hubby Bates away by not telling him what happened. Downton fans are saying that they want some happiness, but it’s only a drama, and I thought writer Julian Fellowes was right to chuck in a grenade into the comfort zone that is Sunday night TV. But yes, I want a happy end­ ing here, but I just don’t think we are going to get it, unless Mr.Fellowes has something up his sleeve.

The Paradise has returned and been pro­ moted to a Sunday night slot on BBC1 directly against the X Factor results show: ­ something that the much missed Lark Rise to Candleford seemed to pros­ per against. The hour­long drama penned by Lark Rise writer Bill Gallagher is a delight, and we have a new baddy to hiss at in the form of

q

Ben Daniels as Tom Weston, who married the jilted Lady Katherine.

q

I’ve seen enough episodes of some of the new US shows to hopefully pass a reasoned judgement, so look out for them on either the UK or Spanish terrestrial channels in the future. The Blacklist, airing on Sky Living, has James Spader as the FBI’s most­wanted, handing himself over, but doing a deal to snuff out all kinds of criminals. I give this a big­thumbs up, with Spader terrific in a lead role that was originally marked out for Keifer Sutherland, before he signed up for a new series of 24 next year. I also strongly recommend Sleepy Hollow over the Universal Channel starring London actor, Tom Mison, in a modern­day reworking of the American legend. The show has a tongue firmly planted in cheek, but with some great set pieces involving headless horsemen, as well being totally believable. Fox have

already booked a second season. Also recommended and recommissioned, and also on Universal, is cop show Graceland which fea­ tures a young undercover team working to trap villains in Los Angeles. The twist is that a new FBI rookie has been brought in to spy on his training officer who his boss­ es reckon is on the take. And a quick return to Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airing on Channel Four. I’ve stuck with it, and after a shaky first episode, I’m really enjoying it on the level of just an ami­ able hour of hokum. It's also been picked up by ABC in the States for a full season.

q

Glee, airing on Sky One, is a bit like Marmite for some people, but you had to take your hat off to it for its special tribute episode to deceased star Cory Monteith. It was brilliant and tastefully done, and yes: ­very emotional, especially when his real­life girlfriend Lea Michelle appeared towards the end.

The Courier Friday TV 00:35 01:20 01:25 07:00 10:15 11:00 12:00 12:45 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 15:45 16:15 17:00 17:30 Mouth 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:25 23:35

This Week Holiday Weatherview BBC News Breakfast Fake Britain Homes Under the Hammer Real Rescues Britain's Empty Homes Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances Perfection Escape to the Country Put Your Money Where Your Is Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Ronnie's Animal Crackers EastEnders Room 101 Have I Got News for You Citizen Khan BBC News National Lottery Update The Graham Norton Show

00:20 Iceland Foods: Life in the Freezer Cabinet 01:20 The Review Show 02:20 Murder in the Alps 03:20 This Is BBC Two

04:45 Schools ­ Apprentice for a Day 05:25 Schools ­ True Stories 06:25 Formula 1 08:10 Real Rescues 08:55 Britain's Empty Homes 09:25 Flog It! Trade Secrets 10:25 Formula 1 12:15 Animal Park 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Classic Mastermind 14:30 Cash in the Attic 15:15 Great British Menu 15:45 Floyd on Britain and Ireland 16:15 Are You Being Served?

16:45 'Allo 'Allo!

17:20 Cagney & Lacey 18:05 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing ­ It Takes Two 20:00 Nigellissima 20:30 Nigellissima 21:00 Mastermind 21:30 Gardeners' World 22:00 Natural World 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight

00:45 The Last Word 01:10 Jackpot247 04:00 Tonight 04:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV Meridian Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Gino's Italian Escape 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News Meridian 23:35 Basic Instinct

TVS 50 GREATEST MAGIC TRICKS TV illusionists have been sawing ladies in half, catching bullets between their teeth, reading minds and performing feats of escapology for decades. Channel 5 counts down the best, includ­ ing the astonishing set­pieces of Penn and Teller, the mind­bending of Derren Brown and the street magic of David Blaine. It features spectacular illu­ sions, such as making the Statue of Liberty disap­ pear, intimate card tricks and the lighter side of the business.

00:05 My Crazy New Jamaican Life 01:10 999: What's Your Emergency?

02:05 Random Acts 02:10 Date My Porn Star 03:05 Embarrassing Bodies 04:00 Unreported World 04:30 Dispatches 05:00 SuperScrimpers 05:55 Deal or No Deal 06:50 Countdown 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 According to Jim 08:25 Will & Grace 08:55 Frasier 09:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:00 Four Rooms 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking 13:35 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 14:05 Heaven Knows, Mr Allison 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:30 Unreported World 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Marvel's Agents of SHIELD 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats 22:30 Man Down 23:00 Alan Carr: Chatty Man

October 25

00:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 00:55 Inside Hollywood 01:00 SuperCasino 04:55 HouseBusters 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Divine Designs 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:35 The WotWots 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olly the Little White Van 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Milkshake! Show Songs 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Police Interceptors 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Exploding Sun 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 NewsTalk Live 20:00 World's Strongest Man 21:00 Criminals: Caught on Camera 22:00 TV's 50 Greatest Magic Tricks

31

The Courier Saturday TV

October 26

03:30 The Paradise 04:30 This Is BBC Two

00:20 Bluestone 42 00:50 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

07:00 This Is BBC Two 07:25 Formula 1 08:35 Carnival Boat

02:10 Weatherview

09:35 The Fallen Sparrow

02:15 BBC News

11:10 Reel History of Britain

07:00 Breakfast

11:40 The Life of Birds

09:30 Formula 1 11:45 Saturday Kitchen Live 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather

12:30 Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age 13:00 Paul Hollywood's Bread 13:30 The A to Z of TV Cooking 14:15 EastEnders

13:15 Football Focus

16:05 Coast

14:00 Formula 1 15:00 Live Rugby League World Cup

16:30 The House That £100K Built 17:30 Live Rugby League World Cup 20:00 Flog It!

17:30 Final Score 18:20 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 18:40 Pointless Celebrities 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing 21:15 Atlantis 22:00 The National Lottery Live 22:10 Casualty 23:00 BBC News; Weather 23:20 Match of the Day

00:00 Weather 00:05 Later with Jools Holland 01:10 Wreckers 02:30 Question Time

20:30 Natural World 21:30 Dad's Army 22:00 The 70s 23:00 The Sarah Millican Slightly Longer Television Programme 23:40 An Education

01:55 Jackpot247 04:00 Murder, She Wrote: the Celtic Riddle 05:30 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Babar and the Adventures of Badou 07:10 Matt Hatter Chronicles 07:35 Dino Dan 08:00 Canimals 08:25 Sooty 08:35 Horrid Henry 08:50 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 09:15 Bottom Knocker Street 09:30 Munch Box 10:25 ITV News 10:30 Saturday Cookbook 11:25 Murder, She Wrote 12:25 ITV News and Weather 12:29 ITV Meridian Weather 12:30 Surprise Surprise 13:30 All Star Family Fortunes 14:15 Doc Martin 15:15 Catchphrase 16:00 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 18:40 ITV Meridian Weather 18:50 ITV News and Weather 19:00 New You've Been Framed!

19:30 Fool Britannia 20:00 The Chase 21:00 The X Factor 23:00 The Jonathan Ross Show

00:10 Was It Something I Said?

00:55 Gogglebox 01:40 London Irish 02:05 Crazy Heart 03:55 Random Acts 04:00 The Big C 04:30 2 Broke Girls 04:55 Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 05:15 Deal or No Deal 06:10 Countdown 06:50 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 07:15 The Hoobs 08:05 British Rallycross 08:30 FIM Superbike World Championship 09:00 The Morning Line 10:00 The American Football Show 11:05 Frasier 11:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 12:05 The Big Bang Theory 13:00 The Simpsons 13:25 Heston's Feast 14:30 Channel 4 Racing 17:10 Come Dine with Me 19:45 Channel 4 News 20:05 Marvel's Agents of SHIELD 21:00 Grand Designs 22:00 Die Hard 2

STEPEHN KINGS BAG OF BONES Best­selling novelist Mike Noonan is devastated when his wife Jo is killed in a road accident. Unable to stop grieving and gripped by writer's block, he is inspired by a strange dream to return to the cou­ ple's lakeside retreat in Maine to seek answers to some troubling questions. There he befriends widow Mattie Devore and becomes embroiled in her battle for custody of her daughter Kyra ­ but is also plagued by nightmares, ghostly visitations and messages from beyond the grave.

00:50 Inside Hollywood 01:05 SuperCasino 04:55 Motorsport Mundial 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Divine Designs 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Bubble Guppies 07:35 The Mr Men Show 07:50 Chloe's Closet 08:00 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:10 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:20 Make Way for Noddy 08:35 City of Friends 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Hana's Helpline 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 Toby's Travelling Circus 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Jelly Jamm 11:00 The Mr Men Show 11:15 Power Rangers: Megaforce 11:50 Slugterra 12:20 Jungle Babies: Tarsier Tails 12:50 The Dog Rescuers 13:20 Animal Maternity 14:20 Columbo: Murder by the Book 16:00 Run Silent Run Deep 17:50 Attack on the Iron Coast 19:35 Lost Heroes of World War One 20:00 Revealed 21:00 War Hero in My Family 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Stephen King's Bag of Bones

The Courier Sunday TV

October 27

08:05 The 39 Steps 09:30 Gardeners' World 00:55 Weatherview 01:00 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 08:10 Match of the Day 09:30 Formula 1 12:45 Sunday Politics 14:00 BBC News 14:10 Weather for the Week Ahead 14:15 Bargain Hunt 15:00 Formula 1 17:00 Points of View 17:15 Songs of Praise 17:55 The Great British Year 18:55 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:20 Countryfile 20:20 Strictly Come Dancing 21:00 The Paradise 22:00 By Any Means 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:25 Match of the Day 2

00:15 Stolen 01:40 This Is BBC Two 05:30 MotoGP 07:00 The Penguin Pool Murder

10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 Sunday Morning Live 12:00 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 13:15 MOTD2 Extra 14:00 MotoGP 15:30 Flog It! 16:30 Great British Railway Journeys 17:00 Boxing 18:30 Britain's Classroom Heroes 19:30 The Ginge, the Geordie and the Geek 20:00 Dive WWII: Our Secret History 21:00 Great Continental Railway Journeys 22:00 A Very English Education 23:00 The Wrong Mans 23:30 QI XL

00:30 Jackpot247 04:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 04:40 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Babar and the Adventures of Badou 07:10 Matt Hatter Chronicles 07:35 Dino Dan 08:00 Canimals 08:25 Sooty 08:35 Horrid Henry 08:50 Big Time Rush 09:15 Bottom Knocker Street 09:30 Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge 10:25 ITV News 10:30 Storage Hoarders 11:30 Sunday Side Up 12:30 Sunday Scoop 13:30 ITV News and Weather 13:34 ITV Meridian Weather 13:35 Inside the National Trust 14:35 The FA Cup Draw 15:05 The X Factor 17:05 Fool Britannia 17:35 Downton Abbey 18:40 Prize Island 19:35 ITV News Meridian 19:35 ITV Meridian Weather 19:45 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Surprise Surprise 21:00 The X Factor 22:00 Downton Abbey 23:05 ITV News and Weather 23:19 ITV Meridian Weather 23:20 Women Behind Bars with Trevor McDonald

GHOST BUSTERS Supernatural comedy starring Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Dan Aykroyd. Three univer­ sity professors researching parapsychology set up in business for themselves when their grant is with­ drawn, and soon realise there's a burgeoning mar­ ket for "ghost busters" in New York City.

01:20 It's Kind of a Funny Story 03:00 Hollyoaks 05:05 Deal or No Deal 06:00 Countdown 06:45 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 The American Football Show 08:55 Killarney Adventure Race 09:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 The Big Bang Theory 13:55 The Simpsons 14:25 The Simpsons 14:55 Maid in Manhattan 17:00 Channel 4 News 17:30 American Football Live 21:00 Bigfoot Files 22:00 Homeland 23:05 Was It Something I Said?

23:35 Toast of London

00:15 SuperCasino 05:00 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:25 Make It Big 05:50 Roary the Racing Car 06:00 Angels of Jarm 06:10 Hana's Helpline 06:20 Angels of Jarm 06:25 The Funky Valley Show 06:40 Roary the Racing Car 06:50 Hana's Helpline 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Bubble Guppies 07:35 The Mr Men Show 07:50 Chloe's Closet 08:00 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:10 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:20 Make Way for Noddy 08:35 City of Friends 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Hana's Helpline 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 Toby's Travelling Circus 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Jelly Jamm 11:00 Great Run Series 13:00 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 14:40 The Ghost of Greville Lodge 16:30 The Canterville Ghost 18:15 Monster House 19:55 Ghost Busters 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Scre4m

32

The Courier Monday TV

October 28

00:50 Rugby League World Cup 01:35 Weatherview 01:40 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Sheriffs Are Coming 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Saints and Scroungers 12:45 Britain's Empty Homes 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Keeping Up Appearances 15:45 Keeping Up Appearances 16:15 Perfection 17:00 Escape to the Country 17:30 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Inside Out 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 Ripper Street 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Quitting the English Defence League: When Tommy Met Mo

00:15 00:45 02:15 03:10 04:10 07:00

Never Mind the Buzzcocks Just like Heaven Countryfile Holby City This Is BBC Two This Is BBC Two

07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Real Rescues 08:50 Britain's Empty Homes 09:20 The A to Z of TV Cooking 10:05 Watchdog 11:05 James Martin's Food Map of Britain 11:35 Click 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Rugby League World Cup 14:45 Great British Menu 15:45 Floyd on Britain and Ireland 16:15 Are You Being Served?

16:45 'Allo 'Allo!

17:20 Cagney & Lacey 18:10 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing ­ It Takes Two 20:00 The Great British Bake Off 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 Tom Kerridge's Proper Pub Food 22:00 Iceland Foods: Life in the Freezer Cabinet 23:00 Never Mind the Buzzcocks 23:30 Weather

00:20 Premiership Rugby Union 01:15 The Store 03:20 British Superbike Championship Highlights 04:35 Motorsport UK 05:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV Meridian Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Tales from Northumberland with Robson Green 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 OCD Ward 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV Meridian Weather 23:35 The Agenda

00:05 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 01:10 American Football Live 04:45 FIM Superbike World Championship 05:10 Deal or No Deal 06:05 Countdown 06:50 Kirstie's Handmade Treasures 07:05 The Treacle People 07:15 The Hoobs 08:10 According to Jim 08:35 Will & Grace 09:00 Frasier 10:05 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:05 The Big Bang Theory 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking 13:35 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 14:05 SuperScrimpers 14:10 One of Our Aircraft Is Missing 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Dispatches 21:30 Health Freaks 22:00 999: What's Your Emergency?

23:00 Embarrassing Bodies

RIPPER STREET New series. The memory of Jack the Ripper is fading but the streets of east London are still as lawless as ever. When a sergeant from Limehouse's neighbour­ ing district is hurled from a tenement window onto the iron railings below, Det Insp Reid is quick to act ­ if the police are to be so publicly assaulted, how can they hope to keep order? Investigations lead to the newly emergent Chinatown, where Jackson dis­ covers evidence of a devastatingly powerful opiate that could create havoc if released onto the streets.

00:10 The True Story 01:05 The Wicker Man 02:55 SuperCasino 05:00 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:25 Make It Big 05:50 Roary the Racing Car 06:00 Angels of Jarm 06:05 Hana's Helpline 06:20 Angels of Jarm 06:25 The Funky Valley Show 06:40 Roary the Racing Car 06:50 Hana's Helpline 07:00 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:35 The WotWots 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olly the Little White Van 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:30 Milkshake! Monkey 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 War Hero in My Family 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Delete 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 NewsTalk Live 20:00 Construction Squad: Operation Homefront 21:00 The Gadget Show 22:00 Pickpockets & Proud 23:00 Under the Dome 23:55 Final Destination

The Courier Tuesday TV

October 29

00:20 00:50 01:20 02:05 02:10 07:00 10:15 11:00 12:00 12:45 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 15:45 16:15 17:00 17:30 Mouth 18:15 19:00 19:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:25 23:35

BBC News: The Editors Citizen Khan The Graham Norton Show Weatherview BBC News Breakfast The Sheriffs Are Coming Homes Under the Hammer Saints and Scroungers Britain's Empty Homes Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances Perfection Escape to the Country Put Your Money Where Your Is Pointless BBC News Weather BBC London News The One Show BBC News; Regional News EastEnders Holby City The Escape Artist BBC News Regional News and Weather Imagine

00:20 01:20 01:50 02:50 05:00

A Very English Education The Culture Show The Story of the Jews This Is BBC Two Music Technology

06:00 Schools ­ Counting with Rodd 07:00 This Is BBC Two 07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Saints and Scroungers 08:50 Britain's Empty Homes 09:20 The A to Z of TV Cooking 10:05 Antiques Roadshow 11:05 James Martin's Food Map of Britain 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:45 Great British Menu 15:45 Floyd on Britain and Ireland 16:15 Are You Being Served?

16:45 'Allo 'Allo!

17:20 Cagney & Lacey 18:05 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing ­ It Takes Two 20:00 The Great British Bake Off 21:00 Autumnwatch 22:00 The Wrong Mans 22:30 The Sarah Millican Television Programme 23:00 Later Live ­ with Jools Holland 23:30 Weather

00:05 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Champions League Weekly 04:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Aussie Animal Island 21:00 Tonight 22:00 On the Run 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News Meridian 23:35 Words of Everest

THE ESCAPE ARTISIT New series. David Tennant stars in this drama as Will Burton, a highly talented junior barrister who is in great demand, having never lost a case, much to the frustration of his courtroom rival Maggie Gardner. But when his talents lead to the acquittal of Liam Foyle, who was standing trial for a high­ profile murder, he has reason to regret his peer­ less legal skills. For Foyle is a serial killer ­ and before long he is on the hunt for his next victim.

00:05 Educating Yorkshire 01:10 How to Find the Perfect Flatmate 02:05 Random Acts 02:10 Andaaz 04:45 Nashville 05:25 Countdown 06:10 Deal or No Deal 07:05 The Treacle People 07:15 The Hoobs 08:05 According to Jim 08:30 Will & Grace 09:00 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:00 The Big Bang Theory 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking 13:35 River Cottage Bites 13:55 Escape to Victory 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 22:00 Masters of Sex 23:10 London Irish 23:40 8 Out of 10 Cats Uncut

01:45 Campus PD 02:15 SuperCasino 04:05 Countdown to Murder 04:55 HouseBusters 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Divine Designs 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:35 The WotWots 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olly the Little White Van 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:30 Milkshake! Monkey 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Animal Maternity 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:20 NCIS 16:15 Trust 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 NewsTalk Live 20:00 Jungle Babies: Tarsier Tails 20:30 The Dog Rescuers 21:00 Cowboy Builders 22:00 The Mentalist 23:00 Castle 23:55 Body of Proof

33

The Courier Wednesday TV

October 30

01:05 03:00 03:05 07:00 10:15 11:00 12:00 12:45 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 15:45 16:15 17:00 17:30 Mouth 18:15 19:00 19:30 19:55 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:25 23:35

Archipelago Weatherview BBC News Breakfast The Sheriffs Are Coming Homes Under the Hammer Saints and Scroungers Britain's Empty Homes Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Keeping Up Appearances Perfection Escape to the Country Put Your Money Where Your Is Pointless BBC News BBC London News Party Political Broadcast The One Show Watchdog Supermarket Secrets BBC News National Lottery Update A Question of Sport

00:20 Iceland Foods: Life in the Freezer Cabinet 01:20 Horizon 02:20 This Is BBC Two 05:00 Wonders of Life 05:40 Wonders of Life 06:15 Schools ­ William Whiskerson: Island, Farm, City

06:45 Schools ­ William Whiskerson: Eco Village 06:55 Schools: Wonders of Nature ­ 00:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA Seasons: A Full Cycle 01:25 Jackpot247 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 04:00 Loose Women 08:00 Saints and Scroungers 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 08:45 Britain's Empty Homes 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 09:15 The A to Z of TV Cooking 07:00 Daybreak 10:00 Super Giant Animals 09:30 Lorraine 11:00 Plan It, Build It 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 See Hear 11:30 This Morning 12:00 BBC News 13:30 Loose Women 12:30 Daily Politics 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:55 ITV News Meridian 14:45 Great British Menu 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 15:45 Floyd on Britain and Ireland 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:15 Are You Being Served?

16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 16:45 'Allo 'Allo!

17:00 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars 17:20 Cagney & Lacey 18:00 The Chase 18:05 Flog It! 19:00 ITV News Meridian 18:55 Party Political Broadcast 19:25 Party Political Broadcast 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 ITV News and Weather 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing ­ It 20:00 Emmerdale Takes Two 20:30 Coronation Street 20:00 The Great British Bake Off 21:00 Agatha Christie's Poirot 21:00 Autumnwatch 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 22:00 Ambassadors 23:30 ITV Meridian Weather 23:00 The Culture Show 23:35 Exposure 23:30 Weather

SUPERMARKET SECRETS

00:25 Sean Lock: Lockipedia Live 01:25 Random Acts 01:30 Poker 02:25 KOTV Boxing Weekly 02:55 Volleyball 03:50 British Rallycross 04:15 Killarney Adventure Race 04:45 SuperScrimpers 05:40 Deal or No Deal 06:35 Kirstie's Handmade Treasures 06:40 Countdown 07:25 The Treacle People 07:35 The Hoobs 08:05 According to Jim 08:30 Will & Grace 08:55 Frasier 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:00 The Big Bang Theory 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking 13:35 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 14:10 The Great Sioux Massacre 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 River Cottage 22:00 Grand Designs 23:00 Mercury Prize Live Winner Announcement 23:05 Gogglebox 23:50 The Town That Caught Tourette's

People buy 90 per cent of their food from super­ markets, giving the stores a huge influence on customers' lives. In the second of four occasion­ al programmes, Gregg Wallace goes behind the scenes of some of Britain's biggest food retailers to discover how they source, make and move the produce on their shelves. And at a time when many prefer to stay at home, Gregg discovers the secret world of online supermarkets.

00:55 Countdown to Murder 01:50 SuperCasino 04:05 Saving Britain's 70­Stone Man 04:55 HouseBusters 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Divine Designs 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:35 The WotWots 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olly the Little White Van 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Revealed 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:10 The Ghost of Greville Lodge 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 NewsTalk Live 20:00 Robson's Extreme Fishing Challenge 21:00 Ben Fogle's Animal Clinic 22:00 I Lost Weight but Lost My Husband!

23:00 Wentworth Prison

The Courier Thursday TV

October 31

00:05 01:05 01:10 07:00 10:15 11:00 12:00 12:45 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 16:15 17:00 17:30 Mouth 18:15 19:00 19:30 19:30 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:25 23:35

The League Cup Show Weatherview BBC News Breakfast The Sheriffs Are Coming Homes Under the Hammer Saints and Scroungers Britain's Empty Homes Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Perfection Escape to the Country Put Your Money Where Your Is Pointless BBC News Weather BBC London News The One Show BBC News; Regional News EastEnders Waterloo Road Truckers BBC News Regional News and Weather Question Time

00:20 Great Continental Railway Journeys 01:20 See Hear 01:50 This Is BBC Two 05:00 Schools ­ Made of Money 05:30 Schools ­ Ecomaths: Key Stage 3 05:55 Schools ­ Absolute Genius with Dick and Dom

06:55 Schools ­ Wonders of Nature: Knots ­ Flocking 07:00 This Is BBC Two 07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 Saints and Scroungers 08:50 Britain's Empty Homes 09:20 The A to Z of TV Cooking 10:05 The Ottomans: Europe's Muslim Emperors 11:05 Plan It, Build It 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cash in the Attic 14:45 Great British Menu 15:45 Floyd on Britain and Ireland 16:15 Are You Being Served?

16:45 'Allo 'Allo!

17:20 Cagney & Lacey 18:10 Flog It! 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Strictly Come Dancing ­ It Takes Two 20:00 The Great British Bake Off 21:00 Autumnwatch 22:00 This World 23:00 Mock the Week ­ Again 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 James Nesbitt's Ireland 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Murder, She Wrote: the Last Free Man 05:30 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Britain's Secret Treasures 22:00 Breathless 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV Meridian Weather 23:35 The Jonathan Ross Show

BEDLAM Documentary following the lives of patients at the South London and Maudsley psychiatric institu­ tion, exploring different aspects of mental health.

A specialist unit at the Bethlem Royal Hospital treats some of the nation's most extreme cases of anxiety, including British Museum librarian Helen, who has an irrational fear of harming strangers, and university student James, who is terrified of losing control of his bowels in public.

00:55 Up All Night 01:50 Random Acts 01:55 Celluloid Man 04:25 The Good Die Young 06:05 Kirstie's Handmade Treasures 06:10 Deal or No Deal 07:05 The Treacle People 07:15 The Hoobs 08:10 According to Jim 08:35 Will & Grace 09:00 Frasier 09:35 Frasier 10:05 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:05 The Big Bang Theory 12:00 Undercover Boss USA 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking 13:35 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 14:10 Hugh's 3 Good Things: Best Bites 14:20 The Bravados 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 George Clarke's Amazing Spaces 22:00 Bedlam 23:00 Up All Night

00:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 00:55 Inside Hollywood 01:00 Poker 01:55 SuperCasino 04:05 Benidorm ER 04:55 HouseBusters 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 House Doctor 06:10 Divine Designs 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:35 The WotWots 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olly the Little White Van 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Milkshake! Monkey 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Hotel Inspector 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Robson's Extreme Fishing Challenge 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 The Mentalist 16:15 The Canterville Ghost 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 NewsTalk Live 20:00 Police Interceptors 21:00 Benidorm ER 22:00 Countdown to Murder 23:00 Person of Interest

34

Friday, October 25, 2013

AUCTIONS

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) meet at 10.00 each Sunday at their Torrevieja meetinghouse in the Torreaguas building on the corner of Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 104, close to the windmill in Torrevieja, 667 533 597.

BUSINESS SERVICES Handy Mal. No Job too small, painting, tiling, small builds, gardening, ikea assembly, San Javier and surrounding areas, very rea­ sonable rates. References available. Tel: 649 955 005 (141)

ACCOUNTANTS Pro Business Support – for all your accountancy needs in English; bookkeeping, taxes, wage slips and more.

We cater for companies and self­employed people; we can deal with everything for you. Call us on 966 923 963 for first consultation free of charge.

ANIMALS Pet Travel UK family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehi­ cles (no vans) www.pettrav­ eluk.co.uk UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (141)

BOATS FOR SALE GC15: 16m Guy Couach motor cruiser, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, kitchen, lounge/dining area, and fly­

AIR CONDITIONING

bridge. 2 x Mercedes 350kw diesel motors. 56000€. Call 966 923 963 or 651 885 200 A57: Rare Vintage 1957 Astondoa Classic Wooden motor launch, 10 m with Perkins diesel engine. All in working order. Needs TLC and re­varnish, great proj­ ect, 6000€. Call 966 923 963 or 651 885 200 .

CHURCH SERVICES International Christian Assembly, Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja.

Evangelical non­denomina­ tional church. Sunday serv­ ices 11am.

Children's church 11am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier. Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am. Craft club, Tuesdays, 2pm.

Pastor, Rafael Restrepo. All nation­ alities welcome. Call 966 799 273 or 660 127 276.

Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3.

Pilar de la Horadada.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Prayer and Praise and Worship Home groups meet during the week. All wel­ come from any church back­ ground or none. For further information contact P i l a r C h r i s t i a n .

CommunityChurch@gmail.c om 968575417 or 966848806. Reg No:2009­ SG/A

CATERING

INSURANCE CASER SEGUROS ­ for all your insurance needs, home, car, health, funeral.

Policies available in English and German.

Call Professional Business Support on 966 923 963 for a quick quote from our friendly staff.

PROPERTY FOR RENT

British Barber requires part time position. Orihuela Costa area. 30 years experi­ ence. All aspects of barber­ ing covered. Please contact Ian Johnston on 693 054 938 (141)

Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.vil­ laandvacation.com or Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 61, A lovely two bed­ roomed ground floor apart­ ment, located in the centre of the small Spanish town of Los Montesinos, With a pleasant communal swim­ ming pool adjacent & all amenities in walking dis­ tance. Long and short term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 104, 2 Bedroom apart­ ment in Torrevieja, (near gypsy lane), small balcony, near all amenities and Friday market. €350pcm Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 112, Spacious 3 bed­ room detached villa with its private pool is located on the El Raso urbanisation near Guardamar. Convenient for all amenities, shops, super­ market, restaurants and bars. Short term rental avail­ able. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref 702: Beautiful 2 bed­ room apartment, located near los Locos beach, beau­ tifully furnished. Short term rentals from 175€ per week.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 63, Two bedroom 1st floor apartment situated in

ALARMS

CAR HIRE

CARS FOR SALE

Car insurance quotes – new extra discount on fully com­ prehensive policies at the price of third party!

Excellent prices for expats, all policies and call centre staff in English. We will call you back with a quote. 966 923 963

EMPLOYMENT WANTED

Monino Blanco. The proper­ ty overlooks a superb com­ munal pool area, in within walking distance of bars, restaurants and shops.

Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref 114 This upstairs apart­ ment is situated just out of the town centre on a lovely urbanisation with a good communal pool. It has two bedrooms with an open plan kitchen, diner and lounge and kitchen. €350 per month plus bills. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

LONG TERM RENTALS WANTED! Properties, all types, in the Torrevieja area wanted for long term rentals.

Call us on 96 692 3963 CBR35 : Townhouse with garage, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath­ rooms, communal pool, near San Jaime Hospital in Aguas Nuevas area, 450 € pcm, call 966 923 963 CBR18 : Large, detached villa on 1200 m plot, beach­ side Punta Prima, 3 bed­ room, 2 bathroom, private pool and garage, 900€ pcm, call 966 923 963 Ref: 709, A lovely 1 bed­ room apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach. There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

PROPERTY FOR SALE Home and Contents cover ­ Comprehensive policies for house and contents with CASER Seguros ­ excellent prices for expats; policies available in. Call 966 923 963 for a quote.

CARPENTER

RS116 – 3 bedroom, 2 bath­ room towncentre apartment in Los Montesinos, beauti­ fully furnished/decorated, pool on solarium, 85.000€, call 966 923 963 Rare opportunity to pur­ chase on Mediterrania III, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Private Parking, F/Furnished, Large communal pools & Tennis courts S/W facing, Dramatically reduced for quick sale to 126.000 euros.

Ref No. K58 Call 627 711 155 for immediate viewing RS96 : La Mata, 1 bedroom apartment, large solarium, communal pool, close to beach, 55.000€, call 966 923 963 RS80 : Spanish style town­ house in Algorfa, totally reformed and redecorated, 110m2, 3 lrg.bedrooms, 1 bathroom, many extras, absolute bargain at 99,500€, call now on 966 923 963 for no obligation viewing.

Ref: 510, €70,000.

Bungalow located in San Luis. It is close to the super­ markets, bars and restau­ rants and is on the local bus route. An Opel Corsa car is included in this sale. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Lovely Corner property in Novamar V, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms Being sold fully furnished including appliances, Has secure underground parking and faces large oasis com­ munal pool. Walking dis­ tance to beach. 139.000 Euros, Call 627 711 155 and quote Ref No. K10 Ref: 104 Lovely 2 Bedroom Apartment, close to Shops, walking distance to Friday Market and Town Centre and the beach. The property is close to the Habaneres Shopping Centre and Aquapark. Recently refur­

CLEANERS

35

Friday, October 25, 2013 bished apartment in a good central location.

Conveniently situated for all the facilities of this modern vibrant town, and only a few blocks away from Torreviejas excellent sea front with its abundant cafes, restaurants and shops. Price €43950 Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. BRJ1 – 1 bedroom top floor renovated apartment in San Luis. Great sea and lake views. 45.000€. Tel. 966 923 963 Immaculate ground floor Duplex, 2 beds, 2 bath, Private Parking, Situated in Novamar, Gran Alacant.

Price includes very tasteful furniture and white goods.

Walking distance to all local amenities and beach. Now only 129,750 euros. Ref No K24. 627 711 155 Don Pueblo, Gran Alacant. 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Large Kitchen with Galleria, Secure underground park­ ing, Gas Central Heating, Glazed in Porch, Solarium with stunning views.

Viewings absolutely essen­ tial. Very large property at reduced price of 190.000 euros. Ref No. K38 Call 627 711 155 KBJ3 : 3 bed penthouse in Guardamar, furnished, fan­ tastic sea views, communal pool and parking, 155.000€, call 966 923 963 Opportunity to purchase at the off plan price of 195.000 euros. Large 4 Bed, 3 Bath Brand new property. Secure underground parking for 2

cars and communal pool.

Situated opposite Gran Alacant and over looks pro­ jected golf course. Ref No. K52. 627 711 155 RS1 : 3 bed large villa in Torrevieja on 950m2 plot, private pool, Jacuzzi / sauna, parking, 289.000€, call 966 923 963 Viva Villa and Vacation Services are pleased to offer property sales for the Torrevieja and Oriheula areas of the Costa Blanca, Spain. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 or Visit : www.villaandvacation.com Ref: 78, €120,000. Three bedroom Quad in Jardin Del Mar VII. There is off­road parking and small storage shed in the enclosed garden area, communal pool near­ by. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 2 Bed, 1 Bath Ground floor duplex. Central heating, Grills, Fully furnished, Glazed in Galleria, 2 com­ munal pools, private parking and walking distance to the Gran Alacant commercial centre. Situated in the popu­ lar urbanisation of Puerto Marino. Now only 96,500 euros for quick sale Ref No. K46. 627 711 155 Ground Floor Duplex, on the Monte y Mar estate of Gran Alacant. 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Fully furnished, Private Parking, Communal pool Ref. GA0094 NOw only 83.000e Tel. 680333242 Gran Alacant Detached villa, located in a very sought after location.Situated on a

CAR BREAKERS

560m2 S/W facing plot and constructed in 2005.

Comprising of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 full baths), Lounge­Diner, fully equipped Kitchen, Porch and Solarium with Alicante & Sea Views. ref.L81. €258,000 neg.

Tel. 680333242 Gran Alacant Town House with a difference.

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Glazed in Porch, Quiet Location, Extra storage areas, and South Facing Private Pool as well as 2 communal pools. Fully Furnished, All mod cons.

Greenland Views and all local amenities close by.

Ref. No L79. 179.000 euros 680 333 242 Gran Alacant immaculate villa, 3 bedroomed, 3 bath­ roomed property maintained to a very high standard inside and out and the interi­ or furnishings are top quali­ ty, offering a feeling of luxury and good taste. The plot size is 400m2 and has been beautifully tiles, and grav­ eled and has established palms and plants. Oil fired central heating throughout, log effect fire place, ceiling fans in all rooms, towel heater rails, glazed in show­ er units, instant hot water, water purifier, free English TV, phone & internet lines, fitted double hanging wardrobes, safe, glazed in front porch, vanity units and much more. The pool is an 8 X 4 m2 salt water pool, meaning maintenance is much easier plus outside toilet and shower. Sea views to front with Greenland views to the rear. ref K51. €245,000 Tel 680333242 Ref: 516, €39,999. Studio apartment in San Luis, close to amenities. Open plan fully equipped kitchen. Good sized lounge, bedroom and out onto balcony which has been glazed to create another room. Call: 965 707

188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, €60,000 A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach.

There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: KP3100, €183,000.

Three bedroom, two bath­ room detached villa, located in San Luis, on a 450sqm plot, with communal pool.

Garage to side of house.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 520, €85,000. Two bed­ room apartment in Dream Hills, with a fully equipped kitchen, large lounge, glazed­in terrace and a large solarium. This property comes with a large commu­ nal swimming pool. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Lovely clean detached Villa just as you enter Gran Alacant. Very central loca­ tion, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Glazed in Porch, Garden Shed, Private Parking, Attractive Gardens, Private pool Ref: K59 240.000e Tel. 627711155 Recently reduced 4 Bed, 3 Bath Villa, in Gran Alacant.

Quiet Location, Exceptional Views. Converted Under build, 2 Lounges, 2 Kitchens, Private Garage and being sold Fully Furnished, now only 239.950 Ref: L81 Tel. 680333242 Large 4 Bedroom, 4 Bathroom, 2 Kitchens, 2 Lounges, 600m2+ plot Large Retractable Glazed in Pool for all year swimming, Private Parking for 4 cars, Very low­maintenance, Fully Furnished. 330.000e but Negotiable. Very different to the other properties in Gran Alacant and is disabled friendly Ref: L80 Tel. 680333242

MAN AND A VAN HOUSE / BAR CLEARANCE

DRAINAGE HOME CARE

Corner Plot Property in the lower end of Gran Alacant. 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Under build, Roof top Solarium Being sold Fully Furnished including White goods. Walking distance to all local amenities. 139.950e Ref. GA0087 Tel. 680333242 Limited Edition Fortaleze in Gran Alacant Exceptionally Large Plot. 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Large Private Pool with Decorative Garden, Private Parking, Electric Gates, Glazed in Porch, Solarium, Under build. Quiet sought after area. Very tastefully fur­ nished and all included 370.000e Ref. K52 Tel. 627711155 Mid Terraced Townhouse on Avda Polognia, Gran Alacant Furnished to a very high standard and includes White Goods. 3 Bed, 2 Bath, Lounge Diner, Fully convert­ ed Under build offering a second lounge and large storage area. Roof top Solarium, Glazed in galleria with extended worktops.

Front Garden with BBQ, Communal Pool with Gardens. 132.000e Ref. K16 Tel. 627711155 Semi­Detached Villa with Open Greenland Views to the Rear and Alicante Views to the Front, means this property in Gran Alacant would appeal to anybody looking for a quiet location.

Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Lounge diner, with working Fire place, Porch, Solarium, Established Gardens and Private Pool, Private

Parking on a large plot.

265.000e Ref. L95 Tel. 680333242 Offers Invited on a mid Terraced Town house in Gran Alacant. Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Lounge Diner, Galleria, Solarium, Under build.

Communal Pool and Gardens, and with Exceptional Views of Alicante. Being Sold Fully Furnished including White Goods. Ref. K42 Tel. 627711155 (reasonable offers only) 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, Unfurnished Mid Terraced Townhouse in GA. Recently decorated throughout means this property is a very clean black canvass.

Has Air­Con & Security Grills and the use of a Communal Pool. Price recently reduced to 110.000e Ref.K12 Tel. 627711155 Reduced for a quick sale to 95.000 e 2 Bedroom, 1 bath­ room, Top Floor Duplex in Gran Alacant. Very Modern Property with Many extras.

Glazed in Porch, Roof Top Solarium, Wooden Flooring.

Immaculate condition and ready to move in. Ref. K15 Tel. 627711155.

PETS

PERSONAL

36

Friday, October 25, 2013

Gran Alacant, Situated on the very first urbanisation as you enter Gran Alacant, this 2nd floor duplex offers taste and quality. Comprising of 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, lounge­diner, independent kitchen, full roof­top solari­ um with superb views and recently glazed in porch offering extra living area as well as extra privacy as the glass is mirrored. Ref.K44 €108,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Situated in the "Alto" part of Gran Alacant, this 3 bedroomed, 4th floor apartment, offers luxury accommodation, with absolutely stunning sea views, as well as views of Alicante bay and the famous Santa Barbara Castle.The apartment is 89 square meters with open plan kitchen / living room and includes all electrical appli­ ances & furniture also there is a utility room, open ter­ race, and private parking.

The urbanisation also offers many communal pools, ten­ nis courts, restaurants and bars. Ref. K20 €109,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant villa located in a very quiet area , situated at the end of a cul­de­sac means there is no through traffic.3 bed, 3 bath, 330m2 plot, established large gar­ dens, working fireplace,

solar panel for hot water,pri­ vate parking, south facing great views, fully furnished, fantastic opportunity. ref.

L85. €215,000 Tel 680333242 Beach front Line property, over looks Carabassi Beach, Gran Alacant. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Secure Underground Parking, Fully furnished, Roof Top Solarium. 3 Large Communal Pools, Fantastic communal Gardens, Tennis Courts and much more.

125.000 Euros Ref No. K23.

Tel. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant, Situated front line to the famous blue flag beaches of Carabassi, the real beauty of this property is its proximity to the beach, but also on offer is a fantas­ tic communal pool situated in beautifully kept gardens with little Spanish walk ways.Comprising of 2 bed­ rooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge diner, American style kitchen including all appliances, roof top solarium with stunning views, front porch area with front garden and a secure underground garage. fully furnished Ref. K23 €125,000 rare opportunity Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant limited edition villa, not very often available on the market. Only a few of this type were ever con­

POOLS

SURVEYOR

PLUMBERS

POOL TABLES

structed­ Very large 5 bed­ rooms, 4 bathroom(2 en­ suit) property, situated on a large corner plot with a 10 x 5 private pool and private parking. Lounge­diner with working fireplace, fully equipped kitchen with utility room. Large landing area, leading onto solarium, with extra storage external room.

Front porch area leading into large well established gardens with irrigation sys­ tem and fruit trees. Being sold fully furnished. Within walking distance to Gran Alacant commercial centre and 5 minute drive to Carabassi beaches. ref.

K11. €270,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant large detached villa with 3 double bed­ rooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge­diner, fully equipped kitchen, large porch, roof top solarium, 400 m2 Plot, with established low mainte­ nance very private gardens with irrigation system, elec­ tronic gates, private parking, outside wc, sink & shower,

terraces, air con ( h & c ), mosquito nets, grills, alarmed, large spa pool with separate Jacuzzi section.

Within easy walking dis­ tance to Gran Alacant com­ mercial centre and close to local bus and tram route.

Ref K33. €260,000 neg Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, detached villa in desirable road close to all amenities, comprising of 3 double bedrooms, 3 baths, lounge diner with working fire place, brand new kitchen with all appliances and black granite work tops, private pool, plot of 550m2, established irrigated gar­ dens and fruit trees, private parking, solarium, also there is a converted under build giving more bedrooms ,bathroom & kitchen, this house has many extras and is being sold fully furnished.

Ref.k47. €280,000 neg Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant south­facing, very private villa, with wood­

STORAGE

REMOVALS

land and Alicante views.

Situated at the end of a small cul­de­sac which means this villa enjoys a very peaceful location.3 Bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 3 Bathrooms, lounge­diner with working fireplace, fully fitted kitchen with including white goods, large front porch, solarium,workshop and stor­ age in under build, central heating, air con H/C, ceiling fans, grills, UK T.V, off road parking and plenty of out­ side parking also. Due to its orientation of this property enjoys full sun, all day, something very important in the winter months. Ref.K24. €237,000 Tel 680333242

QUIZZES

REMOVALS Spanish Moves Small removals and deliveries.

Spain/UK Budget prices.

Last minute jobs undertak­ en. www.spanishmoves.net Telephone UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (141)

SOLICITORS Need English speaking solicitors in Torrevieja? Let us help to solve your prob­ lems with debt recovery, divorce, property, fraud, criminal defence. Call us on 966 923 963, give us brief details and get in touch with your specialist solicitor today

WIG SPECIALIST

Experienced quiz­ master/question setter with personality available to host quiz nights in local bars.

Tel:­ 664 838 581

SITUATIONS VACANT Butia Espana Self motivat­ ed staff required in Costa Blanca, Sales experience in property an advantage.

Must have own transport.

Tel Spain 960130537 or UK 0800 612 7514 or info@buti­ aespana.com (141) RADIO COSTA INTERNA­ TIONAL needs motivated sellers. Spanish, English and German language is a bonus but not essential.

Training and good earnings guaranteed. For more info call 644 126 600 or email info@radicocostainterna­ tional.com Medaesthetics require a Beautician. Must have NVQ Level 3 and working self employed email cv to sabinebrooks@hotmail.com

SALON MARGARETHAS, 23 years in Torrevieja Hair/Wig specialist for Medical illness and Hair Loss problems. We offer dif­ ferent Hair Replacements, top fillers, Hair prostheses, Toupees and Wigs, Natural and Artificial hair and much more. Also fashion/festival accessories TV/TS are wel­ come to our service. Please call our salon reception for an appointment with Margaretha on Tel no 966 921 846 Torrevieja (90)

RAG AND BONE

VAN HIRE

WANTED

37

Friday, October 25, 2013

Greenside Gossip CHINA IN YOUR HAND IVIE DAVIES takes a weekly look at the golf scene - golfdavies@gmail.com

We’ve heard this week how the UK Government is get­ ting involved with China to build nuclear power sta­ tions and over here in Spain, the past few years have seen the Chinese opening up multitudes of Bazaars. Well now it looks like they are turning their attention to perhaps influ­ encing UK golf, yet it appears that they do not visit our Spanish golf courses, which makes me wonder whether this is a market that should be tapped into?

The announcement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the Government is to make Chinese visa changes, could be a “game changer” for the top UK golf clubs Students at Beijing University were told that a pilot scheme will be launched and some Chinese travel agents will be able to apply for UK visas by submit­ ting the application form used for the European Union’s Schengen visa which allows them to stay for 90 days in a 6 month period. Currently, Chinese tourists can visit 26 European countries via the one Schengen visa, yet if they want to visit Britain they have to fill out a separate application form, which is also more expensive. This is partly why France, gets about 10 times as many visitors from China as the UK, even though surveys in China have found more interest in visiting the UK than France.

Some in the golf industry have been calling for a relaxation of the Chinese visa application process for a number of years. Golf could be a source for economic growth in the UK, however it may require closer European integration to achieve this, with a poll of Chinese millionaires showing that golf is far and away their most popular sport and travelling is by some distance their favourite leisure activity. This is from a Visit Scotland survey that found that the average Chinese tourist spends £770 on a holiday to Scotland, more than tourists from any other nation, and £70 more than the aver­ age American tourist. It is very interesting that Chinese visi­ tors are the highest spenders, as this is a new market for Scotland, with many wanting to go there to play golf and buy luxury items such as whisky.

China is also one of the global growth leaders in golf, as the number of courses are expected to increase by nearly five times, from 500 to 2,400, within the next 7 years. But, while demand from affluent Chinese people to play golf in Britain is very strong, visa issues are putting them off from visiting.

TITTER ON THE TEE

In particular, the cost of a visa to visit the Schengen Area, incorporating all of central Europe, Scandinavia and most of the Mediterranean, is cheaper than a separate visa that needs to be bought to visit the UK. Britain never signed up to the Schengen Agreement and currently has no plans to do so. The UK is getting significantly fewer visitors than some European competitors, getting about 150,000 Chinese visi­ tors every year, but France is getting about ten times that amount.

There are fewer direct flights to the UK from China than to several other European countries, meaning that Chinese tourists often buy two visas before coming to the UK, and end up spending large amounts of money in Europe. The Chinese see the UK as the number one country in the world in terms of culture but if it sent out a signal that they were relaxing and improving its visa regulations, more Chinese tourists would go there.

Golf is also booming in China at the moment. The country’s first course was built less than 30 years ago, but it had 200 venues by 2010. Today it has 600 with another 400 due to be built in the next seven years. The demand has grown par­ ticularly because two 14­year­old Chinese boys, Andy Zhang and Guan Tianlang, have qualified for two majors in the last 18 months and 12­year­old Ye Wocheng played on the European Tour this year. Earlier this year, The Mission Hills Golf Group in China, the world’s largest golf facility, also donated a six­figure sum to fund the development of an archive of golf photography in St Andrews in Scotland.

There is a huge – and growing – interest in China to go to the UK to play golf, but the process of doing that is so expen­ sive and cumbersome that most tourists come to Europe instead; this announcement could open the floodgates to Chinese visitors going to the UK. It could be a game changer for any top UK golf club that has struggled to attract visitors with expensive green fees in recent years.

A man had just played a game of golf at a strange golf course and rushed off to have a quick shower before going off to an important business appointment. He took his flannel into the shower and, after washing him­ self, was just about to step out to find a towel when, to TIMES ARE A CHANGING his horror, he heard the sound of ladies' voices.

OR ARE THEY? He peeped through the shower curtain and saw two sen­ ior ladies and a smashing young blonde. He realised that I’ve recently had received many concerns from resident he had gone into the ladies' shower room by mistake, but he had to get out of the shower as he had this impor­ tant meeting to go to.

So he thought that the only thing to do was to cover his face with the flannel and make a dash for it. He emerged QUESTION Stan’s ball lies against a discarded scorecard. On remov­ stealthily from the shower and ran quickly past the three ing the card, his ball moves. What is the ruling? ladies, his face hidden by his flannel.

A: The ball is played as it lies with two stroke penalty.

“I wonder who that was?” said one of the senior ladies.

B: The ball must be replaced with a two stroke penalty.

“Well, it wasn't my husband,” said the other. “And it cer­ C: The ball must be replaced without penalty. tainly wasn't mine,” said the first lady.

“And I can assure you,’ “said the blonde, "that it wasn't ANSWER any member of this club, either” C: The ball must be replaced without penalty Rule 24 – 1a

KNOW YOUR RULES

golfers here in Spain over the attitudes of golf course man­ agements and visiting golfers.

In both areas, they have told me how standards have dropped in etiquette and golf course organisation and the only thing that has not decreased are the prices. Yes! 12 months ago, the short thinking Spanish government took golf out of tourism and placed it into sports and leisure and with it a hike of 13% in IVA, but some courses are trying to milk it, by fervent­ ly issuing high, medium and low seasons green fee rates, whilst in the past it was just high and low. Why not get the numbers up by having just one economical green fee all year?

It beggars belief when the other week we played and there were four, two balls in front of our four ball, and apart from the fact they were hold­ ing us up, it does not make economic sense. Four tee times were being used, when they could have made up two four balls freeing up another two tee times and earning eight green fees. I realise that some do not wish to play with strangers, but if handled correctly in the first instance, I am sure golfers would go along with the request, it as social sport. This is done quite successfully on Florida courses.

Talking of number of players, I was informed in one of the E­ mails of a course allowing “5 balls”. Now, that is stretching chasing the Euro a bit too far, but sadly it’s not an isolated incident.

38

Friday, October 25, 2013

It’s that man again Messi’s untaxing return Lionel Messi scored on his starting return to Barcelona's line­up against AC Milan in a 1­1 Champions League draw at the San Siro on Tuesday. Messi has been sidelined by injury ­ which forced him to miss Argentina's World Cup qual­ ifiers last week ­ but was needed to claim a point after a defensive howler gifted Milan the lead.

Javier Mascherano and Gerard Pique were at fault to allow Robinho to combine with Kaka before putting his side ahead.

Messi replied on 23 minutes after he was afforded too much space, but despite Barcelona dominating thereafter they were unable to find a winner. The Spanish side stay top of Group H, 2 points clear of Milan.

BARCA RUN ENDS OSASUNA 0

REAL MADRID 2 JUVENTUS 1 Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid beat Juventus 2­1 on Wednesday to maintain their 100% Champions League record. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a dinked finish but Fernando Llorente equalised from close range before Ronaldo scored a penalty, his seventh goal in three Champions League games. Juve had Giorgio Chiellini sent off before Real's Gareth Bale came on for the last 23 minutes.

ELCHE ON FIRE REAL BETIS 1

ELCHE 2

BARCELONA 0

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino was left to rue his side's lack of cutting edge after the Primera Division champions' 100% start to the new campaign ended in a 0­0 draw at Osasuna on Saturday evening. The visitors bossed possession in Pamplona and had the lion's share of chances but Osasuna held on to become the first team in La Liga to keep a clean sheet against Barcelona in almost two years.

The stalemate represented the first dropped points for the Catalan giants this term, and meant they failed to equal the record of nine straight wins at the start of a Spanish season. The La Liga table has Barcelona ahead of Atletico Madrid by one point, after Atletico’s 100% record went down the pan with a 1­nil defeat at Espanyol.

Barcelona have the small matter of playing Real Madrid in the first El Clasico meeting of the sea­ son tomorrow.

Monte win Vega battle BENEJUZAR 2 CD MONTESINOS 3

Ten­man Elche survived a late onslaught from Real Betis to record their third win in a row in La Liga with a 2­ 1 away victory at a team that were just below them in the table. Elche scored twice in quick succession in the first half through Manu del Moral and Fidel Chaves, but Jorge Molina's goal put Betis back

in contention before the break. Dominga Cisma was sent off one minute into the second half for a second yel­ low card but, even with an extra player, Betis' search for an equaliser proved in vain thanks in no small part to the heroics of Elche goal­ keeper Manu Herrera.

Elche are now 9th in the

Primera Division table, in what was turned out to be a dream start for the promoted side.

Elche entertain Granada tomorrow evening(Saturday) with an 8.00pm kick­off, with memo­ ries still raw in Elche minds of the Andulacian side beat­ ing them in the play­offs last year.

CD Montesinos continue to prosper on their travels with a victory away to fierce rivals Benejuzar in what some supporters dub as the Battle of the Vega Baja. The 60 or so Monte fans that travelled to the match were seg­ regated by 3 Guardia officers and 2 Local Police officers, from the 250 local fans, who threw things at them, as well as questioning their parentage.

The first 20 minutes produced mind­numb­ ing football, but then things burst into life, with Benejuzar looking the better side and taking the lead on the 25 minute mark. On 36 minutes, Edu’s pace took him clear to score, and 4minutes later a mix up in the

Benejuzar defence was capitalised on

by Rubio who smashed the ball into the net. On the stroke of half time, Montesinos defender, Fernando, was caught napping and Benejuzar’s No.12 nipped in to round Roberto and make it 2­2 at the interval.

Dario and Marcos came on for Rodrigo & Omar in 2nd half with Monte pushing for a third goal. After missing chances, Monte got what they wanted in the 77th minute as a fierce shot from Dario put them ahead. Montesinos hope to carry their away form into their home matches when they entertain Grupo Caliche this Sunday with a 4.00pm kick­off.

ORIHUELA SETBACK

REAL SWEAT FOR MALAGA WIN REAL MADRID 2 MALAGA 0

Cristiano Ronaldo converted a stoppage­ time penalty won by Gareth Bale to seal a 2­ 0 home win for Real Madrid against Malaga last Saturday, allowing Carlo Ancelotti's side to maintain the pressure on Primera Division leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Los Blancos led 1­0 thanks to a fortuitous goal from Angel Di Maria (pictured) just after half­time, but then spent bulk of the second

period being frustrated by some outstanding saves from Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero as they sought a second goal.

However, the clincher duly arrived in added time. Ronaldo, who had had a frustrating afternoon, crashed a spot­kick into the bot­ tom corner after 76th­minute substitute Bale had chased a long ball before going to ground under a challenge from Weligton.

ITV Orihuela RFC came down to earth with a bump after their big win over Torrevieja Tigers by losing 32­14 at home to Albacete. In other results, Murcia thrashed Torrevieja, 53­5, whilst Cartagena had an easy 46­5 win at Lorca.

39

Friday, October 25, 2013

BOOKED! DAVID, ROY – AND MORE SPICY STUFF

What is it with the timing of launching footballing auto­ biographies that seem aimed to cause maximum discomfort – or have I missed the point, and that’s the idea all along?

Following last week’s cata­ logue of disasters penned by hapless Harry Redknapp to embarrass himself, this week sees the mighty Sir Alex Ferguson rather rudely releasing his own thoughts and some revealing facts about his hugely­successful 27 year tenure managing Manchester United. As he’s still a United director, his timing in releasing the book right now looks a little crass, given the team’s current eighth position after eight games, dis­ playing nothing like last sea­ s o n ’ s Championship form, and leav­ ing his poor beleaguered

successor Prince David Moyes looking a little lost.

Still, there’s some good news: Gus Poyet’s wife has had her what­to­buy­hubby Christmas present problems solved, hope he’s a fast read­ er though ‘cos Boxing Day there’s always a match.

Apparently the gist of the book is maxi­ mum one­man management, only one boss with absolute authority everywhere – especially

in the dressing room, a fur­ nace Fergie is feared for, where his legendary ‘hair­ dryer’ treatment, tea cups, tantrums and the odd kicked boot fiendishly flying around are well known by those who have been there: some who still carry the scars.

Yer actual David Beckham, boy to man at Old Trafford under Sir Alex duly ducked once, but to the great man – Fergie, that is – marriage to Posh Spice Victoria changed Beckham for the worse, and Metrosexual Man ultimately committed the cardinal sin of challenging Ferguson’s lead­ ership. There could only be one Goliath and it definite­ ly wasn’t our David – and so off he went on his trav­ els. Red Roy Keane was also a Fergie baby when snatched from my Nottingham Forest, going on to captain United and lead them to great achieve­ ments on the field where Keano wield­

Torry rue missed chances PINOSO 3

FC TORREVIEJA 2

FC Torrevieja played some outstanding football away to Pinoso last Saturday but the time old adage of being made to pay for not taking their chances was clearly demonstrat­ ed as the home side grabbed all three points, through a Javo hat­trick. Obele and Valdeolivas, both injured last week, sat it out as Rafa Gomez and Carrasco got the start­ ing nod and they crafted the first goal on ten minutes, with a Carrasco header from a Gomez cross.

Torry squandered several great opportuni­ ties, whilst Pinoso were undeservedly rewarded with two goals in four minutes to give them the interval lead. The normally reliable Carrion spilled what looked a tame shot only to see Javo first to react and tap it home from a few feet out, before the same player added a second amid defensive con­ fusion.

The second half had Torrevieja throwing away chance after chance, before with ten

Early splash

The swimmers of Club Natacion Torrevieja got the season off to a flying start grabbing a 5 medal haul in the “Villa de Petrer” Trophy contest, featuring over 350 swimmers from all 11 clubs competing across a wide age range. Torrevieja had 20 swim­ mers involved, and besides win­ ning medals, there were many other good swims and personal bests amongst the whole team.

ed withering weapons ­ but as many quietly know there is a dark side to Roy which appears to have become prevalent in the dressing room, so he had to go too, and didn’t really do much anymore: including manage­ ment.

My own take on Fergie is that he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, passed politely or thrown around. But for sheer Scottish strength of character honed in Glasgow’s tough shipbuilding streets, you’ve got to admire him. After a reasonably­successful play­ ing career, ‘Razor Elbows’ as he was known went into play­ er­managing and once took his young St Mirren team to Bermuda on a close­season tour. From the side­lines he

became increasingly irritated Trafford way back in 1986, as his talented­but­ and showing everyone what lightweight young striker was big club football manage­ being clattered regularly by a ment is all about. huge hairy local defender, The 64,000 dollar ques­ and getting no referee pro­ tion: what would have hap­ tection. Five minutes into the pened with waveringly­way­ second half Fergie could ward Wayne Rooney had Sir take it no longer, and brought Alex stayed? After leaving himself on at his youngster’s England’s best striker out of expense. Five ‘striking’ min­ key United games last year, utes later it was all over as in the book it says the day Fergie was sent off as the after the wonderfully­suc­ cessful season finished, defender was carried off.

My uncompromising went Rooney came into his office on to take unfashionable with a transfer request, his Aberdeen so high they need­ agent doing the same with ed oxygen, into Europe and United’s chairman. As we all winning the Cup Winners know now, it didn’t happen Cup, and for once breaking and all seems well: ­ well, the traditional Celtic/Rangers except for the current P’raps Prince stronghold that existed until results.

Rangers recently imploded, David’s poring over it right before taking the reins at Old now?

Antonio brace as Saints held San Fulgencio 2 Jove Espanol 2

San Fulgencio always knew that they would be in for a tricky first regional group encounter against a team just below them in the table. And so it was, as the visitors scored after just 2 minutes, and totally dominated the first quarter of the match, with The Saints fortunate not to con­ cede more goals, as they just trailed 1­nil at half­time.

Having weathered the storm, Saints striker Antonio equalised, only for Jove to regain the lead quickly afterwards. Antonio put the

home side back into it, and Carlos very near­ ly gave San Fulgencio all three points by chasing down the Jove keeper. The Saints are away this weekend at Alguena with a 6.00 pm kick off.

MORE RACING MAYHEM AT THE CIRCUITO CARTAGENA

minutes remaining, Javo broke fast to com­ plete his hatrick. Torry captain Rafa headed home in the 85th minute after Alberto had flighted a free kick right on the spot, but that was the end of the scoring. Barring the run­ away leaders Eldense, Torrevieja are now fifth in a very tight division, and will entertain eighth place and in­form Novelda at the Vicente Garcia stadium this Sunday with a 5.00pm kick­off.

Forget mur­ der on the dance floor, Saturday was all about may­ hem on the race track!

The oval cir­ cuit proved too much of a challenge for some with spin outs, early retirements and even a car flipped over on its roof. Thankfully, the safety precautions carried out by Velocity prevailed and no­one was hurt although the same could not be said of the car. Just as well, as the driver in question was all for getting back out there but that’s racing mentality for you!

With a number of new rookie rods on the track, title chasers Caroline Capel in #46 and Paul Drewett in #55 had their work cut out securing point scoring finishes. Licensed to thrill in number (yes you’ve guessed it!) 007, Ritchie Gibson took the first win of the night – fighting off challenges from both Caroline and new­comer Alex Knight to earn it. Both

Caroline and Alex got their revenge win­ ning the sec­ ond and third races respec­ tively. Looks like Alex is going to be one to watch

in the future.

The lightning rods were quite simply elec­ tric. With the experience and skills on show, there was never a dull moment and it was all the crowd could do to keep up with action.

The battle continued between Nick Kelly in #48 and Dave Belchi in #8 with Nick boxing Belchi in beautifully to secure the first win.

The second race was a different story with another new­comer Chris Haycock making his mark by taking the win in the second before performing that incredible flip in the third – some drivers want to win real bad!

Next meeting 16 November – Check out ‘Velocity Racing Spain’ on Facebook for more details.

Friday, October 25, 2013

40

A GLUT OF GREAT GOLDEN GOALS!!

If you missed Arsenal’s opener in the 4 ­ 1 nuking of Norwich on Saturday, then try “You­tubing” it ­ 92 first­time passes, every Gunner touches it twice with Ozil and Wilshere exchanging five passes each before Smokin’ Jack blows it past poor John Ruddy. OK, a mil­ lion lines ‘I mustn’t exaggerate’, but hey, it was good, and helped to keep Arsene’s Army top. Top ­ Arsenal? When did that last hap­ pen, and more importantly can they keep it up? Sadly, for every domestic silver lining there’s a European cloud.

Marring our Arsene’s ‘When I’m 64’ birthday celebra­ tions on Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund noisily came en masse to the Emirates party and assailed Arsenal 2 – 1. That polished Polish striker Robert Lewandowski got his own back on English football by finally finish­ ing off the Gunners with a late stunner. That defeat complicates further Arsenal Champions League progress problematical, with winning trips to Napoli as well as Dortmund now necessary.

A similarly­sensational stake for strike of the season was Pajtim Kasami’s equaliser for Fulham against

John McGregor reports

Hapless Holloway’s hopers on Monday night. Chipped through from his own half, the Albanian­born­in­ Macedonia­who­plays­for­Switzerland chested it on at full speed and brilliantly volleyed it first time into the far top corner, paralysing poor Palace on the way to a 4 ­ 1 win. Fulham’ve got Southampton Saturday, but at Palace their Eagles aren’t landing, they can’t get off the ground (with Holloway fleeing the nest) ­ and just when it can’t get any worse – it’s leaders Arsenal Saturday!

In second place, sneering and snarling, but sensibly sent to the stands was Mouthy Miserable Mourinho as his Chelsea chancers choked confused Cardiff 4 ­ 1.

The Blues were ‘helped’ by Eto kicking the ball away as visiting goalie David Marshall tried to bounce it, for Hazard to score the first of four home goals at the Bridge. MMM would’ve gone gaga if his Cech had bounced it and conceded, but Mou reacted by ref­rub­ bishing for time­wasting, and was sent to sit with the schoolboys. Jose’s got previous for past problems en Espana, and has now graciously accepted his FA charge for improper conduct: Blues Boys saw off Schalke, going well in Europe (again).

While it’s not exactly Premiership nightmares at the Theatre of Dreams with 11 points from 8 games, it’s not going according to the book ­ Fergie’s new ‘un, that is.

Apart from the obvious managerial change, it’s still the

same players that were last year’s champions by a country mile, plus a hairy new sometimes­scoring mid­ fielder, and now new wonderkinder Adnan Januzaj.

Hey, – where’s Zaha? Palace must be pig sick, they could certainly use him. Surely not going the same way as Berbatov, Macheda & more? On Saturday against a spirited Southampton side, United couldn’t get out of third gear, and although Robin van Persie weighed in with a good goal, Super Saints never gave up and deservedly equalised just before the end to leave the Red Devils a big eight points behind leaders Arsenal. But unlike the Gunners, United’s Eurovision looks focussed, though the 1 – 0 win (own goal) over Real Sociedad midweek with the reserves playing plus Rooney wasn’t very convincing.

Unconvincing? Poor old Poyet looked shell­shocked seeing his Sunderland slain 4 – 0 at Swansea, the enor­ mity of his task facially­etched in his post­match inter­ view. And it never rains at the Stadium of Light, does it? It’s only nasty­neighbours Newcastle on Sunday, the Magpies fighting 2 – 2 draw with second­equal Liverpool with only ten men, proved Pardew’s players have got ability plus guts. But local derbies have a habit of equalling things up ­ remember Potty Paolo last season as the Black Cats improbably nuked Newcastle 3 ­ 0 – can lightning strike twice?