The Andalucian - July 2014

All gave some... some gave all.

Never forget 1914 - 2014

Editor’s Slice

Hello

Well it ain’t half hot! That’s my excuse for doing nothing and I’m sticking to it!

During the first few years living here in Spain, I struggled with the idea of siestas but I have to admit that I have now come round to the idea — especially at this time of year — although perhaps that is more to do with age!

For the more active of you out there, July and August are two of the most action-packed months in Andalucía, despite the fact that they are so hot. Ferias are in abundance, notably in Malaga 16 – 23 August.

If you enjoy a more traditional Andalucían festival — namely songs, guitar and dance — then why not try the Cante Grande in Puente Genil or others in Casabermeja and Ronda? Most local town hall websites carry details of the various ferias and events you can attend.

Teba has its annual Sir James Douglas festival which is covered in more depth on page 31, but if you fancy something a little different and a bit further afield, there is the famous Tomatina tomato fight which starts on August 27 in the Valencian town of Buñol. I would quite like to give that a go myself at some point!

The World Cup is well and truly behind us — and let’s never speak of it again! I know many people didn’t get excited about a sporting event where the host government spent millions funding it whilst their people live in squalor and deprivation, where drugs are rife and life expectation is very low. Well I’m going to try… the Glasgow Commonwealth Games are here! (Tongue in cheek, before you all start shouting!)

Staying with things Scottish, as we look ahead to September, there is the big question of Scottish independence to be answered on the 18th. I’ll not get into that now but the soapbox is on standby for next month.

Of course, this may turn out to be one of the most historic events of the UK’s future but this month we turn our attention to one of the most horrific events of the past… the Great War. Our articles throughout the magazine this month are 100 per cent dedicated to the men and women who fought through the cataclysmic events which happened 100 years ago… we will NEVER forget. We will remember them.

On a happier note, enjoy the summer! Until next month

Mike

www.facebook.com/theandalucian Special thanks to our writers and contributors Alice Marriott Heather Jones John Sharrock Taylor Sandra Wrightson Sarah Jackson Tricia Johnson

The Andalucían X5092417D Calle Juanita Romero s/n, Campillos 29320, Malaga Contact us Telephone: +34 952 723075 Mobile: +34 627 683380 info@theandalucian.com www.theandalucian.com Owner: Claire Marriott Editor: Mike Marriott 2

Next deadline: 9 August We won’t be beaten on advertising prices

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Just for Fun

Twenty teasers - mixed bag of mind-blowing questions 1. Which juice drink takes its name from the Maori phrase meaning ‘be healthy’?

2. What is the name for a female donkey?

3. Which country in the world drinks the most wine?

4. How many tiles of the letter ‘e’ are there in one Scrabble set?

5. Whose books include ‘Dead Heat’, ‘Dead Cert’ and ‘Under Orders’?

6. How many years did the ‘Hundred Years’ War’ actually last?

19. What was the name of the pet dog on the US TV sitcom ‘Frasier’?

7. In which group was England during their short stay in the 2014 World Cup?

20. In the London version of Monopoly, which three properties are orange?

8. Who played Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson in the 1957 film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’?

Answers can be found on page 46.

9. Which is the largest of the Canary Islands?

10. In which British county is Windsor Castle?

11. What is the occupation of Jo Brand in the BBC 4 sitcom ‘Getting On’?

12. What are the first names of the ‘Hairy Bikers’?

13. Who was the last English monarch of the House of Hanover?

14. Which member of ‘The Monkees’ was also a jockey?

15. Which band’s albums include ‘Sticky Fingers’, ‘Beggars Banquet’ and ‘Steel Wheels’?

16. In which city would you find Waverley Railway station?

17. What is the primary function of red blood cells?

18. In which year did the Bank of England £1 note stop being legal tender?

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3

Talking Point

The hole of the

matter

Even though you have moved to Spain, do you not still find yourselves sometimes questioning the odd Spanish tradition from time to time? Especially those which seem a million miles away from your own!

Of course, there are rites of passage in many cultures that are sure to raise eyebrows — and even judgmental comments — from others, being considered inhumane and even bordering on torture.

Many people refuse to believe that piercing a little girl’s ears when she is a tiny infant falls within that spectrum, while others believe that babies should not be getting their ears pierced at all, especially since it is argued that it’s a form of mutilation. For as many as agree there as just as many who disagree.

Many Spanish hospitals will pierce a newborn girl’s ears before mother and baby leave the maternity unit. It is customary to take a pair of 14-carat gold baby earrings with you to the hospital so that when

you leave with your precious little girl, you do so with the baby-bling firmly in her cute little lobes. This tradition, which has survived for centuries, is deemed medically safe and, in fact, the Spanish believe it’s just better overall for girls to get their ears pierced as early as possible, mostly for these reasons: 1. It’s more sanitary to pierce a baby’s ears Between 0 to about 4 months, babies will not interfere with the piercing healing process by tugging and pulling the earring. You will have to clean the piercing with a cotton swab and it’s just so easy to do when they’re in that deep baby sleep. Once they are toddlers, they will be touching with those dirty little hands, increasing the likelihood of an infection.

2. Babies won’t remember the pain The older they get, the more they will remember the pain that comes with the piercing gun or needle.

The pain is truly minimal — like any shot — but they could be shocked and remember the experience as unpleasant. Some people even report that after getting the first earring in, the girls will refuse to get the second one pierced! Babies can’t really object since they have no perceived sense of fear of needles, and you really don’t need to worry about it being too painful for them. If you want to make sure the discomfort is truly minimal, you can give your baby a pain reliever such as ibuprofen before the shot, but it’s not necessary.

3. Every girl wants her ears pierced You don’t meet many girls who don’t want their ears pierced! Nor do you hear of any senoritas complaining that their ears were pierced without their consent because they were babies. Not one.

Earrings are for sure the safest form of baby bling!

4. They are professionals Since most Spanish hospitals will allow nurses (normally midwives) to pierce a baby’s ears before they go home, you know you are using a professional.

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Talking Point Many paediatricians will carry out piercings if you choose to wait until after you have left hospital or have a home birth. Doctors are getting tired of seeing baby girls at their surgeries with infection from botched piercings done by grandmothers, great aunts, family friends and even high street stores, so they have decided to offer the service themselves.

5. Only use real gold or surgical steel Buy 14-carat gold or surgical steel baby earrings.

Coming from a culture that does not pierce their baby girl’s ears, you often are faced with comments about safety: baby could swallow the earrings, they’ll get them stuck in their clothing etc. Well, the difference with baby earrings is that the stud has a screw which has a lock on it (rather than a butterfly back) so that babies can’t take them off and you avoid any choking risks.

that babies cry more when getting shots than when getting their ears pierced. It is a logical argument that children develop an actual perception of fear as they grow older.

In the end, whatever you think, there is no medical reason why a baby cannot have her ears pierced as long as it is carried out by a professional. However, if you really feel ear piercing a baby is mutilation, then you shouldn’t be doing it, but don’t judge Spanish mothers for their choices because whatever your own traditions are, no mother sets out to hurt her child. And no, it’s not vanity or just a way for a madre to show their little girl is prettier than the next (of course, as a parent we already know our daughter is perfect and prettier!), but more a reason-based decision that most mums know their little bundle of joy will one day want to wear earrings.

The Spanish see the procedure as just choosing to give their baby girl one more gift without her asking for it — so whether you are giving a gift of gold earrings or a gift of pink clothing to the new bundle of joy, remember not to disrespect the traditions of the culture in which we have now chosen to live.

In any case, if you’re getting them pierced in their early months, they won’t be pulling on them anyway, but it’s better to be safe and make sure the earrings won’t come off. By using 14 carat gold or surgical steel, you can avoid any allergic reaction to metals which contain nickel, such as stainless steel or gold plate.

6. Do what feels right Some paediatricians might recommend you wait until your baby is three months old so she’s already had her first round of immunisations. There’s no medical proof that this is necessary, but it’s a precaution that can be taken for peace of mind.

At the other end of the spectrum, many people stick by their opinion that it’s basically mutilation and disrespectful to the baby, since they don’t have a say in the matter. A lot of parents in other cultures decide to let their daughters ask when they are ready.

Of course, there’s always the fear of hurting our children and that’s understandable. But most report

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5

Charity News

150,000 steps to make

their dream a reality

Arboretum Marbella is a charity which is creating a people’s forest in Marbella, made from species native to the region of Malaga. This includes trees, shrubs, grasses and vines. This forest is being planted using the concept of permaculture and is sustainable and organic. It is also playing an important role in protecting some of the native species of the region which are being endangered, such as the Andalucían cork oak.

As well as creating a beautiful public park on deserted scrub land, an important part of the project is to educate people about the environment, trees and sustainable land management.

There are a number of goals for Arboretum: 1. To create a green space in Marbella which will benefit the environment, promote citizenship and boost tourism.

2. To educate the local population about the environment through workshops, classes and regular open days where children and adults can get involved whilst learning all about trees, the environment and sustainable land management.

3. Preserve local flora by having 131 native species planted in this area.

4. Generate green jobs by training the unemployed to become skilled in this area.

5. Add another dimension to the tourist offering of Marbella by adding this ecological park and promoting eco-tourism abroad 6. Educate the community about organic food and enjoying seasonal, native produce A mammoth new goal for the environmental charity has just been announced — an ambitious new project to build the first building in Marbella and the first classroom in Andalucía, built using the principles of bio construction. Known as the “Domo confianza” (Dome of Trust), this 140m2 structure will be made from 100 per cent local and natural materials such as cane, clay, stones and natural fibres. This stunning and environmentally-friendly building will be used as an open classroom where the charity can give workshops, courses and educational sessions on environmental issues. This will help to accommodate the almost 8,000 visitors who are received each year.

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It will be made up of 8,200 canes and will take a team of 16 skilled ecological builders two months to build. Whilst the charity has been working hard to source most of the materials for free — and this method of bio construction costs half the price of normal building methods — the works will still cost the charity 71,388€ and it is launching an innovative way to raise the required funds.

Arboretum’s director, Alejandro César Orioli, will be taking part in the Marbella 4Days Walking event between 9 and 12 October, walking 120 kilometres dressed as a tree. He is asking individuals and companies to sponsor his steps for 0.20€ per step in order to raise 30,000€ to go towards the building project.

Each step is around 0.8 metres so the team has calculated there are 1,259 steps per kilometre; 150,000 steps will complete his 120km route. They are asking people to give generously to make their dream a reality. Please visit the website www. pasoapasoxarboretum.org The campaign is in collaboration with Marbella 4Days Walking which promotes a more sustainable form of tourism via their different routes throughout Marbella. It is supported by Marbella Town Hall which is trying to create a more sustainable city.

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Things to Do

Sweethearts and

stolen kisses Do you remember the 50s and the swinging 60s? If so, you will love the latest T.O.P.S. stage production entitled ‘Sweethearts and Stolen Kisses’… a musical night of pure nostalgia filled with the most popular and well-loved songs from that era, all performed in authentic costumes.

A great selection of crooners from The Monkees, Elvis Presley, Shirley Bassey and Brenda Lee to Scott Walker, Bobby Darin and The Seekers, along with many more singing legends.

You will be treated to a top quality homemade three course meal to get your evening off to a great start, then just relax and indulge yourself with a top class cabaret-style performance under the stars.

The event is to be held in the spacious grounds of the home of T.O.P.S. president, Mick Bradley, on the outskirts of Alhaurín el Grande on Saturday 30

August. The gates open at 7.30pm (meal served at 8.00pm).

As usual, the emphasis is on enjoyment and fun, and there will be music to dance to after the show.

Tickets, priced at 15 euros, are available at various outlets in Alhaurín el Grande and Coin (Tel Cath on 952 112 057 for details), and a donation from the proceeds will be given to local charities.

Events at this venue usually sell out early so don’t miss out on what promises to be another excellent night of entertainment. We look forward to welcoming and entertaining you.

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Health & Beauty

A guide to

ageing well

by Heather Jones

Every day — well almost— I wake up and am thankful that the sun is shining, and that we chose to move to Andalucía. What a wonderful warm and sunny place in which we are lucky enough to live. However, various onslaughts singularly or collectively age the skin: the chronological ageing that we all have to face; environmental factors such as sun, wind, pollution and radiation as well as the stress that accompanies daily living; an unhealthy diet (I for one, didn’t realise that the local Mediterranean diet of Andalucía consists mainly of cake!) and living life in the fast lane (which we are all guilty of at times) are just some of the contributing factors that make skin – on the face and on the body – lose its youthful bloom and age before its time.

Did you know that when you’re in your 20s, your skin rejuvenates itself approximately every 20 days, in your 30s, approximately every 30 days and in your 40s, approximately every 40 days… and so on.

Nature is incredibly kind. New skin cells are constantly created in the bottom layer of your skin.

The beauty of your skin depends on the health of these newly-created cells. If they are healthy and strong, your skin will glow with health.

The cells move to the surface and eventually fall off, rub off or are gently removed. So don’t panic — you’ve been given a lifetime’s worth of chances at getting a great skin. What makes it tricky is that the rate at which new cells are produced slows as you get older so the younger you start a basic skin care routine, the better.

We are almost all born with perfect skin, so why wait? It’s never too early to start a lifelong routine of protecting and nurturing this precious asset.

Create a simple routine that works for you, so you can dedicate yourself to doing it diligently.

As we covered in last month’s issue, your routine in the morning should include cleansing, toning, moisturising and protecting. Your evening routine is equally important – and should include removing make-up. This is a must, as unremoved make-up can clog pores, cause breakouts of blackheads or pimples and dry out skin.

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The vision of most beauty product manufacturers has always been to create a fine skincare range — not only to promote beautiful skin but, just as importantly, to combat the effects and appearance of ageing. But shop around – see what suits your routine. You don’t have to fork out a fortune just on a branded tub of magic cream!

Ageing might be inevitable, but basic good skin care has demonstrated that there are ways to slow it down – and to reduce the visible effects.

The sophisticated, scientifically-proven products in various ranges have been designed to help prolong the youthful appearance, vigour and suppleness of skin, and to preserve every woman’s (and man’s) natural, glowing beauty.

There are ways and means to keep your skin from showing signs of ageing.

Create a simple beauty routine that works for you, so you can dedicate yourself to doing it diligently.

Your routine in the morning SHOULD include cleansing, toning, moisturising and protecting. But get a product that you will stick with.

Always apply a sunscreen over your moisturiser in the morning.

Your evening routine is equally important – get into a habit and routine you can stick to.

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Health &Beauty Leaving accumulated dirt and grit is one of the worst things you can do – especially if you think about the pollution, exhaust fumes and other environmental toxins that end up on your skin – causing it to age prematurely. Ideally, use a richer cream to nourish skin through the night.

The beautiful Andalucían sun is something we need to take a closer look at. Sun-damaged skin and how the sun affects this most delicate organ has been documented time and time again but what can you do to reverse the damage? Too much sunlight over lengthy periods can cause damage to cells and structural proteins in the skin. The higher energy radiation of ultraviolet light can also damage DNA components and degrade the physical structure of the skin.

Sun-damaged skin becomes thin with poor cellular health, brittle collagen, perished elastin and wasted or disorganised sub-cutaneous fat. Too technical?

Well, basically… previously smooth, healthy-looking skin looks wrinkled, rough, red and blotchy due to sun damage, providing poor protection against the outside world. Not a good look and not a good idea!

Another, lesser known fact, is that vital cancersuppressing genes like gene P53 can also be damaged or destroyed, opening the gate to the formation of skin cancer.

So is all lost?

No. The good news is that cells retain all the information necessary to be rescued and rejuvenated and to form new generations of skin cells. You can gradually introduce vitamin A and other stimulating proteins to help restore skin cells and structures.

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Continued on page 10

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Health & Beauty Nutrition and great skin are very much related and some of the nutrients that play an important role in your complexion are vitamins. This is why majority of the skincare products that you see will contain high amounts of vitamins. However, it’s still important that you receive these vitamins through the foods you eat. Here are the four main essential vitamins for great skin and how to incorporate them into your diet: 1. Vitamin A If your skin has been feeling scaly and dry, then there’s a possibility that you might be lacking in vitamin A. If you wish to keep lines, wrinkles, dull skin and other skin-ageing symptoms at bay then vitamin A can be of great help. Good sources of vitamin A include eggs, leafy greens, milk, carrots, pumpkins, liver and more.

2. Vitamin E Vitamin E is perhaps the most well-known vitamin essential for healthy skin. This is an effective antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in your body.

Free radicals are caused by a number of factors such as smoking, pollution and sun exposure and are one of the major causes of premature skin ageing. Appearance of age spots, wrinkles, stretch

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marks and lines are reduced by applying vitamin-E rich products. It can also be found in foods such as olives, sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, wheat germ and leafy greens.

3. Vitamin C Like vitamin E, vitamin C is also an effective antioxidant. This means that it can also help you battle the signs of skin ageing. Vitamin C also stimulates the production of collagen in your skin.

Collagen is the protein responsible for making your skin supple. So if you wish to retain smooth and youthful skin, then vitamin C can help. Most fruits are good sources or veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, brussel sprouts and cucumber are also good source.

4. Vitamin B Complex B Vitamins should also be added. Vitamin B1, for instance, boosts circulation in the body and gives your skin a certain glow. If you're a woman taking birth control pills then you are at risk of vitamin B1 deficiency. Egg yolks, nuts and raisins are great sources of vitamin B1. The niacin in vitamin B3 helps your skin receive plenty of oxygen, which prevents development of acne among other benefits. Niacinrich foods include tomatoes, broccoli and carrots.

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Spotlight

Talking Point

Is silver finally turning a sterling leaf?

Gold, the world’s most valued metal, has been busy breaking sales records over the past few years but is it time for it to step aside to make room for its less popular cousin — silver?

With dwindling gold supplies, the interest in silver as an alternative investment started when the US Mint announced that shortages of the yellow stuff were forcing them to halt production of the one-tenth ounce American Gold Eagle. The investment market sat up and took notice.

materials. Well, not any more! With designers now producing beautiful and high-quality designs, often with precious gems added to the mix, silver is a viable alternative for the cost-conscious — as well as fashion-conscious — consumer. Really, it doesn’t have to be all about gold and diamonds.

Silver holds a unique position as both an investment and an industrial metal, and current demand is staggering. Silver is prized for its many uses including jewellery, artwork, medicine, tableware, photography and, of course, currency. A critical conduit of the digital age, silver is also a vital component in all electrical microchips and microwaves to solar panels and satellites. In the last 60 years, our insatiable appetite for electronic gadgets has consumed 5000 years of silver — pushing the world’s inventory to its lowest level in 200 years.

Buying good quality jewellery can be an important investment, especially with the current trends in precious metal prices, so if you are planning to buy silver jewellery, there are a few things you should bear in mind before you part with your cash. The first, obvious concern is the quality of the jewellery, so look at the workmanship. Many pieces are mass produced these days but it does not have to mean badly-made! This problem can arise when you know you want a quality item but you do not know how to discern it. The best way is to remember to look for the hallmark.

So where have all the precious metals gone? Gold is clearly being acquired and held by seasoned investors whilst silver is quite simply disappearing.

Some estimates claim that 95 per cent of all the silver ever mined is now gone, having been consumed by man’s pursuit of industry, technology and communication. With endless, critical uses and ever-increasing demand, experts estimate that the world’s silver supply could be exhausted as soon as 2021.

The economy is at a crossroads — there are signs of recovery, yet conditions are ripe for inflation. In this situation, silver may be a better investment than gold because there are two sources of demand — investors and industry.

Having seen gold prices soar to historic highs, many budget-conscious jewellery shoppers are looking for alternatives to the pricey metal. Historically, fine jewellery only meant gold or platinum. Silver – even the dignified-sounding sterling silver – was relegated to ‘fashion’ jewellery or even the lowlier-sounding ‘costume’ jewellery. These last two categories, especially costume jewellery, often meant inferior quality and workmanship, as well as cheaper

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The term 'sterling silver' in reference to the grade .925 silver emerged in England in the 13th century. Most people do not realise that pure silver is rather soft, and that it is usually hardened with copper. However, adding too much copper reduces the quality. As a rule, the silver used for making jewellery should contain at least 92.5% silver. If the amount of silver is below that, then the alloy is no longer considered real silver. If you want to buy silver jewellery, also check for pieces hallmarked as sterling, ster, sterling silver or bearing the 925 marker.

A few more glittering gems about silver: • In ancient Egypt and medieval Europe, silver was often more valuable than gold.

• Words for silver and money are the same in at least 14 languages.

• Silver jewellery was a significant indicator of status until the very end of the 18th century, because it was limited to a privileged few. It was the industrial revolution, through mass manufacturing, which finally made jewellery available to the general population.

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Talking Point • Silver is being put into paper used in medical professions because of its antibiotic-like characteristics. Silver has superior bactericidal qualities. Small concentrations of silver or silver salts kill bacteria by chemically affecting the cell membranes, causing them to break down. Bacteria do not develop resistance to silver, as they do to many antibiotics.

• Silver can be eaten, although it is not advised. In India, food can be found decorated with a thin layer of silver, known as Varak.

• There is only enough silver on Earth for every person to have one third of a ounce • Most silver used today ends up in landfills – never to be used again • Silver is used in 10,000 industrial applications from microwave ovens to jet engines If you thought serving dinner with your grandmother’s silver cutlery felt flamboyant, try having soup from the same bowl French King Louis XV had his from.

Handcrafted by talented silversmith and artisan Thomas Germain, it was custom-made for Louis XV himself. The extremely rare tureen is one of the few surviving silver pieces of its kind, as most were melted to finance the French Revolution and other such battles. Its lid is considered a remarkable work of art in itself, featuring skillfully crafted fish, fowl, and vegetables, the perfect fit for a royal dinner.

The Germain Soup Tureen was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York for $10 million in 1996.

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13

Men’s Matters

Is the male menopause a myth?

by ‘A Man’

There was once a 40-year-old man — we’ll call him ‘A’ — with a successful career and a great group of friends. He was known as the life of the party, and was often referred to as ‘macho’. But ‘A’ was living a dual life… he was secretly suffering from severe mood swings, emotional upheavals and a failing libido. In an attempt to keep up his act, ‘A’ blamed it all on stress. Little did he know that he was suffering from male menopause!

Often thought of as a myth, male menopause is an actual condition which affects men in their 40s and early 50s. However, it does have a more medical term… andropause.

Testosterone levels vary greatly among men. In general, however, older men tend to have lower testosterone levels than younger men. Levels gradually decline throughout adulthood — about one per cent a year after age 30 on average.

Changes in sleep patterns

Testosterone helps your body maintain a healthy energy level. Therefore, men experiencing andropause often have low energy. For instance, they might fall asleep directly after a meal or can often experience insomnia and disturbed sleep.

Physical changes

Various physical changes are possible, including increased body fat, reduced muscle bulk and strength and decreased bone density.

A blood test is the only way to diagnose a low testosterone level (low T) or a reduction in the bioavailability of testosterone. Some men have a lowerthan-normal level without signs or symptoms. In this case, no treatment is needed. For others, low testosterone might cause:

Testosterone helps your body to maintain bone density so if you are experiencing andropause, your bones may become more fragile. This can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis. In fact, the relationship between osteoporosis and testosterone is now so well established that doctors sometimes order a bone density test in order to find out whether a patient has low testosterone.

Changes in sexual function

The dreaded paunch

This might include erectile dysfunction, reduced sexual desire, fewer spontaneous erections — such as during sleep — and infertility. Your testes might become smaller as well. In fact, in a study of men undergoing andropause, researchers found that a staggering 91 percent of subjects exhibited decreased libido.

In a classic chicken-and-egg situation, abdominal fat and low testosterone reinforce each other.

Testosterone helps to slow abdominal fat accumulation. In other words, if your testosterone level drops, you will accumulate more abdominal fat. As this increases, an enzyme in the fat tissue converts testosterone to oestrogen, further lowering your testosterone level. With even less testosterone to slow the fat accumulation, abdominal fat increases.

Therefore, abdominal fat is both a cause and an effect of low testosterone. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, gynecomastia (swollen or tender breasts) and loss of body hair are possible symptoms too, but you’ll be pleased to read they are rare!

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Men’s Matters

Emotional changes

Yes, things like erectile dysfunction can be challenging to any bloke who has always been sexually active. A sudden change in your ability to ‘perform’ will make you doubtful about yourself, your masculinity and even your relationship.

These symptoms are collectively referred to as andropause or male menopause. You hit 40 and suddenly the ‘mid-life crisis’ jokes start. The symptoms of andropause are often attributed to stress and anxiety due to financial constraints, relationship problems, an unhealthy lifestyle and/or medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease etc, or just facing the fact that the kids are getting older!

When does it end?

Having low T might contribute to a decrease in motivation or self-confidence. You might feel sad or depressed, or have trouble concentrating or remembering things.

It is hard to say as every bloke is different and some symptoms may continue to be around for life, while others might fade away with time or intervention. As many of the symptoms can be very well managed medically, you can regain your confidence and have an excellent quality of life — regardless of the low T level you may have.

What you can do to help ease the symptoms

Alternate therapy such as yoga and meditation with breathing exercises can be great self-help techniques. Above all, communication is the key to overcome the issue.

Continued on page 16

However, if the symptoms above are ringing bells with you, then it is time to talk about it with someone you trust. I know we men don’t like to ‘talk’ — and especially not if it is going to end in a trip to the doc’s — but it may be that a simple medical intervention may be needed to improve and manage your life, without the stress and worry of what is happening to you.

There are many treatment options available but it will depend on your situation and current health.

Sometimes, it requires a team of health professionals and a co-ordinated approach. The options are allopathic or complementary medicine, counselling, behaviour modification and so on.

What it means to be a man differs from man to man and also from one stage of your life to another.

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Men’s Matters

Communicating any problems and concerns with a partner — or talking to your doctor, rather than waiting for the doctor to ask you — is of great importance.

Guys hate complaining about their health to other people since it is often perceived as a weak trait, but it is vital to overcome this misconception and be open to seek help, rather than be in denial and worsen the problem.

Remember, hormone changes are a natural part of ageing. Unlike the more dramatic reproductive hormone plunge that occurs in women during menopause, hormone changes in men occur gradually. However, some of the aforementioned signs and symptoms can be caused by underlying factors other than low testosterone, including medication side effects, thyroid problems, depression and excessive alcohol use. There are also conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnoea, which might affect testosterone levels. Once these conditions are identified and treated, testosterone typically will return to a normal level.

Be wary of herbal supplements. They have not been proved safe and effective for ageing-related low T. Some supplements might even be dangerous. Longterm use of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for example, has no proven benefits and might increase the risk of prostate cancer.

DHEA is a natural hormone that comes from the adrenal gland. It is also made in the brain. However, a supplement may cause serious side effects in both men and women. Men may experience breast tenderness, urinary urgency, aggression, or reduced size of the testes. Other side effects that may occur in either sex include acne, sleep problems, headache, nausea, skin itching, and mood changes. DHEA may also affect levels of other hormones including insulin, and cholesterol. It is not suggested for regular use without a health professional's care.

Any treatment of ageing-related low T with hormone replacement therapy is controversial. For some men, this therapy relieves bothersome signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency. For others, however, the benefits are not clear and there are possible risks. Replacement therapy might increase the risk of heart attack, prostate cancer or other health problems. If you wonder whether testosterone treatments might be right for you, work with your doctor to weigh up the pros and cons.

Since obesity and diabetes can contribute to low T, it’s important to take care of yourself — a healthy lifestyle is the best guarantor that your testosterone will remain at a healthy level as you age. Make sure to exercise and eat a healthy diet.

If you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms, visit your doctor. They can determine whether you are undergoing the andropause. With proper care and support, you’ll feel better in no time.

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Just for Fun

Useless things you just

don’t need to know about...

Most car horns honk in the key of F. The drink 7-UP was created in 1929; '7' was selected after the original 7-ounce containers and 'UP' for the direction of the bubbles.

101 Dalmatians, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp and Mulan are the only Disney cartoons where both parents are present and don't die during the movie.

Reindeer like to eat bananas.

A whale's penis is called a dork.

Because of the rotation of the earth, an object can be thrown further if it is thrown west.

Throughout the world, more Monopoly money is printed in a year than real money.

One quarter of the bones in your body are in your feet.

Crocodiles and alligators are surprisingly fast on land. Although they are rapid, they are not agile, though, so, if being chased by one, run in a zigzag line.

Ten percent of the Russian government's income comes from the sale of vodka.

The average person spends six months of their life sitting at red lights.

A person cannot taste food unless it is mixed with saliva. For example, if a strong-tasting substance such as salt is placed on a dry tongue, the taste buds will not be able to taste it. As soon as a drop of saliva is added and the salt is dissolved, however, a definite taste sensation results. This is true for all foods.

In the marriage ceremony of the ancient Inca Indians of Peru, the couple was considered officially wed when they took off their sandals and handed them to each other.

Ninety per cent of all species that have become extinct have been birds.

There is approximately one chicken for every human being in the world.

The most reverse charge calls are made on Father's Day. It has NEVER rained in Calama, a town in the Atacama Desert of Chile, whilst records have been in existence.

One-fourth of the world's population lives on less than $200 a year. Ninety million people survive on less than $75 a year.

The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.

For some time Frederic Chopin, the composer and pianist, wore a beard on only one side of his face, explaining: "It does not matter, my audience sees only my right side.�

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19

Spotlight

Bletchley Girls

by John Sharrock Taylor

My friend Gabriel Gorman was puzzled by the fact that whenever he let in the clutch of his Datsun, all the dashboard lights came on. ‘It’s quite simple,’ I told him. ‘This vehicle is the Irish export model. The flashing lights mean ‘You are now in motion.’ In 1973, PC just meant rozzer. Nobody in those days bothered much about Irish jokes — especially the Irish — and computers were those huge boxes you see in early Dr Who re-runs or grainy black-andwhite photos of wartime Bletchley Park, where (and I’ll return to this in a moment) my friend Avril worked as assistant to a bright young code-cracker called Asa Briggs. These days, the joke seems to be on me, because my little portable netbook, vastly more powerful than the huge Bletchley ‘bombes’ with their bristling banks of glowing valves, has also taken to sending me silly messages. I remove the external hard-drive and it chips in chattily with the blindingly obvious: ‘You have just unplugged a device.’

‘How do you know?’ I rasp. ‘It might have been done by the cat.’

‘You haven’t even got a cat. You’re allergic to cats.’

Actually, I made the last bit up. If it could respond in that way I might start to believe in the ‘intelligence’ part of artificial intelligence. But my netbook never really shows much nous — apart, that is, from applying a certain low cunning to the business of annoying me. If you regularly use a computer you will know that the organisation which supplied your operating system frequently updates your software, which, among other arcane rituals, involves the PC turning itself off and re-starting. This usually happens when you are in the middle of some complicated operation such as paying a bill or submitting a tax return, which is probably why I am now tax resident four times over in three countries (the UK and Spain once each and the USA twice) and it may even account for the bicycle to which my Barclaycard decided to treat itself some time ago, presumably for its own recreation, since I gave up biking 20 years ago when the knees started to give out.

I cheerfully admit to being generally incompetent in IT matters, but what a friend I have in Jesus! He runs the local informática shop and he’s pulled me out of many a cyber scrape without ever resorting to the lofty arrogance of the British ‘expert’ I used to

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patronise — or rather who used to pocket my cash for the privilege of patronising me. I’ve just taken my old laptop in for repair and Jesús tells me with some concern: ‘This one’s getting a bit long in the tooth. When did you get it?’

‘About eight years ago. It’s all metal and weighs almost as much as I do but that’s not a problem, because I never travel with it. Essentially I use it as a desktop because I like the big screen.’

‘It runs on the Windows XP platform.’

‘I’m afraid so.’

If you are a computer user you will have noticed that the real IT geeks have the same motto as the detergent manufacturers, i.e. NEW! NEW! NEW! And every five minutes or so the ant-like minions infesting Silicon Valley come up with even more convoluted software to entrap the unwary.

Occasionally they stumble on a real belter such as the Windows XP operating system, which was so intuitive that even I could manage it. But inevitably, whenever they’ve manage to produce such a cybernetic Rolls Royce, the next one will be an absolute Trabant, like Windows Vista. Even Windows Seven, which I’m running on the netbook, is better than that, though it’s about as user-friendly as Val’s sewing bag, ie vast, tangled and liable to transfix my fingers with hidden needles whenever I try to locate something which was definitely there yesterday and should be there today if I could only find it. Alas, a couple of months ago, Microsoft decided that after 12 years of maintaining Windows XP it had finally had enough, so Mr Gates wrote to me (personally, you understand) to inform me of that decision.

First, he told me, rather nastily, that without his support my old laptop would only limp along for a very short while before falling victim to one of the nastier poxes brewed up by the demon-nerds in Cyber Hades.

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Continued on page 22

Spotlight ‘But don’t you fret, John’ he added chummily, 'we know you’re a luser (that’s geek speak for lame user) but you’ll love our latest Windows B&W (Bells & Whistles). It’s chock-full of NEW features and it’s both exciting (I hate that word) and challenging (but not nearly as much as I loathe that one). The only snag, from your point of view — not ours of course — is that your antediluvian PC won’t work on it. Still, if you’ve been running XP for the last dozen years it’s more than high time you threw the old junk box away and bought one of our newest all-rock-singingall-strictly-come-dancing-on-ice models.’

With all this in mind it is refreshing to turn to a computer which is almost 75 years older than mine.

Bletchley Park was essentially a 6000-strong band of very bright young amateurs. Avril was headhunted from her Law course at Liverpool University. Others came straight from the sixth form. One girl joined at 14 because her elder sister had been recruited and with no parents at home, there would have been nobody to look after her. She started out by making the tea and gradually slid into classified work. The bright young amateurs were led by a few slightly older amateurs, and they achieved wonders throughout World War Two, not least by beating the

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vastly complex Enigma coding machine used by the German military. This was remarkable enough in itself, though even more remarkable is the fact that the only security leaks from Bletchley were deliberate ones designed to mislead the enemy. After the war, Winston Churchill, concerned about the potential Soviet threat, ordered all the Bletchley machines to be destroyed. The concern and the decision were understandable but they put cyber science back at least 10 years, on our side of the Iron Curtain as well as on theirs.

At 87, Avril is retired from a long career as a lawyer, a Lord Lieutenant and a highly successful tilter at many windmills. Lizzie, the daughter of dear friends, is 34, an exact contemporary of my son Richard, and they have known each other literally from birth.

As Avril did more than 70 years ago, Lizzie now works at Bletchley Park, now a living museum. It’s interesting, of course, for visitors to walk around the grounds and peer into the huts from which the likes of Asa Briggs and Alan Turing baffled the Nazis, but the latest generation of Bletchley boffins have gone one better, and if you tell young Lizzie I sent you she’ll be delighted to introduce you to a brand new working replica of one of the mighty machines that smashed Enigma.

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Legal Advice

Lasting powers

of attorney

by De Cotta Law

Many people who buy property in Spain are told about the importance of making a Spanish will.

However, surprisingly few consider signing a lasting power of attorney at the same time. This can be particularly important for an older couple who have jointly owned property and bank accounts in Spain.

If one of you becomes ill or cannot attend to matters in person, the notaries and land registries in Spain will not allow you to sell your jointly-owned property unless you have a power of attorney. Banks would also require a power of attorney if you want to close a joint bank account.

The power of attorney can be specific and just deal with your home and real estate, or it can be a general power to deal with all your affairs. A couple can execute a joint or reciprocal power to each other, which reduces the expense, and this can include a substitution clause which would allow one of them to name another family member if they are not able to act.

To be valid in Spain, the document has to be signed before a notary public. In Spain this can be done with your local notary and if you don’t speak Spanish, you have to have a translator with you. However if you are not able to get to Spain, we can arrange to have a power of attorney sent to you in two languages and this can be signed before a UK notary and then legalised by the UK Foreign office with the Apostille.

The power cannot be used after the death of the partner or spouse, but it can be invaluable in reducing the stress when a partner becomes seriously ill or incapacitated.

For more details on how to contact your nearest De Cotta Law office see the advert on page 36 or email: sandrawrightson@decottalaw.net

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Spotlight

What a difference a day makes On Tuesday July 28, 100 years ago, the world was changed forever when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. But what led to this apocryphal event?

Five days before war broke, Austria-Hungary had sent Serbia an ultimatum stating that the Serbian government would have to accept an Austro-Hungarian inquiry into the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, and that the country’s powers must also suppress all antiAustrian propaganda. Plus they were to take steps to root out and eliminate terrorist organisations within its borders including the assassination group — Black Hand.

The Dual Monarchy demanded an answer to their ultimatum within 48 hours and so the world waited for Serbia's response. When it came, AustriaHungary declined the reply and ordered mobilisation against the Serbs. Within the following days, alliances were drawn as Russia declared that she would defend Serbia, despite Austria-Hungary assuring the Russians that no Serbian land would be invaded as they ordered the mobilisation against Serbia. Germany worked diplomatically to contain the effects of the provocation, but none of the other great powers, with reason, were inclined to see Austria-Hungary as acting alone.

However, on Sunday July 26, Germany and AustriaHungary rejected suggestions for an international conference to settle the Austro-Serbian dispute. If Germany stood with Austria-Hungary against Serbia —and by extension, Russia — then Russia's allies, France and Britain, would be likely to step into the fray as well.

Despite her weak military position, Austria-Hungary declared war.

Within the next 10 days, war stretched further afield.

On July 30, Russia began its general mobilisation; the following day Germany sent an ultimatum to Russia that she should stop all military movement on the Russian-German border. Having received no reply to her message, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1.

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Two days later, Germany also declared war on France and initiated their invasion of Belgium. The Italians announced that they would remain neutral.

On Tuesday August 4, Britain declared war on Germany. 48 hours later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia, and Serbia on Germany. By the end of this frantic week, Montenegro also went to war with Germany.

Within a fortnight the battle lines had been drawn in Europe and the world was about to change forever.

The political background to the long term causes of WW1 can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. Alliances, broken alliances and German naval expansion all caused much friction in Europe with two camps developing — both distrusting the other.

Numerous historians blame the events which took place exactly a month to the day before the Great War broke — the day when the world witnessed the assassination of Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his young wife, Sophie.

The infamous murders were committed by a Bosnian Serb called Gavrilo Princip. Only 19 at the time of the shootings, Princip was a keen member of Mlada Bosna (Young Bosnia), a society which wanted to separate Bosnia from Austria-Hungary and unite it with the neighbouring Kingdom of Serbia. He was also a fully-fledged member of the Black Hand — a group of assassins formed in 1901 by members of the Serbian Army. Their sole aim was to unite all ethnic Serb territories and liberate the AustroHungarian South Slavs (Yugoslavism).

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Spotlight Despite the Black Hand’s ultimate plans to kill Ferdinand, it was only by chance that the bullets fired on Sunday June 28 actually killed him and his wife.

Ferdinand and Sophie were invited to the opening of a hospital in Sarajevo on that fatal day. Ferdinand knew that the visit would be dangerous as his uncle, Emperor Franz Joseph, had been the subject of an assassination attempt in the area by the Black Hand only three years earlier, but he chose to attend the engagement anyway.

Just before 10 am, the royal couple arrived by train before being taken by car into the city. The pair sat in the second car of the cavalcade — the vehicle's top was rolled back in order to allow the crowds a good view of its occupants.

Six conspirators lined the route — each one had instructions to try to kill Franz Ferdinand when the royal car reached their position. The first conspirator on the course to spot the royal car was Muhamed Mehmedbašić. Standing by the Austro-Hungarian bank’s building, Mehmedbašić lost his nerve and the party drove on without him taking action.

Mehmedbašić is reported to have later said that a policeman was standing behind him and he feared he would be arrested before he had a chance to throw his bomb.

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Continued on page 26

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Spotlight At 10.15, when the six-car procession passed the central police station, 19-year-old student Nedeljko Čabrinović hurled a hand grenade at Ferdinand's car. The driver accelerated when he saw the object flying towards him, but the bomb had a 10-second delay and exploded under the wheel of the fourth car. Two of the occupants were seriously wounded and a dozen spectators were struck by shrapnel.

began to reverse. In doing so, the engine of the car stalled and the gears locked, giving Princip his opportunity.

After the grenade missed the target, four other conspirators, including Princip, lost an opportunity to attack because of the heavy crowds and the speed at which the target car sped away. To avoid capture, grenade thrower Čabrinović swallowed a cyanide capsule and jumped into the Miljacka River. Yet, as with his grenade, the cyanide pill did not work. The pill’s deadly ingredient had expired and failed to kill him, only making him sick. As luck was definitely not on his side on this fatal Sunday he had also failed to realise that the river was only 10 centimetres deep! Within a few seconds he was hauled out and detained by police.

As police moved in on Princip, he, too, attempted suicide — first with cyanide, which had no effect as it had come from the same batch of date-expired poison as that of his comrade Čabrinović, and then with his pistol, which police managed to wrestle from his hand before he had a chance to fire a suicidal shot.

Believing that the assassination plot had been foiled, Franz Ferdinand later decided to go to the hospital and visit the victims of the failed bombing attempt. As a safety measure, General Oskar Potiorek ordered them to avoid the city centre; he decided that the visitor’s car should travel straight along the Appel Quay to the Sarajevo Hospital. However, Potiorek forgot to inform the driver, Leopold Loyka, about this decision. On the way to the hospital, Loyka took a right turn into Franz Josef Street.

Deflated by the failure of the earlier attempts, Princip was standing near Moritz Schiller's cafe, contemplating how to leave the city undetected when he spotted Ferdinand's car as it drove past, having taken this fatal wrong turn. After realising the mistake, the driver put his foot on the brake and

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Princip stepped forward, drew his pistol and at a distance of about 1.5m, fired twice into the car.

Ferdinand was hit in the neck and Sophie in the abdomen. They both died before 11am.

Being a month short of the minimum 20-year age limit required by Habsburg law for the death sentence at the time of the murders, Princip instead received the maximum sentence of 20 years. Imprisoned at the Czech political prison camp Terezín (Theresienstad), the harsh conditions were worsened by war. Princip died on 28 April 1918 — three years and 10 months after the assassination. 28 weeks later, the war was over.

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Spotlight At the time of his death, Princip, weakened by malnutrition and disease, weighed around six and a half stones. His body had become racked by skeletal tuberculosis which ate away his bones to the extent that his right arm had been amputated – the arm which carried the pistol on that fatal day four years earlier. Fearing his remains might become relics for Slav nationalists, the Czech jailers buried the body in secret in an unmarked grave. However, a Czech soldier who had been assigned to oversee the burial remembered the location, and two years later, Princip and other so-called “Heroes of Vidovdan” were disinterred and returned to Sarajevo.

Princip's pistol was confiscated by the authorities, and was eventually given — along with the Archduke's bloody undershirt — to Anton Puntigam, a Jesuit priest and close friend of the Austrian. They can be seen as part of the permanent exhibition in the Museum of Military History in Vienna.

Gavrilo’s Sarajevo residence has been rebuilt twice, having been destroyed during World War I and again during World War II. Brought to the ground again during the bitter Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, Gavrilo Princip’s house was destroyed a third time but no attempts to rebuild it have ever been announced.

These horrifically high figures are almost incomprehensible to us, but imagine turning on the News and the reader tells us a whole country’s occupants are gone or hurt.

Prior to 1992, the spot on the pavement on which Princip stood to fire the fatal shots was marked by embossed footprints. These poignant markers were also destroyed during the early 1990s war in Bosnia.

These days, a plaque remains in front of a museum at the spot where Princip stood when he fired the shots in 1914.

There were just over 37 million military and civilian casualties in World War I — the equivalent of everyone in Poland today. There were just over 16 million deaths — the whole of the Netherlands by today’s figures — and 20 million wounded, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.

It wasn’t just the actions of one man, Princip, which changed the course of the world, it was a multitude of political sins and sorrows. One has to wonder, though, what would have happened if Leopold Loyka had not taken that wrong turn.

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Just for Fun

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

Some of you may have seen something like this tongue-in-cheek article before, as many variations have been circulated on the internet for other events such as the Manchester Games, the London Olympics and I’m sure a few more. But just in case you have missed it…here are the amended details for the forthcoming Glasgow games…

Opening ceremony The flame will be ignited by a petrol bomb thrown by a native of Ferguslie Park, in the traditional dress of balaclava and a Burberry shell suit. The flame will be contained in a large overturned police van situated on the roof of the stadium.

In previous Commonwealth Games, Glaswegian competitors have not been particularly successful.

In order to redress the balance, some of the events have been altered slightly to the advantage of local athletes: 100 metres sprint Competitors will have to hold a DVD player and a microwave oven (one on each arm) and on the sound of the starting pistol, a police dog will be released from a cage 10 yards behind the athletes.

110 metres hurdles As above but with added obstacles (i.e. car bonnets, hedges, garden fences, walls etc) Hammer Competitors in this event may choose the type of hammer they wish to use (claw, sledge etc).

The winner will be the one who can cause the most physical damage within three attempts.

Triple jump The competitor will be required to break into — and hotwire — a car of their choice and then jump three sets of red lights on Sauchiehall Street during peak time, all against the clock.

Fencing This event will see the traditional sword replaced by broken Buckfast bottles. The contest itself will be based outside kebab shops in Baillieston, Riddrie, Drumpchapel and Easterhouse… the winner will be the one who can leave A&E first.

Shooting A strong challenge is expected from local men in this event. The first target will be a moving police van. In the second round, competitors will aim at a post office clerk, bank clerk or Securicor-style

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wages delivery man. The traditional .22 rifle has been replaced in this event by a choice of either a Walther semi-automatic handgun or sawn-off 12bore shotgun.

Boxing Entry to the boxing will be restricted to husband and wife teams, and will take place on a Friday night. The husband will be given 15 pints of lager while the wife will be told not to make him any tea when he gets home. The bout will then commence.

Cycling time trials Competitors will be asked to break into the Glasgow University bike shed and take an expensive mountain bike owned by some Mummy's boy on his first trip away from home — all against the clock.

Cycling pursuit As above, but the bike will be owned by a visiting member of the Australian rugby team, who will witness the theft.

Modern pentathlon Amended to include mugging, breaking and entering, flashing, joyriding, under-age drinking and arson.

Swimming events All waterways are currently being tested for toxicity levels. Once one is found that can support human life, swimming events will be organised. Please note that the synchronised swimming event for this year will comprise of dropping acid and watching all the funky ripples on the pool. The specific musical support for this event will be provided by "Belle & Sebastian."

The marathon A safe route has yet to be decided.

Men’s 50km walk Unfortunately this will have to be cancelled, as the police cannot guarantee the safety of anyone walking the streets of Glasgow.

Closing ceremony Entertainment will include formation rave dancing by members of the Govan Health in the Community anti-drug campaigners, synchronised rock-throwing and music by the Dennistoun community choir. The flame will be extinguished by police riot water cannons following inevitable pitch invasion by confused old firm fans.

The stadium itself will then be boarded up before the local athletes break into it and remove all the copper piping and the central heating boiler.

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Just for Fun

Why men are

just happier people Your last name never changes.

The garage is all yours.

One mood all the time.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

Chocolate is just another snack.

You know stuff about tanks.

You can never be pregnant.

A five-day holiday requires only one suitcase.

You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

You can open all your own jars.

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

You never have to drive to another petrol station toilet because this one is just too icky.

You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is 4.95€ for a three-pack.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

Same work, more pay.

You almost never have strap problems in public.

Wrinkles add character.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

Wedding dress 2000€. Morning-suit rental 100€.

Everything on your face stays its original colour.

People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.

The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.

New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life.

One wallet and one pair of shoes; one colour for all seasons.

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.

You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier!

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Things to Do

A brave heart

in Andalucía Robert I, often known as Robert the Bruce, was King of Scots from 1306 until his untimely death in 1329. He became one of Scotland's greatest kings as well as one of the most famous warriors of his generation — eventually leading Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the Kingdom of England.

Bruce is remembered in Scotland today as a national hero. His body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey, while his heart is buried separately in Melrose Abbey.

An unusual occurrence one would think, but this is where a small village in Andalucía plays its role in history.

As his final request on his deathbed in Cardross, on the banks of the River Clyde, Robert the Bruce asked that his embalmed heart be taken on the crusades with his friend and Lieutenant, Sir James Douglas (the Black Douglas).

Almost a year later, this last wish was carried out and as legend would have it, in the crusade against the enemies of the name of Christ to the Holy Land, Bruce’s heart was securely kept in a casket around the neck of his loyal Lieutenant; a casket to which only Sir Symon of Locard (Lockhart) carried the key. On hearing of an invasion by the Saracen army of Moors at Castillo de las Estrellas (Castle of the Stars) in Teba, Sir James made a detour to Spain to assist King of Castile and Leon, Alphonso Xl, in his moment of need.

historical events from 680 years ago. Growing more popular with each event, the festivities include a variety of cultural activities recreated through an authentic medieval ambience in the village’s streets and main plaza. Market stalls sell products typical of the municipality, and music is provided by the Scottish Pipers of Gibraltar and the Municipal Band.

Be sure to visit the restored Castle of Stars and look out over the Guadalteba valley towards Ardales and Almargen, and picture the approaching Saracens.

Imagine the Castilian trumpet and feel the honour of history in your own heart.

This legend steeped in history, intrigue, bravery and honour concludes with Robert the Bruce’s heart acting as a talisman for the Scottish contingent at the Battle of Teba in 1330. It is widely believed that on hearing a Castilian trumpet, Sir James Douglas incorrectly believed it was an indication to advance and so set forth with his troop. Finding himself surrounded and on realising his death was imminent, the Black Douglas is said to have thrown the casket containing Bruce's heart ahead of him and shouted ‘Onward Braveheart, Douglas shall follow thee or die.’

To commemorate this heroic act, celebrations are held annually in Teba. This year, on 2 and 3 August, the white-washed hilltop pueblo remembers these

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Health & Beauty

Beating bloating

bellies It doesn’t matter how many pounds you lose, if you’re sporting a bloated stomach your favourite jeans will never fit right.

About one in five people regularly suffer from bloating, and not only is a swollen stomach unsightly and uncomfortable, but it can also be a symptom of bigger body issues. Your belly is a barometer of your overall health, and everything from your diet to your moods can affect your digestion, gas production and, ultimately, whether or not you feel like you’re about to bust a gut.

Luckily, once you identify the cause of your ballooning middle, deflating it is easy. Here are eight common culprits, plus simple strategies to beat the bloat: Wheat Don’t have coeliac disease or gluten insensitivity?

Wheat could still be bloating your belly. That’s because it contains potentially harmful proteins other than gluten, such as gliadin, alutenin and agglutinin, which can increase inflammation and alter your gut’s delicate balance of bacteria, triggering bloating, gas and even diarrhoea.

Try removing wheat from your diet for about a month and see if your midsection decompresses.

Remember, though, that wheat isn’t just in breads and pastas. Processed foods such as sweets, seasonings, canned soup and dried mixes are common sources as well, so be sure to pay attention to nutrition labels.

Sodium If you’ve just finished a particularly salty meal and your fingers are swelling like sausages, chances are your intestines are, too. Sodium molecules attract water and cause tissues to hydrate, so too much can cause water retention. And chances are you’re getting too much of the salty stuff; the average person consumes more than twice the daily recommended amount.

While ditching the saltshaker will certainly help, forgoing processed foods is an even smarter move.

A huge 75 percent of the average person’s sodium intake comes from commercially prepared foods such as breads and packaged snacks.

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Sugar Substitutes Skipping or cutting down on your sugar intake is good, but not when you replace it with sugar alcohols.

Primarily found in sugar-free food varieties including ice cream, sweets, and chewing gum, they’re difficult to digest and can ferment in your gut, causing bloating, gas, cramps and diarrhoea. Manufacturers of products that are high in sorbitol, a common sugar alcohol, have to state on their label that they “may have a laxative effect.” Meanwhile, mannitol can actually be purchased in your pharmacy as a laxative.

If you find yourself reaching for “sugar-free” and “no sugar added” foods, check their labels for erythritol, glycerol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol— basically anything with “-tol” at the end. And while you’re at it, swear off chewing gum, sugarless and sugar-packed alike — more on that next.

Air Yes, you really can swallow air. We do it every day, some of us more than others. Gum chewers, fizzy soda drinkers, smokers and people who talk with their mouths full all have an increased chance of filling their middles with too much air. Once in your belly, air travels through your digestive system in pockets, literally inflating your gut.

As well as kicking the aforementioned habits, ordering a straw with your drink can also help scale back the amount of air that sneaks its way through your mouth. Bonus for the ladies — it’ll also keep you from messing up your lipstick!

Stress As if stress weren’t, well, stressful enough, it’s also a triple threat for your tummy. First, it makes you more likely to reach for unhealthy foods — and inhale them (along with air, most likely) — in record time. Second, it heightens the sensitivity of the GI tract to spur stomach aches. And third, it causes the diaphragm to squeeze down on your abdominal cavity to literally push out your gut.

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Health & Beauty Oddly enough, big belly breaths (as taught in yoga classes) can help get the air out of your stomach.

Relaxation therapy, which relies heavily on deep breathing techniques, has been found to be an effective form of bloating prevention and treatment.

When you breathe slowly and deeply, the brain signals the body’s adrenal glands to cut back on their release of stress hormones, calming your nervous system and digestive system alike.

Dairy Milk does the body good — well, some bodies. We all naturally produce varying amounts of an enzyme called lactase that is needed to digest lactose, a type of sugar found in dairy. Some people don’t produce much of it, while others don’t produce any, and without enough of the enzyme, lactose ferments in the intestines, creating a build-up of gas that leads to a loosening of the belt.

Try easing up on dairy products, but you might not need to swear them off altogether. Research suggests that many lactose-intolerant people can process up to 12 grams of lactose (the amount in a cup of milk) without problems. Plus, yogurt and fermented dairy products with probiotics regulate the digestive system and may help flatten your belly.

Fibre We’ve all been told to increase our fibre intake, but it turns out that you eating too much can be uncomfortable and often… smelly! Think beans! A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology found that when people who suffered from digestive distress reduced their fibre intake, they also reduced their bloating by 69.7 percent. Why? Unlike your intestines, bacteria in your colon can digest fibre to a small extent, producing gas as a by-product. What’s more, since fibre slows digestion, it can let those bacteria and gases build up for what probably feels like forever.

Women still need 25 grams of fibre a day, whilst men require 38 grams. If you need to increase your fibre intake whilst not increasing your gas output, do so slowly over a matter of weeks, and pair it with extra fluids. The liquid will help keep things moving along, preventing another stomach-swelling source: constipation.

Bloating can often be triggered by any of the above reasons, however if you are in discomfort and the bloating will not subside after 24 hours, please go and see your GP.

Dehydration When your tank hits E, your body (which is about 60 percent water) goes into panic mode — storing water between and within cells and causing all-over swelling. And if that didn’t make you feel plump enough, the process sucks water away from your digestive system, which relies on water to clear waste. Bacteria build up in the intestines. Without water, that bacteria just keep making more bellyprotruding gas.

As great as the ‘eight glasses a day’ mantra is for a detox, how much water you really need depends on your health, exercise habits and even the weather.

As long as your urine is pale or transparent, you’re probably in the clear.

Some people may find that their water intake in the hot weather we experience here rises — this is understandable and keeping yourself hydrated is of utmost importance — but we are not all built the same way. Vary your water consumption by a glass or two a day and see if it has any effect on your bloating.

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33

Talking Point

The rules

of war

The outbreak of war in 1914 brought many new rules and regulations to Britain. The most important of these was the Defence of the Realm Act (DORA), passed on 8 August 1914 ‘for securing public safety’.

DORA gave the government the power to prosecute anyone whose actions were deemed to ‘jeopardise the success of the operations of His Majesty’s forces or to assist the enemy’. This gave the act a very wide interpretation. It regulated virtually every aspect of the British home front and was expanded as the war went on.

Here are a few of the surprising measures introduced

by DORA — some of which still affect life in Britain today.

1. Whistling Whistling for London taxis was banned in case it should be mistaken for an air raid warning.

5. Drugs Possession of cocaine or opium, other than by authorised professionals such as doctors, became a criminal offence.

2. Loitering People were forbidden to loiter near bridges and tunnels or to light bonfires.

6. Blackouts A blackout was introduced in certain towns and cities to protect against air raids.

3. Clocks go forward British Summer Time was instituted in May 1916 to maximise working hours in the day, particularly in agriculture.

7. Press censorship Press censorship was introduced, severely limiting the reporting of war news. Many publications were also banned.

4. Drinking Claims that war production was being hampered by drunkenness led to pub opening times and alcohol strength being reduced. The ‘No treating order’ also made it an offence to buy drinks for others.

8. Postal censorship Private correspondence was also censored. Military censors examined 300,000 private telegrams in 1916 alone.

9. White flour Fines were issued for making white flour instead of wholewheat flour, and for allowing rats to invade wheat stores. Further restrictions on food production eventually led to the introduction of rationing in 1918.

10. Foreign nationals DORA put restrictions on the movement of foreign nationals from enemy countries. The freedom of such ‘aliens’ was severely restricted, with many being interned.

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Alice’s Wonderland

A long hot summer

by Alice Marriott

Hey, it’s me again, Alice!

We are now halfway through the summer holidays.

It’s so hot most of the time that all we seem to do is end up being in the pool! I find that the summer holidays tend to get boring after a month or so, but there are a few good festivals coming up before the end of August, so at least there’s something to look forward to.

Saying that, unfortunately school never really seems to end; I went in to get my grades – I passed everything — and I also had to take the paperwork in for college. Now I’m trying to find the college books I’ll need as you can buy a set from last year’s students but it seems like everyone has sold them already. It means that I might have to buy brand new books which could be expensive, so I’m worried about that as they are €40 each and you need a lot!

My friend Nadia has some of her relatives coming to visit at the end of July until mid-August; over the year I have become good friends with the girls. There are two from Ireland — Nina and a friend of hers — and a couple from Manchester, Izzy and Darcy. They are here for a couple of the local festivals. The first one is St Douglas Day, which is to do with the Scots in Teba. Personally, I think this festival is good fun because they have lots of entertainment and many Scottish people come for the weekend, so we get to meet new people. The other festival is the biggest one for most Spanish towns — the feria. In Teba, the feria lasts for four to five days. There are a few funfair rides, such as the Hopper, the Viking Boat, the bumper cars and a few others. I always enjoy feria because after the rides there is always a party and it’s always good fun.

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Alice’s Wonderland There is one other festival just before the girls arrive.

This is a shame as it’s one of my favourites — the Youth Festival. It is very popular with the locals and is considered a big event in Teba. It’s an outdoor concert with DJs, and many people from other nearby towns come for it.

I haven’t been to the stables much so far this month but they are holding a big day out — like an activity day — at some point so that will be good fun. Also, the owner has just bought a new mare which gets scared easily because she’s not used to the area, so I have to ride her and take her out until she gets comfortable and used to the campo. Alongside the stable, there is a paintballing business owned by the family who have the stables — I have been a couple of times and it really is good fun but it can sting when you get shot! I’m also about to start a new job — babysitting in Sierra de Yeguas, for a Spanish lady who wants me to teach her toddler English. It will be a good opportunity for me to learn new skills and I get a little extra money which is always a bonus!

Hope you’re all having a good summer and even though it seems to drag when I’m not at school, the time will soon go so I intend to enjoy it while it still lasts — hope you do too!

Love Alice x

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37

Talking Point

Most important meal

of the day

Social changes and new lifestyles — and especially a lack of time — have gradually given rise to the trend of eating light breakfasts which are nutritionally incomplete and have little variety.

The situation worsens in view of the growing trend to eat lighter dinners — or even skip them altogether, leading to an imbalance in meal distribution throughout the day. This can have negative effects on nutrition and, therefore, potentially impact on our health.

Eating a healthy breakfast provides us with energy and essential nutrients, balances our diet, helps us maintain a healthy weight and improves our physical and intellectual performance all day long.

Moreover, selecting one or more foods from these groups provides for a wide variety of breakfast combinations. For example: Coffee with milk and sugar or hot chocolate, cookies, and fresh orange juice.

Bread with sliced cheese and turkey, with kiwi.

Milk, apple, wheat toast with fresh tomato and olive oil.

Yogurt with breakfast cereal, strawberries and nuts.

It’s important for the serving size to be adapted accordingly for age, gender and activity level. Of course, it’s possible to eat a greater variety of foods, but it’s important to consume them in small portions so as not to increase our breakfast calories.

It’s also very important to vary what we have for breakfast and combine different foods from each group. If we don’t repeat the same thing for lunch and dinner, why do it with breakfast?

Breakfast should provide 20 to 25 per cent of our daily energy needs (eg 400 to 500 calories for a 2,000 calorie/day diet). A complete breakfast must include at least four different food groups: Grains and grain-products: bread, breakfast cereals, cookies, pastries…

Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cheese…

Natural fruits and strawberry juice…

juices:

oranges,

Others: eggs, nuts, olive oil, butter…

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bananas,

Set aside enough time (10 or 20 minutes) and eat sitting down, and eat with others when you can, just like you would do for other meals.

Children and young people often skip the meal entirely or don’t eat a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is very important for this group as they are at a stage in their lives when healthy eating is vital for growth and development.

Moreover, food habits — correct or otherwise — form during this period and are maintained throughout our lifetimes. Accordingly, it’s very important to teach young people the importance of breakfast and to ensure that they eat a healthy meal every day so that they continue that routine throughout adulthood.

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Spotlight

Feeding the Home Front

The phrase, the ‘Home Front’ refers to life in Britain during World War One. It saw a massive change in the role of women, rationing, bombing of parts of Britain by the Germans (the first time civilians had been targeted in war), conscientious objectors and strikes by discontented workers. The whole nation was under the jurisdiction of DORA (Defence of the Realm Act).

When war was declared, there were street celebrations throughout the length and breadth of Great Britain. Such scenes were repeated throughout Europe. Many believed that the war would be over by the end of 1914 and many young men rushed to answer the call to arms — as did many men who were too old to serve but wanted to show their patriotism.

The government asked for 100,000 volunteers but got 750,000 in just one month. The public was quickly deluged with numerous propaganda posters to encourage everyone in their nation's time of need.

been killed or severely wounded. The return of wounded soldiers to London rail stations late at night did nothing to stop people realising that casualties were horrendous.

The war led to inflation, and many poorer families could not afford the increase in food prices. At the start of the war, food shortages were self-imposed but it was at this time that people started to panicbuy food and hoard supplies at home. In August 1914, some shops sold out of food in days. After the initial surge, though, people settled down into a routine and food was not a problem again until the end of 1916.

Britain continued to import food during the war. The main exporters to Britain were America and Canada.

This meant that merchant ships had to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Until 1916, these ships could travel in relative safety, but then the Germans introduced unrestricted submarine warfare and merchant ships were frequently sunk. This had a drastic impact on the nation’s food supply and with great losses in the Atlantic, food had to be rationed to prevent people in Britain from starving.

In April 1916, Britain only had six weeks of wheat left and bread was a staple part of most diets.

This enthusiasm did not last. After the Battle of the Marne, it became obvious that there would be not a quick victory and as trench warfare took hold, the true reality of a modern war became obvious to all.

War-weariness soon set in. The government could not hide the fact that many thousands of men had

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1916 was a bleak year for families; with the terrible news from the Battle of the Somme, suddenly the war was brought home. Food prices rose and by October that year, coal was in such short supply that it was rationed on the basis of the number of rooms a family had in the house.

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Spotlight

The various restrictions failed, though, and the government then tried to introduce a voluntary code of rationing whereby people limited themselves to what they should eat. The standard was set by the Royal Family. However, this did not work either.

Those who worked in the munitions factories did not have enough food, while anyone with money could get more than enough on the black market. Any area that could grow food was converted to do so — gardens were turned into allotments and chickens were kept in back gardens.

The powers introduced by DORA allowed the government to requisition land when it felt that it was necessary to do so. In 1917, the government took over 2.5 million acres of land for farming. By the end of the war, Britain had an extra three million acres of farmland. Those who would normally have worked on the land — the young men — had been called up, so the work was done by the Women's Land Army.

Conscientious objectors also worked on the land.

Despite the importance of the work done by the WLA, the government still felt it was appropriate to warn them about the standards expected of them; their approach must have seemed very old-fashioned to some: "You are doing a man's work and so you are dressed rather like a man,” the women were told. “But remember that even though you wear a smock and trousers, you should take care to behave like an English girl who expects chivalry and respect from everyone she meets.”

Despite the WLA’s work, the impact of the German U-boat campaign made food shortages a serious problem by 1918. Malnutrition was seen in poor communities and as a result, the government introduced rationing in 1918. Food products were added to the list as the year progressed. In January 1918, sugar was rationed and by the end of April,

meat, butter, cheese and margarine were included too. Ration cards were issued and everyone had to register with a butcher and grocer. Rationing was a clear indication to the British public that all was not well, but it did work. The malnutrition that had been identified in the poorer communities disappeared and as happened later in World War Two, no-one actually starved in Britain in wartime.

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41

Health & Beauty

Stimulate your health with mind power

by Sarah Jackson

Is good health only about what is going on in our physical bodies, or do our thoughts have an impact on whether we feel well or not?

We have all heard of psychosomatic illnesses, but can we also create psychosomatic wellness?

Could it be that our personal realities are actually created through thought, and because of the thoughts we have, is it therefore possible that we can change our existing brain circuits to enable us to create the change we want in our lives by aligning our speech, thoughts and actions?

Our response to these questions will undoubtedly be influenced by the beliefs we hold about how our bodies function. Do you believe that you are your brain, or you are your consciousness? Do you believe that your brain rules your emotions, or do your emotions create your brain?

Thought undoubtedly affects our physical bodies. If you do not believe this then consider what happens in your physical body when you think of a person that you find extremely annoying — or when you think a sexually arousing thought. Try it. Something definitely happens at an internal level!

Even as you read the words on this page, do you realise that a multitude of changes are occurring within your body? Your pancreas and adrenal glands are secreting new hormones, triggering a surge in the electrical current in your brain and releasing a host of neurochemicals. Your spleen and thymus gland send messages to your immune system resulting in the flow of different gastric juices. Your liver begins to process enzymes that were not present moments earlier. Your lungs adjust the rate at which they inflate and deflate; your heart rate fluctuates and the blood flow to the capillaries in your hands changes.

All this from just picking up this magazine and beginning to read!

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Modifying your awareness, shifting your attention, thinking a different thought — all these activities cause changes to occur in your brain. Just for a moment, stop reading and become aware of your own heartbeat. By this simple act you caused a power surge and voltage flux of electricity in millions of brain cells right inside your own head. You just changed the way your brain is working — not just for now, but how it will work in the future.

As you bring your attention back to this page, electrical currents and blood flow to your brain are re-routed. Microscopic nerve cells group together to communicate, creating stronger long-term relationships. When you shifted your focus, you stimulated the neurological tissue that makes up your brain to fire in new combinations and sequences; this resulted in you physically changing your mind.

According to neuroscience, when we place our attention on pain in the body we make pain exist because the circuits in the brain that perceive pain become electrically activated. If we then shift our awareness to something else, the brain circuits that process pain can be turned off, and the pain disappears. However, when we then look to see whether the pain is gone for good, the corresponding brain circuits switch on again, and the pain returns.

If these same brain circuits are repeatedly activated, the connections between them become stronger, so by paying attention to pain on a regular basis, we are wiring our brains to become even more acutely aware of the sensations of pain, because the brain circuits involved become more enriched.

By constantly thinking about the same thing we create neurological pathways in our brains: we become what we constantly concentrate on. The experiences you have had, the things you learn and remember, the thoughts you have of the future — all these have an effect upon how your nerve cells are arranged. You create yourself and define who you are, within the electrical fibres of your brain tissue.

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Health & Beauty

However, nothing within this neurological highway is static, permanent or unchangeable. The matter which makes up our brain cells can be seen as a multitude of electrical fibres, constantly connecting and disconnecting, according to the thoughts and experiences we are having.

We can all choose as individuals where we place our attention so, if this direction is unequivocally linked to the state of our being, our ability to feel well or ill at ease, why is it so difficult to choose to place out attention on thoughts that serve us better? Why do we spend so much time rekindling old memories of past hurts, only to bring them to life, in full Technicolor, in our imagination?

The truth is that we are all having thoughts constantly.

Many of these thoughts are subconscious, and we are not consciously aware of them. Whether that thought is conscious or subconscious, it has the same effect upon our brain tissue. As we ‘mindlessly’ allow these unconscious thoughts to run through our brain, they repeatedly create a cascade of chemical reactions that produce not only WHAT we feel but HOW we feel.

If we habitually think the same thoughts at a subconscious level, we alter our internal chemistry.

Our hormonal and electrical responses are no longer ‘within normal range’. As a result of being constantly out of balance, our bodies’ self regulation systems eventually recalibrate and redefine these abnormal states as normal and regular.

Could it be, then, that over time, as a result of this habitual thinking, our bodies become out of balance, or what we call diseased? Do we cause unease in our bodies by the thoughts we keep thinking?

Unlocking and switching off these subconscious thoughts and programmes is the key to creating a new reality for ourselves. Most of us are completely unaware of what is going on inside us at a subconscious level — let alone know how to change the programme.

Dynamic hypnotherapy can bring these subconscious programmes into conscious awareness. Outmoded thought processes and beliefs can then be altered, creating new neural pathways within your brain, enabling you to speak, think and act in a new way — a way that serves you — neutralising disease and promoting wellbeing.

If you are tired of being out of balance, of thinking thoughts that do not bring you the reality that you desire then make the decision to do something about it. Life is too short and too beautiful to spend recreating past experiences that you no longer need.

Make the decision to change your mind and act upon it — today.

For more information or to discuss this article in confidence, please see Sarah’s advert on page 5.

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43

Health & Beauty

Don’t wait to treat a cavity What do you do when you find out that you have a cavity? Do you visit your dentist and get it filled, or do you just ignore it and wait for the toothache before you think of getting it filled? If your answer is a yes for the latter, you are just waiting for a disaster to happen.

Getting it filled is the wise option Tooth decay is a bacterial infection which causes demineralisation and destruction of the tooth. It first affects the enamel of the tooth. At this stage it can be stopped from further progression by recalcification of enamel with fluoride treatment. But if left untreated, it can get larger and affect the inner layers – dentin and pulp — of the tooth.

Once the decay reaches the second layer, ie the dentin, it progresses faster and you may experience sensitivity in the tooth. To prevent more damage you will need to get it filled. Failure to do so will cause the decay to spread to pulp, the innermost layer of the tooth containing nerves and blood vessels. You may or may not experience pain at this stage. When the pulp gets infected, just filling the tooth is not an option! Your tooth can be fixed only with a root canal treatment (RCT) followed by a restoration of the tooth with a crown. In some cases, the tooth may be beyond repair, requiring an extraction. The infection from the pulp may also spread to the periodontal ligament (fibres that attach teeth to the bone) leading to its destruction and ultimately, loss of teeth.

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Still wondering whether it’s worth getting your tooth drilled when you have no pain at the moment?

Here’s another reason. A complicated treatment such as root canal can mean a ten-fold increase in cost compared to a simple filling — and this does not even include the cost of the crown that follows! If you lose the tooth, replacing it with implants can cost you much more.

It could lead to unwanted complications too Infected pulp will eventually die. This can lead to an abscess which can leave you with one of the worst dental pains ever. The bacterial infection from the abscess can spread and cause complications such as a dental cyst (fluid-filled cavity), sinusitis, osteomyelitis (infection of the bone) or sepsis (infection throughout the body). Rarely, it can also cause potentially fatal conditions such as Ludwig’s angina (swelling and intense pain under the tongue and in the neck) and cavernous sinus thrombosis (blood clot in a large vein at the base of the brain).

Still want to take the risk?

For more information or to visit an English speaking dentist, see the advert on the back page.

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Events CHAIN (CHarity For Animals In Need) invites you to a night of Rock'n'Roll with Mr Entertainment - Karl Knight — at Venta La Masia, Villafranco. The show kicks of at 8pm on Saturday 26th July. Tickets for the show are priced at just 5€ per person. Food is available for purchase at the restaurant.

To get your tickets please visit the CHAIN shop in La Trocha shopping centre in Coin or alternatively call 630 197 435. So, grab your "blue suede shoes" and come and have a great night out with CHAIN.

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Twenty teasers

from page 3

12. Si (King) and Dave (Myers)

1. Kia-Ora

13. Queen Victoria

2. Jenny or Jennet

14. Davy Jones

3. Italy (54 litres per person per year)

15. Rolling Stones

4. 12

16. Edinburgh

5. Dick Francis

17. To carry oxygen around the body

6. 116 years

18. 1988 (£1 coins were introduced in 1983 and the last £1 note was printed in 1984, but they were legal tender until 1988. Scottish £1 notes remain legal tender today.)

7. Group D 8. Alec Guiness 9. Tenerife 10. Berkshire

19. Eddie 20. Vine Street, Marlborough Street and Bow Street

11. Nurse

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