Roquetas 424

ISSUE 424

roquetas & almerimar

18 -25 FEB

SolTimes

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Bar Lovento International Bar under new management.

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Menu del dia 9.00€ served friday - wednesday

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Kitchen open: 12.30 - 3.00, 7.00 - 10.00.

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Roquetas de Mar Urbanisation opposite the Protur Hotel

Enjoy Pierre’s French Cuisine Tel: 950 334 439 Email: lavita@roquetas-de-mar.es

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Large Selection of Greeting Cards

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News

Pensioner shoots Heartbreaking note from inseparable couple who jumped to their deaths himself dead in because they ‘didn’t want to be a burden’ gun shop Michael Belford, 76, asked to look at a shotgun in John Powell Gun Makers in Reigate, Surrey, before loading it with his own ammunition, which he had brought with him, and shooting himself.

The incident has been passed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission due to recent contact Mr Belford had with Surrey Police.

Mr Belford, who had recently moved out of his home in the town, which he shared with Sylvia Hare, 74, was living at an address in Redhill at the time of his death.

He walked into the gun store on Church Street, Reigate, and asked to look at a shotgun, which he proceeded to load with his own ammunition before shooting himself.

Around a dozen police cars and paramedics raced to the scene, but Mr Belford was declared dead inside the shop.

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Detective Inspector Antony Archibald, who investigated the death, said: “Detectives carried out an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Belford’s death and we now believe there was no third party involvement or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Glenys and Royston Smith, 88 and 91, were struggling to hold on to their independence because of their failing health, and had told friends they were terrified of being sent to separate care homes.

The couple climbed up to their bedroom windowsill late at night on December 2 last year, put their hats on and, using an upturned washing up basin as a step, fell 30ft to the ground below.

Police investigating the death found a note to their two sons written in marker pen on a whiteboard in their kitchen, saying ‘Sorry boys. This is the best way.

Too much pain.’

An inquest into their deaths, which rules that they were suicides, found that the couple died of traumatic injuries caused by the fall.

They were discovered the next morning lying face down beneath their open window, side-by-side.

The frail couple had been faced with a variety of ailments, and were aware of plans to move them into care.

An inquest into the deaths in Bournemouth heard how Mrs Smith suffered from a debilitating, painful back problem as well as osteoporosis.

Mr Smith was taking medicine for prostate cancer, and both he and his wife had poor eyesight.

The great-grandparents, who had

been married 67 years, had said just days before that they felt unable to go on, and were afraid of burdening their family.

Cindy Hoyle, the building’s caretaker who found the couple, said Mr Smith had told her days before of his concerns.

She told the inquest: ‘I told him they had a wonderful family and I was sure they didn’t mind,’ she told the court.

‘They were very much in love and didn’t want to be without each other.’

Mrs Hoyle told the inquest she found the couple at 8am on December 3 last year beneath their open window, which was about 30ft above.

She said: ‘I could see they were both lying face down, but I could see it was them and I recognised their clothing.

‘I knew straight away that they were dead. I could see the bedroom window was wide open and I realised at this point that Glenys and Royston had fallen from that window. They were very much in love and didn’t want to be without each other.’

Sheriff Payne, the Bournemouth coroner, recorded a verdict of suicide.

He said:’I conclude that they jointly decided to take their own lives, they decided that suicide was the only future for the two of them.’

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News

Yuzuru Hanyu wins Japan’s first figure skating gold

However, his performance was not without drama: The 19-year-old fell twice in the free skating final but prevailed thanks to a world record triple-digit score of 101.45 in Thursday’s short programme, and errors from his rivals.

His record performance all but cemented victory the following day.

That inspiring effort gave the teenager some leeway in the ensuing free skate, and although his performance was less graceful, he overcame some mishaps to run away with the gold, amassing an overall score of 280.09 through the two events.

Not only did he fall on his opening jump, a quad salchow, but he also crashed on his third, a triple flip.

That left plenty of room for Canada’s Patrick Chan to skate through to the top of the podium, but he made three errors in a watered-down program to finish second.

Kazakhstan’s Denis Ten, the world silver medallist, took the bronze.

Hanyu, also the first Asian to win figure skating gold, became the youngest winner of the Olympic men’s title since American Dick Button in 1948.

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UKIP’s Nigel Farage hints that the British flood crisis was caused by the EU

However, the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has hit back saying that EU regulations did not contribute to Britain’s flooding crisis.

He was responding to accusations from Nigel Farage that constraints emanating from Brussels have added to the problems of UK flooding.

Barroso described the Ukip leader as a “doomsayer,” while calling his attack a “caricature” of the role of the EU. Farage has demanded a public inquiry into claims that EU regulations made it more difficult for the dredging of

British rivers to take place, while decrying the ability of an Environment Agency that is “hamstrung by a whole series of European directives, putting the interests of beetles and voles and birdlife before that of farmers and people.”

However, speaking at the London School of Economics, Barroso refuted the charge, adding that it was “surprising to see the persistence of some of the doomsayers within Europe,” particularly after the EU’s response to the eurozone crisis.

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News

Sir Tom Finney the former England winger dies, aged 91

Sir Tom Finney, the former Preston North End and England winger who is widely regarded as one of the finest players this country has ever produced, has died aged 91.

Finney, the oldest living England International, was one of the iconic footballers of the immediate post-Second World War years, a hugely popular figure who symbolised a golden era.

Blessed with fantastic natural ability and fitness, Finney earned the nickname the “Preston Plumber” as a result of his second profession.

In an era dominated by amateur values in sport, Finney, who was born in the shadow of the club’s Deepdale Stadium, used to earn £14 a month at Preston – around £100 in today’s money – and was forced to look for other work to top up his income.

His status was such that Preston, the club where he spent his entire career, were rather unfairly dubbed the “Preston Plumber and his 10 drips” He made his senior debut in 1946 and appeared 433 times for the club over 14 years, scoring 187 goals. He was capped 70 times by England, scoring 30 goals.

Preston named a stand after him, made him club president, and placed a statue in his honour, and last week held a minute’s silence before their League One game against Leyton Orient.

A statement on the club’s website said: “Preston North End have been informed of the extremely sad news of the passing

ort

of Sir Tom Finney.

“Sir Tom was the greatest player to ever play for Preston North End and one of the all-time greats for England.

“The thoughts of everyone at the club, and those connected with it, are with his family at this time.”

Although widely regarded as one of the superstars of his generation, Finney’s career was also notable for the fact he failed to land any of the game’s major prizes. He was the key player in a Preston side that just missed out on the league title in 1953, before losing to West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup final the following year.

Preston were also runners up in the First Division in 1958, ensuring the club’s most famous son ended his career without a winner’s medal.

Prior to his successful playing career, Finney had served in the army in the Second World War. Many observers who saw him play are adamant he deserves to be ranked among the world’s best.

He was the first footballer to be named Player of the Year twice, winning the award in 1954 and 1957.

The former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once paid tribute to him, saying: “Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age ... even if he had been wearing an overcoat.”

It was not isolated praise. Sir Stanley Matthews, the only player who rivalled

Finney in the 1950s, said: “To dictate the pace and course of a game, a player has to be blessed with awesome qualities. Those who have accomplished it on a regular basis can be counted on the fingers of one hand - Pelé, Best, Di Stefano, and Tom Finney.”

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan, who played against Finney as a young defender at Blackburn Rovers, said: “As the opening match to every season Blackburn used to play Preston in a practice game. He recounts “I was put back in for this match at Deepdale and who should I be playing against but Tom Finney.

“My first match back after two and a half years and I’ve got probably the finest right-winger there has ever been. And Tom Finney is the perfect gentleman. He never took me on at all. I took the ball off him three times in the first half and when we were coming off I went to him and said: ‘Tom, you’re not taking me on.’

He said: ‘You’ve had some bad luck, son, and I’m not going to take you on, I want you to get through today’s game and get back into the first team.’ I’ll never forget him saying that to me. He was and still is a total gentleman.”

The Preston Plumber: a one-club man 1922 Born in house near to Preston’s Deepdale ground 1942 Signed up to the Royal Armoured Corps, fighting with Montgomery’s Eighth Army in Egypt and later as tank driver in campaign to liberate Italy.

1946 Signed for Preston – would have completed forms earlier but wanted to complete a plumbing apprenticeship, leading to his nickname, the Preston Plumber. Made Preston debut in August and 28 days later made his England debut.

1950 Went to Brazil with England, first of his three World Cups.

1954 Named Footballer of the Year and made his only FA Cup final appearance, in a 3-2 defeat by West Bromwich Albion.

1957 He and striking partner Tommy Thompson scored combined total of 56 goals and Finney was named Footballer of the Year a second time, making him the first player to win the award twice.

In the following season, Finney and Roberts bagged 60 goals.

1958 Last England appearance.

Jointly held scoring record (with Vivian Woodward and Nat Lofthouse) on 30 until they were overtaken by Bobby Charlton in 1963.

1960 Retired from playing because of a groin injury, although made a brief return to play for Distillery in 1963.

1961 Received the OBE. 1998 Knighted at Buckingham Palace.

2004 Unveiled statue The Splash outside Deepdale, depicting him beating two defenders at a waterlogged Stamford Bridge.

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

image: www.volcanodiscovery.com

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An explosive volcanic eruption on Indonesia’s most populous island blasted ash and debris 18 kilometres (12 miles) into the air last Friday, killing two people while forcing authorities to evacuate more than 100,000 and close six airports.

The overnight eruption of Java island’s Mount Kelud could be heard up to 200 kilometres (125 miles) away.

Ash and grit fell to earth in towns and cities across the region, including Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city after Jakarta, with a population of about 3 million. In Yogyakarta motorists were forced to switch on headlights in daylight, and the ash lay five centimetres (two inches) deep in some places.

Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said that the international airport in Surabaya, as well as airports in the cities of Yogyakarta, Solo, Bandung, Semarang and Cilacap were closed due to reduced visibility and the dangers posed to aircraft engines by ash.

Virgin Australia said it had cancelled its Friday flights from Australia to several locations due to the eruption, including the resort islands of Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand.

The disaster agency said tremors were still wracking the volcano, but that scientists did not expect another major eruption. It said all villages within 10 kilometres (6 miles) of Kelud — more than 100,000 people — had been evacuated to temporary shelters, but that some villagers were returning

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News

Kelud Volcano Erupts In Indonesia

to their homes to begin cleaning up.

The 1,731-metre high (5,680 feet) Mount Kelud is in eastern Java — Indonesia’s most densely populated island and home to more than half of the country’s 240 million people.

It has been rumbling for several weeks and was under close observation.

Muhammad Hendrasto, head of Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency, said the mountain erupted violently about 90 minutes after authorities raised its alert status to the highest level. The disaster agency said it had spewed millions of cubic metres of debris into the atmosphere.

Some residents were shoveling the ash and grit into sacks to use for the construction of buildings or to fertilise crops. One collector said that middlemen had already told him they would pay up to $56 for a small truck filled with the debris.

A 60-year-old man and a 65-year-old authorities. woman were killed in the village of Kelud’s last major eruption was in Pandansari near the mountain when 1990, when it kicked out searing the roofs of their homes collapsed fumes and lava that killed more than under the weight of the ash and 30 people and injured hundreds. volcanic debris unleashed during the In 1919 a powerful explosion that eruption. reportedly could be heard hundreds of Kelud is among about 130 active kilometres away killed at least 5,160 volcanoes in Indonesia.

The people. archipelagic nation is prone to volcanic Earlier this month, Mount Sinabung eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the so-called “Ring of in North Sumatra province erupted as Fire” — a series of fault lines stretching authorities were allowing thousands of from the Western Hemisphere through villagers who had been evacuated to return to its slopes, killing 16 people.

Japan and Southeast Asia.

Sinabung has been erupting for four Due to the fertile volcanic soil and the months, forcing the evacuation of shortage of space on Java, hundreds of more than 30,000 people. thousands of people live close to active volcanoes.

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

image: www.dk.co.uk

Weekend Breaks Away

Seville may have the pasión and Córdoba a medieval charm, but Granada has an edge.

Most visitors concentrate solely on the magnificent Alhambra, but if you explore further, you’ll find Andalucía’s hippest, most youthful city, with a ‘free tapas’ culture, innovative bars and intimate flamenco haunts.

Here the Islamic past feels recent, as Muslim North Africans make up some 10% of the population; there’s even a modern mosque in the medieval district of the Albayzín.

And though Granada looks alpine, with the white-capped Sierra Nevada peaks startlingly close, you could just as easily go swimming down on the coast for the day and be back in time to enjoy the city’s nightlife.

Source: www.lonelyplanet.com

valencia

Valencia, Spain’s thirdlargest city, for ages languished in the long shadows cast by Madrid, Spain’s political capital, and Barcelona, the country’s cultural and economic powerhouse. No longer. Stunning public buildings have changed the city’s skyline – Sir Norman Foster’s Palacio de Congresos, David Chipperfield’s awardwinning Veles i Vents structure beside the inner port, and, on the grandest scale of all, the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencas, designed in the main by Santiago Calatrava, local boy made good.

An increasingly popular short-break venue, Valencia is where paella first simmered over a wood fire. It’s a vibrant, friendly, mildly chaotic place with two outstanding fine-arts museums, an accessible old quarter, Europe’s newest cultural and scientific complex – and one of Spain’s most exciting nightlife scenes.

Source: www.lonelyplanet.com

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News

Worst Valentine’s Day Card In History Unearthed By Museum

Despite stiff competition, a museum believes it has unearthed the worst Valentine’s Day card in history. The 100year-old Victorian example features real facial hair stuck on the design to resemble a moustache.

The caption reads: “For The New Woman! With St. Valentine’s Heartiest Greetings and Best Hopes that she will receive another (moustache) - With A Man Attached.”

Collections facilitator Faye Prior said: “The Victorians were not the prim and proper lot they are often made out to be - they loved the curious and bizarre as much as we do today. It just wasn’t shown in public as much, but even for them this card is remarkable. Whoever thought it was a wise idea to send a

card with real moustache hair on it?

“The card has certainly amused everyone at the Castle Museum - even if it is a bit insulting nowadays. I certainly wouldn’t want to be the receiver of this card.”

Ms Prior said the card was printed by and copyrighted to Angus Thomas, London, but other than that, very little is known about it The card was on display in the reception of York Castle Museum along with other, more romantic cards from the period.

The museum has more than 600 Valentine’s cards in its collection, including the oldest-known example, which dates to 1797.

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Putin romances America?

Where did Russian President Vladimir Putin go to on Valentine’s Day? To the home of the American Olympic team in Sochi!

Although there was no obvious indication that romance was on the agenda, nevertheless Russia’s most powerful man spent part of his Valentine’s Day at the USA House, the American Olympic team’s official gathering spot for the Sochi Games.

After months of high-profile spats with the Americans, Putin wined and dined with them. He sat down with

Russian and U.S. Olympic officials, sipped wine and sampled canapés while American athletes, journalists and security looked on.

He then moved on to the Canadian team’s base, though it seems that, despite a beer machine having been installed, he may not have been able to partake of a brew - you need a Canadian passport to do that!

Perhaps they made an exception, or simply looked the other way? Certainly Boris Yeltsin wouldn’t have been so circumspect!

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Dear Friends,

True Confessions of a Doctor...

It is rarely pleasant for true confessions; in fact they can be very rough. Nonetheless confessions set the truth free and keep the record straight. It allows me to give credit, where it is due. Before I talk about my confession, I would like to say a few things first.

Many years ago, as a child, something happened to me that changed my life forever. Let me tell you my story: “When I was 7 my family and I moved West across the United Sates. It was an exciting time to travel, find a new home; meet new friends and have a new life full of adventure. Then one day a car in a crosswalk bumped my mother. It was very light and she barely fell over – but then she couldn’t get up. At first I thought she was joking until the ambulance arrived to assist us.

Upon arriving at the hospital the doctors did their best but could not discover anything wrong. She was prescribed painkillers and muscle relaxants and sent home with the prognosis that all would be well in a few days. Within a few days, with much dismay, the symptoms did not alleviate in fact they worsened.

This time the doctor prescribed even stronger medication and instructed her to go to physical therapy three times a week.

We left with new hope. She began her physical therapy care. Unfortunately it did not get the results we so desired. In fact my mother would come home in tears after every session and remained bedridden.

Three months transpired with physical therapy and now my mother’s trouble began to impact me. With my father out of the home it left me responsible for cooking, cleaning, walking the dog and caring for my mother and myself. Suddenly my adventure at 7 was quite different and not so exciting.

She visited other therapists without results. Time continued to elapse. She spoke with her doctor again who referred her to an orthopedic surgeon.

Unfortunately nothing was discovered and surgery to cut & kill the nerve trunk was the only option. This seemed ridiculous for my mother. She was only 26 and now bedridden, taking over 10 tablets a day with extreme pain debilitating almost all activities and

unable to care for me properly. She had always been physically fit and the accident was so minor.

As time passed my mothers’ health continued to decline.

After nearly two years of being bedridden, using all remedies offered, conventional or not, the doctors finally decided to send her to a special hospital where they would teach you how live with the pain. They had given up and ran out of options.

One day at the hospital I heard a passing conversation about a local chiropractor. Curious to discover more I eves dropped. Now at the age of nine and very mature for my age I listened and heard of a possibility. Others had gone for differing troubles and many had positive results. I quickly rushed to inform my mother. My mother was very despondent and not very receptive.

Still I pleaded with her; it was our last chance for hope.

I can be very persuasive and finally she conceded to visiting the chiropractor.

The chiropractor did a thorough consultation, examination and a detailed report where he fully explained my mother’s trouble. He then proceeded to adjust the spine of my mother. After the adjustment my mother was able to stand up straight and without pain for the first time in two years. My mother’s health soon returned. After a few weeks she no longer needed the assortment of medication. In a few months she had returned to the mother I remembered at 7. She no longer had what the doctors called a short leg since she was a child. Her menstruation returned to normal and she never again suffered from periodic headaches.

My mother was back and better than ever!

After two years of hospitals I witnessed a great deal of suffering, the results while at the chiropractor were so astounding that I was inclined to go to chiropractic school and become a chiropractor myself. It is strange how life can come full circle because now people come to see me with their health problems. They come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder/arm pain, whiplash from car accidents, backaches, ear infections, asthmas allergies, numbness

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in limbs athletic injuries just to name a few, they get such great results that some of my clients have decided to study chiropractic.

And that is how it happened!”

Here’s what some of my clients say: My daughter was asthmatic taking inhalers and medication daily.

She was sidelined and unable to play with her classmates; now her health has improved so much she no longer uses medication or inhalers and is the captain of the football team! (L. Hamn) After injuring my back I could only play a hole or two, of golf, for almost two years. I was about to give up the game. This is serious because I am a professional golfer. I laughed at Dr. Jensen when he said I would be out playing again after only 2 weeks!

But it was true and now I am at the top of my game.

(S. Fernandez) I have suffered with constant headaches and migraines since my childhood, the moment that I met Dr. Paul and he adjusted me a miracle happened, no more headaches and no more painkillers. Thank you for exposing me to the wonderful world of Chiropractic, I couldn’t imagine my life without it. (R. Sastre) I am honored to have helped so many people with their health care problems but I cannot really take credit. My confession is that I have never healed anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific spinal adjustment to remove nerve pressure, and the body responds by healing itself. We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that!

It is very challenging to be a chiropractor today.

There are many so-called experts out there with extreme misinformation, much of which is ridiculous.

But the studies speak for themselves, like the Virginia, USA study that showed over 95% of people who saw a chiropractor were satisfied with their results. That is outstanding!

Studies show that chiropractic may double your immune capacity, naturally and without drugs. The immunes system fights colds, the flu and other sicknesses.

The results? You may not be sick in bed as much. This is

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Benefit from an Amazing Offer Would you like to see if chiropractic is the solution to your health problems? Would you like to see for yourself it it’s as easy and as effective as I say it is?

Sure you would! And now here’s the best part. When you bring in this article by this Friday you will receive my entire new client exam and report for only 35 euro. That includes a postural analysis, a spinal thermo graphic and sEMG scans and a detailed report of your findings. Everything!

How can such an offer be made? The answer is simple. I know that chiropractic works so well I am willing to take most of the risk.

I hope that you accept my offer. Let’s discover if chiropractic can help you. You cannot lose – but you sure can win! Be happy to know that I have affordable individual or family plans.

Not only great fees….but great care!

I am very confident in my ability to provide you great care. I have studied many years with a group of elite chiropractors that have spent years and thousands of euros to remain on the cutting edge of or practice, technology, research and strategies. Our care is gentle and effective.

As a result I have been entrusted to care for everyone, including newborn babies, delicate seniors and tough athletes.

My staff is great, they create a warm and caring atmosphere that welcomes all, I am sure you will think so too. Our office is called “Estilo de Vida” Centro Chiropractico. You can locate us at c/Mayor #19 Garrucha. Our phone number is: Tel: 950 460 953 or Mob: 605 322 612. Call my staff for an appointment so we can help you!

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The Parks Department Is Cutting Back . . .

And Trimming . . . And Pruning The local council parks department readily admits it doesn’t know exactly how many trees there are in the municipality of Roquetas. One person estimates ‘an awful lot’, another, ‘a huge number’, and a third states . . . ‘thousands’! One thing is for sure, we can all speculate, but it’s unlikely we will ever know the true figure. And there are two main types; the decorative ones that line most residential streets and the palm trees, which line all the other streets. However many there are, they all have to be pruned and pruning the trees of Roquetas is a year round job and this time of year is possibly the busiest.

The decorative trees aren’t just cut back – nothing so simple. They are carefully shaped into perfect circles with a hole in the middle, ending

News

Baftas: Gravity & 12 Years a Slave share glory

Gravity dominated the Bafta awards, scooping six prizes, while 12 Years a Slave won the coveted best film honour.

The space drama was named best British film and picked up other prizes for visual effects, cinematography, best sound and original music, while Alfonso Cuaron won best director.

British star Chiwetel Ejiofor collected the best actor Bafta for his role as Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave.

Cate Blanchett was named best actress for Blue Jasmine.

British director Steve McQueen collected the best film trophy for 12 Years a Slave, and thanked his “one and only mother for having the faith never give up”.

He added: “Right now there are 21 million people in slavery. I just hope that 150 years from now our ambivalence will not allow another film-maker to make this film.”

Ejiofor, who was nominated for the Bafta rising star award seven years

ago, accepted his award from US actress Uma Thurman.

Captain Phillips star Barkhad Abdi won the best supporting actor prize, while Jennifer Lawrence was named best supporting actress for American Hustle.

As the Hunger Games star was not at the ceremony, American Hustle director David O Russell accepted the award on her behalf. He was back on stage minutes later to pick up the best original screenplay prize for the 1970s crime drama, about two con artists who get entangled with the FBI. The Great Gatsby picked up two awards, for production design and costume design.

Room 8 was named best short film; the short animation award was won by Sleeping With the Fishes.

The awards were hosted for a ninth time by actor Stephen Fry. Best animation went to Frozen, which came out ahead of Monsters University and Despicable Me 2.

The Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer went to Kieran Evans for Kelly + Victor, the tale of a young couple embarking on a passionate love affair.

US director Ron Howard, whose film Rush won the award for best editing.

Read more on bbc.co.uk

up looking like a very large green polo mint on a stick. The palm trees just have the previous years dead fronds cut off, but it takes just as long because they are taller – requiring a hydraulic lift - and often not easily accessed.

Look away now if like me, you’re no good at sums. This may sound like one of those exercises we all had in junior school, because it is. Here we go.

If it takes one man one hour to prune a tree and he works eight hours a day, five days a week, how many trees per week will ten men prune? Got it? Yes, just what I said, an awful lot! Those ten men don’t spend all year pruning trees; according to the head of the council parks department Miguel Sanchez, they devote about six months of the year on tree work and the other six months on related gardening jobs; Roughly!

They might prune trees for a fortnight, then move on to gardening work and so on. Again, Mr. Sanchez is unsure of how many plants, shrubs, cacti, hedges, yuccas and small ornamental trees his team have to attend to, but, yes you’ve guessed, there are an awful lot. It’s not just the gardens and parks, but all the roundabouts, paths, central road dividers and traffic islands; there are plants everywhere and everything has to be cut back, pruned and trimmed at least once a year, sometimes more.

Then there’s the grass, miles and miles of it. Most people will think the grass only needs cutting during the winter, because after all, it’s too hot during the summer for anything to grow; it just goes brown and shrivels.

Not the case and here, the parks department have made a rod for their own backs. All the grassed areas in the municipality have sprinkler systems to prevent the grass from going brown and shrivelling, which in turn keeps it green and makes it grow, which of course means it has to be mown and strimmed, all year round. Ah, the green, green grass of mown!

With the imminent onset of the tourist season, Mr. Sanchez and his men are working flat out to ensure the grass, trees and gardens of Roquetas will look at their very best for all to appreciate. It’s a daunting task, but one which this highly skilled team of gardeners carries out with supreme expertise.

by Martin Shortland

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...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

ALMERIMAR & surrounding area 2nd Sunday of the month

For all your local advertising needs call Mark on 693 774 932

--------------------------------------------------------

Happy times for ASTRO

“RastroMarket” in the car park opposite Leo’s

Every Thursday MacGowans open mic & jam --------------------------------------------------------

Advertisers publish your special events here. Charity/community groups events also published FREE of charge.

--------------------------------------------almerimar local information

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keep up to date with what’s happening in Almerimar: www.facebook.com/ localinformation

carnival

On Sunday, February 23, we will celebrate the Carnival of Almerimar. 9 We will have the pregonero Carnival, which will be announcing Carnival by the neighbourhoods of Almerimar, so that large and small to join the Carnival. From 11.30 a.m. at plaza batel contest for the best costume adult and child and then performance of the troupes performed by associations and friends of ALMERIMAR. From the local Board of Almerimar, we invite you to the Carnival and as good hosts will be well received. It will be a day of fun and entertainment where you can not miss

The Charity Shop Asociacion de Animales Reg No. 5272

Calle Galera No6, Almerimar (Behind Bar Ankara)

Please help me find my forever family!

This is Leah. She is a French Bulldog, Terrier cross.

Very sweet nature, gets on with children, cats other dogs and is a small breed.

She is 2 years old, DOB 06/02/12 and has been sterilised.

Leah is looking for a home, please give this little lady a chance.

Contact us if you can help.

Leah

If you can help me PLEASE Contact the Charity shop on 950 497 193 Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm Facebook: Asociacion de Animales de Berja E-mail asociaciondeanimales@hotmail.com Web: www.asociaciondeanimalesdeberja.com

DONATIONS VIA PAYPAL

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

ASTRO, a very handsome two year old black Belgian Shepherd mix has not previously been fortunate. He was abandoned at the shelter, together with his sister VENUS, when he was just four months old. He has spent his entire childhood at the shelter. This meant no toys, no soft cushions and most of all, no human playmate to be caressed by. No daily walks to enjoy the outside world, but instead, the boring compound, surrounded by the shelter’s high fences.

ASTRO’S sister, Venus, was finally adopted by a family in Germany last summer and poor ASTRO was left behind, alone and seemingly unwanted. It was feared that ASTRO would fall into depression as he and his sister had always been together.

However, ASTRO, the former protector of VENUS began to be friendly with other dogs. Now, finally ASTRO’S great day arrived and he was adopted by a young couple, who had already adopted BRAHMA from the shelter. They decided that ASTRO would be a good companion

for BRAHMA. Hopefully, ASTRO has found his forever family. There are many such stories at the shelter and many more ASTROS hoping to be adopted by a new family.

You must remember MATRIOSKA from two weeks ago. She gave birth to ten puppies at Christmas time and has been a considerate and caring mother.

We are pleased to say that all ten puppies have survived. During the first few weeks of life they stayed close to their mother, but now they are beginning to explore their little world. To see them stalking and frolicking on their long, typically GALGO legs is delightful. It is impossible not to fall for their charm and grace. It is hoped that all ten puppies and their mother will rapidly find their forever homes. If you want further information about the shelter please email Geoff at geoffalmeria@ hotmail.com

El Ejido Rugby Club El Ejido Bowls Club Based in Almerimar, we are always looking

for new players and have training sessions starting at 21.30h every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Players of all abilities welcome.

The team is very sociable and after have players from beginner to experienced. We are currently in Andalucia Regional Division 2 and just about to start the second phase of the league. Home matches are usually at 12.30 on Sundays at the grass rugby pitch in Almerimar.

For more information call Jonathan on 695 635 078

Monday and Thursday 5pm to 7pm Ring Alison on 677 317 920 to book or for further information

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mikes movies

On Sunday 16th February, the BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS presented its annual film awards - the BAFTA’S. Historically, the academy came into being on the 16th April 1947 when some of the top names in British film production gathered in Michael Balcon’s suite at the Hyde Park Hotel. Amongst the thirteen men and one woman present was the eminent film director DAVID LEAN and he was appointed the Academy’s first chairman. The fundamental aim of the new organisation was ….

“To recognise those who have contributed outstanding creative work towards the advancement of British Film.”

When, eleven years later, THE BRITISH FILM ACADEMY merged with THE GUILD OF TELEVISION PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS, a name change was deemed necessary and thus THE SOCIETY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS came into being. The early working capital for running and maintaining an office suite in Great Portland St. was provided by David Lean himself, who donated the royalties from his epics THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO. A further cash boost came in the early 70’s from H.M. THE QUEEN, when she donated the proceeds from the documentary “ROYAL FAMILY” to the society.

With these funds, it was able to move to a new HQ at 195 Piccadilly - a grade II listed building - which was specially converted to house two preview theatres and provide meeting facilities for its members. The building had been opened for the first time in 1882 by the then Prince of Wales, when it served as the galleries for the Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours. So it was somewhat fitting that it was opened by the Queen in 1976 to celebrate a modern day visual medium. It was at this time that the Society became officially known as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

BAFTA has always enjoyed royal patronage. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was appointed as its first President in 1959 and apart from one brief period (when the presidency was held by Lord Attenborough), this role has always been filled by a royal.

HRH Prince William is the current President.

The first BAFTA Awards - just six of them - were presented as part of the Television Ball at the Savoy Hotel on October 24th 1954. Then in 1971, the Academy introduced its FELLOWSHIP AWARD to “recognise the very highest standards of work in film and/ or television”. The first recipient was Alfred Hitchcock.

1976 saw the first appearance of what‘s now recognised as a “BAFTA”. The first was presented by Princess Anne to Sir Charles Chaplin in recognition of his Fellowship. The now familiar award - based on a original bronze of a Grecian Marquette (mask) - was designed by American sculptor MITZI CUNLIFFE and subsequently adopted by BAFTA as its logo. If you can’t picture it, then the now-famous words of Graham Norton may prove helpful. He described it as ….

“The Posh Spice of Awards …. a huge face on a stick!”

The 30 year involvement of The Princess Royal and her work in raising BAFTA’s profile in the UK and abroad was recognised when 195, Piccadilly was re-named THE PRINCESS ANNE THEATRE. And last year, the Queen herself was honoured when Sir Kenneth Branagh presented her with a special award to recognise her long support of not just the Academy but also of many other industry organisations - the likes of RADA, the Entertainment Artiste’s Benevolent Fund and the Cinema and TV Benevolent Fund. It’s the CTBF that each year receives the proceeds from THE ROYAL FILM PERFORMANCE. So eat you heart out Hollywood, we’re the British Academy and we have the Royal family in our corner!

BAFTA currently has branches established in Los Angeles and New York as well as autonomous bodies in Scotland and Wales. Production in the regions is celebrated separately. The BRITISH ACADEMY CYMRU AWARDS takes place each September to recognise not just programmes produced in the Welsh language but a substantial body of other work. It’s worth remembering that major series such as DR.WHO, STELLA and SHERLOCK are all made in Wales. In November it’s the turn of SCOTLAND to have it’s own awards ceremony. A brief look at the nominees and winners for last year suggests that many of the programmes are only seen north of the border but there are some familiar series titles such as MRS BROWN’S BOYS and THE INDIAN DOCTOR. BAFTA , in fact, has a year round schedule of award ceremonies for specific areas of the visual arts.

The BAFTA TELEVISION AWARDS will take place on the 18th of May and will be televised. This year there will be 22 categories for individual programmes and series as well as for the people who star in them. Outstanding news coverage, documentaries and outside broadcast events are also honoured.

Prior to that, in April, the TELEVISION CRAFT AWARDS recognise the achievements of those involved in the behind-the-camera fields such as writing, production design, sound, costume, hair and make-up, editing and direction.

There’s also THE BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS for those involved in the Video Games Industry. Amongst the categories are best game, best British game and best debut game.

Those working on programming aimed at the non-adult audience sector are recognised in the annual BRITISH ACADEMY CHILDREN’S AWARDS. Jury voted prizes are given side-by-side with popular vote awards including one for the BEST FEATURE FILM for kids. In November 2013, the animated feature DESPICABLE ME 2 was voted the audience winner, beating the likes STAR TREK - INTO DARKNESS MAN OF STEEL and THE HOBBIT. The best comedy award went to TV’s HORRIBLE HISTORIES which is every bit as popular with adults as with children.

Finally, there are the BRITANNIA AWARDS, presented by the BAFTA Los Angeles branch to individuals or companies whose work advances the art-form of the moving image. It was awarded for the first time in 1989 to ALBERT “CUBBY” BROCOLLI for his lifetime achievements in film production and especially the creation of the James Bond franchise. This year’s recipients included GEORGE CLOONEY, SIR BEN KINGSLEY and BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, who was named “British Artist of the Year”.

So what’s going to happen at this year’s EE BRITISH FILM AWARDS? (EE is the

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

11

sponsor, by the way) Well, by the time you read this, all will have been revealed but because of deadlines and flights, I’m writing this five days before the event. So, let’s start with what I KNOW! The Fellowship of the Academy will be awarded to DAME HELEN MIRREN, whose screen career began in the 70’s and includes a total of eleven BAFTA nominations with four wins. Her work has included Hollywood and arthouse movies and her long-running TV success in the PRIME SUSPECT series. She was also THE QUEEN first in the cinema and recently on the London stage. And as those noisy drummers in the street outside the theatre in which she was appearing found to their cost, she’s still very much an Essex girl at heart when it comes to speaking her mind!

As for the “prizes“, the only thing I’m relatively confident of is that CATE BLANCHETT will win the best actress award for “Blue Jasmine” and I also predict that LUPITA NYONG’O will win “The Rising Star Award” for her remarkable work in “12 Years a Slave”.

If it was up to me, the BEST FILM Award would go to GRAVITY, which will undoubtedly win lots of technical awards for its ground-breaking special effects and sound. It’s the best thing I saw last year and because of everything that was involved in coming up with the initial concept and actually getting that up on the screen, I would make ALFONSO CUARON Best Director too. But because GRAVITY is a British film - made almost entirely at Shepperton Studios - the voters may reward it instead in the OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM category where it’s up against some great movies including the James Hunt v Niki Lauda drama, RUSH and the Steve Coogan / Judi Dench collaboration, PHILOMENA. Certainly, it will be hard for Academy members to overlook the historical drama “12 YEARS A SLAVE” and the sterling work of it’s director STEVE MCQUEEN (no, not the one from “The Great Escape” … this one’s a former Turner Prize winning artist!) It is an exceptional film, though not an easy one to watch and for me it struggles sometimes under the sheer weight of its own “worthiness”. Its star CHIWETEL EJIOFOR is favourite to pick up the Best Actor prize although he finds himself competing with fellow-Brits IDRIS ELBA (Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom) and CHRISTIAN BALE (for “American Hustle”). A tough choice …. so maybe the voters will give it to TOM HANKS (Captain Phillips) or BRUCE DERN (Nebraska) instead.

It really has been that kind of year ….. one full of high quality movies.

(MIKE ELLIS was a cinema manager for twelve years in the seventies and eighties. After that, he spent the next fifteen years as a freelance film and video reviewer and writer about cinema for a number of magazines. Today, when not enjoying the sun in Spain, he still sees as many movies as he can in Birmingham).

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...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

t a e d r o o G G l e k e o F Lo 5 top health tips

Expert suggestions for realistic ideas to make it easier to live more healthily Go shoe shopping ‘Protect your joints and soft tissues by ditching flat shoes: the lack of support makes the foot arches drop, leaving your knees and ankles vulnerable to strain,’ says osteopath Jane Ducklin. ‘It should be your shoe that absorbs shock, not your joints. So opt for supportive designs, such as FitFlop, which have great shock absorption in the sole.’ Try the Dué Mary-Jane, £85.

Tune into the birds ‘When spring arrives, pay attention to whether the birdsong around you sounds as clear as last year,’ recommends Robert Beiny, hearing specialist and European Audiologist of the Year 2011. ‘Diminished hearing is on the rise, so if sounds seem less vibrant, get your ears checked.’

Eat with the seasons ‘This year, build your meals around locally grown, in-season vegetables,’ recommends nutritional therapist Daniel O’Shaughnessy. ‘Not only do seasonal vegetables have more vitamins and minerals because they’re harvested at their peak, but they’re less likely to contain pesticides and fertilisers used to accelerate growth in out-of-season crops.’ For more information, visit Eat Seasonably.

Burn calories before breakfast ‘Use your mornings to raise your pulse – it’s the best way to improve heart health,’ says Amy Thompson, a senior cardiac nurse with the British Heart Foundation. ‘A morning run or bike ride is great for building cardiovascular activity into your daily routine.’ As a bonus, 2011 research showed that we burn calories for 14 hours after exercising, so a dawn workout could keep your body active all day. To maintain your motivation, invest in a Nike+ FuelBand (£129, Nike), a watch that tracks calories, steps and more.

Put fish on the menu ‘Swap fish oil supplements for the real thing,’ recommends dietician Helen Bond, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. ‘Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, is one of the richest sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, and one 140g serving contains as much as nine or ten standard capsules.’

There’s evidence that oily fish may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, asthma and dementia, and new research suggests that topping up omega-3 levels could help you live longer. Look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label to ensure fish has been sustainably caught.

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This week’s topic is the lower leg and ankle pain …… what is your foot gate doing???

LOWER LEG, ANKLE & FOOT PAIN We walk to moon and back in a life time …… so why do we abuse the most important structure of our bodies that support us and enable us to get from A to B? You may not even have thought about it, but the eleven muscles of the lower leg are actually foot muscles.

Anatomists call them the extrinsic foot muscles, meaning they operate from outside the foot. The muscles in the foot itself are intrinsic foot muscles, meaning they work from inside the foot. The implication of these facts is the pain in your feet may not be coming from your feet themselves.

You can waste a lot of time rubbing and soaking your feet, if the cause of your pain is the trigger points in your calves and shins.

muscle. A “sprained” ankle is often nothing more serious than referred pain from trigger points in the peroneus muscles of the outer side of the lower leg. Many problems of the ankles and feet that get labelled “tendonitis” or a “strained ligament” can be fixed with simple massage of the muscles of the lower leg.

Obviously, serious conditions resulting from physical trauma or congenital deformity do affect the ankles and feet of many people. Nevertheless Myofascial trigger points are always part of the picture even when other conditions exist.

ALWAYS CHECK OUT YOUR FOOT GAIT WITH YOUR THERAPIST TO FIND OUT IF YOUR BIOMECHANICS OF YOUR FEET ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY YOUR ARCHES. The worst thing to do for your foot gate is walk around in flat flip flops this summer that do not support your arches.

When your arches are not supported they will fall and being flat footed will cause all sorts of problems. It’s a Knock on effect from your Feet to your Ankles from your Ankles to your Knees to Hips … eventually causing you back pain.

If you book with Debbie James our Massage Therapist she will put you through a simple foot print test and decide what is happening with your foot gait it’s all about Balance and Biomechanics. Simple choice of foot wear and looking towards Orthotics can help these defects. Orthotics are placed in your shoes to make sure the pressure on your lower leg and knees do not affect the hips ….. so spring into spring and make sure you can walk to the moon and back in your lifetime.

Trigger points in lower leg muscles also produce most ankle pain. Pain in the front of the ankle almost always comes from the shin muscles. Pain around the Achilles tendon in the back of the ankle is usually from the calf

Phone Debbie James 687 619 239 Next week find out more about your foot print and how to decide if your “gait” is in Neutral or Not. Do you have have high instep or flat feet?

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Sciatica - Back Pain - Sports Injuries Digestive and Cardiovascular Disorders Headaches - Arthritis - Skin Conditions Centro Cueva Del Lobo Paseo Mediterraneo 10, Mojacar Beach Centro Medico Indalo C/ Manuel Azaña, Almeria Monica Algañaraz Over 40 years experience in physiotherapy and osteopathic treatment. General postural assessment and holistic health checks available English spoken PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT MONICA ALGANARAZ: 695 355 381 Email: monica@centrophysis.net www.centrophysis.net Wednesdays: Mojacar Playa Valle del Almanzora: Olula Del Rio

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14

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

braben’s blog...

This week it was suggested by someone, who also makes a living in the computer industry, that I was one of these “born again” computer ‘specialist’ with little experience and no skills. So my thoughts and therefore the warning is this. This person may have been the very thing that he was accusing me of. Please beware that there are as many “cowboy” computer specialists as there are dodgy builders (and I’ve been tricked by some of them too). Be very careful and use someone recommended until they let you down then come to me. Better still – come to me first :-) So much for my week let me tell you about the pro’s and cons of... Ninite!

Where are you going? Although this is a children’s term for goodnight that has been used in English parlance since the 18th century, in this case it is a natty little program. What is Ninite? As with every single program there will always be pro’s and con’s. So shall we start the pro’s?

It is a stub program, a base for other programs to temporarily connect with. Now for the positives: It is positively TINY (between 256 and 512Kb); It contains a list of the programs that you want to have on your machine; It prevents the

download of all candyware, toolbars and unwanted rubbish that usually comes with so many of these programs; You never have to worry about updates – just run the program again and it will find the latest version; It is smart enough to pick the 64 bit version if you have a 64 machine running a 64 version of windows; You’re constantly updated in the process by a single screen of basic information and finally, If there is no update for a program it will be skipped and you will be given a message saying so; The not so good side of the program (Con’s) are: It uses the default locations for the program, this is only a problem if you have a program that has a version number as part of the folder name, eg libreoffice 1, Libreoffice 2 and so on. I prefer Libreoffice as the location and want the program to either remove the old version and replace it with the new or just overwrite the old version with the new version – both usually work; works best if you turn off your fire wall and antivirus – WHAT!!!!

Second is the fact I do use this program while setting up a new computer for clients for all the reasons that you have been given because It works!

Plain and Simple – It Works.

For further information or advice on computing, contact Trevor on 689 892 745 or canducomputing@hotmail.co.uk

Global Weirding

January was Britain’s wettest winter month in 250 years of recording. 10 of the world’s hottest years have been since 1998!

Remember the movie ‘The day after Tomorrow’? Well this January 6/7th a Polar Vortex caused temperatures to drop in the US to as low as 41C breaking the previous record from 4 years earlier of -37C. Australia announced that 2013 was its hottest ever year. Adelaide was declared the hottest city in the world on 16th January as it reached 46 degrees, 500 miles north in a place called Moomba it reached 49.3C. Big business spends vast sums each year ‘sponsoring’ a minority of usually right wing elected representatives and also scientists to try and convince us that Global Warming is either not happening or not caused by fossil fuels. In Britain Lord Lawson the ex Tory Chancellor is the biggest culprit. A few years ago emails were ‘leaked’ from East Anglia University and dubbed ‘Climategate.’ Somewhat coincidentally just days before, Lawson and others launched their charity ‘Global Warming Policy Foundation’ or GWPF. GWPF immediately clamoured for a public enquiry into the theft of the emails and their contents. Despite tax payers money funding three enquiries no wrong doing was found. The Met Office said “there isn’t any evidence that

Beyond Me!

There are a number of things I really don’t understand at all and one of them is why so many people willingly make their own beer or wine from kits. I have to admit that in the past we have been guilty of making our own cider, although I would qualify that by saying that we were living in Kuwait at the time where the merest mention of the word alcohol in the wrong place could get you sacked, thrown in jail, deported then brought back to the country immediately so that they could do it all over again! And the cider wasn’t that good either!

But voluntarily brewing your own drinks at home, when there are perfectly good pubs and bars to go to selling drinks that are far more palatable, and cheaper, than anything we make from kits, doesn’t really make sense to me. On top of that, have you ever heard a wine expert telling us that the Boots 2013 is as good as a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc-or any other such wine with an unspellable foreign name?

No unless I’m very much mistaken there is no rhyme or reason to it. Having said that, I don’t know about you but, I am, I have to admit, very much more mistaken more often than I am right! I think the last time I was not very much mistaken about something was in 1978 when, on a whimsical hunch, I predicted that Ipswich Town would win the FA Cup. Well, perhaps not totally correct because I didn’t put a penny on the hunch, so failed miserably to win a small-ish fortune.

Back to rhymes and, or, reasons, there is often, in things going on around us, very little evidence of either. Just to confirm this bold statement, did you know that, in America, they have Barbie Doll pageants? In these things grown people, that is, people who qualify, on every other level, as adults, make extravagant outfits for their Barbies and Graham is married judges earnestly give them marks for style, to Helen and has a beauty and general Barbieness. daughter, Alice. He These things are taken very seriously, of lives part of the year course, but like home brewing, they are notnear Albox, but works thank goodness-for everyone and certainly in Qatar, teaching. If are another of those things that I struggle you wish to contact to understand. But I suppose that the point Graham regarding is, why try and understand them. After all, this article email: who’d have agreed with me about Ipswich? helenandg@yahoo. co.uk It’s just a pity Barbie didn’t score!

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.es Telephone: 636 266 641

the data was falsified and no evidence that climate change is a hoax. It’s a shame that some of the sceptics have had to take this rather shallow attempt to discredit robust science undertaken by some of the world’s most respected scientists. The bottom line is that temperatures continue to rise and humans are responsible for it.’’

Unconvinced GWPF then paid £3000 to a chap called Andrew Montford another known climate denier to conduct their own enquiry. Montford claimed the British Government were at fault as they had not included any climate sceptics in the three official enquiries. This was inaccurate as Labour MP Graham Stringer is known not to believe the science and sat on the enquiry board and knows Montford personally.

This week with horrific conditions still prevailing across Britain, Lord Lawson decided to only part quote a new Met Office report, the part where it states – ‘As yet, there is no definitive answer on the possible contribution of climate change to the recent storminess.’

This was proof indeed said Lord Lawson that it’s all baloney. He didn’t quote the next paragraph that states ‘There is an increasing body of evidence that extreme daily rainfall rates are

becoming more intense.’

In 2011 GWPF released 900 ‘scientific’ papers that purported to show that man-made global warming was a fallacy. Not only did many of the scientists included complain that their findings were being misrepresented but also a blog called Carbon Brief dug deeper and found that 9 of the 10 main authors of these reports had links to ExxonMobil. Worse still, 131 of the papers came via a right wing journal called Energy and Environment whose co-editor is Benny Peiser, coincidentally a director of GWPF. The ‘journal of choice’ for climate sceptics is how the editor Sonja Christiansen describes her publication.

All this scepticism is aimed at keeping the fossil fuel industries in business. Yet with diversification renewables provide not only clean energy but jobs and profits too. In December10% of Britain’s electricity derived from wind farms. Britain now has the third highest capacity in Europe, behind Germany and Spain. Here in Spain 25% of electricity comes via wind farms and Germany is on course to hit 40% in the next few years.

Please see sense and ignore the Lawsons of this world!

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

book review

And then, in a shattering instant, it came: the ferocious eruption of total war. The country woke, stunned to find that the long stalemate had evaporated in a single night, in the smoke and fury of an enemy assault so savage, so overwhelming, that all foolish hopes that catastrophe might yet be averted vanished as though they had never been.

Madeley chose a pre-war setting of the Weald in Kent with events leading up to the second world war with some insight into the pity of war immortalised by Owen. The Arnolds are deeply affected by the war as one would expect. In the second part, the story moves into postwar mode and the setting is the south of France. The excitement and tension of the war reaches an anti-climax and we are left with a touch of the thriller genre, plunging into the sordid world of the Mafia.

The Arnolds were a wealthy and privileged family and contrast sharply with the poverty-stricken James Blackwell who hastily marries into the family hoping to benefit financially from marrying Diana. He is the bete noire of the novel and comes to be known as le Loup, a dangerous man, despised by everyone.

Oliver Arnold was a successful libel lawyer who had fought in the trenches during the first world war as a major.

Four years of fighting and killing was enough to breed cynicism and anger at the imminent approach of war; he would have readily choked the life out of Hitler with his bare hands given the chance. He seems to be the voice of guilt looming over the proceedings of

15

Some Day I’ll Find You - by Richard Madeley yet another world war: We couldn’t face our fears. We were so horrified by memories of the last time that we’d do or say anything to convince ourselves it couldn’t happen again.

Even when reality was staring us in the face.

He fears for his children’s generation.

Now it’s our children who’ve got to clear the mess up. Let’s hope they can. Let’s just pray it’s not too late.

But it was too late.

John, his son was only 20 and extremely excited about doing his bit for the war effort like many typical young men.

The propaganda machine had easily persuaded the likes of John Arnold to join the RAF to get a crack at Hitler and show him where he gets off! No display of fear or awareness of danger for the younger generation. Not yet, anyway.

Innocence and naivety. Short-lived and soon destroyed.

Gwen Arnold is an artist and daughter Diana, the main character, was reading politics at Girton, Cambridge. She was from a privileged, elitist family and it didn’t seem to matter in which direction her life was heading. She could remain an academic, have lots of affairs or give birth to lots of babies in or out of marriage. Flippant or perhaps a typical product of a middle-class society?

Naïve and innocent like her brother, the thought of an imminent war flooded her

with excitement not dread.

James Blackwell, flight commander, became Diana’s knight in shining armour before transforming into her nemesis in an attempt to destroy her family and security. Her vanity was her undoing.

She wanted John to bring home the best looking pilot in the squadron to spend Christmas with the family. This impossibly glamorous pin-up appeared and swept her off her feet. But, as we know, looks can be extremely deceptive unless you are blinded by Cupid’s arrow like Diana.

And she was soon smitten by his charm and his good looks.

James had lied repeatedly about his past. He was devious and manipulative.

It is possible he had been abused by his headmaster who nicknamed him a barrow-boy. James blackmailed him and threatened exposure unless he wrote an impeccable reference guaranteeing him entry into the RAF. We see his cruelty when he “dumps” his girlfriend of 2 months, Jane Timming after taking advantage of her and boasting to himself that it took precisely 45 seconds to end this affair. The fact that she crumpled to the floor out of shock and horror meant nothing to him.

He took advantage of John’s friendship

to establish himself on the social ladder as a well-placed friend having been snubbed and branded common by the other men. He was also very much of an opportunist and a marriage to Diana would confer a generous settlement from the wealthy Oliver Arnold. Perhaps this would compensate him for his poverty-stricken corral?

The evacuation of Dunkirk seems to be a turning point for both John and James when confronting danger.

I smacked one of them down. I saw my bullets smash through his cockpit canopy. Blood was spraying all over the shop. It was horrible.

It also serves as a wake-up call to Diana’s innocence. James’ narrow squeak left him pretty shaken up when his cockpit exploded in fury all around him. A brush with death is sufficient for him to take advantage of the situation and marry in haste before being shot down by the Germans.

Life is full of surprises, initially nasty shocks for Diana as she faces the future without James. A move to Nice is meant to give her a new start in life but the past comes back to haunt her, destroying the last remains of innocence and naivety.

How will she survive? Will she survive?

You’ll have to read it to find out, won’t you? This is Madeley’s second book, but his first novel. Readable with some dramatic moments and a case of all’s well that ends well.

Publisher: Simon and Schuster U.K. ISBN: 978-1-4711-1263-8.

by Carol Naylor. naylorcl@hotmail.es www.carolnaylor.blogspot.com www.carolnaylor.wordpress.com

Spanish Estate Agent

sales rentals insurance avenida puente no.11, albox just before the old bridge on the right (car home) visit our website for an online insurance quote for sale

Mojacar Playa: 1st line beach luxury apartments, stunning pool & grounds, sea views, allocated parking, secure entry, 100% mortgage available. FROM 85.000

Llanos del Peral: 8 rooms, 1.200m2 land, cheap renovation project, Reduced for January only to 37.500 offers invited

Los Huguerales: Stunning 3bed, 2bath villa with pool, garage, luxury kitchen, quick sale required hence the price of only 109.995

El Prado: Stunning 2bed 2bath villa, immaculate condition, fully furnished, landscaped gardens and great views.

A gift at 84.995

Mojacar Playa: 1st line beach townhouse, 3 bed, sea view, 1min walk to beach & comercial centre, allocated parking.

Possibly the cheapest beach house on the Playa at 110.000

El Cucador Renovated 5bed country house, views and gardens, space for a pool, loads of character, Only 99.995

Albox: 5bed 3bath villa, immaculate condition, landscaped gardens, close to tennis and walking distance to centre, Priced to sellat 195.000

Albox: A 4 bed 2bath dream home!

40m2 kitchen, huge plot, double garage, pool, seperate guest acco.

Seeing is believing! Realistically priced at 299.995

Tel: 950 431 855 / 634 345 257

Rental Properties Urgently Required Tenants Waiting

El Cucador: Immaculate fully furnished 3bed 2 bath villa with pool, walled and gated, landscaped gardens, shaded terrace. only 495pcm

Albox: 4 bed 2bath townhouse, communal pool, integral garage, furnished, 2min walk to schools, health centre and town centre. Only 375pcm

Albox: Large 3bed apartment in town centre. New building in prime location, immaculate condition, secure entry. Part furnished. Only 350pcm

www.spanishestateagent.com

16

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Est 25yrs

PRICE BROWN PARTNERSHIP

ESTATE AGENTS / INMOBILiARIA / MANTENIMIENTO - MOJACAR SALES, RENTALS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT VENTAS, ALQUILERES Y MANTENIMIENTO

149,000 € Mojácar Playa LV678

82,950 € Valle del Este A1192

495,000 € Mojácar Playa DV1280

Attractive townhouse of 74m2, ample terraces + roof terrace with excellent sea views. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, private garage & garden. Furnished. Community pool. Close to the beach.

Beautiful ground floor golf apartment of 72m2 + 56m2 of terraces & a private garden of 51m2. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, A/C. Lovely community gardens & pool. Allocated parking. Beaches in a 10 minute drive.

Detached villa of 220m2 on 1,039m2 with outstanding sea views & huge south-east facing terrace. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Planted gardens, wrap-around terraces & private pool. Carport.

299,000 € El Pinar DV1275

145,000 € Los Gallardos LV619

115,000 € Mojácar Playa A988

Beautiful 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, renovated country house of 310m2 on 3,250m2 with 2 rooms in the attic for conversion.

In superb order throughout. Garage & large pool of 11 x 5 m.

Excellent views

189,000 € Valle del Este LV601

Spacious townhouse of 81m2 + garden of 40m2 + patio on the edge of the golf course. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Part furnished. Community pool. Less than 10kms to the beach.

140,000 € Mojácar Playa A1158

South facing top quality ground floor apartment of 83m2 less than a 100mtrs from the sea. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 37m2 terrace. Beautiful community pools & gardens. Parking.

Quality furnished townhouse of 152m2 on 161m2 in walking distance of the village centre. 3/4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, terraces, roof terrace & off street parking. Short drive to local golf & beaches.

284,500 € El Pinar DV1252

Detached cortijo of 163m2 on 2,750m2 with superb panoramic views to the sea. Completely renovated to a high standard. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Large private pool. Part furnished.

Ample parking.

235,000 € Cabrera DV1165

Very pretty detached villa of 108m2 + 28m2 basement for conversion on a plot of 1,250m2. Superb views. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Private pool & carport. 20 mins drive from the sea.

Superb south facing apartment of 65m2 + 39m2 terrace, with outstanding sea views, less than 200 metres from the beach.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Private garage. Community pool.

139,950 € Mojácar Playa LV602

Pretty townhouse of 81m2 + terraces of 28m2 in a sought after complex just 400mtrs from the beach. 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, private garden. Off street parking, community gardens & pool. .

129,950 € Vera Playa A1181

Quality penthouse apartment of 77m2 + terrace & roof terrace.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Underground parking. Pretty views over the community pools & gardens. All amenities & beaches nearbY.

www.pricebrown.com Tel: +34 950 478 915 Fax: +34 950 478 963 sales@pricebrown.com rentals@pricebrown.com

Members of the National Association of Estate Agents Overseas

Monday - Friday 9.30am to 6pm

We are able to organise Energy Efficiency Certificates at very competitive prices. Contact us for more details All properties listed with Price Brown comply with the consumer protection act - decreto 218/2005 11 Octobre (Andalucia).

Members of the Agrupacion Tecnica Profesional

Prices are correct for 7 days from going to print for all properties on these pages

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

17

“It has been a great start to the year so if you want to sell your property in our area then contact us now”

VH617 €169,000 NEW LISTING • 4 bed, 2 bath Country House • 338m2 build incl garage etc • 4,982m2 of land • Full of character

VH231 €155,000 REDUCED • 3 bed, 2 bath Villa • 207m2 build incl under build • 800m2 plot • Village location

VH611 €109,000 NEW LISTING • 3 bed, 2bath Villa • Brand new build • 140m2 build, 370m2 plot • Walk to shop, restaurant, doctors etc

VH92 €159,000 negotiable • 3 / 5 bed, 3 bath Country House • 184m2 build plus outbuildings • 21,330m2 of flat land, part fenced • 5 mins drive to amenities

PROPERTIES WANTED VH618 €249,950 NEW LISTING • 4 bed, 3 bath Luxury Country Villa • 184m2 build, 61,000m2 land • 10m x 5m swimming pool • Solar power, mains water

VH536 €79,950 REDUCED • 3 bed, 2 bath Semi Det House • 99m build, 120m plot • 2 communal swimming pools • Walk to cafes, restaurants, shops

VH538 €189,000 REDUCED • 3 bed, 2 bath Quality Villa • 185m2 build, 1,722m2 plot • 10m x 5m swimming pool • Double garage

Urgently wanted properties in the San Juan de Los Terreros, Huercal-Overa, Taberno and the Zurgena areas

VH610 €219,950 NEW LISTING • 4 bed, 3 bath Unique Villa • 286m2 build, 761m2 plot • Garage & workshop • Walk to amenities

VH598 €139,950 REDUCED • 3 bed, 3 bath Villa • 130m2 build, 567m2 plot • Edge of village, lovely views • Walk to amenities

VH613 €180,000 NEW LISTING • 3 bed, 2 bath Quality Villa • 158m2 build, 45,500m2 of land • Solar power, beautiful views • Garage & sun roof

VH252 €49,950 REDUCED • 3 bed, 2 bath Country House • Needs further work • 21,175m2 of flat land • 20 mins drive to coast

VH479 €189,950 REDUCED • 3 bed, 1 bath Seaside Villa • San Juan de Los Terreros • 145m2 build, 1,000m2 plot • Walk to the beach

18

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Legal Matters

Help for Expats in Spain

How to renew the Spanish driver’s license Where is my nearest Recognised Medical Centre?

Many of us ask ourselves how to renew the Spanish driver’s license; after all, it’s been 10 years since we got the last one.

ALBOX • C/ Ramón y Cajal 6, bajo Almanzora Building II. • C/ Duque de Ahumada 54 ALMERIA • Pta. de Purchena, 7 • Canónigo Molina Alonso, 6 • Fr. Bernardo Martínez Noval, 1 • Hermanos Machado, 18 • Padre Méndez, 113 • Avda. García Lorca, 50 • Lopán, 83 • Ctra. de Ronda, 196 • Jesús Durbán Remón , 2 • C/ Maestro Padilla, 2 - 2º • Paseo Cervantes, 15 CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA • Aire, 10 EL EJIDO • Crta. de Málaga, 4 • Gardenia, 5 • Oasis, 148 (Sto. Domingo) • Conde de Barcelona, 1 • Dos Hermanas, 15 GARRUCHA • Paseo del Malecón, 156 • C/Mayor, 28 PULPÍ • Avd. Andalucía 23 ROQUETAS DE MAR • C/ Velero, 4 • C/ Benito Pérez Galdós, 16

What do I have to do to renew my Spanish driving license?

First, you have to go to a Recognised Medical Centre for drivers and get a few tests done -coordination of both hands, anticipation, reflexes, they check if you take medication, and they do a simple medical check (blood pressure, eye test, ear test, etc). Basically, they make sure that you are healthy and able to drive.

Once you get the medical certificate, you can do two things: • Present it personally to the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico).

• Let the Recognised Medical Centre deal with it for you.

(We would recommend that you let the Recognised Medical Centre deal with it to avoid driving to your nearest DGT, queuing up and having to understand why the person behind the desk won’t take your paperwork and is pointing towards the door, saying “El Ordenador dice que NO!!!”).

Whatever option you choose, you will receive a provisional permit to drive and after a month (or sometimes up to 3 months), you receive in your post box the new driving license.

Information provided by:

For all your legal needs Tlf. 646 844 708 E: 4wayconnections@gmail.com www.4wayconnections.webs.com

UK and Spain working together to improve public services

British minister for reform Francis Maude visited Spain last week to discuss issues around public sector reform, and look at ways that Spain can learn from Britain’s experience of delivering an ambitious efficiency agenda.

Over the last year, a number of visits between Spanish and British officials have looked to strengthen relations between the two countries on this shared agenda, including a visit by Deputy Secretary of the Spanish Prime Minister’s Office, Jaime Pérez Renovales, to learn about the British Government’s efforts to both modernise and increase efficiency in the UK’s public administration.

On 10 February, it was HMG’s turn to visit Madrid, with Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude attending an international conference on public administration reform hosted by the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaría, to present Spain’s ‘non-stop’ programme to representatives from a number of European governments.

Building on the well-established relationship between the Spanish Government and the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude showcased the UK’s initiatives to reform the public administration, comparing the UK experience with his counterparts. Driven by the key principles of efficiency and innovation, the Minister explained the UK’s determination to make public services better while saving hard working taxpayers’ money and reducing the deficit.

The Minister’s no-nonsense approach has had tangible results. Last year the UK Government saved taxpayers £10 billion, with £500 million alone saved by stopping

projects not aligned to IT spending controls. Reviewing, renegotiating and opening up public contracts to small businesses has also had a huge impact: ‘one great example of the potential from small businesses was when we retendered a hosting contract. The incumbent big supplier bid £4 million; a UK-based small business offered to do it for £60,000.

We saved taxpayers 98.5%’ the Minister explained.

Digitalising public services is also a key part of the UK’s long term economic plan. The Government has committed to make 25 services fully digital, from registering to vote to applying for a visa, in a bid to ‘make life better for citizens and businesses and change the way people think about how government works.’ And the resulting savings are indisputable.

The cost of digital transactions is 20 times lower than over the phone, 30 times lower than by post and 50 times lower than face-to-face. Digitalising public services could save citizens, the Exchequer and businesses £1.2 billion over the course of this parliament, rising to an estimated £1.7 billion each year after 2015.

The Minister is committed to being ‘unashamedly militant’ about enforcing efficiency and innovation across the board to help Britain succeed in the global race.

‘The work goes on. Not just to deliver digital-by-default, but more broadly, because making government more efficient and delivering simpler, clearer, faster services is a task that should never end.’

VILLA IN MOJÁCAR PLAYA

245.000€

Outstanding detached Villa in one of the most saught after areas of Mojacar Playa.

We think this property has everything you could look for in a detached Villa on Mojacar Playa: quality, space and within a short walking distance to the beach on a non-hilly location!

between porch, entrance hall, living / dining room, kitchen and bathroom on the ground level and 3 double bedrooms and a family bathroom on the upper level. The property is surrounded by terraces facing east and south on both levels and it also benefits from a covered car port for 2 cars.

The freehold plot measures 500 mts2 and has a built area of 111.75 mts2 distributed

The location of this villa is also ideal, at just approx. 300 meters from the sea, it is close

enough to be convenient for the beach, shops, bars & restaurants yet far enough away to give it lots of privacy.

If it’s a secluded, quality villa that you are looking for then view this one and you will not be disappointed. For more information or to book a viewing appointment please visit our office or contact us via phone or e-mail.

Ref: 1560

Paseo del Mediterraneo 197 - Mojacar - Almeria

Tel: 950 472 430 / 610 053 563

property group

www.veritashomes.co.uk info@veritashomes.co.uk

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

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19

Wanting to sell?

We are currently looking to expand our portfolio.

For more information please call us on, Spain 0034 699 271 709 or UK 0044 7919215925 email: shirleywithvidacabrera@hotmail.com

Property of the Week

* * * *

Cortijo Grande 2 Beds /2 Baths Near Golf Fantastic views

* Cortijo Grande * 2 Beds/2 Bath * Fully furnished * Fantastic views

* Puerto Lumbreras * Private pool * 2 roof terraces * Country property

* * * *

Sierra Cabrera 3 Bedrooms Private Pool Sun spa jacuzzi

* Townhouse * Well presented * Sun terrace * Lock up & leave property

SCL0123

95.000€

SCL00135

215.000€

SCL0097

275.000€

SCL0098

89.000€

* Cortijo Grande * 3 bed/2 bath * on golf * Private pool

*Sierra Cabrera * 3 Bed/3 Bath * Seperate annex * Various terraces

* Cortijo Grande * 3 beds/2 baths * Private pool * Fantastic viewsl

SCL0134

160.000€

SCL0130

225.000€

SCL0147,

290.000€

* Los Gallardos * 3 bed/2 bath +wc * Solarium * Communal Pool

* Sierra Cabrera * Luxury home * 3 bed/3 bath * Centrally located

* Sierra Cabrera * 3 beds/2 bath * Private pool * Various terraces

* Sierra Cabrera * 4 Beds/3 Baths * Private parking * Mtn & sea views

SCL0115

80.000€

sclthg from

180.000€

SCL0038

259.950€

SCL0000

499.950€

* Turre * 3 bed/1 bath/wc * Spacious & airy * Seperate kitchen

* Arboleas * 3 Bed/2 Bath * Private pool * Garage

* * * *

Sierra Cabrera 3 Bedrooms Part furnished Private pool

* Sierra Cabrera * 4 Bed/4 Bath * 1600sqm plot * Infinity pool

SCL0140

90.000€

SCL0124

199.995€

SCL0049

270.000€

SCL0094

694.000€

www.sierracabreraliving.com email : shirleywithvidacabrera@hotmail.com

Tel : 950 091 830 / 699 271 709

20

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Sundance Spas

Pool Maintenance S.L.

Open: Monday - Thursday 9am - 2.30pm & 4pm - 7pm, friday 9am - 2.30pm & 4pm - 6pm Closed Saturday & Sunday

now in our showroom

New range of economical Spas Renew - 3 seater 4.649,00 Euros

Bliss - 2 seater

Relax - 5 seater

3.750,00 Euros

4.995,00 Euros

showrooms Come along to our Genuine Sundance Spas Lots of Special Offers on Also Good Selection of Second Hand Spas

We Purchase Your Old Spa Cash Paid up to

50% off selected spas

Mojacar Showroom, Paseo de Mediterraneo, 165

Tel: 950 472 845

www.sundancespas.com • sundancespas@telefonica.net

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

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21

LEGAL CORNER

WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR If you wish us to print an article about a particular topic, please e-mail info@daviessolicitors.com

DOES A NON-RESIDENT HEIR PAY INHERITANCE TAX IN SPAIN ON FUNDS LEFT TO HIM IN JERSEY? Question: My deceased father (a resident in Mojacar) made a will leaving his worldwide assets to me (I am resident in London). The estate consists of a house in Mojacar and a bank account in Jersey worth 210000 pounds sterling.

My Spanish solicitor is saying that I have to pay inheritance taxes on the account in Jersey because it was declared on my father´s 720 form (declaration of foreign assets) last year. I have read a book on the subject and my interpretation is that I should not pay inheritance tax in Spain on the funds in Jersey.

What paperwork needs to be presented to the bank in Jersey for them to release the funds to me?

The difference in inheritance tax between presenting the self-assessment forms in Spain including the funds in Jersey or not is over 59000 euro.

AnSWER: I can confirm that because you are nonresident you do not have to pay inheritance tax in Spain in relation to the funds in Jersey. It does not need to be included on the self-assessment forms in Spain. You would have to pay if you where resident in Spain. Non-Resident heirs only pay inheritance tax in Spain on assets situated in Spain and on life insurance payments made by foreign insurance companies that operate in Spain. (This will become clear

to your solicitor on reading article 7 of the Law 29/1987 of 18th of December in relation to Inheritance and Donation tax) .The declaration of the asset on the 720 declaration makes no difference to this.

B. Winding up the estate in Jersey is simple and straightforward. Your solicitor in Spain will need to gather some Spanish documents and choose a barrister to obtain probate at the “Jersey Royal Court”.

This sounds complicated, but it is not. The procedure is not very expensive and takes two to three weeks if the solicitor in Spain presents the correct paperwork. In Jersey all you will need to pay is a small stamp duty to the “Jersey Royal Court “ (0.5% for the first 100000 pounds sterling and 75 pounds for every additional 10000 pounds sterling) and a Jersey barrister’s fee, which varies from my experience between 1000 and 5000 pounds depending on how much work he needs to do.

Michael Davies.

Abogado.

Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Andalusia since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid.

For a short period of time leading up to 2007 he was also Honorary British Consul.

Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Almería since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid and has offices in Mojacar and Almeria High Street.

MOJACAR PLAYA

RENTALS - SALES -MANAGEMENT - MAINTENANCE

We urgently need more properties for sale and rental for waiting clients Properties of the week

O

COMPLETE HOLIDAY HOLIDAY CARE CARE COMPLETE

Bedar, 04288 (next to Miramar Restaurant)

Tel: 607 705 085 or 687 938 466

Olive

Email: info@olivehouse-es.com

www.olivehouse-es.com

Monday - Friday 10am - 3.30pm

Sales office now open in Bedar

...it’s all in the detail

OLV625 cortijo grande

OLV818

mojacar

Fabulous 2 bedroom townhouse situated

This first floor 2 bedroom apartment is metres

in the beautiful Cortijo Grande valley with

from the beach and close to good restaurants

amazing views of the mountains and over the

and bars. The property has a communal pool

golf course. Great for walkers and golfers.

and parking and is in a great location.

der Unffer o

Ref: IND/JL fantastic front line 2 bed/2 bath apt.,pool, large terrace with sea views, garage, a/c, furnished.

MOJACAR - NEW€169,950

Ref:VA/TL Fantastic 1bed/1bath apt, A/C, com pool, parking, F/F, 300m to beach

MOJACAR - new €69,950

reduced

Ref: PM/TW beautiful 2 bed/ 2 bath apt in Puerto Marina, pool, large terrace, garage, a/c, furnished.

MOJACAR - NEW €119,950

84,950€

OLV812

99,000€

bedar

OLV667

serena (bedar)

Ref: IA/SP/302 - 1 bed/1bath apt, F/F, 50m to beach, sea views A/C, com pool, good rental

MOJACAR - €57,950

Paseo del Mediterraneo 19, Mojacar Playa, Almeria (near the Hotel Best Indalo)

Tel: 950 478 612 / 610 808 631 

info@almeriaholidays.com

www.almeriaholidays.com

This spacious and exquisite 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom villa is located minutes from the sought after village of Bedar, just 10 minutes from major road links and 20 minutes from the wonderful coastal resort of Mojacar Playa.

399.000€

This beautiful property is situated in the much sought after village of Serena, minutes from Bedar. The property boasts many interesting features and outside areas and includes 3 bedrooms.

159,950€

22

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Our Business is Growing Specialists in:

Landscaping - Irrigation - Garden Maintenance Lawn work - Tree Trimming

Call: 666 847 583 or 950 699 984 gardenworks.bates@gmail.com

Bugs

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SOFAS - MATTRESSES - GARDEN FURNITURE RECLINERS SOFAS - LEATHER SOFAS - PACKAGES

Kitchens • Wardrobes Made To Measure • Pergolas Windows & Doors • Fittings & General Maintenance call 646 101 712 bybdesigns@hotmail.com

Who has carpet in Spain?

We do...!

Fitted or made to measure Rugs - we specialise Pre-made or otherwise English Bed Linen Unusual Gifts, Pictures, Accessories and Greetings Cards All to enhance your home All at competitive prices

P&R Direct

The highest standard of workmanship

References Available Call Richard on 608 673 681 or 662 422 170

B&B carpentry designs

Where knowledge and service meet quality and price Calle Mojana 8, Parque El Real, Antas 04628 Opening hours: Mon 10am - 1:30pm Tues - Fri 10am - 4pm • Sat 10am - 2pm

Tel 665 258 680 pandrdirect@outlook.com

Mojacar Bedar Vera

Triton Pool cleaning prices from 60€ per month

Triton Property Services - Triton Security Services

Pool Cleaning Landscaping Property Management Key Holding Property Maintenance Vacant Property Checks Gardening & Strimming Home SecurityImprovements Painting & Decorating Plus Home Care Services When you want something done, professionally, reliably and on time then you need people who pride themselves on providing the service you need with total trust and commitment.

Call us on: 634 326 322 www.tritonspain.com

POOL SHOP

10% discount

POl.ND.EL REAL C/VENTE VACIO E-14 04628 ANTAS - ALMERIA TEL: 950 392 307 MOVIL: 617 478 344

on selected items

monday to friday 10:00 to 19:00 saturday 10:00 - 14:00

Shop: 950 104 345 or Maintenance: 637 582 696

www.KOALAFURNITURE.ES

FIND US In Longo’s Courtyard

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY2014

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23

Home Sweet Home property SERVICES

We are a friendly family run property and relocation company based in Albox, Almería, Southern Spain. Specialising in property sales and rentals, we work alongside you to help you to achieve your dreams relocating to the region. Our portfolio includes both coastal and inland properties from San Juan de Los Terreros to Albox as well as many other areas in Andalucia.

Properties on our portfolio include, detached and semi-detached villas and houses, town houses, apartments, cortijos, and cottages in both urban and rural locations. Sol y Mar prides itself on offering an honest, professional and friendly service channelling our experience to meet clients’ requirements and to provide a complete relocation service.With this in mind, we undertake to do everything possible to ensure that you find the right property, at the right price and with the absolute minimum of inconvenience.

As our website has recently undergone a ‘refurbishment’ we are in the process of adding all of the properties on our books. We’re getting there, but not all are showing yet! So, if you can’t find what you are looking for please drop us an email or pop in and see us with you requirements as we may have just the thing! – We are also always on the look out for Rental Villas and Sales Properties. Also we offer secure Post Boxes at 35€ a year and do a full Postal Service.

For more information contact us at info@solymarspain.com

CALL 902 750 190

EMAIL: SALES@SOLTIMES.COM Bill’s Carpentry & Shop Fitting

Sol y Mar Estate Agency Property Sales & Rentals Karen Oliver

Hanging Doors Flat Pack Furniture Fitting Kitchens - Tiling

Avenida 28 de Febrero 44 Bajo 04800 Albox Almeria, Spain Office +34 950 064 584 01293 735 088 Mobile +34 635979829 E-mail:info@solymarspain.com Website:www.solymarspain.com

Full Guttering Service Quality English Guttering Rain Diverters Water Butts

BUY SELL RENT MAINTAIN

No Job Too Small

O Olive

Free Quotations Tel: 633 507 165

Contact: 607 705 085 or 687 938 466 C/Llanos, Bedar (Next to the Miramar Restaurant) Open: Monday-Friday 10.00am-3.30pm

www.olivehouse-es.com lubrin

44,950€

Lovely townhouse located in the middle of Lubrin. Two bedrooms,

Free Quotations john.colbert@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 662 597 596

living room and kitchen. plus a small outside space for sitting in the sun. Great location.

OLV262

David

665 517 643 Steve

610 905 173 valleyconstruction2008@gmail.com Fully Legal & Experienced Builders All Building Work Undertaken No Job Too Big or Small!!

Phone or email for a no obligation quote

tel: 950 930 900 968 969 962 Solar Oil Gas Solid Fuel pellet fully legal company with public liability insurance Solar Hot Water & Pool Heating Full Heating Installations Water Treatment Systems Water Deposits & Pumps

carlos.saliente@gmail.com • www.carlossaliente.com Cortijo Pipa, Avda de Limaria 1, Limaria, arboleas

Urgently wanted properties for sale in the Huercal-Overa, Zurgena, Taberno & San Juan de Los Terreros areas.

Call 0034 950 616 827 / 0034 678 002 006 155a Carretera Estacion, Huercal Overa.100m from LIDL

www.vosshomesspain.com

24

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES OPEN FOR BUSINESS

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

DAMP PROOF SOLUTIONS ARE YOU FED UP WITH PEELING PAINT & RENDER COMING OFF YOUR GARDEN WALLS??

I HAVE THE ECONOMICAL & EFFECTIVE SOLUTION RING JOHN FOR A FREE DEMONSTRATION & QUOTATION

Tel 677 700 843

elite plant hire construction & drainage

• general builders • jcb 3cx hire • patios • roofing

• walls • paving • extensions • cladding

Digger Hire available references available

call lee on 636 092 632 eliteplanthire@hotmail.co.uk

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Mosquito Screens & Blinds

replacement windows & doors Aluminuim & UPVC fitted & made to measure

Supplying & fitting windows & doors for 25 years

•P ull down / Sliding Blinds & Screens, Windows & Patios • Vertical Blinds • Security Grills • Awnings

All areas covered ~ speedy Response Call now for your no-obligation quote Get The Best For Less

Tel: 600 049 515

PAUL

Steven Smith - Arboleas Builder

MOBILE MECHANIC ALL AREAS COVERED

Building Maintenance & Property Repair No job TOO Big nor TOO Small

Happy to provide a Quotation without Obligation Blockwork - Plastering - Damp Proof Concreting - Tiling - Roofing Painting - Cladding - Rejas...

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mention code E2374 offer expires end April 2014

OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE FULLY QUALIFIED AND LEGAL DIESEL SPECIALIST

PAUL

NO JOB TOO SMALL

Please Call: 950 930 536 or 634 306 690 or email: ArboleasBuilder@gmail.com

Log-on-Tommy

Stacking service available Free Kindling with every full load

now incorporating Small Cut Olive Logs No Roots For The Smaller Fire “Sammy Sweep”

619 070 839

Tel: 617 150 300 or 850 993 057

trifenners@gmail.com

British Plasterer • 8 years in Spain with 25 years experience • Quality work guaranteed • References available

Tel: 634 327 201 / 661 129 028 Email: atpspain@gmail.com www.paulmorrison.es

swift transport

Wayne English

• Deliveries to / from UK • Monthly runs • Local deliveries also available

spain-uk-spain 07857 484886 Uk +34 618 511 234 Spain

full / part loads uk shopping

James & Son

Removals / Storage

UK, France & Spain personal shopping from the UK (Argos, Screwfix, Wickes etc)

Pet Transportation & Competitive Rates

950 529 731 / 627 968 434

Picture framing Canvas Printing Poster Prints Document Reduction

swift.transport@rocketmail.com

HIRE A HUSBAND Professional, reliable, handy man available...

...for all the jobs he doesn’t get round to, including Van Removals, Painting Exterior/Interior, Small Plumbing Jobs, Persianas, Shelves, Garden Clearance, All Outside Work - Walls, Stone Cladding, Rendering etc... Property Maintenance Good hourly/daily rate - 7 yrs in the area.

Call Jim 677 557 190

References available & Pics of work completed

City & Guilds & ACS qualifications, CORGI registered with 10 years experience

MOBILE VEHICLE VALETING

Chris: 637 82 97 87 / 618 06 20 80

PART & FULL VALETS - T CUTS & POLISHING - INTERIORS UPHOLSTERY CLEANING - SOFAS AND RUGS

Gas & Oil Fired Central Heating - Gas Appliances Plumbing - Servicing - Repairs - Installations

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Monthly contracts, one-off pool clean, summer contracts, Procare holiday rentals, pools sand changes, minor pools repairs and much more

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For VERY competitive rates call

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Fully Qualified with over 25 years experience

TJOLIVER@HOTMAIL.CO.UK PIEDRA AMARILLA ALBOX, ALMERIA

619 584 405 635 979 829

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

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25

Weird and Wonderful

Black and White Ruffed Lemur Ziggy is pictured with a Valentine’s Day rose at Blair Drummond Safari Park in Scotland

2014 week 7

With only past champions now left in the competition and only 3 weeks left to the final there is no room for errors. This week saw a team challenge girls versus boys giving the winners double score from their solo performances. Nicky Slater is still standing in for Robin Cousins who is still commentating at the Sochi Olympics leaving Karen Barber as head judge in the event of a tie.

Ruffy the sixmonth-old wombat is seen keeping his cool at the Wild About Wildlife Rescue Centre in Victoria, Australia as the area continues to bake under a heatwave.

Record numbers of native animals have been admitted to shelters in recent weeks due to the high temperatures.

Reindeer racing is one of the highlights of the the 400-year-old Jokkmokk Winter Market - the largest festival in northern Europe - which takes place each February on the frozen Lake Talvatis in Sweden.

Opening the show this week were Beth Tweddle and Lucasz skating to You Can’t Stop the Beat from Hairspray. Beth is the most technical skater amongst the girls and this week performed a preparation 1/2 axle never before attempted by any female celebrity.

However despite all her technical prowess, I still find her characterisation cold and lacking in performance skills so I just can’t warm to her skating. I awarded her 8.5 and the judges 34.0. Next onto the ice were Hayley Tamaddon and Dan performing to Skyscraper.

Hayley is the exact opposite of Beth as she always gives such emotive performances but with perhaps not the difficulty of skating skills but I love this partnership. I gave her 9.0 and the judges 34.5. Following were Kyran Bracken and Nina skating to This is the Moment. Unfortunately despite all Kyrans power and speed, I found this performance looked heavy and lacking in presentation.

Despite the attack he gave it, there were moments when it looked out of control. I awarded him 8.0 and the judges 33.0.

Suzanne Shaw and Matt then took to the ice with Black Velvet. Another extremely expressive performance which seemed to suit Suzanne down to the ground playing a sassy character. This showed excellent story telling with clean lifts and transitions and an excellent partnership. I gave her 9.0 and the judges 37.0. Ray Quinn and Maria then skated

to Lego House. Ray makes everything look effortless, you can’t tell who the professional skater is as he finishes everything off perfectly.

Again I awarded him 10.0 and he received his second 40.0 from the judges. Closing this part of the show was Sam Attwater and Vicky to Happy. Sam certainly tried to portray the ‘Happy’ in his performance this week but for me his body doesn’t dance. His upper body is too still so this results in a lack of dance characterisation for me. I gave him 8.5 and the judges 37.0.

Game was then on for the team challenge.

Team Hayley (highest placed girl last week) versus Team Ray (highest placed boy last week). The girls skated to Walk Like An Egyptian and displayed some excellent matching armwork. All the turns, lifts and spins were very well together and they gave an excellent performance. Then the boys skated to Uptown Girl. Again excellent matching within the choreography, spins lifts and tricks but I’m afraid with Ray in a team it is a no-contest. The judges gave the unanimous win to Team Ray so all the boys scores from their solo round were doubled.

Leaving the scoring: Ray 80.0, Sam 74.0, Kyran 66.0, Suzanne 37.0, Hayley 34.5, Beth 34.0 After the public vote Suzanne and Kyran and were in the bottom two for the skate off with Suzanne leaving the show after the judges unanimous vote to save Kyran who survives to next week.

I’m away on holiday now for a couple of weeks but I’ll be back to report on the final on my return. Until then why not come and join us at one of our fun classes.

By Lyn Aspden of ‘Strictly Dance’

Private Sale

A scuba diver comes face-to-face with a humpback mother and her calf as they glide through the Indian Ocean. The majestic creatures were spotted by photographer Yann Oulia, 34, and his pal Gaby during a dive off the coast of Reunion Island.

Bride Suriya Utai, 23, and groom Praewpan Srichamnan, 22, ride on a swing during their wedding ceremony on the eve of Valentine’s Day in Prachinburi province, eastern Thailand.

Source: http://web.orange.co.uk/

houses and land can be separated with own escrituras or sold as one lot Two detached villa shells built up to and including roofs125m2 built on flat 3000m2 plot. Secluded position, unspoilt countryside views across orange and lemon groves front and rear.

Fully Legal & with Full Title Deeds

• E ach villa spec: 3 beds / 2 baths. Size 125m2 •S pace for pools (12mx6m) • E xceptional uninterrupted views of orange and lemon groves to front & rear •S ituated between Almanzora & Arboleas overlooking Almanzora valley • 1 0 minutes to nearest town with all amenities • I nland country setting, but only 30 minutes to coast • I deal for builder to complete internals

Priced to Sell Must be viewed to appreciate this golden opportunity

Tel: 609 199 394 647 379 878 950 064 801

STANDARD CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Stage set (7) 9 Poplar tree (5) 10 Rebuke (5) 13 Stadium (5) 14 Raucous (5) 16 Point (3)

Down

17 Stitched border

1 Range of understanding (3) 2 Adjacent (4) 3 Bay window (5) 4 Predatory feline (4) 5 Currency of Romania (3) 7 Studio (7)

(3) 21 Up and about (5) 24 Land measure (4) 25 Osculate (4) 28 Consume (3) 29 Charge (3)

SUDOKU PUZZLE s

CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC crossword

easy

2 One side of the page a clergyman does not finish (5) 3 Food product of the sea - including fish (9) 4 Love on night shift (7) 5 Evita, for example, making false claim about American (7) 6 A sample makes sense (5) 7 Eighteen rounds initially served in golf-club bar (9) 8 Former spouse was a model, it’s revealed (7) 14 Not seen as immaculate (9) 16 Resist having platform (9) 17 She’s lap dancing - that’s unfortunate (7) 18 Small item showing what poodle parlor may do (7) 19 A king involved in the French connection (7) 20 Deviated before getting cast out (7) 22 University’s wise custom (5) 24 Composer employed in hotel garage (5)

Sudoku is a placement puzzle. Enter the numbers 1 to 9 in each row and column of a grid, made up of 3 x 3 subgrids. The catch is that each row, column and grid must contain only one instance of each number or letter.

squiggle

standard

squiggle SUDOKU

24 Make a request (3) 26 Beam (3) 27 Remedy (7) 30 Occur (5) 31 Laconic (5)

1 Overseer required because of handle turning (7) 5 Bill is taken in by drug smuggler being inconstant (7) 9 Tears material, tears material (9) 10 Not blunt instrument - it has point on front (5) 11 Figaro manufactures some scent (5) 12 Grows wrinkled (9) 13 Indulge artfully in dodging (7) 15 It’s not the editor in chief that looked threatening (7) 17 Hardy’s first note about novel heroine: she’s entertaining (7) 19 Correspondence from landlords (7) 21 Plenty supporting nuclear process (9) 23 Influenced by sound material (5) 25 Crowd scene actor appearing in special edition (5) 26 Flying squirrel making Prince Henry rage (9) 27 Most distressing point about dead saint (7) 28 Bore stopped outside ancient city (7) Down 1 To leaf I turn, becoming leafy (7)

easy SUDOKU

ACROSS 1 Hillock (5) 6 Spooky (5) 7 Apprehensive (7) 9 Part of a play (3) 11 Value of Roman X (3) 12 Conveyance (3) 15 Cast off (4) 17 Champion (4) 18 Aviator (5) 19 Regenerate (5) 20 Redact (4) 22 Repair (4) 23 Indicating maiden name (3)

SOLUTIONS

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

standard SUDOKU

26

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

3. On which Scottish river does Inverness stand? ..................................................................................

4. What is the diameter of a basketball hoop? 12 inches, 18 inches or 24 inches? ..................................................................................

5. Which other TV soap, other than EastEnders, did Ross Kemp star in? ..................................................................................

6. In musical notes, which is bigger - a crotchet or a semibreve? ..................................................................................

7. Who played Annie Wilkes in the 1990 film `Misery`? ..................................................................................

8. What is the capital of Iran? ..................................................................................

9. In a game of chess, which piece is worth more - a rook or a knight? ..................................................................................

10. Chronophobia is the fear of what? ..................................................................................

11. New York City lies at the mouth of which river? ..................................................................................

12. What is the name of the second James Bond film? ..................................................................................

Logic Puzzle SOLUTIon

..................................................................................

Class Place Breed Senior 3rd Collie Starters 1st Labrador Novice 4th Doberman Elementary 9th Alsatian

2. In which city was the Titanic built?

Logic Puzzle

The four people in this puzzle all competed in different classes of dog agility at a recent competition. The competitions all required the dogs to run over jumps, through tunnels and various other obstacles in as quicker time as possible. Each had a different result - one came first, one third, one fourth and one ninth.

All four dogs were each of a different breed.

Can you work out who handled which dog, at what level each competed, the place each finished in and the breed of each dog?

If Tiff finished first then Terry finished fourth.

If Terry finished fourth then Jago is a Collie otherwise Jago is not a Collie.

If Jane competed in the Senior class then she finished third. If Jane competed in Novice then she finished fourth.

The dog that finished ninth was an Alsatian.

This was either Jago, in which case Jago competed in the Elementary class, or this was Kelly, in which case Terry handled Kelly.

Mark won Starters.

If Mark’s dog is called Patti then Patti is a Labrador otherwise Patti is a Collie.

Ruth’s dog is called Jago.

If Jago finished fourth then she competed in the Novice class otherwise she competed in the Senior class.

If Patti finished first then Terry’s dog is an Alsatian otherwise Terry’s dog is a collie.

If Jane’s dog is a Doberman then Jane finished fourth otherwise Jane finished third.

13. The last Nobel Prize to be introduced was in which subject? ..................................................................................

14. What nationality was Mozart? ..................................................................................

15. In which Australian State or Territory would you find the Adelaide river? ..................................................................................

16. Where in the human body would you find Island of Reils? ..................................................................................

17. What is the process called in which birds lose their feathers? ..................................................................................

18. What is the only animal that cannot jump? ..................................................................................

19. The name of which Italian cheese means `recooked`? ..................................................................................

20. In computing what does the abbreviation U.S.B. stand for? ..................................................................................

Handler Jane Mark Ruth Terry

..................................................................................

SolPUZZLES

Dog Tiff Patti Jago Kelly

Q&A

1. Who co-starred with her father in the 1959 film Tiger Bay?

27

~ quotes ~ d, but into “For it was not into my ear you whispere my soul.” but d, kisse you my heart. It was not my lips and Judy Garl a hundred, I want to live to be be to “If you live to live a hundred minus one day so I never have without you.”

A. A. Milne wipes out “A kiss makes the heart young again and the years.”

Rupert Brooke now and “All you need is love. But a little chocolate .” then doesn’t hurt Charles M. Schulz love.

“I know of only one duty, and that is to Albert Camus n knows “The heart has its reasons of which reaso nothing.”

Blaise Pascal re wolves fear “Love will find a way through paths whe to prey”.

Lord Byron the meaning “Love is our true destiny. We do not find another.” with it of life by ourselves alone - we find Thomas Merton it so much.

“I love romance. I’m a sucker for it. I love It’s pathetic.”

Drew Barr ymore

Autumn

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

The remaining letters spell a secret message - an Albert Camus quotation.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Q&A ANWERS:

ACORN APPLE BIRD MIGRATION BLOWING LEAVES BLUSTERING DAY CANNING CHESTNUTS CHILLY COLD CROPS EQUINOX FALL FARMING FEAST FROST HALLOWEEN HARVEST HAYSTACK HICKORY NUTS LONGER NIGHTS NOVEMBER OCTOBER ORANGE LEAVES PIE PUMPKIN RAKE RED LEAVES SCARECROW SCHOOL SEASON SEPTEMBER SHORTER DAYS SQUASH SWEET POTATOES THANKSGIVING TURKEY WINDY YELLOW LEAVES

Hayley Mills Belfast The river Ness 18 inches Emmerdale Semibreve Kathy Bates Tehran Rook Time Hudson From Russia With Love Economics Austrian Northern Territory The brain Moulting Elephant Ricotta Universal Serial Bus

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

28 SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

Tasty food for everyday, special occasions and for sharing with friends buy 1 meal, get 1 half price throughout January eat in only

Confit duck leg with flageolet ragoût and celeriac mash

Friday 21st February

Twilight Shadows

This hearty French cassoulet is anything but healthy - and all the more tasty for it. Make to brighten up a winter day.

Ingredients

Saturday 1st March

Dominic Doolittle

Restaurant

CHARITY DISCO NIGHT

OX

ALB

Saturday 22nd Feb - 7:30pm ‘til Late Supporting our community Hosted by Mark Deacon

5€ includes a buffet

Friday & Saturday 6pm - 9pm

Menu del noche & a la Carte Menu available

Preparation method

For the duck, weigh the duck legs.

You will need 15g/½oz of salt per kilo of duck legs. Place the duck legs into a roasting tray and sprinkle with the Book our function room with private patio garden salt. Sprinkle over the thyme, then for your parties, weddings, birthdays etc. cover the tray with cling film and chill in the fridge overnight.

Please call into Jacks or phone Heat a heavy frying pan over a low to to discuss your BUFFET OR MENU REQUIREMENTS, OR JUST A CHAT medium heat, then add the duck legs WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU to the pan and cover them completely in the duck fat.

9AM-LATE MON-SAT 10-6 SUN SEE OUR Bring the duck fat to a gentle simmer MAP ON and cook the duck legs gently for 2PAGE 30 2½ hours, or until the meat is very tender. Remove the duck legs from

Waiter service Booking Recommended

home-made Sunday lunches served noon - 5pm

OPEN

For the duck 4 duck legs approx 15g table salt (you will need 15g/½oz salt per kilo of duck legs) 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only 300g/11oz duck fat 1 banana shallot, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, finely diced 200g/7oz tinned tomatoes 400g/14oz tinned flageolet beans, drained and rinsed 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock 1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper 50g/2oz butter For the celeriac mash 500g/1lb 2oz floury potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks 500g/1lb 2oz celeriac, peeled, cut into chunks 75g/3oz butter 110ml/4fl oz double cream salt and freshly ground black pepper

950 120 718

jacksalbox@gmail.com

the fat, reserving the fat, and place onto a clean roasting tray, draining off any excess fat.

Shred the meat from two of the confit duck legs. Set the other two aside.

Heat a little of the reserved duck fat in a frying pan over a medium heat.

Add the shallot and garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened.

Add the canned tomatoes, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the shredded duck meat, flageolet beans, stock and rosemary and return the mixture to the boil.

Boil for another 2-3 minutes, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then whisk in the butter.

Heat a little more of the reserved duck fat in a frying pan over a high heat.

Add the reserved duck legs, skin-side down, and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and the duck meat is warmed through.

Meanwhile, for celeriac mash, place the potatoes and celeriac into a pan of salted water and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and return to the pan to steam over the heat for one minute.

Pass the cooked potatoes and celeriac through a ricer (or mash with a potato masher) until smooth, then return to the pan. Add the butter and cream and mix well, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, pile some of the celeriac mash onto each of two serving plates, then spoon the ragoût alongside.

Top each portion with a crispy confit duck leg. Source: ww.bbc.co.uk

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

Send your recipes to editor@soltimes.com and we’ ll place them in Bon A ppetit

air-conditioned

La

29

VidaRestaurant&Venue el Cucador

March Madness Disco with

image: www.theguardian.com

DJ Johnny Slade Saturday 8th March, 2014 at 8pm Shake your groove thang to all your party music favourites

Tickets in advance 8€ Includes Disco & Buffet from

Saturday 1st March

8.95€

2Enjoyfor 10€ 2 main course set meals for 10€

(not including a la carte menu or daily specials)

sticky toffee pudding Steaming keeps this family-sized pudding beautifully moist. Serve in slices with lashings of toffee sauce and a scoop of ice cream.

Equipment and preparation: For this recipe you will need a 1 litre/1¾ pint pudding basin.

Ingredients For the sticky toffee pudding 5 tbsp demerara sugar 200g/7oz pitted dates 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g/6oz dark brown sugar 2 tbsp golden syrup 2 tbsp black treacle 200g/7oz self-raising flour 2 free-range eggs 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda For the toffee sauce 500ml/18fl oz double cream 175g/6oz unsalted butter 175g/6oz demerara sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup 1 tbsp black treacle To serve vanilla ice cream

Preparation method

until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared basin. Fold a large piece of aluminium foil in half and grease one side with butter. Wrap the pudding in the greased foil, greased side facing into the pudding. (Pleat the foil a few times as you wrap it to allow room for the pudding to expand.) Secure the foil to the rim of the pudding basin with string.

Technique: Wrapping a pudding for steaming Wrapping a pudding for steaming Watch technique 2:01 mins Sit the basin on the plate sat inside the prepared saucepan. Place over a low heat and pour boiling water around the basin until it reaches half way up the side. Place a lid on the saucepan and steam the pudding for 2½-3 hours (check occasionally to make sure the water hasn’t completely evaporated – top up with more boiling water if needed).

For the toffee sauce, in a pan set over a low heat combine the cream, butter and sugar. When the butter and sugar have melted, whisk in the syrup and treacle.

Remove the pudding from the pan, discard the foil lid and turn it out onto a plate.

To serve, cut a wedge of the pudding, pour over the toffee sauce and serve with a scoop of ice cream.

For the sticky toffee pudding, grease a 1 litre/1¾ pint pudding basin with a little butter. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar and tip out any that has not stuck to the basin.

Put a heatproof plate in the bottom of a large saucepan. Fill the kettle and put it on to boil.

Place the dates in a pan with 200ml/7fl oz water.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a food processor and blend with the vanilla bean paste. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the Free Bottle of wine softened butter and dark brown sugar together per couple to take away until smooth. after having our night menus Add the golden syrup, treacle, flour, eggs, Valid only with this voucher bicarbonate of soda and dinner 19.00-22.00 until 28th february the blended dates. Mix

Mesón de

winter crazy offer

#

#

Irene

Served 6-9pm Pre Booking Essential

booking recommended

traditional sunday lunch

evening menu

OUR MAIN MENU INCLUDES 16oz STEAKs ~ MIXED GRILL ~ FRESH FISH Menu changes wee please ask for our dail kly y specials fri – SAT EVENINGS 6PM – 9PM

HOMEMADE STARTE & SCRUMPTIOUS HOMERS MADE DESSERTS from 3.00€ each!

Cucador La el

VidaBar

served 12.30PM-5PM

includes a complimentary coffee & chocolate

NOW SHOWING Saturdays &Sundays

LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Monday special wednesday supper NEW

Chilli Night

5€

TUESDAY special Chicken Curry & Rice or Cod Fillet & Chips

5€

homemade burger, Chips & Salad Home cooked Ham, Chips & Salad

5.50€

Thursday Pie Night

Homemade Pies, Chips & Peas

5.50€

SERVED 6-9PM

Beer battered cod

homemade chips & peas

from

5.95€ in the Bar

FRIDAYS 12.30pm - 9pm

lite bite snacks

open every day open for lunch 12pm - 4PM specials, burgers, wraps 12pm - late

menu del dia 2 COURSE LUNCH 12:30-3:30PM 6€

Tel: 950 634 562 lavidacucador@gmail.com

We are here

Albox Arboleas 1km

Zurgena La Alfoquia

Mojacar

E15

La Vida

Cucador Junc 547

Huercal Overa

30

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

The Meek Mr Osborne And Your Estate

By Chris McCann, Partner, Blevins Franks

The meek shall inherit the earth, according to the Bible. In the case of the UK tax authority, the meek Chancellor levies 40% inheritance tax on estates.

The situation is getting worse, with Mr Osborne’s measures expected to drag tens of thousands more British families into the inheritance tax net over the next five years.

Inheritance tax is charged at 40%, over a tax free allowance – the “threshold” or “nil rate band” - of £325,000. The threshold has been frozen since 2009, and is scheduled to remain unchanged until April 2018. Around 176,000 estates are expected to be affected.

If the threshold had risen with inflation each year, it would be £372,000 today. The result is that families are paying an extra £18,800 in tax.

The threshold would rise to £415,000 by 2018 if

inflation linked. With it being frozen, estates caught in the tax net will pay an extra £36,000 in tax in 2018.

The Treasury is expected to earn around £3.3 billion this tax year from inheritance tax - 14% more than last year, and the third annual increase in a row.

With the threshold failing to keep pace with rising house prices, the Treasury is getting an extra windfall.

Accountancy firm Grant Thornton calculated that 42,000 estates will pay tax in 2016/17, compared to 21,000 in 2012/13.

In October 2007, when Mr Osborne was still the shadow chancellor, he said a Conservative Government would increase the threshold to £1 million to “take the family home out of inheritance tax”. However, for many people, the family home still falls into the inheritance net, including overseas

properties.

There are various ways to mitigate inheritance tax for your family and heirs, and save them the headache of having to sort it out. You also need to take Spanish succession tax into account, and understand how the two taxes interact. This is a complex area and can be a legislative minefield. Specialist, detailed advice is essential.

Summarised tax information is based upon our understanding of current laws and practices which may change. Individuals should seek personalised advice.

To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com

Burty’s BAR Playa Serena, roquetas de mar

Fabulous Friday

Fish & Chips, ½ Roast Chicken & Chips €7.95 or Entrecote Steak €9.95 Wednesday bingo 3pm

Tapas served

from 12noon – 4pm

every thur

quiz 2.15pm prompt

sunday roast

served from 12noon – 5pm every week

1 course 7.95€, 2 courses 9.95€

booking advisable

anglican church service 3rd thursday of the month 11.30am next service 20th february

 be a

Monday - Saturday : 12 noon - 4pm and 7pm - close.

Sunday : 12noon - 5pm (Carvery) Thursdays : closed



Main Meals 6.95€

tapas served Lunch & Evening

part  of it







Every Friday fish chips & peas €3.95 Large Cod, Chips & Peas €5.50





Brand New Menu Del Dia 2 courses 15.95€

relocated to new premises

music nights

Sunday Carvery €6.95

Special menu see bar for details

mini roast €1.50

27th february & 1st march

next table top sale 23rd february call to book a table

Opposite Playa Luna Hotel between Oasis & Mar y Sol. Tel: 679 156 715



rrace e t y n n u s e g u h un! s r e t n i w h t i w

free



Sun – Wed 11am – 6pm, Thur – Sat from 11am

Served 12 noon til 5pm

SPANISH LESSONS TUESDAY 10.30AM 5€

Tel: 659 683 447

www.newyorknewyork.es

OPPOSITE THE Protur hotel, next to y da wakes

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

Wish your Friends & Loved Ones Happy birthday, anniversary or just send them a special message. Send details to: production@soltimes.com or call Mark on 693 774 932

ROQUETAS DE MAR

nOTICE bOARD 27th february music night at burty’s bar

Saturday 1st March

Happy 2nd Birthday D.J Love you loads little man.

Mum, Dad and Jason xxx

y da wakes re-opens music night at burty’s bar ---------------------------------------

We now offer a special french menu for

Roquetas Bridge Club

meets on Monday’s at 3pm. For more info please contact Alison Ferguson 950349749 or Sue Barlow 950 333 344

Happy 10th Anniversary

John & Sadie

May you have many more happy years together !!

From all your Friends in Spain xx

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION NOTICE

FORTHCOMING ‘POPPY APPEAL’ FUND RAISING EVENTS ROQUETAS DE MAR BRANCH 3569

Tuesday 4th March -3pm

S

Q

A

T

C

A

C V

estampa Tapas Bar y outdoor n n u s s u io c Spa ating 24 e s e c a r r te SKY TV

Tapas/Snacks English Breakfast Fish & Chips Coffees & Cakes Cocktails/Sangria

sky sports shown here

FREE WI-FI

Open 10am - late (Closed Tuesday) Next door to Zurimar 678 202 160

Typical French Cuisine Special Menus Fresh Fish of the Day Taste our French Wines

Menu Of the day 7.50€ Find us on Facebook

for the 2014 Poppy Appeal B

15€ every day

R

Tuesday 1st April - 3pm S N

31

C R

Open 12 noon - 17.00, 19.30 to close Telephone 651 481 190 T L Email: D M mikaela_cretu@yahoo.com

Avenida playa Serena 24, Roquetas de mar urbanisation, near the playa sol hotel

FTG Notice

The ‘Friday Tapas Group’ meet up at 1.00pm each week (Friday) and the venues over the next few weeks are as follows:

21st February - Estampa, Roquetas Urb 28th February - La Bodeguina, C/ Sierra Nevada

7th March - Bar Cuellar (White Chairs)

Anyone is welcome to join the happy bunch and have a laugh, exchange views and ideas. The more, the merrier and the bar owners enjoy it too!

32

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

SOLTIMES

SOL CLASSIFIEDS Air-con

www.soltimes.com

MD Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration S.L.

see us online

everyday FOR SALE

advertise all your unwanted items for sale in this section any single item up to 300€ free of charge

email: sales@soltimes.com

BOAT for sale 3m Zodiac inflatable rib, oars and life jacket.

Good Condition 300€ Tel: 620 112 193 Taylor Made Rbz Golfclub Rocketfuel 50 Grams Stage 2 Rh Driver Adjustable Loft Heights Hardly Used Almost Brand New Suitable For Both Male And Female 200€ O.N.O. Tel: 950 019 846 / (0044) 07949 281 007 Wro u g h t iron gates very decorative and heavy 45 inches wide and 77 high arched 150€ the pair. SNG wrought iron gate 30inches wide 67 high 50€. 5 burner cooker white, oven and space for gas bottle 100€.

Brother industrial overlocker 3 needles 150€.

Industrial flat bed sewing machine

25 years sole experience in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

not a jack of all trades

For all your installation or service MD Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration S.L offers requirements including our latest info@md-aircon.com telephone 950 432 110 / 607 364 917

607 364 917 or 950 432 110 email: info@md-aircon.com

Airport services www.AAparking.es Tel: 639 081 067

Need

Venue @ La Vida El Cucador

O C TAG O NA L POKER TABLE TOP New never used, in original box, 8 Chip and Drink Holders, 48 x 48 Inch Folds into four. 60€ Tel: 950 479 464 M i n olt a Dimage Z6 Digital Bridge Camera.

As

BABY HIRE

Everything for the visiting baby Car seats, high chairs, stair gates, cots etc

bush cutter 150€ tel: 950 528 334

950 634 562 950 120 718

SIN G E R industrial sewing machine,old but working, original instructions, creeping foot, sews leather etc, has piping foot 80€ tel: 950 528 334

wanted

DJ WANTED

Call Brian 634 305 132

SOLTIMES Question?

950 436 581 or 666 375 688

Want to grow your business?

ballroom dancing

Direct customers to your website?

expectingababy.2006@gmail.com

Tea room ballroom dancing

md_aircon@mobileemail.vodafone.es sequence with jean & derek at

Transport?? new condition, Cheap little use. Boxed, Airport Airport Parking services all leads and shopping manual.

Cost Alicante Almeria Murcia New new nearly £300. trips 2 Teak Servicing / Repairs hospital S u n be d s , 70€ Tel: 699 408 A i rport appointments as new 40€ 856 tr a n s f er s etc each, Pool Dr a per pick up all areas, 663 429 521 Vac. c o m p e t i t i v e Table 90x180, Garden rates.

For a Heavy duty, professional exc. condition, quote please visit 2 sets of balls nearly new with www. spanish reliable & cues. 150€ long cable and e s t a t e a g e n t . service strap com or call 661 ono, 2 Stainless shoulder 143 871 Steel Stools 70€ o.n.o. Tel: ex condition 950 064 404 / alternative energy 60€ pair or 30€ 627 296 204 each, Papillon E lectr i c Solar Wind Power Solutions.

15 years installation Grass Cutter ex Arc Welding Over experience. established 12 condition 25€, Set, 140amp, years in Spain.

Call Phil with 2 x Chrome complete for competitive prices 636 261 240 Shower Doors electrode holders email:info@sunergyalmeria.com – offers. Tel: 950 and earth clamp, www.sunergy almeria.com working 497 612 / 647 921 good order 40€ o.n.o. carlos saliente plumbing 826 Almerimar & heating for solar pool heating, B O S C H Tel: 950 064 404 solar hot water installations and CERAMIC HOB / 627 296 204 repairs. call 950 930 900 or 968 Model No PKF Boot Salers 969 962, email carlos.saliente@ 651 R14, four ring, – quantity of gmail.com touch control/ miscellaneous timer, colour items To view available venues black. Excellent 638 497 253 or condition but very 950 410 615 small chip on INDUS T R IA L front RH corner in Albox S E WIN G hardly noticeable.

M A C HIN E , Private parties Private parties Only 6 months brother, up to Birthday etc, Birthday etc, old, new price date model, 250€ all events all events 280€,now 180€ tel: 950 528 334 catered for ono. Tel: 950 475 catered for 901 or 678 567 or 626 319 907 call for more call Bar for more 814 (Mojacar) information: JCB 2 stoke information

i n k with some cartridges attachments refills or buy a 150€ Tel: 950 compatable at 064 554 great prices. we love to save you money. ics shop inside liberty seguros insurance, calle malaga (next to puppy rescue) or call 609 199 394

MD S.L

City & Guilds Fully Qualified F-Gas Certified

baby equipment hire

Tel: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 Ext 332 sales@soltimes.com

La

V

el Cucador

idaRestaurant&Venue mondays 3-5pm

all levels welcome single or couples enjoyable afternoon to meet new friends for more info call 950 449 617

blinds & screens bugsreplacement windows & doors Aluminuim & UPVC fitted & made to measure tel: 600 049 515

carpentry

Have unlimited opportunity at affordable rates?

CONTACT US

Tel: 902 750 190 or email

webmaster@soltimes.com

drainage cont...

for all your carpentry needs

Call B& B designs on 646 101 712

WILDWOOD Bespoke Joinery For all your carpentry requirements

Fast, efficient, competitive service.

Tel: 634 328 574 james@wildwood.es chimney sweep

LICENSED POZO/septic tank emptying • Installation of new septic tanks with certificates

• Repairs to existing pozos • CCTV Camera Inspection Call Andy on 950 091 109 or 648 768 587

The Chimney sweep, for a Email: blockeddrainsrus@albox-online.net friendly professional service Call Paul on : 617 150 300 or 850 993 057.

computers Don Robinson pc consultant Advice, Help, Training, Diagnosis & Repair 15€ per hour min charge 1 hour + parts +IVA I come to you established 2008 comp TIA A+ certified Tel: 646 587 746

donald_gunn_robinson@msn.com

Steve Hayes Informatica Pc’s, Laptops, Printers etc. Sales & Repairs on-site callout / tuition. Consumables

Albox, Almeria

Tel: 950 120 900

drainage

Drainage Solutions

• Emergency Drain Cleaning • High Pressure Water Jetting • CCTV Surveys • Drainage Repairs • Location of Cesspits • Qualified Engineer • Expert Reports

Established 9 years in spain

Cleaning of Septic Tanks ▪ Emptying of septic Tanks & Cesspits, with high pressure cleaning ▪ Small unblockages of pipes & drainage

Pool Cleaning & Water Tanks

Contact: 675 838 808 electrician

CD electrical SERVICES Rewires & Upgrades - Fault Finding - Boletins

Emergency Call Outs for all your electrical needs!!! air conditioning & ALARMS

Call: 617 410 534or 662 414 043 info@cdelectricalservices.com www.cdelectricalservices.com

Check out our genuine reviews on

Tel: 616 531 283 or 670 088 966 www.viva-almeria.com

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

www.soltimes.com equipment hire

HOME HELP/CARER Mature Irish Lady Home Help/ Cleaning In Mojacar & Surrounding Areas. Experienced & Can Supply References. Reasonable Rates. Call Yvonne 634369053

house maintenance General house & garden maintenance, No job to small tel: 600 049 515

insurance gardening

potty finca services professional tree felling & pruning, including all types of palm trees

strimming of overgrown gardens & hedge cutting spanish registered. ring john on 616 855 294 or 950 163 930

albox

iron/metal works

legal

landscape gardening

If you wish us to print an article about a particular topic in our regular space Call Graham & Barry now on pg 22, please email for free estimate info@daviessolicitors.com heating Carlos (Saliente) plumbing & heating services.

If it involves water, we can help! www.carlossaliente.com Tel: 968 969 962

health & beauty

locksmith Phil the Pick Locksmith 24 hours. Locked Out? Locks fitted/ upgraded house safes. Arboleas & surrounding area. Special weekend rates. Tel: 697 243 181

hobby/craft

ELAINE’S WOOLS

painter & decorator

friendly - professional -reliable neat & tidy - experienced no job too small

Phil Delivers

Logs

gravel & all building materials

Albox & Surrounding areas

tel: 634 328 779

Quality UK Wool & Accessories.

Come & view my DISPLAY. OPTICIANS Also Available at CAT Services & Optica Albox All your optical Total Entertainment Call 667 273 889 needs, eye tests, hearing tests, elaineswools@gmail.com contact lenses Tel: 950 121 991

PLASTERER

plumbing

British

For all your plumbing needs Fully Qualified heating engineer

plasterer

All work

ring for a free quote

guaranteed

email thunderpaul2003@hotmail.com

634 327 201

Tel: 649 186 107 or

PAINTING INSIDE & OUT

pets section

Small friendly kennels, 24hr vets service, pet transporting arranged, welcome to view ministry approved Tracy Mobile 650 211 952

Honest & Reliable person with references, available for House / Pet sitting. Lived locally for 10 years. Tel: 950 163 489.

pet taxi

TRAVELLING IN AIR CONDITIONED VEHICLE DELIVERED TO DOOR logs PETS STAY IN PET FRIENDLY HOTELS. load of small or big Olive logs, no roots €160 load of mixed ACCOMPANIED TRAVEL AVAILABLE

Olive some roots €140 load of eucalyptus, no roots €160 all loads avon cosmetics Tel Claire 2 tonnes Arboleas & surrounding 691 987 454 avonfromclaire areas Call Lee on 636 092 632, @yahoo.es eliteplanthire@hotmail.co.uk pamper yourself at R Retreat El Cucador, beauty treatments, hair salon, holistic massage, waxing, pedicure etc. Therapists all established & UK qualified.

Email retreatcucador.gmail.com or call 647 379 878 for a full listing of treatments or look at our main advert on the ladies page inside & call the therapists direct

PAINTER / DECORATOR

woodhouse boarding kennels & cattery - arboleas

• Block work • Balustrades • Paving Driveways & Paths

620 112 193 or 667 853 062

Tel: 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 ext 332

The Metal works Grills, railings, gates of all types, security/sliding/ All quality roller, rejas, products Please contact concertina doors etc. Tel: Keith Make over your Glenn & jayne 950 121 943 Wood on 638 home this year infoalbox.libertyseguros@gmail.com 900 949 Tel Graham & T & T Metals For all quality metal Barry on works, including gates, railings, rejas, staircases, gazebos & chain- 620 112 193 or 667 853 062 link fencing Tel: 950 431 738

insurance est 7 years Award winning agent For all your Insurance Needs

33

(0034) 667 235 205 (sp) (0044) 7850 575862

No need for kennels or cattery Pet sitting in your own home, Arboleas & local area.

Call Vanessa 637 061 482 Pilates

pilates

with Sharon O’Lanlon every Wednesday 11am - 12 all welcome all levels at La Vida, El Cucdor Call for more details 638 487 314 fully UK reg: 25 years experience

Tel Paul C A R L O S SA L I E N T E Plumbing and Heating offer machined boiler decals for gas water heaters for just €65 – aguafuerte is not the answer!

Call 950 930 900 or 968 969 962, email carlos. saliente@gmail. com

contact barry 667 853 062 or graham 620 112 193

KNOWLES plumbing No 1 for Plumbing

All types of Plumbing

Central Heating Gas/Oil - Solar Hot Water Boiler Servicing, Repairs & Replacements Water Leaks - Sewage Blockages Water Deposit Tanks 500-8000l Pool Pumps - Septic Tanks Osmosis Systems

TELEPHONE: 950137197 / 606807797

PROPERTY section

Specialising in rural property with character Whether you are buying or selling we will be delighted to hear from you

Call Stephen 636 266 641 email info@findmeahome.es Find us online at www.findmeahome.es facebook.com/findmeahome

VERA APARTMENT FOR RENT SHORT-TERM/HOLIDAY RENTAL

2 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM, pENTHOUSE APARTMENT IN VERA PLAYA ALL MOD CONS, BALCONY & ROOF TERRACE OFFERING FANTASTIC VIEWS cALL 663 977 230 EMAIL: gedfab@yahoo.com Vera Playa Apartment

advertise your property

detatched cortijo

reduced

20mins from mojacar, 4 beds, 2 baths, Open plan living areas, kitchen & diningroom as well as a workshop, courtyard front & back & room for a pool. Mountain views. €135,000 ono 649 186 107 BARGAIN For sale.

One bedroom apartment in La Envia Golf.

Fully furnished.

Ready for rental. Superb investment opportunity.

Offers based on 35,000€.

No timewasters please.

Call 663 426 921

From just 10€ per week!

Your property will appear as shown above and be seen by almost 55,000 Sol Times readers!

Tel: Paulette on 950 121 936

34

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

are you a trade Business? advertise in the classified section & reach over 30,000 potential customers

Classified box from 9€. lineage only 45 cents per word Deadline 5pm Friday Contact Paulette on 950 121 936 or 902 750 190 ext 332

situations vacant

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

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The Limaria Benefit Cheat We have both worked all our lives. We have lived within our means, scrimped and saved, had the odd bit of luck both good and bad, and have allowed the Government to help itself to a portion of our hard earned income on the promise that in our later years it would reward our faith by the payment of a pension.

So far this has proved to be the case – we are in receipt of a pension each, and for the meantime, the Winter Fuel Allowance, but that is as far as benefits go with us. And apart from a bit of a grumble about the Winter Fuel Allowance, we are in accord with our benefit-free existence.

So it was a bit of a shock to discover that we have

a benefit cheat right in our very midst! Despite my surname, I do not consciously consort with the criminal classes, and to find that our unimpeachable reputation was being sullied by an opportunistic exploiter of charity is shocking, to say the least!

For some time I have been puzzled by the steady weight gain of the Dog That Is Not Ours. As her personal chef I am in control of portion size, and have significantly reduced the amount in her dinner bowl in correlation with the expansion of her waistline.

I took her to task on the subject of her increasing girth, but she pointed out that she was merely getting older, adding tactlessly that middle aged females do spread a bit, finishing off with maybe I should take her for more walks.

However, the seed of suspicion was sown in my mind. She disappears most mornings and goes josbiggs@hotmail.co.uk back to her proper

By Jos Biggs

owners, returning during the afternoon in time for her dinner. I have the feeling that she sometimes takes the scenic route, visiting various other favoured neighbours on the way. This is borne out by the objects that she sometimes brings back with her – to date a bottle of sunscreen, a slipper and a flip-flop.

Her most recent retrieves have taken on a more edible form - A variety of dog chews, lamb bones, odd amounts of bread, and one day, a complete cheese sandwich.

The evidence is there – she’s cadging; appealing to human sentimentality, hypnotising innocent people with her steady brown eyed stare and pathetic, if portly demeanour. She is preying on their kindly natures, conning them into believing that she is a poor, homeless waif without a friend in the world.

She is an unashamed, scrounging Benefit Cheat!

alqueria The Zoo John MacDonald (El Sordo) - www.caratacus.eu

A zoo in Alqueria may seem a curious concept considering the strangest of all creatures are the humans that walk the streets of the Pueblo. The behaviour of the most disgusting of animals is somewhat better than that of the vast majority of Alquerians. Some thought the Zoo was a scheme by the World Wildlife Fund to give the animals something to look at and stop them from becoming bored. It was however an Alquerian ploy to attract cash rich visitors from Spain. As the health and safety laws in Alqueria are non-existent particularly ferocious animals could easily be exhibited.

Unfortunately it isn’t only heath and safety that is not regulated there is also a distinct lack of building regulations. The result, shoddy pen construction which allowed several of the most vicious animals to escape some weeks before the attraction was even opened. They appeared to have made every effort to quit Alquerian territory as rapidly as possible and now roam the Spanish mainland devouring domestic animals and terrorising the population. The Alquerian authorities of course deny all knowledge of such carnivorous escapees. These animals were replaced with sheep, goats and the like. To make them appear like lions, tigers and drooling grisly bears cardboard ears, plastic teeth and rubber claws were attached to strategic areas. In most cases this didn’t work very well and only confused the less intelligent of the remaining animals.

Loco Paco when appointed chief keeper of the zoo responded by wearing a pith helmet and carrying a lion tamer’s whip. It seemed a strange choice for a man whose only friends are an invisible two metre tall rodent and a Saharan Dung Beetle called Benjy. His

ability to recognise one species from another was also thrown into doubt when he was seen throwing bread to helicopters at Murcia Airport.

viewpoint

I Blame My Bad Back on the Politicians When I’m not particularly tired and feeling masochistic on Thursday nights, I often tune in to Question Time on the good old reliable, politically unbiased BBC. It’s not worth recording here what transpires between the equally pompous and self satisfied members of the panel who - in the name of even handedness by the producers – are represented by the three perceived main political parties.

As always the numbers are made up with two other individuals invited to take part and add their invaluable contributions. These are a mixture of politicians from ‘lesser’ parties; journalists; historians; intellectuals and pseudo intellectuals; religious leaders and even comedians.

And it’s not even worth wasting breath on the fact that it usually becomes clear early on in the programme, that on the odd occasion when individuals who actually espouse some common sense ideas do participate, they encounter a hostile audience. An audience that appears to have been carefully selected to give an impression that certain views expressed by these panellists, are deeply unpopular even though it’s obvious to the rest of us that this is not the case in the country at large.

What has become blindingly clear to me over a period of some years now, is that when it comes to politics as it exists in our country, there is no real choice

Prospective visitors to the Zoo had to run the gauntlet of the more dubious Alquerian elements of which there are many. Dubious elements are a speciality of Alqueria. It was akin to a ritual mugging and overcharging was rife. Everything from car parking to admittance came at a premium. The squalor of the Zoo itself was breathtaking. Attempts to pass domestic pets off as ferocious man-eaters fooled no one apart from Loco Paco of course. He was in his element but couldn’t understand why the tabby cat with glued on plastic fangs didn’t devour the half a horse dropped from the back of a Land Rover. The success of the undertaking was never in doubt.

The end came when the animals made a mass breakout and gave themselves up to the Spanish zoological authorities. The Zoo simply joined the ever increasing list of failed Alquerian ventures.

35

By Colin Bird :

badbirdnow@gmail.com

when it comes to marking your cross on the ballot paper.

Each of the two main parties are predictable and uniformly inept, and now that we have the experience of a third party tasting real power - albeit on the backs of their coalition colleagues - it is evident that they too are equally incompetent and unfit to govern.

There are no good guys/bad guys any more.

We have seen what each is capable of and it is a depressingly similar story every time.

How can we ever put our trust in men and women who have so blatantly milked the expenses system for their own ends and who have repeatedly lied to Parliament and the British people?

These are the same politicians who we are expected to put our faith in when they make life and death decisions over national and world ranging issues.

One party lowers taxes which in part means that those at the top of the food chain benefit d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e l y.

Boo! says the other party . . . that’s looking after the rich. The good news is we will raise taxes for the rich says the other lot. Hooray!

Say the workers and spongers.

The bad news is, that according to their new definition of rich, many moderately well off people who have worked hard all their lives; contributed to the countries bloated benefit system and have generally added to the prosperity of the nation, will fall into this category.

I am sick to death of hearing the word racist banded around as a weapon to silence those who genuinely fear for the future of our country because of the increasing strain it puts on resources.

Forget the words: immigrant, foreigner and asylum seeker . . . there are simply too many human

beings pouring into our tiny country; a land that has become second only to Malta as the most densely populated nation in all of Europe.

But still they come.

I am also tired of politicians publicly referring to their leaders by chummy first names – David this, Ed that and Nick whatever. It was a novelty when a certain Mr Blair thought this might be a good idea to break down barriers and show the masses that they were just like us.

But the novelty has gone and the psychology no longer works. And when politicians begin interviews with the words, “And let me make this perfectly clear . . .” I want to throw up, because you know for sure that what is about to come streaming out of their mouths is anything but clear.

We need a new system and we need new, fresh and honest people who are prepared to go into politics without the constraints of a fixed, well worn party line and that of course means a new movement. And that’s the problem.

Where is that coming from?

One thing is for sure, the country is going to hell in a hand cart and when we see such madness as a Canadian holding the post of Governor of The Bank of England; Rolls Royce owned by Germans and Land Rover Jaguar

by Indians – the future looks bleak.

I don’t often write about politics in this vein, nor for that matter anything that can be taken too seriously – it’s not my brief. But I have had a tooth extraction this week and I’ve got a bad back, so I’m feeling jarred off and grumpy!

Back to normal next time.

36

...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

animal corner

source and image: www.cesarsway.com

How to Successfully Bathe Your Dog Uh oh…it’s bath time again. Your mind is immediately filled with images of the last, unsuccessful bathing session. Chasing Fido down, panting, drooling, whining…at the end, you were left with a not-soclean dog, and you were more soaked than he was!

What to Do Before Your Dog’s Bath Make sure you give your dog a long walk prior to his bath to drain his energy and reduce his stress. Your dog is much more likely to surrender to a bath if he’s too tired to put up a fight.

Make sure you collect everything you’ll need for the bath in advance: shampoo, conditioner, and towels should be within

your reach from the tub. Put a nonstick bath mat in the tub to keep your dog’s feet from slipping out from under him.

Have the water temperature set to lukewarm for your dog’s comfort.

Starting Your Dog’s Bathing Process The most critical part of the bathing process is about to begin, and it’s primarily contingent on your state of

mind, and how you bring your dog into the activity. First and foremost, expect success. Forget about your past frustrating experiences with the process. This time, you’re going to make it happen. Period. See the bathing process as a form of affection, and just one more opportunity to bond with your dog.

Without saying a word, go and get your dog. Don’t call him to you. Don’t plead with him or practice “baby-talk.” Simply put a slip leash on your dog in a no-nonsense manner, and lead him to the bathtub. Start wetting him down with a gentle stream of water first. Once he’s used to the pressure, you can increase the intensity of the water. Begin at his neck and shoulders and work your way down his body, leaving his face for last. Make sure to rinse him thoroughly so no irritating shampoo is left behind.

If your dog becomes agitated or fearful at any time during this process, your job is to remain calm and in control. Don’t comfort him or it will only nurture his fear.

Remaining cool and undeterred will show your dog that there’s nothing to fear.

What to Do After Your Dog’s Bath Once the bath is over, towel-dry your dog off well and/or dry him gently using a blow dryer. He will shake himself off, so be prepared. Don’t let him outdoors right away as some dogs are notorious for trying to re-scent themselves by rolling in the dirt. The last thing you need is a wet and muddy dog after all your hard work!

Don’t make a big fuss about the bath before, during, or after it. Think of the bath as “no big deal” and chances are, eventually, your dog will feel the same way. Here’s to having a more civilized experience during your next bathing session with your dog!

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IN THE YELLOW CONTAINER

Only plastic containers, cans, and cartons Your Town

Clean as a..

Remember all plastic containers, cans, and cartons we use can be recycled when deposited in the yellow container. If mixed with other wastes we spoil everyone’s efforts.

Let’s separate well Recycle

better

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

Citroen DS3 Cabrio

By Tim Saunders A five seat cabriolet with an electronically folding hood that can be operated at speeds of up to 75mph.

The key benefits of the Citroen DS3 Cabrio, which is the only convertible in its class to accommodate so many passengers and to be equipped with a 245 litre boot and split folding rear seat. Making it probably the most versatile convertible on Britain’s roads today.

That boot initially looks tiddly but after the lid is lifted it is large enough for a standard pushchair (with the rear wheels removed and packed separately in the boot), which I must say surprises me.

As I sit inside the top-of-the-range 155bhp model I recall testing a Lexus IS250C luxury convertible.

I was at the traffic lights when the sun decided to

from Tony Matthews • Last night, in the Champions League, Manchester City met Barcelona while this evening Arsenal play Bayern Munich at The Emirates.

• Tomorrow, the Europa League continues with Spurs visiting FC Dnipro in Ukraine.

• Premiership matches this weekend include Arsenal v Sunderland, Chelsea v Everton, Crystal Palace vManchester United, Liverpool v Swansea, Manchester City Stoke, Norwich v Spurs and WBA v Fulham.

• The top games in the Championship are Burnley v Nottingham Forest, Charlton v QPR and Leicester v Ipswich… the top two in FL1, Brentford and Wolves meet at Griffin Park and Wycombe play leaders Chesterfield in FL2… while in Scotland, it’ • In Spain’s La Liga, Almeria play Malaga, Real Madrid welcome Elche and Barcelona visit Real Sociedad.

• Warrington Wolves meet Sydney Roosters in Rugby League’s World Challenge in Australia on Saturday and the 2014 Six Nations tournament continues this weekend with Wales v France, also on Saturday, followed by England v Ireland and Italy v Scotland on Sunday.

• Last Friday, Lizzy Yarnold (aged 25) won Great Britain’s first gold medal of the 2014 Winter

37

Facts at a glance:

come out and I pressed the button for the roof to go down. Almost instantaneously the lights went to green and I had to get moving. As soon as the car moved the roof stopped going down and so I was driving with it half up and with part of the boot lid still open. I pulled over as soon as it was safe to do so. A ridiculous situation to be in and unsafe. Thank goodness there is finally a convertible that is well suited to the British weather and to impatient motorists like me.

Because the roof does not fold back into the boot but above the rear window, it makes it more practical all round, which is why the roof can be operated at speeds of up to 75mph.

The DS3’s high quality canvas roof compliments the bodywork and to the unknowing it appears to be simply a hot hatch but we know otherwise. On first acquaintance the vehicle looks just like the DS3 coupe. My test takes place in the middle of winter with lashing rain and much to my wife’s distaste I have to experience driving with the roof down.

Controlled by a button on the overhead console, the hood opens and closes in just 16 seconds flat, which is just as well because when the weather gets too unbearable that roof just has to go up. It’s just as well that it is fitted with a hardwearing interior that features leather seats and much plastic, which copes with excess rainwater well. But the great thing is that with the air conditioning turned up to maximum heat you can enjoy all the benefits of open top driving with the advantage of a hot climate. When the DS3 Cabrio’s roof is open an aerodynamic front deflector reduces wind noise and deflects air currents to prevent buffeting.

The sophisticated Infinite Blue roof material is in blue and violet, created by a weave of three different

DSport THP 1.6-litre 155 6-speed manual Price: £22,100 top speed: 132mph 0-60mph: 8.2secs Economy: 47.9mpg Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz coloured threads. One of these is shiny, with each thread reacting differently to changes in light conditions.

Inside the two-door DS3 Cabrio is a distinctive and sophisticated cabin which includes a all-new upholstery choices, including Granite Blue leather, while there is white LED ambient lighting around the ceiling console and white lights in the instrument cluster.

The trouble is that although it is marketed as a five seater, with the best will in the world it doesn’t fit five adults in comfort. Even with our two child seats in the back it is necessary for the front seats to be pushed forward, uncomfortably so for the driver, making it fine for short distances but not longer. The ideal scenario is for three little scamps in the back and then the adults in the front have a reasonable amount of legroom.

The DS3 Cabrio’s dashboard, air vent surround and gear knob are also colour coded to the body colour and soft top.

At just 3.95m long the DS3 Cabrio is compact enough to get into tight parking spaces, which is extremely important where I live because the council has taken it upon itself to put double yellow lines almost everywhere making the lives of homeowners who do not have driveways and commuters trying to dodge extortionate parking charges, ever more difficult.

Externally the DS3 Cabrio has eye-catching rear lights incorporating a chrome-finished DS logo, 17inch alloys and a double chrome exhaust further adding to its cool sporting appeal.

It’s a gutsy, fun car to drive with plenty of power, if required. As with all convertibles it makes a great second car.

sport SHORTS

Olympics. After producing a brilliant final run, she finished 0.97 seconds ahead of USA’s Noelle Pikus-Pace in the women’s skeleton bob event.

• In the 5th round of the FA Cup, Arsenal gained revenge for their recent 5-1 PL defeat, by beating Liverpool 2-1… Manchester City defeated Chelsea 2-0… Sunderland pipped Southampton 1-0… holders Wigan won 2-1 at Cardiff…

Everton eliminated Swansea 3-1… and Sheffield United k’od Nottingham Forest, also 3-1. Brighton played Hull City on Monday night. The draw for the quarter-finals, to be played on 6/7 March, is: Arsenal v Everton, Manchester City v Wigan (a repeat of last year’s final), Brighton/Hull v Sunderland and Sheffield United v neighbours Sheffield Wednesday or Charlton.

• The Barcelona-Real Madrid Copa del Rey final will take place at Valencia on 19 April.

• After 74 days and 17 games in charge, Fulham have sacked manager Rene Meulensteen, replacing him with ex-Bayern Munich coach Felix McGath, who becomes the 14th boss at Craven Cottage in 20 years.

• Wayne Rooney is set to sign an extended fiveand-a-half year contract with Manchester United.

He’ll earn £300,000-a-week and bank £70m up to 2019.

• Last Saturday, Lionel Messi scored his 336th and 337th goals for La Liga leaders Barcelona in a 60 win over Rayo Vallecano. Messi now holds the record for most goals scored for a Spanish club, taking over the mantle previously held by Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra who netted 335 between 1940 and 1956.

• If Celtic’s Fraser Forster keeps a clean-sheet for the first half-hour of Saturday’s game at Hearts, he will break a 43-year old record set by Aberdeen’s Bobby Clark in 1971 of not conceding a goal in top-flight Scottish football for 1,115 minutes.

• Ex-Gloucestershire cricketer John Mortimer has died aged 71.

• Northampton (55 pts), Saracens (54) and Bath (44) are 1-2-3 in Rugby’s Aviva League.

TOM FINNEY REMEMBERED Former England international footballer Sir Tom Finney died last Friday, aged 91.

He played for his home club, Preston North End from 1946 to 1960, scoring 210 goals in 473 appearances.

He also netted 30 times in 76 games for his country.

Never booked or sent-off, he was voted ‘Footballer of the Year’ in 1954 and 1957, being the first player to win the prize twice. A plumber by trade, Tom was later president of his beloved club. A great man. R.I.P.

38

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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

TYRE KING sport part 2

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skies all the way.

Results were 1st Phil Dunne with 36 points, 2nd Paul Sedge with 35 points and 3rd Tish Bigelow 30 points Nearest the pins on the 6th hole Paul Sedge, 13th hole Patrick Vickery.

There were five 2’s,

Badgers Golf Society

tyre king

petrol station E15/A7 MOTORWAY Exit 534

On Tuesday the Valle del Este society 24 members played a waltz competition and the winners were Dick Hull, Jean and Ian Cooper and Ray Harrison with 85 points Friday is individual stapleford day and 29 members took part on a beautiful day with blue

Windy conditions met Badgers Golf Society full on when they visited Playa Macenas on Wednesday 12th.

Nobody was expecting good scores to prevail due to the extreme conditions but we were all proved wrong when Dave Crothers came in with a 42pt total to take first place, Second place went to Mike Knowles with 36pts and 3rd place went to Andy Mucha on 34pts.

Nearest the pins went to Mike Knowles, Steve Casburn, Steve Lawrie and

Ray Turner. There was only 3 two’s on the day, these being picked up by Mick Weston, Mike Knowles and Ray Turner Saturday’s stableford at Macenas was won by Steve Casburn with 36pts from Dave Wright in second with 35pts.

Members are reminded that the yearly membership is now due.

Badgers Golf Society also plays every Saturday at Macenas for their weekly roll-up. Please book in

Ten pin bowling The final qualification round for the APT sponsored

by Ibex Insurance was played at the bowling alley in Arboleas on Sunday 16th February. It was won

by Mick Gardiner, who had been out of the game for a few weeks prior to the tournament with an injury, with a fine score of 667 for the 3 game series. A grand effort for someone playing for the first time for several weeks!

Dave Stratten achieved

second place with a score of 637, a score that gave him enough points to qualify for the finals weekend of this tournament on Saturday and Sunday, 22nd and 23rd March. Ian Williams was 3rd with a score of 630.

A total of 8 qualifying tournaments have now been played in this inaugural year for the tournament that has been supported by members of the club.

The finals weekend

6th hole jean cooper, Sean Halligan 12th hole Paul sedge, Patrick Vickery 14th hole Tish Bigelow The course is very busy this week so contact the society if you want to play to check availability.

634379887.

at Badgers.Forth coming fixtures are :-) Wed 19th Desert Springs, Wed 26th Macenas, Thurs 6th March Aguillon, Wed 12th March Macenas,Thursday 20th March Away day trip to Lorca.

Guests are welcome to join the society on both Wed and Sat comps and can book in either at Badgers Restaurant on Mojacar Playa or by phone on 950478525 / 6860388259.

Fixtures can be found on www.badgersmojacar.com

should be an exciting time for the 16 bowlers who have qualified for this event so anyone wanting to see some bowling that weekend please come up and give your support, it would be greatly appreciated. There will also be a subsidiary Plate Competition for those bowlers who did not qualify for the finals so it will be a busy time!

Marina Phoenix Golf Society

Monday 10th February and the wind blew – oh how it blew six trees on the course down and part of the roof blew off the practice area. So, no wonder scores were low and a record number of lost balls.

Glennys Oliver kept up her good run of form though, as she won the ladies division with 31 points from Isobel Jones (29) in second, on countback, Margaret Budd (29) was third. The mens division was a countback

with Les Armfield taking first on 31 points followed

by Brian Couper (31), second, while Jim Budd (29) was third.

Eleven teams contested the Thursday competition, a waltz played in threeballs, in greatly improved sunny warm conditions.

A score of 86 points won the competition for Kathy Morris, Isobel Jones and Jim Budd followed by Linda King, Eddie Vaughan and Frank

Varey (84) while Margaret Budd, Steve Entwhistle and Brian Couper (79) were third. Nearest the pin prizes went to Les Armfield (14th) and Hylton Smith (5th).

Marina Phoenix play Mondays (individual) and Thursdays (team game).

To join us for a €25 greenfee. Ring Jim on 950 162 727 / 600 353 670 or Rosalie 950 397 117/ 697 512 882.

SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

www.soltimes.com

Forum Golf Society

19th hole

Thursday 13t February our venue for this Individual Stableford Competition was the immaculate Aguilon course near Pulpi.

The weather was very welcoming as the 24 players began to tee off; a warming sun with a gentle breeze reminded us of just how pleasant it is to play golf in this lovely climate. However, as common in life, nothing lasts forever and by the time the final group arrived at the 4th hole the wind had freshened to about 50kph and golf balls which normally wait patiently and still for them to be struck suddenly had a mind and motion of their own. The main hazard in landing in a bunker was being Sand

Forum Golf Society´s first pairs event of the year was a stableford scramble at Aguilon on February 7t.

Although only four p o i n t s separated those in ninth from second, there was a clear gap behind the winning pair of Richard S w a i n e & Derek Manning, who´s score

of 39 points represented a gross score of just one over par.

Blasted when hitting the ball from them. But as always our intrepid band of dedicated golfers battled on to the ever beckoning 19th hole, where, to a man and women, horror stories of balls moving on the fairways and well struck Putts which passed the cup but were blown back into the prior missed cup.

Brian (Dee) Lowden appears to have found some of his old form by taking 1st place with 32 points from Nigel Greenwood on countback from Mark Danson both on 31 points.

Mark also took Nearest the Pin on the 4th and converted the effort into a Two. Apart from the very unpredictable wind it really was a good day enjoyed by all, then back to La Vida for

complementary nibbles and the 19th Hole Golf Societies Annual General Meeting Results.

1st Brian Lowden 32 Points (15) 2nd Nigel Greenwood 31 Points (18) 3rd Mark Danson 31 Points (2) Nearest the Pin 4th Hole Mark Danson 8th Hole Don Harbron 17th Hole Craig Steers Twos; 4th Hole Mark Danson 12th Hole Craig Steers The 19th hole G/S is now arranging weekly games at various courses in the area, our home course, which we play fortnightly, is Aguilon.

SOL TIMES COSTA ALMERIA SALES HQ: 902 750 190/950 121 936 OPEN: Mon-Thurs 10am-5pm Fri 10am-4pm

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Geoff Hebb & Brian Gyer returned to form to take second place with 36 points, with Phil Elam & Dave Keymer (35 points) third, Mike Duckham & John Smith (35) fourth and Ann Lawrence & George Gibson (34) fifth, whilst Derick Oldfield & Alan Crofts took the honours in the Blue Tee competition with 35 points.

This event was the third of the season, and with Forum events up to & including the final round of the Society Championship on October 10th all counting towards the new Claret Jug league.

Sol Times Almeria is 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 Almeria is an independent publication. Published weekly and produced exclusively in Almeria. 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.

EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER: Views & opinion in editorial copy are not necessarily those of the publisher. the publisher accepts no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.

Almeria Edition AL-344-2005/Roquetas Edition AL 956-2010

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The early leaderboard is as follows Ann Lawrence 38pts Peter Harrington 36pts Phil Elam 30pts Derek Manning 30pts George Gibson 25pts Forum´s upcoming fixtures are 13th February Campbell Lamont Society Cup at La Sella 21st February Stableford at Marina 7th March Team Bowmaker at Lorca For further information, contact Phil Elam on 666 847840 / philjelam@ yahoo.co.uk, or see www. forumgolfsociety.webs.com If you are interested in joining the 19th hole give the secretary a ring on 610340653. Or email gs19thhole@hotmail.co.uk

39

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40 SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2014

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Wait for next female F1 driver nears end after De Silvestro joins Sauber, but will she get to race alongside Vettel and Hamilton?

The long wait for Formula One’s next female driver could be nearing an end after Swiss team Sauber announced they have signed up home-grown Simona De Silvestro in the hope she could be behind the wheel of a Grand Prix car by 2015.

The 25-year-old - who will initially be involved in a preparation programme involving physical training, simulator work and on-track mileage as she strives to obtain the necessary FIA super-licence required to drive a Formula One car - has genuine single-seater racing pedigree.

After leaving Switzerland for the United States in 2006, the 25-year -old competed in Formula BMW USA and then the Atlantic Championship. Since 2010 De Silvestro has taken part in the IndyCar Series, winning the Indy 500 ‘Rookie of the Year’ award in her debut campaign.

Last year, in the first of two races at the Grand Prix of Houston, De Silvestro became the first woman in IndyCar history to claim a podium finish at a street circuit when she was runner-up behind last year’s champion Scott Dixon.

Sauber’s female team principal, Monisha Kaltenborn, outlined her genuine beilef that, in time, De Silvestro can make the breakthrough into the male dominated world of Formula One racing.

‘After four years in IndyCar, Simona’s ambition is to enter Formula One in 2015,’ said Kaltenborn. ‘We regard her as a very talented race driver, and we therefore have decided to take her on board as an ‘affiliated driver’ and support

her on her way to the pinnacle of motorsport.’

Delighted at being the chance to realise a lifelong ambition, De Silvestro said: ‘I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take this step with such a great team.

Sauber is a team with a legacy, and the only Swiss team in Formula One, which I think makes this even more exciting.

‘I can’t thank Monisha and (team owner) Peter Sauber enough for their support and belief in my abilities and for giving me this chance. I’m thrilled to have this extremely unique platform on which to prepare myself to take on the challenge.’

Only two women have previously started a grand prix, Italians Maria Teresa de Filipis and Lella Lombardi, the latter back in 1976.

Currently Susie Wolff, development driver for Williams, is the only female driver with any sort of driving role in Formula One. Maria de Villota was a test driver for Marussia prior to

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