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ISSUE 411

COSTA blanca

20 - 26 jan

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France drug trial: Brain-dead man dies in hospital

for granted. Testing such experimental drugs, at the cutting edge of science, can never be completely risk-free.

The safety and effectiveness of these drugs are rigorously tested in animals. The risks are low but there must still be a leap of faith when they are tried in people for the first time.

This trial has been taking place since July without such major events being reported.

Generally in Phase I trials the dose is increased slowly over time, which could be why the sideeffects are appearing now.

A man left brain-dead after an experimental drug trial in France has died, local media report.

He was one of six people being treated in hospital in the city of Rennes.

The other five remain in a stable condition, the hospital said, four had “neurological problems”, the fifth had no symptoms.

Reports that the drug was a cannabis-based painkiller have been denied by the French health ministry. The Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation The trial, which involved taking the drug orally and has now been suspended, was conducted by a private laboratory in Rennes.

Ninety volunteers took the drug, manufactured by the Portuguese company Bial.

Ten of the other 84 have been tested, but did not display any of the “anomalies” of those admitted, the Rennes hospital said in its statement (in French).

On Friday, the chief neuroscientist at the hospital, Gilles Edan, said there was no known antidote to the drug.

Analysis: James Gallagher, BBC News This is the bitter price of the new medicines we take

The hospitalised men started taking the drug regularly on 7 January and began showing severe side-effects three days later.

It is a high price to pay, but thousands of people do safely take part in similar trials each year.

The trial was conducted by Biotrial, a French-based company with an international reputation which has carried out thousands of trials since it was set up in 1989.

The study was a Phase I clinical trial, in which healthy volunteers take the medication to evaluate the safety of its use, the ministry said.

Before any new medicine can be given to patients, detailed information about how it works and how safe it is must be collected.

Clinical trials are the key to getting that data - and without volunteers to take part in the trials, there would be no new treatments for serious diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

New EU regulations to speed up clinical drug trials and streamline testing procedures across the 28-nation bloc are due to take effect in 2018.

Bbc.com

January 2016

Firefighters left stunned

Firefighters were left a little hot under the collar after a woman asked them to help get her out of a CHASTITY belt.

The middle-aged woman turned up at a fire station in Padua, Italy, and began asking crew if they could help her with a lock she could not open.

A number of firefighters began asking her questions about where she lived - thinking she had locked herself out of her front door.

But the crew were left stunned when the woman told them she was referring to a chastity belt she was wearing and pulled up her jumper to show them.

Speaking directly to the firefighters, the woman, who cannot be named under Italian privacy laws, said: “I’ve lost the keys to a lock and I can no longer open it.”

Despite the peculiar nature of the request, the crew managed to open the chastity belt by breaking the lock.

Local newspaper Il Mattino di Padova told how concerned members of the crew then began investigating whether or not the woman had been forced to wear the belt by a partner.

However, it was revealed she had chosen to wear the belt herself in an effort to stop her from having sexual relationships.

She was forced to run to the fire station after losing the key in her home.

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List of Murderers Revealed on Cathedral Wall

A long list with names of Medieval killers has been uncovered by restorers working in a Russian church, shedding new light on the murder of Andrey Bogolyubsky, one of the most powerful princes of the time.

Found on the east wall of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Pereslavl-Zalessky, some 60 miles from Moscow, the inscription names 20 conspirators and briefly describes what happened on the night of June 29, 1174, when Prince Bogolyubsky was stabbed to death in his bedchamber.

“We suppose the inscription was some sort of official announcement about the murder of Prince Andrey and the condemnation of the murderers,” Alexey Gippius, professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Discovery News.

The lives of Roman gladiators and the wide reach of the bloody games throughout the empire is coming more into focus thanks to the discovery of a possible gladiator graveyard in Britain. Jorge Ribas talks to the excavation’s field officer.

“The number of the names confirms information given by the chronicles, where however only three names are mentioned,” he added.

Andrey I Yuryevich, commonly known as Andrey Bogolyubsky (“Andrew the God-Loving”), was a grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, the Grand Prince of Kiev from 1113 to 1125.

As the prince of Rostov-Suzdal and grand prince of Vladimir, he strengthened the importance of the northeastern Russian lands which he tried to unite under his authority.

He moved the political hub from Kiev to the city-state of Vladimir, making it a powerful center of religious and civil life. Seeing their power strongly reduced the boyars, or upper nobility, plotted against the autocratic prince.

Twenty conspirators burst into Andrey’s chamber and killed him.

3

“The murder of the prince is one of the most dramatic and mysterious events of the second half of the 12th century,” Nikolai Makarov, director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in a statement.

He noted the assassination was a consequence of conflicts among the political elite of the Vladimir-Suzdal land, turned by Andrey into one of the dominant political centers of Russia.

“However, the details of these conflicts, which are often interpreted as a clash of princely power and nobility, are unknown to us,” Makarov said.

Detail of the left column of an inscription found in a Russian cathedral that names men who murdered a prince.

Located in the middle of the southern apse of the cathedral, the inscription consists of two columns and is crowned by a cross.

The right column reads: “On the month of June 29 Prince Andrey had been killed by his servants.

Memory eternal to him and eternal torture to them .”

The left column contains a list of Bogolyubsky’s killers, which include the already known names of “Petr Fralovich, Ambal, Yakim” and other so far unknown murderers including “Ivka, Petrko, Styryata.”

“These are murderers of Great Prince Andrey. Let them be cursed,” the inscription concludes.

The researchers can’t tell when exactly after the murder of Andrey Bogolyubsky the inscription was made.

The text could have been sent by the Vladimir authorities to all the main cities of the north-eastern Russian lands in order to be inscribed on the walls of churches.

“Now graffiti is regarded as something undesirable and destructive, but in Middle Age graffiti on the walls of houses and churches could act as an important channel of communication between officials and the people,” Gippius said

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British man dies after being 'stabbed with broken bottle' in Spanish bar

A British man has died in Spain after he was reportedly stabbed to death with a broken bottle at a sports bar.

The victim, who has not been named, was attacked in early hours of Saturday morning in Villamartin Plaza, a popular expat area in the resort of Orihuela Costa south of Alicante, according to reports.

Four Britons have been arrested over the incident, including two men, aged 43 and 26, and a 39-year-

ort

old woman. One person who works in the area said the scene of the incident was "like any other bar", occasionally seeing fights, but otherwise normal.

"It is like any other bar, sometimes there are fights, but some people when they drink they cannot control themselves," she told the Press Association.

Others who worked in the area said the ordeal had left them frightened. A restaurant

owner said: “I am a little bit afraid and angry - it is scary, it is foolish and I do not like that. I have been here for three years and we have never had trouble - it is a nice place.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in Alicante, Spain on January 16.

We are in contact with the local authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family at this

Pets fill Spanish churches for St Anthony's day blessing

brightly-coloured coats or with bows in their fur.

One woman brought a grey rabbit inside a red gym bag to be blessed, an elderly man cradled a white dove in his hand and a young man took an iguana in a shoebox.

A child holds her tortoise waiting to be blessed by a priest to mark San Anton Abad's Day (Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals), in Churriana, near Malaga Faithful bring dogs, cats and iguanas to celebrate the patron saint of animals Dogs, cats, rabbits and even iguanas, many decked out in colourful sweaters to keep warm, trooped into Spanish churches on Sunday for a blessing on the Day of Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals.

Pet-owners lined up around the block of the Church of San Anton in central Madrid to wait for a priest who stood at the entrance of the building to sprinkle holy water on their animals.

"For those of us who are believers we believe it provides health and well-being to the animal as well as their owner," said Francisco Javier Carvajal Aceves, a 40-year-old waiter, as he waited in line with his 13-month-old Chihuahua Lula cradled in his arms.

People hold a cage with flying squirrels waiting to be blessed by a priest to mark San Anton Abad's Day (Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals), in Churriana, near Malaga P"Animals also are beings created by God and deserve to be blessed," he added as other dogs waiting with their owners barked in the background.

Mr Aceves said he has come to the church every year to have his pets blessed since he moved to Madrid from Mexico 16 years ago.

He dressed his dog in a red and white sweater, while other pet-owners brought their dogs in

A child holds her tortoise waiting to be blessed by a priest to mark San Anton Abad's Day (Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals), in Churriana, near Malaga Photo: AFP Blanca, a 54-year-old decorator, waited for half an hour for her turn to have her Labrador Retriever blessed by a priest.

"You always have to wait because a lot of people in Madrid have pets and everyone wants to come to have them blessed," she said.

Dogs look at a priest as they are blessed outside San Anton Church in the neighborhood of Churriana, in Malaga, near Malaga, Spain "You have to come every year to be blessed so they will live for many more years. A dog, an animal provides great company, gives you much pleasure, they behave better than humans sometimes. If you don't have a dog you don't understand."

After having their pets blessed, the faithful lined up outside a church window to buy bread rolls that were baked according to a secret recipe that keeps them soft.

Each parishioner received three buns, one of which is traditionally kept for a year alongside a coin to ensure work and health and to guarantee the blessing of the saint. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

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difficult time.”

On the arrests, she added: “We can confirm the detention of four British Nationals in Alicante, Spain on January 16. We stand ready to offer consular assistance.” h t t p : / / w w w .

standard.co.uk/

Spanish say ‘no’ to elections and ‘yes’ to coalition in new poll

A majority of Spanish voters oppose holding fresh polls to resolve a political impasse caused by an inconclusive general election last month and want parties to form a coalition government instead, a survey showed on Sunday.

If new elections were held the results would be similar to the December vote and the deadlock would remain, although new anti-austerity party Podemos would edge out the Socialists from second place, according to the poll published in top-selling daily newspaper El Pais.

The conservative Popular Party (PP) of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won 123 of the parliament’s 350 seats in a December 20 general election, winning the most seats but falling short of an absolute majority. The Socialists came second with 90 seats.

Two new parties, Podemos and the centre-right Ciudadanos, won a combined 109 seats, ending decades of two-party dominance by the Popular Party and the Socialists and giving Spain a hung parliament in which a ruling majority cannot easily be formed.

Since the election, Rajoy has met separately with leaders of the three rival parties and won implicit support only from Ciudadanos.

Spain’s King Felipe VI will on Monday start holding consultations with the leaders of political parties with representation in parliament in a bid to help break the impasse.

Only 33 percent of voters back a new election to end the deadlock while 61 percent would prefer to see an agreement between the parties, according to the Metroscopia poll published in El Pais.

The Popular Party would once again capture the most votes if a fresh election were held, with their support at 29 percent according to the poll. The party won 28.7 percent of the vote in last month’s general election.

Podemos, a close ally of Greece’s ruling Syriza which has made fighting corruption and economic inequality the focus of its platform, would come in second place with 22.5 percent support, up from 20.7 percent in the election. thelocal.es

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January 2016

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Spain’s secret cigarette makers

insp e c te d,” says a source at S p a i n ’ s customs office. “The q u a l i t y of the packaging is very good, despite the fact that the people working the Illegal factories are able to produce hundreds of thousands m a c h i n e s are working of packs a day pretty much An illegal tobacco factory dismantled by Spanish customs. under slave conditions.”

Seeing a demand for cheap cigarettes in crisisIllegal cigarette factories are typically located hit Spain, organized criminal gangs are importing tobacco, paper, filters, machinery and even labor on industrial estates or, as in the case of the one to produce hundreds of thousands of packs of most recently dismantled, on a remote farm in Seville province, where criminals had brought in cigarettes each day, say police. their own diesel-powered generators fitted with Authorities have devices to avoid the smoke they dismantled eight produced being detected in the The people on the machines are “factories” around the outside air. working pretty much under slave country in the last two But the police say they have begun conditions” years, they add. to notice a decline in contraband Spanish customs office source Around one in 10 tobacco. After five years of growth cigarette packs sold in during which time illegal tobacco Spain is illegal, and up to came to represent 12.5% of the 90% of them are produced by gangs based in the total Spanish cigarette market, last year it fell to country. The rest are imported illegally from the 10.6%. The figure was calculated on the basis of likes of Gibraltar and Morocco. a weekly study carried out in May that gathered “They bring the machines in from Poland and 14,983 empty cigarette packets from garbage Belarus, taking off the identification plates so bins in 58 towns and cities throughout Spain. they pass as agricultural equipment without being The popularity of contraband cigarettes is largely

explained by their price. Somebody who smokes two packs a day now faces a bill of up to €300 a month: buying illegally c a n save them up to a third of that figure. In Spain, around 80% of the price of a pack is made up of taxes.

Those found guilty of trafficking tobacco or producing illegal cigarettes typically face prison terms of less than two years.

Multinational tobacco firm Phillip Morris, which produces the Marlboro brand, works with the Spanish and EU authorities to pursue illegal cigarette sales, supplying detectives, auditors and lawyers. But it’s an uphill task: “In my village there are more than 10 people who sell cigarettes for €3 a packet,” says María del Mar González, who lives in the small community of Aznalcóllar, in Seville province, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

The Gibraltar connection The gangs that transport tobacco from Gibraltar into the neighboring town of La Línea de la Concepción, continue their activities, despite a police crackdown on smuggling. Confronted with increased inspections at the border crossing, they instead ship cigarettes out by speedboat.

“You stop the leak in one place and the water pours out somewhere else,” is how one customs officer describes the task of trying to stop the smugglers, which is made harder by the alleged refusal of the British authorities to cooperate.

“They have never helped us. Other countries collaborate, but the British are only interested in fraud, and when it is committed in their country,” says a Civil Guard source. elpais

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January 2016

Endless Possibilities

With just a few supplies -- paint, glue, and clay -- children can transform the stones they stumble across into animals, people, or toys.

Both tempera and acrylic paints work well for rock craft projects; tempera looks chalkier but washes off easily, making it the best choice for kids. Acrylic paint has a glossy finish. Before painting, kids should sketch out their plan: It's easier to envision what the finished project will look like if they draw it first with pencil on paper.

Family members can paint their initials on the rocks that suit them and turn them into refrigerator magnets.

Rock Dominoes Smooth flat stones aren't just for skipping -- they're perfect for game pieces, too.

For a set of dominoes, all you need is 28 stones and a white paint pen to draw lines and dots.

Begin by drawing a line across the center of each. Then on either side of the line, mark with two sets of dots in every combination from zero to six.

Fish-in-a-Bag Soap

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Heat-resistant measuring cup Double-boiler or microwave Rubbing alcohol

Small spray bottle Plastic fish Clothespin Ribbon Gift tag

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Kids' Winter Crafts

Keep little hands busy both indoors and out with our favorite cold-weather projects for kids.

Painted Umbrella

Coaxed open by raindrops, umbrellas bloom like flowers in spring. Your child can turn his or hers into the prettiest of them all by painting it with a fanciful pattern.

MATERIALS N y l o n umbrella Paintbrushes P e r m a n e n t waterproof paint Newspaper Smock STEPS Follow the paint manufacturer's directions: Some fabric paints require the addition of fixative; others require ironing the umbrella after painting.

Carefully cover the work surface with newspaper before you begin, and have your child wear a smock.

Once finished, keep the umbrella open overnight; the paint must dry completely before you close it or use it.

9

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Top 3: Kitchen Quickies

Slaving away at scrubbing dried up pots and dishes or feeling like your pulling teeth just to get any one of the slackers in your house to get up off their duff and take out the trash? Is your microwave crusted up, smelling, and tainting the taste of your coffee with the rancid aroma of overnuked bacon? Do you dream of a future in which you can start and end your days with ease instead of pushing aside dirty dishes to fill the coffee pot? An easy to clean kitchen isn’t a pipe dream. It can be a reality. With just a little preemptive action, there can be no excuses, and you spend less time cleaning!

Practips.com lists their top five ways to keep your kitchen running smoothly so that you have time to do things you would much rather, or at least should be, doing. From saving massive amounts of time with the dishes to keeping the microwave clean and smelling fresh, these tips are sure to give you a leg up on the housework problem. A couple of them will even save you money.

1. Extras for the Can Have you ever asked your family's trashtaker-outer to empty all the trash cans in the house only to find that they never put in a new bag? Eliminate the excuse of not knowing where you keep the trash bags by keeping two or three extra bags in the bottom of your trash can. When a full bag is removed, they are conveniently located

where they can be replaced immediately.

Keeping bags ready will save you time, and maybe help your family's trash-takerouter finish the job.

2. Don't Distress Over Dishes Keeping up with the dishes during preparation and rinsing them immediately after eating will save you time and stress later. I usually rinse utensils, mixing bowls, etc. and put them in the dishwasher to make room for serving dinner from the counter. Unless we are having company, the serving dishes are on the counter, from which we plate our food before sitting at the table. Once we finish eating, I tackle that casserole dish with baked-on food before it dries using a small, square plastic scraper (the Pampered Chef scrapers work very well). You can save time and effort by getting it done when dinner's done.

3. Cup of the Day Every morning while sitting at the breakfast table, I remind my kids that the cup they are using will be their cup for the day. What this means is that once breakfast is over, we rinse the cups and set them within easy reach on the counter.

Later in the day, when they want a drink, they use the same cup. This prevents unnecessary dirty dishes -- saving time, water, and money. http://www.practips.com/

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The truth about alcohol

Michael Mosley has given up alcohol for January - but does anyone know exactly what effect drinking has on our health?

You can't open a newspaper at this time of year without reading a story about moderate alcohol consumption being good or bad for you, or making no difference at all. And now there are new government guidelines which reduce what were previously regarded as "safe" levels.

The new guidelines recommend, whether you are a man or a woman, drinking no more than 14 units a week and say it is best to spread those units over the week rather than binge.

But they also recommend "several" alcohol-free days a week.

First up was Prof Tim Stockwell, director of the Centre for Addiction Research at the University of Victoria in Canada.

He has advised several governments, including our own, on alcohol guidelines and thinks there are no biochemical benefits to drinking (though he concedes moderate drinking can be sociable, and beneficial in that way).

“There’s 60 different ways at least that alcohol can make you unwell or kill you,” he told me over a glass of water. “It’s not just the obvious things like liver disease. A man drinking three to four units a day increases his risk of developing prostate cancer by 23%. Alcohol, at whatever level, raises a woman’s risk of breast cancer. There’d be 10% fewer deaths from breast cancer worldwide if there was no drinking.”

Stockwell thinks that the studies which suggest that moderate drinking is protective are flawed. He says the problem is that people who don’t drink at all tend to include former alcoholics and people who are in poor health, and that skews the apparent benefits of moderate drinking.

He concedes that having a couple of drinks twice a week is unlikely to do much harm, but recommends “abstinent days, abstinent months, and if you actually don’t miss the stuff, abstinent years.”

The other expert I interviewed, Dr Alexander Jones, a consultant cardiologist and clinical scientist at University College London, agrees that alcohol raises your risk of a wide range of cancers but believes there is decent evidence that alcohol can be beneficial for the heart, at least in relatively low doses.

“Heavy drinkers,” he told me, “have a much higher risk of developing heart disease than n o n drinkers, but there are large prospective studies involving thousands of people in different parts of the world which show that if you drink modest amounts of alcohol, up to say two units of alcohol a day, then you are less likely to develop coronary heart disease or stroke later on in life.”

“There have been a couple of smallish studies,” he added, “which showed that if people were randomised to either eating a Mediterranean diet, or eating a Mediterranean diet and drinking a small glass of red wine, those who drank the wine had better cardiac function over time.”

Part of the problem with alcohol guidelines is that most of us have no real idea what an alcohol unit is He thinks it may be because alcohol promotes the production of nitric oxide, a compound that makes the arteries in the body dilate. This would reduce stress on the heart and improves its oxygen supply.

But today’s government report downplays the potential

benefits of alcohol, stating that “the net protective effect that may be attributable to drinking regularly at low levels appears to be significant only for women aged 55+ (with men aged over 55+ showing a protective effect of negligible size)”.

Quite apart from the continuing debate about the benefits or otherwise of alcohol, part of the problem with alcohol guidelines is that most of us have no real idea exactly what an alcohol unit is. A pint of strong lager can contain twice the alcohol units of a normal lager. Wine comes in different strengths. Certainly compared with some of the other health messages like “don’t smoke”, or “eat five a day’, following the new guidelines is not going to be easy for people when they are going out to a bar or the pub.

The advantage of Dry January, however, is that for me this is not going to be a problem for the next three weeks. A glass of fizzy water is both alcohol and calorie-free.

Michael Mosley http://www.bbc.com/

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13

LOOK GOOD FEEL GREAT Tel: 950 121 936 - sales@soltimes.com

Best Cold-Weather Skin Tips

Forget blizzard warnings. Winter should come with another weather advisory—rough beauty conditions ahead. The main culprits are cold air, which holds less moisture than warm air, and low humidity and central heating, which make already dry hair and skin even drier. But cold weather also hits harder as you get older, when the production of skin's natural moisturizers dips with age, says Doris Day, MD, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. The result: Your skin becomes rough and flaky while your hair feels dry and loses its shine. These simple cold weather beauty tricks will help your skin smooth, your hair shiny, and your makeup looking fresh well past the groundhog’s springtime start date.

1. Invest in a humidifier If your heating system doesn't have a built-in humidifier, place a portable unit in your bedroom to add extra moisture into the air and prevent dry skin and eyes in the winter. Set the unit for 30 to 50% humidity during the winter months, advises the Consumer Product Safety Commission. (Humidity levels above 60% may allow moisture to build up and condense on surfaces where bacteria can settle and flourish.)

Change water in your humidifier daily and clean out the unit every week to destroy bacteria that can grow in stagnant water. Breathing in dirty mist can cause respiratory problems that are especially dangerous to allergy or asthma sufferers.

2. Brighten up with bronzer If your skin has taken on a Kermit-like tinge, counteract it with bronzer or self-tanner. Yes, the bronzer you loved last summer can still work for you in the doldrums of February. Just keep in mind that you are paler now, so pick a

formula that's one or two shades lighter than what you used during bathing-suit weather.

3. Change your blush Trade in summer’s orangeyyellow shades and for pink and rosy hues, which will perk up your skin and make you look like you just came in from the cold.

4. Combat static hair Moisture conducts electricity, so low humidity and temperatures leave hair prone to static cling-which increases fivefold for every 10-degree drop in the mercury during cold weather, explains Yohini Appa, PhD, Senior Director, Scientific Affairs at Neutrogena Oil production in the scalp also declines with each passing decade, making frizz and flyaways more likely. Check out this 60-second solution for smoothing stray hairs.

5. Switch up your shampoo

schedule Shampoo every 2 or 3 days.

Daily w a s h i n g d e p l e t e s natural oils; it also means you're more likely to use high heat styling tools like flat irons and dryers.

6 .

Condition effect of germ-killing alcohol. Then, Bank, MD, a dermatologist in Mount before you switch out your regular hand lotion Kisco, NY. Keep your showers under wash Coat dry hair with a "pre-wash for a formula with SPF. UVA light, 10 minutes and use water that’s just conditioner" or deep conditioner which is present 365 days a year, warm enough. that contains jojoba, lavender, shea prevents production of skin’s natural 12. Moisturize again before butter, or rosemary oils for up to moisturizers. And finally, turn down bed the heat when you wash your hands. an hour to trap moisture in the hair, Hydrating skin at least twice a day is suggests Carmine Minardi, co-owner Hot water strips the skin of its natural ideal—after a morning shower or bath of the Minardi Salon in New York City. oils. and then right before turning in for (Wearing a shower cap makes it less 9. Use a creamy cleanser messy; wrapping a warm Use a milky cleanser with alpha the night. “There’s a slight elevation towel over the cap helps hydroxy acids every other day to in body temperature while you’re the conditioner penetrate help encourage cell turnover and sleeping, so products seep into skin the cuticle, the hair's remove the dead cells accumulating better,” says Bank. Here are some tips outer layer.) "Do this once on the skin’s surface. Unlike their for finding your perfect night cream. a week for finer hair and predecessors, today’s alpha hydroxy 13. Slip into gloves and socks at night up to twice weekly if hair formulas are gentle enough to do their is coarse or coloured with work without causing skin sensitivity.

Dampen hands and feet, slather on permanent dye-which is more your favourite heavy-duty moisturizer, 10.

Slather on a rich prone to dryness." Afterward, and wear cotton gloves and socks shampoo with a moisturizing moisturizer for a few hours or to bed—they’ll formula and follow with a leavePostshower, pat skin almost dry and block evaporation and help the cream in conditioner-preferably one apply an oil-based cream instead of a penetrate more effectively, says Day. that contains with ceramides, lighter lotion to better trap and lock http://www.prevention.com/ naturally occurring lipids that moisture into skin to fight penetrate the cuticle and give cold weather dryness. strands shine and elasticity.

Look for ingredients as beeswax, 7. Control static with your such squalane, petrolatum, brush When styling your hair, use a boar- and shea butter. To boost bristle brush; it's less prone to static absorption, warm your jar buildup than metal-, plastic-, or nylon of cream in a sink of hot bristles, and smoothes the cuticle with water while you shower.

11. Take shorter the least trauma to hair, says Minardi.

Avoid styling products with alcohol. showers These include many gels and mousses.

“Hot water might feel Better options for treating hair in cold good on a cold morning, weather: styling creams packed with but it strips the skin, emollients like panthenol, silicone, or leaving it dehydrated essential oils to add shine and texture and itchy,” says David Over 29 years experience without drying out S.R.H “Senior Stylist” hair.

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Hello and welcome to CanDu Computer acceptable level of English Bytes, Your Only Stop for solutions to Your (translators not needed) computer problems. We all, from time and telling you that it is a to time, get emails that we really don’t scam (cheeky buggers, aren’t they)! want. You know the one’s Viagra; Sexual 3. Preparing the SetUp! In this case she companionship, and Scams of various flavours. Well I have been indulging a is coming over ‘To Your Country’ (never ‘young lady’ from Russia with regular emails mentions which country though!) and even though the scam was obvious after the needs a Student Visa. The next couple of first few! emails will contain disinformation to disarm Let’s clear something up right now, I’m you, E.G. photo’s and trivia.

55 years old, not a hunky, chunky fireman 4. The Build-Up! This where the pressure / policeman / Anyone in Uniform. I’m ‘Joe average’ with a slightly higher IQ (not is really applied. Information about something that turns women on!). I don’t the ‘family’, possible fantasy of shared look good in Chinos trousers and I don’t intimacies with you, cost of living in Russia, wear Gucci shoes. My two (2) skills in Rent and most of all the pathetic wage that life are computers (which I’m extremely she earns (this is most important). good at with but only because of 38 years 5. Implied emotional attachment. After experience and University Qualified!) and Rock N Roll Jive dancing (which I’m equally 2 months exactly, the header to the email good at but only because I love dancing!). read “Love You” - Yeah Right!

So why in the name of all that is sane and 6. The Sting! By now you are deep enough sensible, would an attractive 29 year old into this ‘relationship’ to ignore the vague Russian woman, contact me? promises, evaded questions and repeated There are a number of scams out there information. This is where the request for that are regularly run against the unwary: The Nigerian Scam (Hello … I’m … From the money starts and if you are hooked, this is bank of Nigeria / Isis-stan / Nowheresville were you start to pay!

7. Whether you pay or not the pressure and have got XX million Dollars and need you to get it out of my country); The Ponzi is applied for more money for flight tickets, Scheme (much higher than normal return visas and just about everything they can on investment. All you have to do is get X think of. All this before the email that tells number of people to invest); and the one that has been tried on me is the Russian / you that more money is needed because of some ‘minor’ accident that develops Eastern Block Bride / Girlfriend.

Evgeniya Tsigler contacted me in October complications and requires more money. with a picture of an attractive 29 year old The fact remains that the more you pay, brunette. She claimed she wanted to have the more they will try to extort from you, an English speaking pen-pal. Please re-read and should you show signs of trying to get the second paragraph to understand why my suspicions and walls were immediately away, emotional and, sometimes, literal raised. The second email offered some blackmail will ensue. She has been told that personal information regarding where she I’m an investigator with InterPol and the IP lived and previous relationships. The scam address of the email’s origins have been usually follows this pattern:found AND my colleges are on there way!

1. Build confidence by offering a little, To arrange an appointment for another usually well planned, information, set time or place use the Email address or boundaries and start to play on the target’s sympathies (“Please don’t ask about … It phone number below OR Meet me at Olivers Bar in Albox on Friday´s 1200-1600 for free still hurts”).

2. Further develop confidence in the advice concerning your computer. ‘mark (You) by For further information or advice on offering more information from the computing,contact Trevor on 689 892 745 or script, proving an canducomputing@hotmail.co.uk

Polar Shift

790,000 years ago; what we call magnetic north was then magnetic south. The direction of convection from the huge molten ball of iron which sits in the centre of the earth helps determines magnetic north/south. This change or ‘flip’ happens every half million years or so, it’s called a Geomagnetic Reversal and one is long overdue.

When the magnetic poles flip; the strength of the earth’s magnetic field drops for years whilst everything rebalances. The magnetic field normally prevents dangerous space radiation reaching the planet so there’s a huge chance life on earth would be affected. The field has weakened15% since the 1800’s; at the poles in the last 15 years it’s dropped a further 10%.

Animal migration patterns would be disrupted when the next flip occurs as they’d move in the opposite direction. GPS satellites would fail and power grids could collapse and scientists believe the flip is about to happen again.

About 40,000 years ago during the last Ice age, the magnetic poles flipped in what is known as the Laschamp Event taking about 200 years to do so, during that time the magnetic field was just 10% the strength it is now which meant the earth’s atmosphere was largely unprotected and large amounts of radiation reached the earth.

200 years later it flipped back again. Australians were warned 30 years ago to wear extra sun

Palomares Anniversary: That Time the US Dropped 4 Nukes on Spain

Fifty years ago, the United States of America dropped four nuclear bombs on Spain. It was an accident.

On the morning of Jan. 17, 1966, an American B-52 bomber was flying a secret mission over Cold War Europe when it collided with a refueling tanker. Seven airmen involved, including all four members of the refueling tanker’s crew, were killed. But American officials feared much worse when they learned that the bomber’s payload, four B28 hydrogen bombs, had broken free in the collision and tumbled down towards the small Mediterranean beach town of Palomares, Spain.

A half century later, there is little obvious evidence of the dramatic incident in Palomares, short of a chain link fence and warning signs surrounding an area in which one of the bombs fell and radiation seeped into the ground. Not far away, on the beach, there is nothing to mark where another crashed down intact – and members of a nearby nudist colony stroll by in their natural glory seemingly without a care that they’re walking within feet of a five-decade-old nuclear accident.

But after 50 years and millions of U.S. dollars, the cleanup is still not complete and the people, especially the Spanish government, haven’t forgotten -- as a U.S. military report from 1975 predicted.

“It is inconceivable that an incident such as that at Palomares would be ignored or later forgotten by governments or their people.

In times of war, acceptable risks are expected. In times of peace, however, otherwise negligible risks become potential disasters,” the report says.

At the time Palomares supported itself in part through fishing and several fishermen witnessed the crash from the ocean. One, Francisco Simo Orts, claimed he saw a man falling with a parachute to the ocean. The thing was, all the airmen were accounted for and officials realized Orts had likely seen the fourth nuclear bomb dip into the Mediterranean a few miles from land.

The Navy raced to search the ocean floor for the bomb in what would become the most complex ocean recovery operation in history involving more than 100 divers, minesweepers, military submarines and deep water subs. Nothing on this scale had ever been attempted but the Navy knew it had to move fast -- Soviet ships were lingering in the area, prompting fears they could get their hands on the American nuke.

Still, it was months before the Navy finally located the bomb more than five miles from the shore and promptly lost it again after dropping it during an attempt to lift it. A few days later the searchers found the bomb again and that time were able to successfully lug it up from the depths. It was early April and all the bombs had been found, but the U.S. government’s work wasn’t over by a long shot.

Read more on abcnews.go.com

Enjoy Stephens musings? Pop over to http://findmeahomeinspain.wordpress.com as the articles are posted on there too...and they’re a bit longer too! Findmeahome are always looking for quality homes for their sales and rental portfolios, please contact Stephen for a valuation: stephen@findmeahome.eu Telephone: 636 266 641

factor and to avoid the sun’s rays when CFCs in the atmosphere had created a hole above them in the ozone layer.

This would happen on a much larger scale as the ozone layer worldwide would thin; with some areas affected worse than others.

Mars is a barren planet as most of its atmosphere has boiled away into space. Theory has it that as Mars lost its magnetic field the increased solar radiation heated the planet up.

In 2013 scientists launched three satellites on a four year mission to measure the gravitational field to assess what’s happening. Nicknamed Swarm; the satellites are on polar orbits 500km above earth. Each resembles a giant rat as the sensitive detectors are located on a long thin tail to avoid any magnetism from the main body of the satellite. These ‘rats’ are measuring the molten iron that’s 3000km down, plus the magnetism in rocks and tidal movements. Many factors affect the north/south polarity and it’s expected that all variables will be mapped and a theory worked out to decide whether or not ‘we’re all doomed I tell ya’.

The position of Magnetic North is also constantly changing, moving by up to 55 degrees in our planets lifetime, 150 years ago it was in Hudson Bay Canada but now it’s marching east at 50 Kilometres a years towards

Lake Baikal in Siberia. This is called Pole Shift and when these changes happen slowly the change is unnoticeable.

In the case of a Sudden Pole Shift, the Poles locations change quickly causing earthquakes, volcanic events and tidal waves.

Sudden Pole Shift describes the earth’s outer crust moving not the whole planet tilting differently on its axis. Imagine rubbing the tissue wrapped around a Christmas Satsuma.

Albert Einstein supported the theory of Sudden Pole Shift; there are ancient writings that support this thinking. Mammoths in Siberia have been discovered frozen solid with clover still in their mouths. Sudden Pole Shift would have meant that these Mammoths were happily eating their meadow grasses when the earth’s crust suddenly slipped and they and the land they were on were transported hundreds or thousands of miles north where they froze to death. The disaster movie 2012; is based on a Sudden Pole Shift Event!

www.soltimes.com

15

16

tech News

galatica the best ride ever

Alton Towers Resort this morning offered a sneak peak into its new rollercoaster Galactica – a ride entirely dedicated to virtual reality, a world first.

Set to open to the public in April 2016, Galactica thrillseekers wear a virtual reality headset which displays footage synchronised to the ride’s thrilling twists, turns and loops.

Virtual reality footage combined with the sensation of hurtling round the rollercoaster, Galactica allegedly supposed to recreate the sensation of hurtling through space with a G force more powerful than a real rocket launch (astronauts usually experience a maximum G-force of around 3gs during a rocket launch, whereas riders on Galactica will be put through a maximum G-force of 3.5gs) Each rider wears a specialist VR headset. Through this, an on-board artificial intelligence guides them from the launch pad up into space, flying and looping beyond the stars, banking through wormholes and speeding across undiscovered galaxies, revealing the wonders of the cosmos in stunning clarity. Visitors will ride in a prone

position along the 840-metre long (2,760 ft) track, to recreate the feeling of flying.

Galactica’s epic space theme is set to be hugely popular following Tim Peake’s maiden voyage into space in December 2015.

Its stunning, high-quality visuals deliver an immersive experience that feels breathtakingly realistic.

Space exploration will continue to dominate the news agenda in 2016 with a NASA mission to Mars and a spacecraft landing on Jupiter, a journey that has taken five years.

Speaking of the new attraction, Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Alton Towers Resort said: “Galactica uses ground breaking technology to give riders a breathtaking and completely unique rollercoaster experience.

“Tim Peake captured the imagination of millions of Brits last year when he set off on his mission to the International Space Station - and now our visitors can become astronauts too.

“There is nowhere else in the world that people can experience the feeling of a flying rollercoaster combined with soaring through the universe.

“For two minutes, our guests will be transported into space and we believe Galactica showcases the future for theme parks around the world - it’s a complete game changer!” h t t p: // w w w. express.co.uk/

January 2016

Apple Watch 2 Production Reportedly Delayed

Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard that Apple is reportedly planning an event for March 2016 for the launch of the new Apple Watch 2, as well as the cheaper iPhone. Some reports even hinted that Apple will start the trial production of the new Apple Watch 2 this month, but it seems that’s not happening According to a new report, Apple may have pushed back the launch of the Apple Watch 2.

The report also mentions that it won’t bring any major changes or improvements, but merely minor additions, and may not launch in March.

As per the report, the refreshed version may ship in March, but it won’t bring any major changes, except the addition of Facetime. Even the software may not get a major change in the refreshed Apple Watch, but things may change in the future so we’d suggest a little bit of salt for this rumor.

The report says that Apple may schedule an event in March where we may get to see the new 4-inch iPhone we’ve heard so much about in the past few weeks.

Things may change in the future, so we’ll wait for an official word from the Cupertino company itself. We’ll update you if we get to hear anything more about the alleged Apple Watch 2.

Source: TechCrunch

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Home Sales Up 13.7% in November 2015!!

According to the latest data on the Transfer of Property Rights, published by the National Statistics Institute this week, the number of homes sold in Spain rose by 13.7% in November last year, compared with the same month of 2014, to a total of 28,733 transactions, driven by the number of transactions carried out on second hand homes.

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The Institute’s data corresponds to sales recorded in the property registers from transactions carried out in months prior to the period of reference.

The year-on-year increase registered in November is 11 points higher than the figure recorded in October, when home sales increased by just 2.7%.

With the November increase, home sales accumulated 15 consecutive months of year-on-year rises, due exclusively to the 30.5% increase in transactions on second hand homes, which accounted for 23,129 of the transactions in November, while sales of new homes fell by 25.7% compared to November the previous year, to 5,604 transactions.

From January to November last year, housing sales accumulated an overall increase of 11.5%, with transactions on new housing falling by 34.5%, while those carried out on second hand housing increased by 39.2%. Month-on-month (November over October 2015), the sale of homes in Spain increased by 5.3%, which represented their biggest rise in this month since 2011.

Number of Completed Apartments Fell by 5%in October

The majority of the home sales registered in November (90.4%) were for free housing, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.1%, to 25,979 transactions, while the number of transactions on social housing reached a total of 2,754, representing an increase of 10.2% compared to November 2014.

El Economista reported that, in November 2015, the greatest number of home sales per 100,000 inhabitants were recorded in Valencia (111) and the Balearic Islands (105), while in absolute terms, Andalucía remained in the lead for home sales, with a total of 5,752 transactions, followed by Catalonia (4,523), Valencia (4,346) and Madrid (3,692).

However, in relative terms, the regions where housing sales recorded the highest year-onyear rate increases were La Rioja (+52.6%) and Cantabria (+43.5%), and the only year-on-year declines were recorded for Navarra (-24.3%) and Galicia (-8.7%). kyero.com

Between January and October of 2015, construction was completed on a total of 37,497 new apartments in Spain, which represents a decline of 5% compared with the same period of the previous year, when a total of 39,480 were completed, according to data from the Ministry of Public Works. Thus, after accumulating seven years of declines in 2014, the number of apartments completed in Spain up to October 2015 remained in negative rates.

Of the total number of apartments completed up to October last year, some 99.2% of them (37,180) related to private developers’ projects and 0.8% (317) to public administrations works. Compared to a year earlier, private developers’ projects for the construction of apartments by fell by 4.8%, and those relating to public

administrations fell by 23.8%.

Among the private initiative, some 21,265 of the completed homes related to corporations, with a year-onyear decline of 0.6%; 13,067 corresponded to individuals and communities of owners (+2.2% y-o-y), and 1,480 related to cooperatives (-51% y-o-y). In addition, there were 1,368 completion certificates for other types of private developer projects.

El Mundo reported that the liquidation value for the material execution of the works dropped by 7.6% in the first ten months of last year, to a total of 5,123.7 million euros. kyero.com

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January 2016

Costa daurada La Costa Dorada (Daurada in Catalan) The 20 towns that make up the Costa Dorada cover a marine littoral 216 kilometers long, 786 hectares of spacious beaches with clean fine sand and transparent shallow water.

In between the sea and the mountain range there are wide areas filled with peaceful towns and farmlands, where vineyards, olive groves, carobs, hazel trees and almond trees grow, and occasionally even vegetable gardens. The whole area, between; hotels, camping sites and apartments, has capacity for over 500,000 tourists, and receives an average 3,500,000 visitors per year.

The large tourist centers along the beaches of the Costa Dorada have developed in recent times upon the old fisherman's quarters in old towns mainly dedicated to agriculture, and sometimes located atop the hills near the sea in order to protect themselves from attacks by corsairs and pirates in earlier centuries.

Tarragona deploys its splendid monumental collection that summarizes it millenary cultural evolution....

The proximity of these towns, many of them built around the silhouette of an ancient castle, contributes to balancing and humanizing the surroundings, and increases the possibilities of amusement and the use of all sorts of complimentary services for tourists.

This bucolic atmosphere contrasts with the urban dimension of the historical city of Tarragona, which deploys its splendid monumental collection that summarizes it millenary cultural evolution.

Inland one can easily reach places and towns with a great personality and historical interest (such as Reus, Valls, Montblanc, Tortosa) and great medieval monasteries: Poble, Santes Creus and Scala Dei, as well as picturesque landscapes (Prades, Siurana), rugged mountain ranges with big game reserves (Tivissa, Cardo and Ports de Tortosa), and the unique delta of the Ebro river, with its labyrinth of ditches and lagoons and the facilities it offers for wild fowl hunting.

Several areas with common features can be distinguished along the Costa Dorada. First of all there is the northern area, from Cunit to Mont-roig, with the widest beaches of all; then Vandellos, L'Ametlla de Mar and L'Ampolla, with narrower, steeper beaches, influenced by the nearby mountains; the Ebro delta, with long wide beaches and very fine sand typical of alluvial lands; and finally, from the delta to Les Cases d'Alcanar, long beaches of average width and clean heavy sand. http://www.barcelona.com/

Climate Costa daurada is graced with a quintessentially mediterranean climate, marked by mild winters and warm summers with little rain.

In winter, this is due to the mistral wind, which blows in from the northwest, and the garbí, which blows from the southwest; in summer, the region's low humidity prevents the formation of fog.

The region's mountainous geography likewise contributes to its stable climate, making it an optimum place to enjoy outdoor activities all year long.

Average temperatures range from approximately 14º in winter to between 21º and 29º in summer. However, it is

detatched cortijo reduced

worth noting the sharp contrast between the region's coastal and mountain areas, where average temperatures are generally 2º to 4º lower.

Rainfall is concentrated in autumn and, above all, spring, although short, heavy showers are common in summer. Taking the differences between coastal and inland areas into account, rainfall in the costa daurada region averages between 375 and 700 mm a year. This notwithstanding, the region's rainfall is somewhat unpredictable and has, at times, exceeded 400 mm in just a few days or even hours, causing rivers to rise dramatically.

Demographics

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As in the rest of Catalonia, the second half of the 19th century saw an exodus in Costa Daurada from the countryside to the cities.

This migratory flow played a decisive role in the formation of the region’s current population pattern, characterised by small towns with shrinking populations and cities that grow gradually larger.

The Costa Daurada spans a total of 2,999 square kilometres.

It has a population of 553,004 inhabitants, spread throughout 131 municipalities, which, in turn, are grouped into six counties. The population density is thus 184 inhabitants per square kilometre. http://www.costadaurada.info/

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CAMPOSOL upper C long term LET FROM €600 + Bills PCM

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19

20

SOL Y MAR

Avenida 28 de Febrero Nº 44, Albox

January 2016

Tel: 950 064 584 609 199 394

Email: info@solymarspain.com www.solymarspain.com

FANTASTIC VALUE FOR MONEY El MARGEN NEAR ORIA SM033 - 60000€

former B&B Albox Great value for money sol178 - 62,500€

BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED NEAR ALMANZORA sol726 - 89995€

Traditional semi detached cortijo , recently refurbished features 3 bed , 2 bath , 400m2 of land to the front , side courtyard and logburner Lovely village setting with stunning views

Former Bed & Breakfast, attached villa features 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with large garden.

Only 10 mins to Albox.

Restored mid terrace cortijo .Features 1000m2 of land, private courtyard , 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms

UNIQUE AND QUIRKY NEAR TIJOLA sm032 - 96,950€

unique location cantoria sol137 - 108,000€

separate apartment Arroya albanchez sM007 - 103,000€

r

u ed

ce

d r

u ed

ce

d

Stunning inside detached cortijo with many unique and quirky features Features 3 bed, 2 bath, part AC and woodburner , walking distance to village amenities

Delightful 2 bed, semi-detached villa with pool, set in a fenced plot of approx 611m2. In a unique location, not part of an urbanisation, only 4km from Cantoria where all amenities can be found.

Traditional attached 3 bed, 2 bath cortijo in idyllic setting. Features separate apartment, solar heating and swimming pool.

Traditional Spanish House near albox sm024 - 106,950€

Near CANTORIA SM030 - 120,000€

Walking distance Almanzora sM022 - 125,000€

r

u ed

ce

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Traditional attached Spanish house with lots of character. Features internal courtyard, idyllic setting and 5 bedrooms plus 3 cave rooms, 2 bath & short drive to Albox

3 Bed,2 bath detached family home .950M plot. 10 Mins walk to Cantoria

A lovely, detached bright villa in a great location. Well maintained gardens and room for a swimming pool.

Walking distance to the local amenities, must be seen to be appreciated.

STUNNING COUNTRY HOME RAMBLA DE ORIA SM031 - 145,000€

cLOSE TO ALBOX SOL069 - 149,950€

Immaculate Home near albox sM021 - 169,000€

Well presented 3 bed, 2 bath vill a with a pool in the popular village of Limaria and within easy reach of the shops and amenities of Albox.

Detached 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom country villa with 2400m2 of land. Close to Albox and appointed to a high standard.

2

SO

Features 4 bed , 3 bath, swimming pool Separate guest annexe , 8000m2 of land and edge of mountain setting.

LD

21

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PROPERTY OF THE WEEK

ATTACHED TOWNHOUSE SM025 -ALBOX ATTACHED TOWNHOUSE CENTRE OF ALBOX OLD TOWN 3 BED, 2 BATH OUTSIDE COURTYARD PRIME LOCATION 119,950€

WE URGENTLY REQUIRE LEGAL PROPERTIES FROM COAST TO COUNTRY WE ARE LOOKING FOR ALL TYPES OF PROPERTIES FOR RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES. CLIENTS WAITING CALL US 950 064 584 Beautiful Detached villa near albox sol161 - 169,950€

SOL Y MAR

RENTAL SECTION

RENTAL OF THE WEEK Quality villa (127m2) located just 10 minutes drive from the town of Albox & features 3 bed, 2 bath, private pool & jacuzzi. The walled corner plot is 710m2 & has a carport & garden shed (10m2)

ew N Listing

STUNNING VIEWS RSM015- Nr Albox

3 BED SEMI DETACHED HOUSE WALK DIST TO VILLAGE AND LOCAL BAR FURNISHED TO A HIGH STANDARD SWIMMING POOL ONLY 15 MINS DRIVE TO ALBOX

DETACHED TOWNHOUSE CANTORIA TOWN CENTRE sm009 - 176,500€

550 PCM

IMMCAULATE CASITA CUCADOR RSM014 - 300€ pcm

semi detached cortijo RSM013 - 300€ pcm

COUNTRY CORTIJO CLOSE TO aLBOX RSM004 - 325€ pcm

Immaculate Casita , furnished with all amenities. Shared use of swimming pool, land and Jacuzzi Price includes all bills

Large 3 bed semi detached cortijo on generous fully fenced plot, needs tlc reflected on the price

3 bed semi attached cortijo with small courtyard and roof terrace Comes fully furnished, in a secluded tranquil setting and only 20 mins from Albox

STUNNING SETTING MAR620 - 350€ pcm

CLOSE TO aLBOX RSM010 - 350€ pcm

IMMACULATE VILLA Near aLBOX MAR907 - 450€ pcm

Traditional cortijo , beautifully restored .Features 3 bed , 2 bath , logburner, stunning views and only a short drive to Oria

Traditional 2 bed Cortijo in the lovely village of Limaria, close to Albox. Fully furnished & walking distance to local bar

Modern detached villa features 3 beds , 2 baths , swimming pool and tranquil setting with stunning views

Detached 6 bed , 2 bath , 3 storey house on the edge of town. Easy walk to Cantoria , fully insulated roof , enclosed patio and roof terrace

large country house Cerricos SM011 - 225,000€

Extensive detached 6 bed country house , ideal potential for family home , hotel or retreat.

22

January 2016

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23

24

January 2016

How A Business Can Rely On User-Generated Content

FOR BUSINESS Spanish oil company asks again for more time

simply removals Spanish oil company Repsol has asked for more time to do exploratory work on its Kanuku block offshore Guyana before drilling, the Ministry of the Presidency announced yesterday.

This is likely to push any drilling past a mid-May commitment date next year. http://www.stabroeknews.com/

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The Plumber

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How much does your business depend on website visitors and u s e r- g e n e r a t e d content? To an extent, every business relies on the crowd, but job board sites like Monster, online classifieds like Craigslist, image sharing sites like Imgur and privately owned sites like LandtoHunt. com all rely on users visiting the site, uploading information or searching for information, and sharing that information with their friends.

How long could a job board survive if there were no jobs uploaded? Not very long. Would Craigslist be a household name if there weren’t millions of ads to browse through? Absolutely not. And herein lies something unique about websites that rely on user-generated or user-uploaded content: The users themselves must be really engaged. They have to like your business, trust your business, and not mind being associated with your business.

The thing is, how do you ensure

that your users are engaged enough to contribute to the site and keep coming back? I thought we’d look at some well-known examples to find out what makes these businesses great at getting their users involved.

Monster Monster provides lots of benefits and extras for both employees who upload their resume and employers who post their openings and availability on the site. These extras include career advice, financial tips, interview tips, resume writing services, and career management tools.

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John MacDonald (El Sordo) www.caratacus.eu

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Return to Democracy

The battle lines were drawn.

Manuela, Antonio Poyato and Loco Paco for the Republic, Rodriquez with his cronies defending the dictatorship.

The potential for serious and widespread disruption was all too obvious. Manuela knew the people of Alqueria had suffered under Rodriquez so vowed to win back control with the least possible upheaval. She knew she must face him alone, others mustn’t take part in the struggle. Alqueria must not be diminished further by conflict.

Rodriquez is a foul mouthed obese bully.

Like all bullies he is a coward relying on the herd instinct for courage. Separating him from the hangers-on and sycophants was an easy task however. Poyato and Loco Paco simply let it be known that a feria in a neighbouring village was boasting free beer and dancing girls. The men folk of Alqueria disappeared ‘en masse’ with prodigious thirsts and twitching loins.

Rodriquez alone stayed, drinking beer, free or otherwise was against his bourgeois principles and he wouldn’t know what to do with a dancing girl even if one dropped into his hideously distended lap.

The day was hot and the Calle Horno deserted. Manuela made her appearance from the west, walking purposefully toward the Newcomer’s Barrio and the lair of the evil Rodriquez, her steps ringing heavily on the empty cobbled street.

Although bent on confrontation Manuela had prepared herself carefully. She was shapely, one of those woman whose every contour was erotically rounded and ripe, she fitted the dress she wore perfectly. Her hair was flowing and of the blackest black.

Her hair like the hair of all Spanish women

was utilitarian during the day but a weapon used to deadly effect during times of romance and flirtation. Manuela had styled it for maximum impact.

Her legs were long excellently turned, evocative of more intimate fruits. She appeared, in short desirable and available. Manuela knew Rodriquez wouldn’t know how to handle the situation. She knew her beauty would dazzle and confuse him, she would never admit it though, conceit was alien to the lovely Manuela.

Rodriquez, having received Manuela’s message tried unsuccessfully to summon his cronies. They were by this time either comatose from excess beer or in state of debilitating sexual tension brought on by the erotic display of the over 80s ExPatriot Belly (and other bits) Dancing Girls of Garrucha. Rodriquez was alone and he didn’t like it.

He waddled, the only means of locomotion for a man of his grotesque stature, into the Calle Horno and towards Manuela. As they approached each other Manuela smiled a smile which could melt the polar icecap.

The sweating Rodriquez blinked, coughed, broke wind and disappeared towards the Alquerian border and the high sierra.

Order was restored and the Republic of Alqueria became the anarchic utopia it once was. The people were again free to make nuisances of themselves all over the Peninsular.

Places

Post-op I was wheeled into my room to find Pete waiting for me surrounded by an air of forced calm.

But what is it with hospitals? Only a few short hours ago I had produced one of the largest and longest pee’s of my life, and now I needed to pee again!

I imparted this information to Pete as I struggled into sitting position.

With the room gyrating vigorously around my head I plotted my path to the toilet, taking into account the shortest route with the maximum number of stable object for me to hold on to on my way.

‘I feel a bit wobbly.’ I bleated. I had the distinct impression that the whole room was going down a vast plughole, and that the bed itself was a close cousin of a bucking bronco.

I shuffled myself along towards the bed end.‘Here, take my stick.

I can’t hold you if you fall.’ Pete offered anxiously. Then his courage failed him. ‘I’m going to call the nurse.’ He pushed the button, and a nurse materialised before our very eyes.

She assessed the situation. ‘I’ll hold you. You won’t fall.’ She assured me with confidence.

I dithered on the edge of the bed like a non-swimmer who has in a moment of madness suggested to Tom Daly that diving off the 10 metre board was ‘not that difficult.

Anyone could do it.’

But my bladder demanded action, and very soon! I leant forward and began to slide floorwards when a certainty struck me. ‘I’m going

Hvitserkur, North Iceland

Hvitserkur

While some claim that it’s a monster, others are sure it looks most like a dragon. Either way, the natural Hvitserkur rock formation evokes all sorts of human interest. Located at the northern tip of the Vatnsnes Peninsula in Iceland, thousands of people travel to see the rock each year. The rock already has three holes in its foundation, and the structure has been reinforced with concrete to prevent further erosion. Even in pictures, viewers can see streaks of white bird droppings that drip down the edges, giving the formation the name Hvitserkur, which means white shirt.

Do What Nurse Says!

By Jos Biggs

josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk to be sick.’ With the speed of light Nursie pressed the bell, and as if by magic two other nurses instantly appeared.

Although they might humour the whims of wobbly patients they were not prepared to accommodate patients who were going to be sick all over them! The three of them hustled me back into bed, not an easy task as they couldn’t touch my right-hand side, and without further ado the potty was slid under my backside. It was then that I discovered that my other woes had put the need to pee out of my mind!

However, I accomplished the required by force of determination and concentration.

‘Stay in bed. Call if you need anything.’ I was told firmly and in chorus by the nurses as they emphatically raised the cot sides.

They left, but I had learned my lesson- Nurses don’t like patients being sick on them or escaping from bed unsupervised!

Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

Thermal Springs, Pamukkale, Turkey

Pamukkale,

Take a trip to Turkey’s inner Aegean region near the River Menderes Valley and you’ll encounter Pamukkale’s thermal springs. People have bathed in these hot mineral-saturated waters for thousands of years, dubbing the area Pamukkale, or cotton castle.

The scallop-shaped basins of water and frozen waterfalls decorate the area’s cliffside. Here, the spring water is hot and high in

25

Source: Dalriada Cottage

Source: Starship Asterisk

Surreal

viewpoint

calcium, magnesium sulfrate and bicarbonate. The Pamukkale hot springs flow at a rate of 400 liters per second, with their mineralsaturated flows forming its hollow, circular basins all the while.

Giant's Causeway

Nestled next to the Atlantic Ocean, the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland is easily one of the most incredible, bizarre natural wonders in the world.

The Causeway is home to more than 40,000 columns, most of which have six sides and form a honeycomb-like pattern.

Giant’s Causeway wasn’t always the spectacular tourist hotspot it is today, though.

Created from cooled magma, it took nearly 60 million years of erosion for the columns to be visible. Scientists believe that they were finally revealed after the last Ice Age, around 15,000 years ago.

Source: The Roosevelts

puzzle pages

26

January 2016

To advertise in this space Contact our sales advisors on 950 121 936 or email: sales@soltimes.com

2. Which was the first European country to host the Football World Cup?..............

3. In which country was Pablo Picasso born?.....................................................

4. Which Ford played the starring role in the film “The Fugitive”?..........................

5. What is the worlds longest river?........

6. What type of Apple Brandy is named after the area in France (department) where it is grown?..................................

7. What is the correct first name of former cricket Umpire, Dickie Bird..........

8. Which country has the Star of David

Oscar nominations?...............................

8. Israel

3. Spain

7. Harold

2. Italy

6. Calvados

1. Fox.

CRYPTIC crossword

9. Peanuts

4. Harrison

CROSSWORD

10. Six

5. Nile

SOLUTIONS

Answers

wordsearch answer

standard SUDOKU

10. Kate Winslet has received how many

easy SUDOKU

creation of which cartoon strip?.............

RUSTLER SADDLER SALOON GIRL SCHOOLHOUSE SCOUTS SHOOTOUT SHOTGUN SPURS STIRRUP TOWN HALL TRADING POST TUMBLEWEED WAGON WANTED POSTER WHISKEY WILD BILL HICKOK

GOLD NUGGET GUNSLINGER HATS HIRED HAND HORSES ICE HOUSE LASSO MARSHALL MINE SHAFT OUTLAWS PELTS PIGS PIONEERS POST OFFICE RANCH HAND REVOLVER

ALWAYS DRINK UPSTREAM FROM THE HERD

9. Charles Shultz is famous for the

ASSAY OFFICE BANK ROBBER BARN BLACKSMITH BOOTS BUCKBOARD BUNKHOUSE CALAMITY JANE CHAPS COAL OIL COWPOKE DAVY CROCKETT DOCTOR DRESSMAKER FENCE GENERAL STORE

soltimes sport Quiz

Answers

squiggle SUDOKU

Old West

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid.

The remaining 30 letters spell a Will Rogers quotation.

1. Who was the only heavyweight champion to finish his boxing career with a perfect record? (49 wins-0 defeats)...................................

2. Goleo, Spheriks, Ciao, Naranjito and Tip & Tap were all examples of what?...............

3. Which national team introduced ‘Total Football’ at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in Germany?................................

4. Which Dutch footballer earned the nickname ‘Llama’ after spitting on the West German striker Rudi Völler during a 1990 FIFA World Cup game?......................................

5. Which Cameroonian footballer is the only African to have played in four FIFA World Cups? ......................................

6. Which kind of ball follows the US President everywhere he goes?..................................

7. In 2011, a Formula 1 race was held in which country for the first time?................................

8. Which male tennis player lost a record 4 US Open singles finals in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1981?.......................................

9. Which three lefties have won the most Grand Slam singles titles in mens tennis?...............

10. Based on the number of Major Championships won (Masters, U.S. Open, The Open, PGA), who is the most successful golfer ever from outside the United States?.......

6. ‘The Football 7. India 8. Bjorn Borg 9. Laver, Connors, Nadal.

10. Gary Player

wordsearch

1. Which is the only member of the wild

on it’s flag?............................................

d

Answers

soltimes Quiz

dog family to live in Britain?...................

IDENTIFY THEse FAMOUS animated characters

1. Rocky Marciano 2. Football World Cup mascots 3. Holland 4. Frank Rijkaard 5. Rigobert Song

sol picture quiz!

a) Bob (the Builder) b) Ginger c) Timmy d) Little

on this day 21st january

1749 – The Teatro Filarmonico in Verona is destroyed by fire. It is rebuilt in 1754.

1887 – A total of 465 millimetres (18.3 in) rain falls in Brisbane, a record for any Australian capital city.

1961 – Four hundred thirty-five workers are buried alive when a mine in Coalbrook, Free State collapses.

1968 – Vietnam War: Battle of Khe Sanh: One of the most publicized and controversial battles of the war begins.

1981 – Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.

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puzzle pages

27

UK Motorhomes Wanted

Contact Karl on 0044 7976 662395

email: carlskitt@live.com

across

STANDARD CROSSWORD

6 Clothed in finery (7) 7 Affirms (5) 9 Holes (4) 10 Study of mental disorders (10) 11 Ancestry (8) 13 Responds (6) 15 Lash (4) 17 Impressive in scale (5) 18 Point where 2 curves meet (4) 19 Light brownish color (6) 20 Giggled (8) 23 Benevolences (10) 26 Hotels (4) 27 Fully developed (5) 28 People watching their calories (7)

Down

1 Believer (10) 2 Marksman (6) 3 Lazily (4) 4 Amassed (8) 5 A midwestern state (4) 6 Nimble (5) 8 Fairies (7) 12 Precise (5) 14 Recognized (10) 16 Dancing (slang) (7) 17 Three-masted sailing ships (8) 21 Tuft of loose cords (6) 22 Sea eagles (5) 24 Let fall to the ground (4) 25 Pop (4)

SUDOKU PUZZLES

easy

squiggle

famous birthdays on this day

standard

1968 – Charlotte Ross, American actress

1976 – Emma Bunton, English singer-songwriter and actress (Spice Girls) 1977 – Phil Neville, English footballer and manager 1982 – Dean Whitehead, English footballer

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Bounty for returning drawer? (6) 5 Temper of French rat in brief moment with ecstacy (8) 9 Prescott arranged shields (8) 10 Written message in scarlet terrain (6) 11 Not new - made out of date (3-9) 13 Heroic tale in books again (4) 14 End prisoner, clued ambiguously (8) 17 Iron Saint I left without Virginia celebration (8) 18 No, a French word type (4) 20 AUT’s pre-term disorganisation, without initially easing amounts of heat (12) 23 Land mass I defame without hesitation (6) 24 Works Peseta or otherwise (8) 25 Equivalent words for my return in second year? No, first of November - safety first (8) 26 Bert went yonder, containing number (6)

Down 2 Mistakes, or missing strays (4) 3 Spaceman at Saturn explosion, with nothing inside (9) 4 Time period of French advert in church (6) 5 Endless clumsy, antisocial, unusual errors (15) 6 Do greeting, North-South, without record sea creatures (8) 7 Relative size of a team leader in Rio (5) 8 Great monster due out of order (10) 12 Vehicle with slippery eels - cunning and without caution (10) 15 Painting country’s cloak (9) 16 Regularly common (8) 19 Pressing? You are reportedly a man! (6) 21 Quiet instrument (5) 22 Held strange desktop without DOS (4)

soltimes famous quote

28

January 2016

FOOD & ENTERTAINING...

Light & tasty

Pineapple is marinated in sweetened, spiced rum, and barbecued. Serve with ice cream for a gorgeous summer dessert.

Peel the pineapple and, leaving it whole, cut out the centre core.

Slice into 8 rings, and place them in a shallow glass dish or resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, mix together rum, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Pour over the pineapple, cover, chill for 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat barbecue for high heat.

Cook pineapple rings on cooking grate over hot coals hot for 15 minutes, turning once, or until outside is dry and chargrilled.

Serve with remaining marinade.

Barbecued Pineapple (Serves 4)

Ingredients: 1 fresh pineapple 4 tablespoons rum 4 tablespoons soft brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Tip: If you're having a barbecue party, this is the perfect pudding to start the night before. Marinate the pineapple overnight, and then all that's left to do is barbecue! Serve with a variety of accompaniments, such as vanilla ice cream, Greek yoghurt or Madeira cake.

Ruby’s

URBANISATION EL RASO, CAMPO DE GUARDAMAR, JUST OFF THE CV895 LEMON TREE ROAD, 03140

TEL 622 434 912

Opening times 10am till Late Tuesday - Sunday

Menu Del Dia 12.30pm - 4pm Tuesday - Friday 4 Course 7.95€ Full Main Menu 6pm - 9pm Sunday Lunch Available 2pm - 7pm 3 Course 9.95€ / 2 Course 7.95€ Happy Hour 4pm - 6pm Wednesday is quiz night with Nick Marshall with our great 5€ meal deals for quiz players PLUS Karaoke with guest singers Last person standing, winner takes all

GREAT FUN NIGHT OUT

It´s still January so in keeping with trying hard to eat well, here are some tempting treats to lighten your mood from allrecipes.co.uk

Almost No Fat Banana Bread (Serves 12)

This no-guilt treat is surprising moist and has a wonderful flavour. It’s also a great way to use up over-ripe bananas.

For a little variation, you can add nuts or sultanas.

Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 20x10cm (8x4 in) loaf tin.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Add egg whites, bananas and apple purée; stir just until combined. Pour batter into prepared tin.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool before slicing.

Ingredients: 200g (7 oz) plain flour 140g (5 oz) caster sugar 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 egg whites 3 bananas, mashed 4 tablespoons apple purée or sauce

Tip: If your bananas are already black but you can't make a cake right away, simply pop them in the freezer. Defrost the bananas whenever you're ready to bake!

Luscious Date Pecan Squares (Makes 18)

Quick and easy traybake, chock-a-block with fruity dates and nutty pecans and sweetly healthy, using brown sugar and a touch of vanilla. A very nutritious, delicious low fat treat.

Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas 3.

Grease and flour a 20x30cm tin.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and eggs, then stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla, pecans and dates.

Pour mixture into prepared tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cut into squares while cake is still warm..

Ingredients: 125g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 pinch salt 150g dark brown soft sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 200g chopped pecans 350g chopped dates

Some m Substit nuts fo instead icing. F ricotta

29

www.soltimes.com

Avocado Chocolate Mousse (Serves 2)

This gorgeously creamy chocolate mousse is actually dairy free and egg free totally vegan - and has the goodness of avocado to boot!

In a double boiler melt the chocolate and mix it with coconut milk until smooth. Put the cooled chocolate mixture in a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Spoon into dessert glasses. Serve well-chilled with your favourite garnish.

FOOD & ENTERTAINING...

VE

!

AN G

Ingredients: 110g cooking chocolate, roughly chopped 4 tablespoons thick coconut milk (from the top of the tin) 1 ripe avocado 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pinch sea salt 3 tablespoons agave nectar 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Almost Fat Free Tea Loaf (Serves 4) Delish guilt-free(ish) fruit loaf. No oil, no butter - just a bit of egg, making for almost no fat per serving. Nicely sliced and spread with - dare I say it? Butter!

Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.

Steep the raisins in the hot tea for half an hour.

Mix dry ingredients together. Add the raisin-tea mixture and the beaten egg. Gently combine using a rubber spatula, but don’t overmix.

Scoop ingredients into an oiled loaf tin.

Bake at 180 C / Gas 4 for 1 hour.

Ingredients: 280g (10 oz) raisins 300ml (10 fl oz) strong hot tea 340g (12 oz) self raising flour 110g (4 oz) sugar 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 egg, beaten

I Can’t Believe They’re Low-fat(Makes Brownies 24)

These delicious and enticing brownies are just as gooey and indulgent as regular brownies but with much less of the guilt. The puréed prunes keep them moist and dark in colour.

Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm (8 in) square cake tin.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, sugar and salt.

Pour in oil, vanilla, prunes and eggs. Mix until everything is well blended. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tin.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until top is shiny and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean

Ingredients: 6 tbsp good quality unsweetened 100% cocoa powder 200g (7 oz) caster sugar pinch salt 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 115g (4 oz) pitted prunes, puréed 2 eggs

Carrot And Brazil Nut Cake(Serves 10)

Ingredients: 170 g self-raising wholemeal flour 170 g self-raising white flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 100 g brazil nuts 55 g light muscovado sugar 200 ml sunflower oil 4 large eggs

200 g carrots finely grated zest & juice of ½ orange Orange ricotta icing 250 g ricotta cheese 55 g icing sugar, sifted finely grated zest of ½ orange

Scrumptious American-style carrot cake is a great way to get children to eat vegetables without even noticing. The creamy icing here is lighter in fat than a traditional one, as it uses ricotta cheese.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC the flour mixture, just until (350ºF, gas mark 4). Grease a combined. Do not overmix.

20 cm (8 in) round deep cake Spoon the mixture into the tin and line the bottom with prepared tin. Bake for 50 baking parchment. minutes or until risen and Sift the wholemeal and white firm to the touch. Leave the flours and the cinnamon into cake in the tin for 5 minutes, a large bowl, tipping in any then turn out onto a wire rack bran left in the sieve. Coarsely and peel off the lining paper. chop about two-thirds of the Cool completely. brazil nuts and stir into the To make the icing, put the flour with the raisins. Thinly ricotta in a bowl, add the slice the rest of the brazil nuts sugar and orange zest, and lengthways and set aside. beat with a wooden spoon.

In another bowl, beat When the cake is cold, spread together the sugar and oil the icing on top. Scatter over with a wooden spoon until the reserved sliced brazil well combined. Beat in the nuts, letting some stick up eggs one at a time, then stir out of the icing at different in the grated carrots and angles. The cake can be kept, orange zest and juice. With a covered, in the fridge for up large metal spoon, carefully to 3 days. fold the carrot mixture into Some more ideas Substitute cashew or macadamia nuts for the brazils. * Use quark instead of ricotta to make the icing. For a honey icing, mix the ricotta or quark with 1 tbsp each clear honey and icing sugar. * To make a passion cake, drain a can of pineapple in natural juice, about 227 g, and chop finely. Pat the pineapple between several sheets of kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture. Use 150 g (5½ oz) grated carrots, and stir in the pineapple with the carrots. Omit the orange juice, and use pecan nuts instead of brazil nuts.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar (Serves 6)

This is a unique way to serve this luscious summer fruit!

The balsamic vinegar brings out the beautiful colour of the berries, and truly enhances their flavour. Great served with a simple sponge, over vanilla ice cream or simply Ingredients: on its own with a dollop of cream.

500g fresh strawberries, hulled Place strawberries in a bowl. and halved Drizzle vinegar over strawberries 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover and let sit at 4 tablespoons caster sugar room temperature for at least 1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground hour, but not more than 4 hours.

Just before serving, grind pepper black pepper, or to taste over berries

30

January 2016

Does pasta make you fat? Eight food myths busted

1 Pasta makes you fat As the carb-avoidance craze rages, many are dismayed to see pasta lumped with pappy white bread in the “white and refined” sin bin. Now, a concerted push is on to rehabilitate its nutritional reputation. Is it true that, as pasta company Barilla claims, its unique resistant starch structure makes it more slowly digested than the same amount of flour made into bread? As long as you eat it “al dente”, white pasta does indeed have a glycaemic index comparable with buckwheat or brown rice – so the argument that it gives a steady release of energy that keeps you feeling fuller longer, is plausible. It’s also a whole lot more appetising than a plateful of wholewheat spaghetti.

2 Dates are the new sugar Thanks to the promotional efforts of “clean-eating” gurus, we can’t move these days without bumping into delicacies sweetened with dates. Are these sticky fruits any better than bad old sugar? If you’re talking about baking, the answer is yes. Weight for weight, dried dates contain about 68% total sugars, as opposed to actual sugar, which is 100%. Dates are also

an excellent source of soluble fibre, and have a relatively low glycaemic index: the fibre stops the sugar from causing an insulin spike in your bloodstream.

Unlike straight sugar, dates are packed with useful micronutrients: iron, potassium, B vitamins and more. Dried dates do contain much more sugar than the sweetest fruits, but if you’re eating them as a substitute for cakes and confectionery rather than fruit, they’re a good way to lower your sugar consumption and gradually un-sweeten your palate.

3 Kale is a superveg Is kale nutritionally richer than cabbage or broccoli? Photograph: Johanna Parkin Current king of the brassicas, kale offers a convincing portfolio of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying micronutrients that appear to reduce our risk of major degenerative diseases, cancer in particular. Is kale nutritionally richer than cabbage or broccoli, or is it just popular because it makes great crisps? Well, kale’s standout quality is its impressively high levels of vitamin K, which supports bone health, so it’s great if you’re trying to avoid bone loss and fractures. Plus it’s dead cheap, and grows abundantly pretty much anywhere.

4 Coconut oil is best for frying Look, almost anything has got to be better for you than the industrially refined, heat-treated, chemically deodorised stuff widely known as vegetable cooking oil; but cold-pressed coconut oil – the solid white stuff that’s sweeping the shelves in wholefood stores – does have lots to commend it.

Raw, unrefined coconut oil doesn’t get damaged by oxidisation and go rancid

Coffee getting cheaper as increased yields create global surplus

the way other cold-pressed vegetable cooking oils do. It is a naturally resilient oil that stands up to the heat of frying without degrading nutritionally. It is also exceptionally rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which have antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial effects. Medium-chain fatty acids are immediately converted by your liver into energy, not stored as fat; some research studies suggest that eating foods rich in them can help you lose weight. So far, it looks as if the only negative thing about raw coconut oil is its price.

5 Red meat is a killer Is Mother Nature a psychopath who designed red meat to shorten the life span of humans? Rich in essential fats, complete protein, vitamins and minerals, red meat is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. The dodgy dossier against red meat is based on the shakiest type of evidence: observational studies in which researchers look for patterns in data drawn from notoriously unreliable diet questionnaires. It’s a tough morsel for the anti-meat lobby to chew, but a solid health case against red meat has simply not been made. For now, freerange, grass-fed, organic or wild red meat stays on the menu.

6 Bone broth is the new superfood We’ve been bubbling up bones for soup since the stone age, but with the triumphant opening of the Brodo Broth Company in New York, and the UK patronage of the influential Hemsley sisters, stock made from bones has never felt more cutting edge. Bone broth is a DIY alternative to several expensive food supplements, providing you with minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Dissolved

Asparagus and rhubarb crisis: crops affected by warm temperatures Unseasonably warm temperatures have wreaked havoc on the English farming industry, particularly affecting the asparagus and rhubarb crops.

While most of us enjoy our morning coffee – we collectively drink about 70 million cups a day in Britain - we don’t always like the dent a morning brew can put in our wallet.

for importers and some consumers, the low prices are likely to be unwelcome to some coffee growers and workers, who will receive less money despite having produced more.

However, in good news for lovers of coffee, the price of coffee beans is falling.

However, these low prices are unlikely to last in the long term. Changing climate conditions mean that the world’s coffee supply could be in massive decline by the end of the 21st century, causing massive price hikes.

Favourable conditions and increased yields in coffee producing countries like Brazil, Colombia and Honduras has meant the world’s coffee supply has gone into surplus.

And this looks likely to continue. The US Department of Agriculture predicts 2015/2016 production to increase by 600,000 bags over the previous year to 150.1 million. It forecasts both global exports and consumption to be of “record quantities”.

However, while this may be good news

One study from Royal Botanic Gardens and the Environment Coffee Forest Forum found that areas for growing coffee would be reduced significantly by 2080. Taking climate change into account, “the most favourable outcome is a 65% reduction in the number of pre-existing bioclimatically suitable localities, and at worst an almost 100% reduction.”- The Independent

material from cartilage and tendons make it a natural source of chondroitin and glucosamine (sold as supplements for arthritis). It’s super-cheap to make, very satisfying, and the liquid essence of nose-to-tail eating: the frugal use of carcass parts that are all too often wasted.

7 Whole milk is back Now that the anti-saturated fat consensus is in meltdown, choosing the skinny latte no longer looks like the best option. A robust study published last year found that people who consume full-fat dairy products are less likely to develop “metabolic syndrome”, the combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity associated with greater risk of heart disease and stroke.

Time to ditch white water and return to whole milk, organic, unhomogenised and – if you can get it – raw.

8 Kimchi boosts your immune system Fermentation is all the rage now that intense scientific interest is trained on the microbiome, or the population of bacteria in our guts. Fermented (cultured) foods teem naturally with lactic acid bacteria. The thinking is that, by eating them, we can reintroduce a healthier bacterial variety to our microbiomes, which have been depleted by antibiotics and sterile processed food. The health benefits of cultured vegetables, from eastern European sauerkraut to Korean kimchi, are not in question – but the efforts of newcomers to this ancient skill can be challenging. There are some grisly experiments out there (kimchi pizza, anyone?). Your microbiome might like it, but will your tastebuds?

-The Guardian

Yorkshire forced rhubarb relies on cold temperatures for early growth but, thanks to the warm and wet weather, they will now not hit the market until the second week of February.

Small quantities of the rhubarb are being sold now, but most retailers are still opting for Dutch varieties.

Grower Janet Oldroyd Hulme told Fruit Net that the season so far has been a "disaster", with the industry trying "desperately to catch up."

She added: "The cold has been so long in coming, we're only just getting decent amounts. Supplies are very

short at the moment.

"There won't be much availability during January, but we're hoping to be back to normal by the second week of February."

Thanks to the shortage, Oldroyd Hulme admitted that prices are quite high at the moment, though she called the quality and colour "lovely".

The weather has also forced the British asparagus season to run two months ahead of schedule.

Henry Chinn, from Cobrey Farms, said temperatures in December were eight degrees higher than average, creating the early season.

"The forecast is not looking warm, but my thinking is we were bound to get some cold weather. We are potentially still on for an early season.

"We would normally expect big volumes from the tunnel crop by Valentine’s Day, with the main volume coming through by the end of March.

We are hoping for another pick this week but it is weather dependent.

"We’re always trying to be early, but our retail customers need big volumes."- The Telegraph

www.soltimes.com

Tel: 950 121 936

50+ SOLOS

Is open to ladies and gentlemen over 50 years of age who are on their own and wish to get ‘back into the social scene.’

We meet normally twice a month at different restaurants for lunch and a chat at 1.00-1.30 hrs.. There are no subs or fees, just the cost of the meal. There may be a fun quiz or a raffle. For information and to book please contact Ruth on 966789063

Casa Tom Community Choir:

Casa Tom Community Choir meets every Monday at 2.00pm for 2.30pm.

It is a mixed choir and all levels are welcome. No auditions, no solos.

Make new friends and have a good time. Location: CASA TOM, Avenida JACA 31, San Luis, Torrevieja.

Phone or email Terry for further details. Phone: 647-189-135. Email: casatomsanluis@gmail.com.

CASTILLA AMIGOS

We are a friendship group for single people. We meet every Wednesday from 3pm at RAYZ Bar on El Raso urbanisation (off the Lemon Tree Road, Guardamar) ANN – 966 717 390 - 666 747 398

COFFEE MATES

If you would like to have a coffee and a friendly chat, please join us at the La Laguna Hotel, Lo Marabu every Friday morning from 11am ANN - 966 717 390 - 666 747 398

Strictly Dance Ballroom and Latin

with the Professionals. ** New Classes Added**.

Every Tuesday at Alfonsos, Playa Flamenca 3-4pm Argentine Tango Tuition commencing 10 November. Tuesday The Club, Quesada 8-10pm Ballroom & Latin Tuition All grades. Wednesday at Alfonsos, Playa Flamenca 1:45-2:45 Jive Tuition commencing 11 November.

Wednesday, The Emerald Isle, La Florida, 3-5pm Ballroom & Latin Tuition All Grades1 Hour Classes Continual, 2 Hour Classes New Courses Every 3 Weeks. Singles Welcome. Come and join in the fun with professional training and keep up with the ‘Strictly’ gossip as a when it happens. Hope to welcome you soon. For more details contact Lyn on 966188430 or 635584431 or email lynatdenelledance@hotmail.com Info: 966 188 430, 635 584 431 or lynatdenelledance@hotmail.com

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION,

- community news -

sales@soltimes.com

PASO A PASO DANCE CLUB La Bamba’s - Ballroom Modern / Latin / DATES FOR YOUR DIARY CLASSES DURING JANUARY Argentine Tango / Just Jiving Nostalgia Music and Quiz Sequence Dancing Night Starts every Wednesday 8pm till 11pm from this Wednesday 20th January at the Maymar Restaurant, Catral.

Easy to find of the AP7 junction 730... follow Catral, first set of traffic lights turn right at the roundabout. ..the Maymar Restaurant will be in front of you behind the Dia supermarket.

No jive class, but we hope to see a few of you having a dance to some great music that needs to be revived. I’ve dusted of my dj kit and looking forward to being hands on and getting my huge cd collection out and playing some of your favourites.

I thought it would be nice to do a Nostalgia quiz throughout the night aimed at being fun and bringing some great memories of great era’s .

Entry for the night is just €2 so even if you can’t dance all night like we used to then do come along meet up with friends old and new. Everyone is welcome to this evening not just club members, so if you have friends that you think would enjoy the night, or if you are on your own please come along.and meet new friends,.more the merrier. There will be plenty of music for all to enjoy, including motown, soul and reggae but lots of 50s 60s and rock n roll.

FULL ADDRESS FOR THE MAYMAR RESTAURANT. Calle Proyecto N-4 en, 03158 Catral, Alicante, Spain More info call Maxine 670711408. Paso a Paso Dance Fusion Class and venue info www.modernjive-spain.com or find us on Face book

FRIENDS FOREVER- WE CARE Friends Forever-We Care is a non profit making mixed club that meets the 2nd and 3rd Thursday afternoons 2-4pm at “The Club” Quesada.

Los Rosales Restaurant, Guardamar CV895 [near Lemon Tree Sunday Market] Monday - SOCIAL DANCE 8.30pm 10.30pm [SEQUENCE CLASS 7.30pm - 8.30pm] Friday - SOCIAL DANCE 7.30pm 10.30pm Wednesday - New Beginners Class [new beginners starting Wednesday 13th January 2016] 2pm -3pm Intermediate Class 3pm - 4pm Intermediate Plus Class 4pm - 5pm Andrea Murphy [0034] 616 478 157

BADMINT0N AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA

Mon, Tues, Wed and Thurs. 10-1pm.

For information ring John McGilvray on 966 786 774 or Mobiles 634 658 506/695 871 707 or e mail carolejohn_3@hotmail.com

TABLE TENNIS AT PILAR DE LA HORADADA

Sports Centre every Monday at 10am Five tables equipment supplied, coaching given if necessary, all standards welcome.

Contact George on 965 326097 or Gordon on 966 848304 or e-mail drewgeorge49@yahoo.com.

I nternationa l Christian

Assembly

evangelical

church,

Calle Urbano Arregui 23, Torrevieja 03185. Meets every Sunday, 11am, includes Sunday School for children.

Prayer meetings, craft and computer clubs, Bible study groups. Also house groups at La Siesta: Tuesdays, 3pm.

Call 674552754 for details. La Zenia:

We play Bingo, have a speaker and go Wednesdays, 3pm,. call 620318964. to different restaurants for Menu del Torrevieja: Thursdays 5.30pm. Call Dia on the 4th Thursday of the month.

608283661, and in church building,

Orihuela Costa Branch, covers the area from Punta Prima to San Javier and inland. The branch meets on the 3rd Thursday of every month at the Olympia Restaurant in Mil Palmeras at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. You do not have to be ex military to attend or to join. Everyone is welcome. More information can be found at the branch website - http://branches.britishlegion. org.uk/branches/orihuela-costa

If you would like to make new friends Tuesdays, 6pm call and have a fun afternoon come along 617591399 and Thursdays, and join us. You can phone JOHN on 5.30pm call 608283661.

626 905 853 for more information.

For other church matters

THE ROYAL ASSOCIATION,

at 5pm for Prayer and Praise and

NAVAL

Torrevieja Branch, meet at 1700 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Jardin del Mar 3, (behind Carrefour), Torrevieja.

Contact Paul Edwards, Chairman, 618 644 934 or Margaret Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996.

Pilar Christian Community Church

call

pastor,

Rafael

Restrepo, on 966799273

Calle Canalejas 3. Pilar de la Horadada. or mobile 660127276.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday

COSTA COBRAS RFC

Worship Home groups meet during the new rugby club based on the beach.Training juniors week. All welcome from any church Monday and Wednesday background or none. For further 20.00-21.30, seniors information contact PilarChristian. 20.00-21.30 For more details contact CommunityChurch@gmail.com. 966 Garry 692 767 242 or 849 448 - 966 848 806 Robert on 697 286 416

31

SPIRITUALIST CENTRE, BENIJOFAR

Meets at Hamilton´s Bake House, 62 Calle Vicente, Blasco Ibañez, Benijofar 03178.

We hold a Sunday Service at 11.30 a.m., a Tuesday Evening of Mediumship at 7 p.m. And every Thursday there is an Open Circle where you can develop your skills commencing at 6.30 p.m. Spiritual healing is available every Sunday and Tuesday after the service. The Divine Service with Mediumship, on Sunday, 24th January, will be taken by AnnaMarie Blyth. Morag Bullock will take the Evening of Mediumship on Tuesday, 26th January. Kim will take the Divine Service, with Mediumship, on Sunday, 31st January. Contact Wendy on 965323028. www.spiritualistcentre-benijofar.com New email is phoenixchurch23@gmail. com or info@spiritualistcentre-benijofar. com Identificacion Fiscal G54713789.

THESE VELVETONES JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN!!

The ladies could not wait to return to rehearsals after the Christmas and New Year break. They need to start fundraising again for concerts in May and December. They love to sing and raise money for good causes.

They would welcome any potential singers or social members to swell their numbers as many of the singers spend their time in Spain and their mother countries. So if you are living near Torrevieja (or farther if you don’t mind travelling) join us for a free coffee and listen to the hobby that fills them with joy. They do not meet in July and August so - if you are in Spain 6 months on and off - they can still train you up! Singing a capella in 4 part harmony (think of Gareth Malone’s Naked Choir) will lift your spirits and boost your health and they have great social outings and more!

They rehearse Weds mornings at El Paraiso, behind Carrefour Torrevieja and you will be met with a warm welcome, in an uncompetitve and fun atmosphere from approx 10am to 12.30.

See the website or facebook pages www. velvetonesharmonytorrevieja.com or call Ena on 965 707 598 Have a Happy and Healthy 2016

El Raso c.c.El Campico 622 434 912

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32

SOL CLASSIFIEDS

SOLTIMES 950 121 936 www.soltimes.com see us online everyday Advertise all your unwanted items for sale Any single item up to 300€ is

free of charge deadline thursday 5pm

Monday to Friday Between 10am & 5pm

or EMAIL us Send your advert or lineage to

sales@soltimes.com situations vacant

SOLTIMES newspaper group Require Sales Executives to work in our Costa Calida and Costa Blanca Areas

You will have proven sales ability, can work to sales deadlines. You will be dealing with current advertising businesses but have the confidence to build new business. You must have a computer to work from a distance, own car and driving licence.

High commission package and bonus, contract and mobile phone and expenses.

This is an exciting opportunity. If you have what we are looking for.

January 2016

Call Jane on: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 Ext 330 For sale

alternative power

solar directa

slash your energy bills with a solar system from

solar directa tel keith on 659 315 130

www.ecocorpshop.com are you getting frustrated at ever increasing electricity bills do you want a clean, reliable energy alternative if so call ecocorp on 671 716 597 or 950 930 187 for a no obligation quotation

sunlife solar solutions

The finest solar installations on the costa blanca sl registered company 100% legal installations we will beat any like for like genuine written quotation

tel: 965 271717

artificial grass

top quality artificial grass installed by qualified professionals

Decathlon Donny’s exercise cycle with manual 40€, Gents Raleigh mountain bike Manta ray 21 gears 50€, Ladies Raleigh cycle Aluminum frame 18 gears 50€, Auto massager, stand on with belt 2 speed old but works 12€, Aerobics step on short legs with height adjustment underneath 12€, Delta AB- Tech workout with manual 12 euros, White bathroom cupboard, top is slightly marked, W 23 1/2”/60cms D 12”/30.5cms H 321/2”/82cms 12€, Lovely glass dropped chandelier 5 glass shades bayonet fitting with bulbs.15 euros, Arched Bathroom mirror with etching, glass shelf and 2 lights H 29”/75cms W 23 1/2”/60cms 15€ Tel: 968 131 879 Camposol Area Samsung Galaxy Mini and Mini 2 for sale. Unlocked.

With batteries and one charger only. 90€ for both. (Can be sold separately).Boxed. Tel: 617 725 345 (Aguilas Area)Panasonic Upright Vacuum Cleaner, Powerful 900 watts. Complete spare bags and belt 35€ Tel:690 772 178 (San Fulgencio) “ Onyx exercise bike 50€, Buyer collects. Tel: 966 718 214 Ciudad Quesada Area 4x2 drawer pine bedside chests 10.00€ each VGC 4 very large 2 door wardrobes with drawers underneath 60.00€ each VGC 2 office type drawers sets with 2 drawers 15.00€ each, 1 wooden type filing cabinet with 4 drawers and racking inside 30.00€, 1 large towel pine box 30.00€ 2 good nice small glass top coffee tables vgc 30.00€ each Tel: 642 431 439 Frister Rossman sewing machine.

Beaver 5.Seen working. MuiltiFunction. Hardly used 55€ Tel: 690 772 178 (San Fulgencio)

english tv

aa free english tv

call neil on 693 496 510 mands24@googlemail.com www.artificialgrass.pro

business opportunity “Internet Millionaire Reveals Secrets Of Making £1,000 A Week & More Without Any Previous Experience” If you would like to start earning extra money now! Then the internet is definitely the place to do this. You can earn money whilst relaxing by the pool or even earn whilst you’re sleeping. This is the reality for people that are making money online.

Read why you should be cashing in on today’s booming economy and discover for yourself how you can turn your passion into a large monthly wage,

everything you need we have it

Tel: 648 078 051 – Camposol Area

pool tables

snooker tables, table tennis tables, darts.

Tel: 666 933 726 www.spainpool.com electrician

Electrician available for all works Small or large. Call Dave 693 251 562 davendonc@aol.com

personals “Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the ads in this section offensive”

ELEGANT slim, sexy, naughty italian lady available home/house visits. Torrevieja, La Manga, Torre Pacheco & Mazarron, Quesada plus all other areas. Escort available home & house visits.

Tel: 693 357 526 Spanish lady Playa Flamenca near new Carrefour before La Florida. 37 years, attractive, classy lady, private house, parking. Offers all erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie, prices from 40€. Full discretion. Tel: Ana 865 646 437

want to know whats in the news?

go online:

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insurance

asssa medical

insurances Asssa Mazarron, Diane Nolan

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2 18ct Diamond Rings

1st ring has 3 Sapphires and 1 Diamond: Weight of Diamond approx.

30ct. Sapphires 60ct. 2nd ring has 3 Diamonds only, crossover setting.

Weight of Diamonds 45ct.

Total value of rings 2,250€ Will sale both for 800€ ono

Tommy, Timmy and Tinkerbell were found abandoned in a box behind the bins at a local supermarket when they were 3 weeks old and had to be bottle fed. They are now around 6 weeks old and adorable, friendly kittens. Tommy and Timmy are Red point Siamese and Tinkerbell the girl is a Chocolate point Siamese. Call 645 469 253.

For More Information Please call 645 469 253 info@petsinspain.info www.petsinspain.com

33

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Call Jane on: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 Ext 330 or email: sales@soltimes.com

www.soltimes.com property for sale/rent

VERA APARTMENT FOR RENT

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BMW Z3 Mercedes BMW 630I oPELzAFIRA Ford Focus Mercedes B180 SL55 Sports May ‘09 - Cabriolet 2012 - 5 door hatch 2003 - Seven seater 2001 - Cabriolet CDi Sport cabriolet 1.6 Trend 3.0 (270 bhp) Auto/Tip 2014 - 5 door hatch 3.0i Auto/Tiptronic 2.2 DTi Elegance 2003 - Sports 78,000 kms 67,624 kms, 2 owners 1.5 Sport 6-Speed 86,000 kms, 2 owners 121,000 kms, 3 Cabriolet 1 owner Full service history 46,700 kms, 2 owners Full service history 32,200 kms owners Full service history Fully serviced A/C, Alloys, PAS, ABS Full service history 2 owners, AMG spec A/C (Climate), Alloys A/C (Climate), PAS Cruise, Nav, Xenon A/C (Climate), Alloys A/C (Full climate) Front fog lights Front fog lights, ABS Alloys, Phone system ABS, 5-Spoke Alloys Wind deflector PAS, ABS, Cruise E. windows/mirrors ABS, CD player, A/C E. windows/mirrors Parking sensors Memory/heated seats E. windows/mirrors CD player CD, Heated seats 5-Speed auto Rear privacy glass Park sensors, Phone Cruise, Isofix, Head Remote locking Bluetooth Remote locking, ASC E. windows/mirrors Wind deflector Lamp Wash, Bi-Xenon Rear head restraints Front fog lights Black soft top Met champ. Full ESP, Parktronic Also available in grey! Roof rails, Cruise Rain/Light sensors Light gold, full black Multi Airbags, PAS leather Head lamp wash Stunning specification Metallic blue also leather Black power hood Met silver Half leather Metallic silver Metallic Grey Available in grey

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34

January 2016

animal corner

To advertise here call : 950 121 936

Chico

Mountain View

Cat hotel Hondon de las Nieves/Frailes

Centrally-heated houses with large individual runs Love and care will be lavished during your cat’s stay My 29 years of experience in animal and veterinary care will give you piece of mind

Looking for a home, Chico, 9 year old Alsation mix, loves company both other animals and human. for more information contact us.

Pets In Spain Torito

Pick up & delivery service offered for coastal areas

Telephone: 966 195 816

685564131 www.catsndogsaid.com email:info@catsndogsaid.com

Answerphone - we will call back: Mobile 654 155 473

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APAH Sofie is approximately 9 months old. She was found two weeks ago on the side of a motorway. She is a very friendly little dog who loves people and gets on really well with the other APAH dogs, both large and small. To arrange to meet Sofie and the rest of APAH’s dogs, please call 630 422 563 or 616 210 850

Torito is around 2 years old. He is very friendly and sweet with people and makes no noise.

Torito is suitable for people who want to have

Tayta is one of the beautiful cats and kittens being cared for by APAH in it’s Cattery. Some of the cats were rescued as kittens and have never known a loving home. If you want to give a cat a new life for 2016, call 630 422 563 or 616 210 850 to arrange to meet them all.

www.apahrescue.org

This lovely girl is called BELLA. She is a 3 year old Shepherd,healthy, vaccinated, quiet and gentle. She has had a rough life so a quiet home would be better for her. She mixes well with other dogs and is friendly,although shy at first meeting.

She will be sterilized in the next few weeks. Bella has been at the shelter for a year For more information contact Santa Clara (Margaret) 697 495 315.

K9club

Hugo is a beautiful German shepherd cross about 1 year old and soft as butter. Loves cuddles and being close to people, a little nervous of other dogs at first but soon settles. He really is a magnificent animal and would love a new home.

If interested please call K9 on

600 845 420.

This lovely boy is called TRAPO. A 6 year old medium sized pointer, neutered, healthy, vaccinated and very affectionate. He adores people and children and just wants to be loved. He gets on with most dogs but especially the girls. He would make a super pet in any home and be loyal and loving if someone will give him a chance. He has been at the shelter for over 4 years and we cannot understand why but time is running out to find him a home.

For more information contact Santa Clara (Margaret) 697 495 315.

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a quiet cat who never disturbs anybody.

Call: 645 469 253 www.petsinspain.com info@petsinspain.info

10 Facts You Never Knew About Bearded Dragons

We're always talking about all of our favorite furry friends, but some of the coolest pets don't have fur at all: reptiles. We wanted to learn a little more about one reptile in particular, and that's the bearded dragon. We checked in with Petco ahead of its Reptile Rally event going on in stores this weekend to learn more about these fascinating little guys.

• Reptiles in general can, in fact, be socialized.

• Reptiles make good pets for people allergic to pet hair and dander.

• They can live upward of 10 years if properly taken care of.

• Bearded dragons get their name from the puffed-up skin under their throats that can turn nearly

black, resembling a beard.

• They puff up their "beards" as a defense mechanism because it makes them appear more threatening.

• Bearded dragons eat insects, vegetables, and fruits.

• They are super easy to take care of and make great pets because of their low-maintenance nature.

• Their tails are about half their entire body length.

• When greeting another bearded dragon or bowing to a more dominant male, they will stand on three legs and rotate the fourth leg in the air.

• If a bearded dragon loses its tail, it won't regenerate the way that some other reptiles' do. http://www.popsugar.com/

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Film Review

The Theory of Everything

www.carolnaylor.blogspot.com - www.carolesleynaylor.wordpress.com - naylorcl@hotmail.es

“To be told you are going to be dead in two years, and to be still alive now and to have done the things he’s done is absolutely amazing.”(Lisa Bruce/Producer.)

Stephen Hawking is 72. When he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease he was told the maximum life expectancy would be two years from the diagnosis. He was a PhD student in 1963. He beat the odds and probably owes his life to Jane Hawking, his first wife. He is still seeking theories of everything possible to explain our existence.

Eddie Redmayne’s performance as the physicist Stephen Hawking won him his first Oscar in the Best Actor category for such an outstanding performance: “Eddie’s performance is amazing. About half-way through you forget that someone is acting.”(Bruce) It’s hard to imagine that urchin all those years ago appearing in Oliver with future aspirations to become the Artful Dodger one day.

The film is based on Jane Hawking’s memoirs: “Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen.” Felicity Jones plays Jane, a young girl enchanted by the geeky Hawking at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1963. She is studying French and Spanish to his cosmology which he defines as being “a kind of religion for intelligent atheists.” Jane’s friend Diane isn’t very impressed with Stephen or any of the scientists frequenting the bar. He is strange, clever and goes to ban the bomb marches.

Yet there must have been an attraction because in a short while he invites her to the May ball, filmed in the grounds of St John’s (which doubles for Trinity). The passionate kiss happens on Kitchen Bridge, Cambridge’s second oldest bridge.

Hawking is studying for a PhD but he is initially indecisive about his area of research until he eventually decides it will focus on time.

When he crashes to the ground, an examination confirms the worst-a heavy defeat, the weight of science working against this promising scientist. He refuses contact with his friend Brian, also studying for a PhD and Jane, his girlfriend who refuses to let him waste away: “I want us to be together for as long as we’ve got and if that’s not very long, that’s how it is. It’ll have to do.” Telling him that she loves him is enough for Hawking to fight this dreadful disease. Hawking’s father is more pessimistic than Janeand she tells him they will fight this illness together. She shows courage and determination, having to sacrifice her own studies to be a carer for Stephen, to raise his children and to promote his career.

A wedding follows then the first baby: Robbie and we can see how he has deteriorated physically when he has to use two sticks to walk and is unable to climb downstairs. His thesis is criticised by his professors and he seems dismayed until Professor Dennis Sciama congratulated him on an extraordinary theory and informed him he was now a Doctor. Celebrations

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35

all round. He decides he wants to prove “with a single equation that time has a beginning. The one simple elegant equation to explain everything.”

Before long he had published his first book on radiation, otherwise referred to as the black holes. Two more babies.

Further deterioration and Stephen has to use a wheelchair and fed. All of this takes its toll on Jane and she appeals for help in looking after her demanding and growing family. Her mother persuades her to return to the church and join the choir, which will give her a break that she so desperately needs. The choir master is Jonathan Hellyer Jones played

by Charlie Cox who becomes one of the family and grows especially close to Jane. It is likely that Hawking is aware of this and approved.

Hawking soon becomes world-famous and an invitation to opera in Bordeaux almost cost him his life. Choking, coughing up blood and by the time he was taken to hospital he was in a coma on a life-support machine, suffering from pneumonia. The doctor advised switching off his ventilator but Jane refused. “Stephen must live.” He was flown to Cambridge where a tracheotomy was performed. Without this he would have died but it meant he would never be able to speak again.

Miraculously he survived and went on to publish A Brief History of Time (From The Big Bang to Black Holes) which has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. His first marriage did not survive and we are confronted with an emotional outburst between husband and wife when Jane tells Stephen: I have loved you. I did my best.” Both sob their hearts out.

Fortunately, they remained good friends. Hawking revisited his initial thesis and contradicted his argument over the existence of a God. “Who are we? Why are we here? If we ever learn this it will be the ultimate triumph of human reason for then we would know the mind of God.” We learn that Hawking was lively, humorous, full of mischief and an incredible person not some stuffy academic. With Jane’s encouragement he found the will to live and became a living legend. A miracle. And what an incredible film! Highly recommended.

“However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. While there is life, there is hope.” (Stephen Hawking)

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January 2016

37

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motoring

review

Ford F-150 pick-up Key specs Model: Ford F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Price: $35,869/£24,900 Engine: 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost turbo petrol Power: 321bhp/508Nm Transmission: Six-speed automatic, four-wheel drive

The Ford F-150 may have been America's best-selling vehicle for 34 years,

but is it any good to drive?

Unlike the Mustang, this isn’t a car we’ll be begging you ask it to. Ok, it’s no Ford Focus on a twisty stretch of Ford to sell in the UK. That said, it’s easy to see why the road, but it’s not half bad.

US loves the F-150. It drives like a car but can carry more That said, the F-150 still suffers from that notorious than some small trucks. Ford’s commitment to smaller capacity petrol engines means the F-150 won’t cost an arm pick-up problem of feeling jittery and uncomposed in or a leg to normal driving. The lack of weight over the rear axle is particularly evident – forcing the F-150 to crash and jolt run, either.

W h i l e over uneven surfaces. However, in our experience this is many in likely to improve when you fill up the load bed and make the UK will use of some of that one-tonne load capacity. have never Inside, it lags behind some of Ford’s European-focused heard of a efforts. Our mid-range XLT sits above the entry-level XL Ford F-150, – adding invaluable kit like auto lights, carpet mats and you can’t electric windows – but it lacked the large touchscreen drive half a found in modern-day Mondeos. You’ll also find a load of mile in the US without scratchy plastics atop the doors and dash, but it’s easy seeing a to forgive it when you consider what most buyers will f l a t b e d use it for. pick-up of Practicality and storage is exceptional – as you’d expect some sort in a car this big. There’s enough room in our SuperCab and a very big proportion of those carry the famous model for three to sit across the back, while up front F-150 badge. It’s been the best-selling vehicle over you sit far enough from your passenger to need walkiethere for 34 years on the trot and, despite increasingly stringent emissions regulations, looks set to continue its talkies at motorway speeds. Actually, that’s unfair – as the deep tyres and whisper quiet V6 do a great job of dominance well into 2016. making this F-150 feel refined and stable at high speeds In the States you can now buy your F-150 with a 2.7-litre so you don’t have to yell V6 EcoBoost engine. It uses the same philosophy as the tiny three-cylinder 1.0-litre you find in the Ford Fiesta at your passengers to be – using turbocharging and smaller capacity blocks to heard maintain power but decrease fuel consumption. http://www.autoexpress.

In fact, Ford claims 24mpg on the European combined co.uk/. cycle and estimates CO2 emissions of 224g/ km – from the large petrol-powered pick-up. A decade ago, you would’ve seen similar numbers from a Land Rover Freelander. And with petrol sitting at around half the price it is in the UK, the F-150’s going to cost mere pennies to run.

The Ecoboost engine is silky smooth on the road thanks to the extra three cylinders, and never feels strained like the dinky 1.0 engines of the same name. The steering-mounted gear lever is decidedly old fashioned, but to us Brits it’s a nod that only adds to the retro feel of this ENGLISH hugely capable truck.

AND But perhaps most surprising was how car-like the F-150 felt to drive. The thought of driving it SPANISH in congested UK cities – or even up the M1 – would fill most drivers with dread, but on the big open roads south of San Francisco, it felt more than at home.

The steering was pleasingly direct, and the instant throttle response made light work of overtaking. The single-clutch auto isn’t as speedy as VW’s DSG, but it handles the big torque well and can drop cogs quickly when

ALL CARS

BOUGHT AND SOLD FOR CASH PLEASE CALL JOHN ON

608 411 437

in the news Top Gear relaunch faces potential clash with new ITV motoring show

ITV’s new Top Gear rival could launch against from Chris Evans’s take on the original BBC2 motoring show, with both scheduled to debut in the coming months.

ITV has announced details of its new show, The Drive, in which eight celebrities will compete against each other in a series of races and vehicles.

The broadcaster has signed up Louis Walsh, Mariella Frostrup, Angus Deayton, weather presenter Laura Tobin, Johnny Vegas, rapper Professor Green, singer Ella Eyre and Olympic athlete turned presenter Colin Jackson. The five-part series, hosted by Vernon Kay with former professional driver Jason Plato offering expert advice, is expected to air by the summer.

Evans’s new-look Top Gear, which has been beset by problems including the loss of his hand-picked executive producer Lisa Clark after just five months, is to launch at the beginning of May. While the two shows are not direct competitors, there are similarities, with early reports about ITV’s programme referring to it as a take on Top Gear’s “star in a reasonably priced car” time-trial segment.

And while ITV’s schedulers are yet to confirm a broadcast date, Evans is unlikely to appreciate a new, high-profile motoring-themed show to potentially overlap and steal some of the PR thunder of his highly anticipated relaunch of Top Gear on 8 May. ITV’s show will use a knockout format that will culminate in a final involving a race with Formula 4000 racing cars. The programme is being made by TwoFour Productions, the company behind Splash! and The Hotel Inspector. Kay said: “Everyone thinks they can drive – but can they? This show will test not only their skills behind the wheel, but also how they control their fear. Drive is not just about straight-line speed, all driving skills are going to be tested. But when it’s not your clutch you’re burning or your tyres you’re shredding, it’s full steam ahead.”

Speaking in California last week, Evans admitted the atmosphere at Top Gear was “apocalyptic” and “armageddon”-like when he joined, following the assault scandal that resulted in Jeremy Clarkson and ultimately his co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, and executive producer, Andy Wilman, leaving the show.

Evans, who is filming scenes for the show in the US, admitted the hectic schedule and pressure to reinvent the programme had been a “baptism of fire, to say the least”. http://www.theguardian.com/

38

January 2016

rubys golf society

Lime bar Golf Society Los Altos Orihuela Costa

The Golf societies venue for the 13th Januar y 2 0 1 6 was held at Mar Menor G o l f Course.

T hir t ye i g h t members teed off, about the largest we have fielded, on a very pleasant sunny morning. The course was in excellent order and the conditions allowed it to be played well.

The competition was in the Stableford format and the scores recorded are as follows: We had the first lady playing for the Limebar in the last four years. Congratulations to Pat Gregan on achieving 32 points.

Nearest the pin on the 2nd hole was Ken Styan Nearest the pin on the 8th hole was Ken Styan Nearest the pin on the 14th hole was Bob Mc knight Nearest the pin on the 17th hole was Stewart Black

Best guest was Robert Waldore with a score of 33 points Silver Class in 3rd place was Tony Jones with a score of 27 points Silver Class in 2nd place was George Ruston with a score of 28 points Silver Class in 1st place was Gordon Anders with a score of 31 points Gold Class in 3rd place was Ken Farrow with a score of 33 points

Gold Class in 2nd place was Arthur Jones with a score of 33 points ( on count-back) Gold Class in 1st place was Bob Mc knight with a score of 37 points Two free games of golf were awarded from Serena Golf Course to the society and placed in a draw. The winners were Bill and Christian Denne father and son, amazing!

A very enjoyable days golf in pleasant company, thanks to the committee for organising the event and the Limebar staff for providing the meal, also to the ladies for selling the football draw.

Quesada Golf Society Last Wednesday the Society travelled south to play its first game of 2016 at Roda. 19 members and 2 guests made the journey and were eager to get back on a golf course after the Christmas and New Years break. The course was in superb condition with the greens being fast and tricky. The weather was perfect with blue skies and bright sunshine and not a hint of wind which sometimes blows inland off the Mar Menor. The competition was an individual Stableford with one division. It was also the first round of the annual Eclectic Competition which is being played ar Roda this year. The winner with 30 points was “Iron” Brian Smith who “tongue in cheek” said he hadn´t played very well. What is he going to score when he does play well.

In second place was Paul Flanaghan with 29 points who started well and was encouraged by his playing colleagues to keep it going instead of “coming off the rails” which he sometimes does. Could 2016 be his year. In 3rd place with 26 points was Darryll “sick-note” Wright.

BRADLEY BREAKERS

Our first player of the year Trophy game was played at Altorreal, the weather was fantastic and the course was in excellent condition so no excuses there, and with most of our players enjoying their new handicaps the day was set for some good golf. The players did not disappoint with some very competitive golf played, but again the girls came out on top.

Nearest the pin on the par 3's were Theresa Wright, Alan Corder (2) and Rob Vaughan. Nearest the pin in two was Gerry Graves, NTP in three was Michelle Evans. Best front nine Colin Fear, best back nine Bill Malcolm.

Silver division winner was Gerry Graves and Gold division and overall winner was Michelle Evans.

Back in Rayz bar on El Raso (our temporary home) we enjoyed a good buffet and the presentation took place with Jeff Evans winning the football card.

Our next game is at Roda on the 22nd of January any one wishing to play this game or for any further information please email us at rubysgolf@yahoo.co.uk

Cafe Uno Golf Society.

He is known as “sick-note” at Walking Football as he keeps limping off with a pulled hamstring. The best score of the day came from guest and prospective new member Keith Morgan with 33 points. Well done Keith. There were only 2 winners of the six nearest the pins on offer with Brian Smith and John Featherstone each taking home a bottle of wine. There was also no winner/s of the ”2´s” with the pot being carried forward to the next game.

After the game the players returned to the society base at the Quesada Country Club for the presentations, a drink or two and a tasty hot and cold buffet kindly provided by mine hosts .

The next society game is on Wednesday 27 January at Lo Romero with everyone looking forward to landing the ball on the island green on the final hole.

965 723 270 607 848 332

Anyone in the Quesada area looking to join a very friendly golf society and play golf once a fortnight at a wide variety of courses at very reasonable cost, should contact the Chairman & Membership Secretary Les Pancott on 966716723

23 members of Cafe Uno Golf Society played at Vistabella today, Thursday 14th January. Conditions were good, although if you were to judge it by the scores you might have to say that the members were suffering withdrawal symptoms from the Christmas and New Year celebrations. However there were some fine scores amongst the not so good. Also It's exciting to know that the extension work to the course is well underway, and maybe in a year or so there will be 18 holes as per the plan and a new clubhouse? Back to the results, and the winners on the day were as follows:Gold Category.

1st P.Buckler - 37pts.

2nd R.Rogers - 36pts.

Best front 9 G.Beaton - 18pts.

Best back 9 G.Benson - 18pts

Nearest the pin on 8th hole R.Inwards.

Nearest the pin in 2 on 12th hole D.Stewart.

Silver Category.

1st I.Cleaver - 26pts.

2nd Millsey - 23pts.

Best front 9 G.Butterworth - 14pts.

Best back 9 S.Taylor - 13pts.

Nearest the pin on 8th hole J.Pedersen.

Nearest the pin in 2 on the 12th hole C.Pepperday.

Winners of the 2`s competition were D.Stewart and P.Buckler.

Thanks to everyone for a good day golfing. Our next game is at Altorreal on 21st January, 1st tee is 10:30am so meet at 09:30am please. Thanks to Cafe Uno for sponsoring the nearest the pins and providing our after game meal.

SAMM Elect New Commodore

After three years at the helm, Janice Penning the Commodore of SAMM, the Sailing Association Mar Menor, stepped down at the end of 2015 in accordance with the rules.

At the Associations AGM, held on Wednesday January 13th, the membership elected Paul Shard, a member of the Shoestring Dinghy Group within SAMM, to the position.

The Commodores job is to guide SAMM through any changes the membership requires, to represent SAMM in any negotiations with local organisations and authorities and generally oversee the running of the organisation for the benefit of its members.

Janice’s reign has seen a gradual increase in membership numbers up to the present level of 170, the

Whaly 435R.

consolidation of the Associations links with CAR, the Spanish sports establishment based on the shore of the Mar Menor at Los Narejos, Los Alcazares, where most of SAMM’s activities are based and latterly the acquisition of the new support boat, a

We wish Paul all good wishes to take the organisation into the future for the benefit of all sailors in the region.

George Wedgewood also stood down and Pat Fleck was elected to the post of web site administrator.

The photo shows Janice being presented with a bouquet by Paul to mark the occasion.

For more information about SAMM go to www.sailingmarmenor.com

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gossip

Southampton have rejected an £8m offer from Liverpool for their 29-year-old Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long.

(Daily Mirror) Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy says he regrets moving to the club and plans to leave this transfer window. (L'Equipe in French, subscription required) Debuchy says he has already spoken to Aston Villa manager Remi Garde about a potential move to Villa Park. (Daily Mirror) Arsenal have appointed the Leicester scout who helped the club sign players such as Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante. (Daily Telegraph) Atletico Madrid want to bring Chelsea striker Diego Costa back to the club. The 26-year-old Spain international left Atletico for Stamford Bridge for £32m in July 2014.(Fichajes.net - in Spanish) Costa's bruised shin, sustained against Everton on Saturday, may prompt Chelsea to speed up a move for Corinthians forward Alexandre Pato, 26. (Daily Telegraph) Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign former AC Milan playmaker Pato and Swansea's 30-year-old French forward Bafetimbi Gomis, 30.(Evening Chronicle) Gomis is unlikely to join Newcastle because Swansea do not want to sell to a relegation rival. (South Wales Evening Post) Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink says that, if it were down to him, he would give a new contract to captain John Terry, 35. (Independent) Terry, meanwhile, is confident he will earn a one-year contract to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of the season. (Guardian) BBC.com

SANGONERA UCAM 4immediate.

MAZARRON FC 2 Lorca's free kick was touched

Mazarron threw away a 2-1 lead with just 16 minutes remaining when Sangonera took advantage of some woeful defending to run out 4-2 winners.

Sangonera were eight points clear at the top of the league and started the game like a house on fire causing all sorts problems for the Mazarron defence.

Goalkeeper Antonio was called upon to make a number of good saves and it was almost twenty minutes before Mazarron were able to mount an attack on the Sangonera goal, Rollon shooting wildly wide of the target.

On 25 minutes, Willy gave the ball away in midfield allowing Sangonera to breakaway. Antonio came out bravely to smother the initial shot but the Mazarron defence failed to clear the ball which was lobbed into the net by Jose Francisco to give the home team the lead.

Antonio came to the rescue again with another save from a free kick before Mazarron equalised after 32 minutes.

Juan Fran made a surging run out of defence and found Willy on the left. His pin-point cross to the far post was met with a thunderous header into the roof of the net by Jose to the delight of the travelling Mazarron supporters.

Coach Victor made changes at half time, bringing on Juanito and Palote for Rollon and Juan Fran and the impact was

onto the cross bar and Jose's shot from the rebound was saved. Mazarron were now dominating possession and forced a number of corners . Juanito shot wide after good work from Willy and then Willy's pass saw Palote racing clear but he tried to pass inside to Jose instead of shooting and the danger was cleared.

Mazarron's pressure told in the 71st minute when Palote was brought down in the penalty area and Juan Andreo made no mistake with the spot kick. However, all the good work was undone when a long ball over the Mazarron defence saw Antonio fail to grab the ball and Ruben was able to round the keeper and fire into the empty net.

Antonio made a double save to prevent Sangonera taking the lead but was unable to deal with a corner from the left wing and Ramiro was left totally unmarked at the far post to head Sangonera into the lead. Lorca was then sent off for a second yellow card and in the last minute a bad mistake by Mounir allowed Raphael to score Sangonera's fourth.

Team: Antonio; Juan Fran (Juanito); Juan Andreo; Lorca; Alberto; Juanlu; Rollon (Palote); Champi; Mounir; Jose; Willy.

Man of the Match; Willy

SOL TIMES

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Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent of political parties, private investment and government. Our policy is to provide readers with a news and information service that is fair, accurate and balanced. Sol Times Calida and Sol Times Blanca are independent publications. Published weekly and produced exclusively in Murcia & Blanca. Sol Times News Group cannot be held responsible for claims made by advertisers, nor can it be held responsible for errors in advertisements caused by poor quality text, photographs or layout instructions. Furthermore, no responsibility can be accepted for any loss or damage resulting caused by any error, inaccuracy or non-appearance of an advertisement. Deposito Legal Sol Times Calida AL 851-2010. Sol Times Blanca AL 852-2010

39

COSTA COBRAS RFC 2015 REVIEW

Costa Cobras RFC was set up in the early part of 2015 and started with a handful of players, juniors and seniors.

We had a fundraiser for the at Daya Vieja sports ground to show everyone what the club was about and proved successfully gaining new players and awareness of the sport in the area.

We put a 7’s team together for the seniors to play in a number of 7’s tournaments in the area starting off in Formentera del Segura 7’s and winning their first ever game.

From here onwards we went onto play in other beach rugby 7’s and 5’s tournaments for the seniors and juniors in San Javier, San Juan and Murcia beach rugby tournaments.

During the summer we trained on Guardamar beach and attracted a lot of players from different countries on holiday including county junior players from England, who have come back over during the holidays to train with the club.

At the end of September we were twinned with a senior and junior club from Essex, England, Brightlingsea Rugby Club and Bsea Youth Rugby, which no other team has, a first for this area.

In November the club held a fundraising event at Victoria’s Tearoom in Almoradi, in aid of Debra to raise money by auctioning off rugby memorabilia donated by many friends and Elche rugby club from their 7’s tournaments, with the help of Denis

Christian of TKO as the auctioneer.

We are also now official part of the Valencian Rugby Federation, so the club is all legally set up.

This year we are looking to build on this and get a permanent ground to play on and hold more tournaments.

Also to be able to put a team in at all levels in the league this time next year so come along and join the newest rugby club on the Costa Blanca and join the rugby revolution. Also to compete in the 7’s tournaments like last year throughout the summer.

Costa Cobras RFC train on Monday and Wednesday from 18.00-19.30 for the juniors and 20.00-21.30 for the seniors in Daya Vieja at the sports ground.

All ages, gender and nationalities are welcome, from beginners to experienced players, the more the merrier everybody is welcome, as we are based on the true traditional ethics of the sport. So come along and join the newest rugby club on the Costa Blanca. Also team bonding after training in the nearest bar for a drink and chat, just how rugby should be.

For more information about the club contact myself, Dutch, on 692 767 242.

Also I am back down at Zoco market on Sunday again from 09.00-13.30, so come on down and find more out about the club and rugby in the area. Also for all of your rugby branded clothing and gear including Canterbury casuals and Cotton Traders shirts.

40

SOLTIMES january 2016

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