The Courier Week101 by TKO UK

Edition 101

www.thecourier.es

Friday, January 25, 2013

OUR SCHOOL’S A DEATH TRAP! Parents’ sit-in sends warning to Valencia doubters

WORRIED parents and teachers will stage a protest sit-in tonight (Friday) hoping to convince the Valencian Government to replace their children’s ‘‘death-trap’’ school. The local administration supports the campaign to rebuild Principe de Espana school in Rojales, which one parent described this week as in a ‘‘horrific state’’. The fire service has condemned the existing building - and the regional authorities have an architect’s report to back the project. Yet officials in Valencia are reluctant to

EXCLUSIVE by DONNA GEE authorise or to give assurance that a new school will be funded and built at the earliest convenience. The apparent indifference of the politicians has infuriated families of the 500-plus pupils, who fear further delays could prove fatal - literally. Rachel King, a fulltime mum whose sixyear-old daughter Jasmine attends the school, told me: ‘‘Just a few weeks ago a 20kg piece of concrete fell from the roof whilst thankfully the children were in class. If

it had landed on anyone, it would have without a doubt killed them. ‘Only last week in Santa Pola, nine children and their teacher were hospitalised when the floor of their classroom gave way.’’ Describing the school as in a ‘‘horrific state’’, Rachel chronicled an ‘‘endless’’ list of complaints about the 40-year-old school. The problems include:

l l l l l

No fire escape from the first floor of the building. Lead piping running throughout the school. Sub-standard electrics which mean classrooms have to be heated in turns. Cracked and crumbling supporting beams General dampness – and sewerage rising into the playground when it rains.

Cracked: The roof of the main school building

‘‘The foul water rises back into the playground, creating filthy puddles,’’ she says of the rising damp problem, which arose because 'temporary' buildings are situated on top of the septic tanks. Rachel, who moved to Rojales with marine-engineer husband Richard from Hampshire nine years ago, added: ‘’I could go on, the list is endless. It really is an accident waiting to happen.

Breaking up:The classroom sinks “We live in an area that is prone to earthquakes and the high wind is a worry as the structure is in such a precarious state. ’’ At least 100 teachers, parents and pupils are expected to attend tonight’s sit-in, which has been organised by the AMPA parents’ organisation AMPA.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

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96 692 1003 679 096 309 965 99 66 66 E-MAIL office@thecourier.es WEB www.thecourier.es HEAD OFFICE Calle Luis Canovas Martinez 1. Urb Aguas Nuevas, Torrevieja 03183, ALICANTE PHONE: 96 692 1003 Email: office@thecourier.es OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri 1030 to 1730 CONSULTANT EDITOR Donna Gee ADVERTISING SALES 966 921 003 office@thecourier.es TELESALES 966 921 003 679 096 309 Sally Los Alcazares, San Javier 618 391 491 Myra Quesada, Rojales, Torrevieja, San Miguel Tel. 618 583 765 Jean La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 618 898 034 Janine 616 332 178 Patrick International Rep 5 Languages Tel 685 901 265 Writers Donna Gee Sally Bengtsson Jeanette Erath Alex Trelinski Dave Silver Tony Mayes Heidi Wardman John McGregor

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Picture of the Week

JUNGLE DRUMS

WISH THEY WOULD STOP THOSE DAMM FIREWORKS Photo by Leonard Sparkes

FEAR WE GO Granada COP’S SON, 11, FAKES KIDNAP TO ESCAPE PARENTS EVENING

It was both dramatic and creative – but it was also one of the most over-thetop solutions ever for avoiding the flak when parents are called in to talk to their teachers. One afternoon the unnamed 11year-old son of a Spanish police officer stationed in the north-western town of Xinzo de Limia sent a text message to tell his father he had been kidnapped. When his father phoned back, the boy confirmed the worst. He said he had been snatched off the street as he was putting out rubbish, and then locked in the boot of a car. He had no idea where his kidnappers were taking him, but knew that the car he was in was a blue Seat. The worried father told his

commanders and, as the news was relayed around civil guard barracks across the province of Ourense, his colleagues hurriedly set up roadblocks. A nationwide alert was released in case the vehicle had left the

province. Police in neighbouring Portugal were also informed amid worries that the boy's kidnappers may have fled across the border.

Local newspapers flashed the news on their websites and ran photographs of heavily armed police manning roadblocks. The child was soon discovered there and reportedly explained that he had been terrified by the prospect of his parents going to school to speak to his teachers. "The child's poor school scores in recent weeks appear to explain a form of behaviour that no one in Xinzo could understand," said the Voz de Galicia n e w s p a p e r. "He and his parents were due to meet his class tutor that afternoon." They did not report on whether that meeting had now been cancelled – or merely delayed.

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goes punk

A PETITION to have a square in Spain named after the late Clash front man Joe Strummer has been approved by Granada’s city hall. Spokeswoman Maria Jose Anguita confirmed the decision, saying, “A square has been identified and now the proposal has to be approved by the committee of honours and distinctions. There was a popular petition for this to happen and the city hall accepted it.” Punk-rock star Strummer mentioned the town of Granada in the Clash song ‘Spanish Bombs’. He also visited Granada after Mick Jones' departure from the band. While there, he put his own money into producing a

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record for his friends, 091, whom he had met in his squatting days when his girlfriend at the time, Paloma Romero of The Slits, introduced them. A film about Strummer's trip to Spain is in the works and is titled, I Need a Dodge! The reason for the title is because when Strummer was in Madrid he reportedly lost his Dodge car and asked for help finding it during a radio interview.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

TAKE A BRAKE

Spain cuts speed limit on secondary roads THE speed limit on secondary roads in Spain is set to be reduced from 100kph to 90kph. Interior Minister Jorge Fernández Díaz said on Monday that the reduction was ‘imminent’’ and came in response to the fact that "77% of road accidents, including fatal accidents, occur on the country's secondary roads". He confirmed that the "main objective and priority" of speed limits was to guarantee road safety, whilst allowing for maximum mobility. For this reason, the Minister has decided to reduce the speed limit on secondary roads to a maximum of 90kmph. Furthermore, on stretches that are 6.5 metres wide or less, the speed limit will be reduced to

60kph. Thee was, however, good news for those drivers who like to put their foot down. The minister confirmed that he was studying the possibility of increasing the maximum speed limit on motorways from 120kmph to 130kmph. Any such change would, he said, have to take into account a number of variables, including the condition of the road surface, the amount of traffic, weather conditions, etc. with a variable speed limit linked to each of these the most likely solution. The Minister underlined that bicycles were not to be used on pavements around town and said he was looking at making the use of safety helmets obligatory in town as well as on main roads.

SLOWDOWN: Interior Minister Jorge Fernández

ance of twins born in Santa Cristina Clinic in 1981. She actually died on Tuesday and has already been buried, according to the charitable association SOS Bebés Robados (SOS Stolen Babies). Sister María did give evidence on April 12 last year after María Luisa Torres accused her of having stolen her newborn daughter in 1982

SPANISH TURN TO SEDATIVES IN BIG DRUG-CULTURE SHIFT THE use of sedatives like sleeping pills and tranquilisers has doubled in Spain in the last six years. And the percentage of people who took such drugs in the 12 months prior to the latest Health Ministry survey soared from 5% to 11.5%. Sedatives, together with alcohol and tobacco, have become the three most widely used drugs in Spain, overtaking

cannabis. According to the poll, while drug use went down in all other categories - alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine and others - the use of sedatives continued to rise, in particular in the 35-and-above age bracket. This is also the only category where there are more female than male users. Some 15.3% of women used sedatives in the last 12 months, compared with 7.6% of men.

Fund (FROB). Judge Javier Gómez Bermúdez, who presides over the open proceedings against CAM’s last two Chief Executives , two former Directors, and exPresidente on charges including misappropriation and forgery, has agreed to look into irregularities in the Deposit Guarantee Fund (FGD) and the FROB. According to reports, the FGD gave a grant of €5.249 million to CAM before its acquisition by Sabadell- a sum which must now be recovered. VALENCIAN pharmacists have suggested to the Department of Health that the number of night-opening s should be reduced in towns where a 24-hour service is in operation. This was among proposals conveyed by the three heads of the College of Pharmacists to Health Minister, Manuel Llombart. They consider that the number of night pharmacies operating in the region is "unsustainable" during a time of crisis, with current legislation demanding emergency facilities every two kilometres. Jamie Carbonell, President of the College of Pharmacists of Alicante, said:”It makes no sense that in municipalities where certain pharmacies already opt to work 24hour shifts, additional emergency clinics should also operate.” TORREVIEJA’S Night Market is preparing to receive a makeover, the makeshift aluminium stalls being replaced with smart wooden structures. The so-called ‘hippy market’, which operates daily along the city-centre Paseo de la Libertad, will be supplied with 100 new stalls, the first of which have already been erected. Vendors, some of who have operated in the same place for more than 30 years, must pay a fee of €1,800 to secure their spot. EMERGENCY Services in Alicante attended more than 50 emergencies on Wednesday, due to the strong winds. The most serious was a palm tree falling across live tramlines in Avenida Miriam Blasco. More than 200 service users were stranded for two hours as the connection between Alicante and San Juan was repaired. The strongest winds hit the north of the city, with gusts reaching 85 kph. Firefighters also removed a palm tree in Avenida Federico Soto and three more in Calle Fernando Madroñal, Jalón. Fallen streetlights, traffic lights, awnings, billboards and broken glass were among the incidents attended by the Fire Service. RESIDENTS of Montepinar urbanisation have signed a petition accusing Orihuela City Ccouncil of negligence, for approving a development proposal which has since been deemed “illegal”. The constructor invested €11 million into the project, which included construction of 230 fincas, without proper authorisation from the Regional Land Registry. The project was completed 30 years ago, and now residents face hefty fines and legal bill trying to legalise their homes. Their argument now lies with Orihuela Councillors who allegedly promised the properties would be made official once the Interior Reform Project (PRI) was approved.

Nun accused of baby theft dies

THE NUN accused of involvement in "stolen baby" cases has died in Madrid. The news was confirmed by a spokeswoman for the convent where she lived Las Hijas de la Caridad de San Vicente Paúl. María Gómez Valbuena, better known as Sister María, did not appear before the judge on January 18, citing "health reasons" as grounds for not giving evidence regarding the alleged disappear-

LIFE IN SPAIN A NEW private prosecution has been raised against CAM Bank regarding a q payment issued by the Bank Restructuring

However, the most widely used drug in Spain last year continued to be alcohol, with 76.6% percent of citizens having consumed it. Tobacco came in at 40.2%, a twopercent drop since the previous survey Figures also show that cocaine consumption has gone down from three percent in 2005 to 2.2 percent in 2011. Even so, Spain continues to head the European Union for use of that drug.

Friday, January 25, 2013

FARE WARS Elche taxi drivers in airport battle with rival cabbies

Tensions soared at El Altet Airport last weekend as Elche taxi drivers launched an attack on rivals from “out of the area”. The conflict between the legal airport companies and ‘Joe Bloggs from Playa Flamenca who does airport runs on the cheap’ has been on-going for almost a decade, with the drivers justifiably arguing the consequences that the illegal services are having on their livelihood. Following a severe clampdown by the local authorities and the threat of hefty fines for operating illegal taxi services, these incidents were drastically reduced. However, the Elche drivers are now facing fierce competition from registered taxi drivers from other municipalities, who have begun to line-up in the ranks outside the airport terminal to cash in on the flow of tourists. The latest clash was followed an incident between an Elche cabbie and the driver of a rival company from Torrevieja, which reportedly came to a violent end. It was on the back of this that a group of frustrated drivers took the law into their own hands and launched an attack on the ‘foreigners’. A frenzied riot ensued in which eggs were hurled at cars and tyres punctured or slashed, amid a tumult of threats from both parties. Reinforcements from the National Police were quickly moved in, in a bid to calm the situation and appease the two opposing groups. Meanwhile, the President of the Association of Elche Taxi Drivers, Tomás

Jorge Martín, met with Councillor for Transport Justino Delgado to voice his opposition at both the violence and the aggravation that led to it. He claimed the situation has become “untenable” and will continue to spiral if the authorities do not step in. “We understand how busy the Transport Councillor is, and are grateful that he is always willing to step in to assist us when we call upon him,’’ he said. “However, we must emphasise the severity of the conflict and need for action”. Snr Martin went on to explain that Elche drivers are outraged because they can barely make ends meet as it is, and with the competition from drivers from outside of the area, there is simply not enough business to go round. He added: “It does not sit well when drivers from Elche are forced into unemployment, whilst drivers from outside move in and take away their clients!” In response to the protests, the Transport Councillor announced that “Only Taxi Drivers from Elche are licensed to collect passengers from the taxi rank at El Altet Airport. Those from other areas are permitted to drop people off, or collect them by prior arrangement so long as the company involved is based at the destination point.” Finally Snr Delgado announced that the matter has been brought to the attention of the Regional Department for Transport, who, along with the Local Police, “will ensure compliance with the law and current regulations in order to avoid such incidents in the future."

THE Association of the German-speaking citizens of Orihuela Costa - DTOC – has protested to the Mayor “in the strongest terms’’ at the closure of the National Police office in Orihuela town hall. In an Open Letter to Monserrate Guillén, they describe the decision as “a major error’’ and complain that existing residents and new citizens attracted to the area by La Zenia Boulevard commercial centre will have to make several long journeys to apply for, renew and receive NIE and Residence certificates. The protest adds goes on: “ For a large and growing urban area the size of Orihuela Costa, this decision is ridiculous and is very much a backwards step, now making it a more difficult and oner-

ous task to regularise one’s residence and taxation status. “The majority of the foreign citizens are living in Orihuela Costa and not in Orihuela. For this reason alone, this action is completely illogical, is not acceptable and could be considered discriminatory.’’ The Open Letter concludes: “Orihuela Costa requires the presence of the National Police locally because our municipality is in continuous growth. If it is not possible for whatever reasons to have their representation returned to the town hall, then surely a solution can be found to re-locate their office to a more proximate location that is convenient for the citizens of Orihuela Costa. In any case, its closure was a major error.’’

By HEIDI WARDMAN

Orihuela police office closure ‘ridiculous’

Friday, January 25, 2013

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

What Pedro wants for Orihuela

ONCE again the Councillor who deserted his government post to collaborate with the enemy of Orihuela Costa criticises Pedro Mancebo, blaming him for anything and everything. Like the weakling in the playground who feels safe under the protection of the big bullies, he stabs out at the worker from the shadows. He criticises Pedro Mancebo, who is listening to the people, making important decisions and carrying out vital works. Maybe Bob criticises Mancebo so much because Pedro is everything that he is not. Bob is not a listener, he is afraid to make important decisions and he is certainly not a worker. Bob is

just a moaning criticiser. Perhaps he is ashamed that he needed Mancebo to get him elected and did not know how to work as part of a team? Bob likes being the boss of CLARO, where he is the king and those who question him do not last very long. What Bob must realise is that he only gets 3% of the total Orihuela vote, not even enough for one of the 25 seats. In good government all must work as part of a team but Bob was lured away and joined the big bully team who fights dirty and normally win (although not for the last two years). Contrary to Bob’s “research”, Pedro

Mancebo is more than interested in Orihuela Costa, he is working to improve it. He wants capital investment on the coast, he wants the national police in Playa Flamenca town hall, he wants a library, and he wants to improve tourism. The difference between the old Councillor for the Coast who did nothing and the current one is - Pedro Mancebo is working to achieve these objectives, and he will. Mr. Houliston, please note these words from Benjamin Franklin “Well done is better than well said”. JOHN CARROLL, Orihuela Costa

I’M BEING DRIVEN UP THE SWANEE! FIRSTLY, thank you for a very informative newspaper. However, the driving licence artcle sent me rushing for my blood pressure tablets. To explain, we are all aware of the constant changes to the Spanish rules and regulations. I have lived here for nearly nine years and have always tried to stay within the law. Last May I reached my alloted three score and ten years, thus my UK. licence expired. So as a resident I decided the time was ripe to change my UK licence to Spanish. I went to the medical centre in Torrevieja; took and passed the necessary test. The centre recommended a nearby Gestor where I supplied all the info and left them to do what was needed. So what is my grouse? It is that all that took place on 23/04/2012 and I am no closer to getting my new licence. Of course not a problem here because I have a piece of

’’WE’VE spoken to the British Consulate paper with an official stamp, about your situation, Bill, which I am assured will satisfy the police here if I am and they advise you to stopped. But I am not able to contact the Customer hire a car on my trips back to Services manager at the DVLA in Swansea, to the UK. I would be grateful for any explain the problems you help or advice you can offer. have encountered followMy regular visits to the ing the correct procedure Gestor for information just to transfer your UK driving results in the comment, licence to one issued by "everything is still with the the Spanish authorities. Write to Carole Evans, DVLA in Swansea." BILL REEVES Customer Services Manager, DVLA, Swansea, SA7 0EE. You can also make contact via www.gov. uk/contact-the-dvla or by fax to 0044 1792 766416. REGARDING your article about medicals for UK drivers, can The Spanish Tráfico you inform me where you can have the medical and keep Department has an internal your UK licence? The last time I tried in Torrevieja they would complaints procedure you only do the medical if you were changing to a Spanish licence. We are in Orihuela Costa and both over 65, have a can follow to take this matUK property and are resident in Spain. We hope to have six ter further. Further details are on GRAHAM CANTELLO months at both. General de The British Consulate can’t really help on this one, Direccion Graham, but they say the tráfico department in Trafico at www.dgt.es, or Alicante might point you in the right direction. -EDITOR by calling 965 125 466.

The test of time q

I RECENTLY attended the Pantomime Dick Whittington in Los Montesinos. This was put on by the Pantomime Group of Rojales. Being a lady from France I did not really understand British Pantomime but my husband, who has seen pantomime before, assured me that I and my children would love it. And so we go to see it. Everybody on the door was so friendly and the little theatre was so charming and nice and warm. The show which is like a funny story with music was very well done with a man dressed as a lady who made us all laugh. A lady dressed as a man who married a lady. It all seemed very confusing at first but we really enjoyed it. My children loved the Cat and the man who played the Giant Rat. The best person who we all liked was the man who played Jack; he was really funny and had a lovely singing voice. At the end of the show he came and spoke to us all and thanked us for coming. He did even let my children have a photo taken with him. So I would like to express my thanks a lot to him and to the group. We are going again to see them doing Snow White next year. We all really know that story, so it will be good to see it.

Ooh la la, zis pantomime it is tres bon

I have found a picture of Jack on pantomime site and am attaching that. Once again thank you Jack and the pantomime group. GRETHA POUPANT, Torrevieja

Bob’s fairy story MY wife referred to the escapades of Monica Lorente and Bob Houliston last year as the ‘love story’ with Bob ‘jumping into bed with Monica’. I would say that love story is now definitely a fairy story! Ms Lorente being introduced as the future Mayor of Orihuela at the opening of CLARO’s new office? What are Sr. Aniorte and Bob going to do – toss a coin

to see who gets the coveted position on the coast? Sr. Aniorte must be already receiving his pension and Bob will be nearly 80. Perhaps the good fairy will appear and knock 20 years off the pair of them. Go to Specsavers, Bob – you cannot see further than the end of your nose! JACK CUMMINGS, La Florida

Friday, January 25, 2013

Treble brewing

MY heartfelt thanks to everyone who has donated to my fundraising effort for the Crohn’s In Children Research Association so far. We have already raised more than half first? You guessed it – yes, of the £500 target figure - and I’m just two weeks into it was Donna against the my.diet! To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/donna-gee pack. or call the Courier office on 966 921 003

I’VE never been lucky when it comes to winning prizes. At least I thought I wasn’t until a week ago. Now I can’t wait for tonight’s EuroMillions lottery to be drawn, because my name has just got to be on it. So why the sudden change of heart for a born loser who once backed BOTH RUNNERS in a two-horse race and didn’t pick the winner. Strange name for a horse,, Both Runners. But seriously, I’ve never had good fortune when it comes to any sort of wager. Until last week, that is, when I won the prize raffle at the Wednesday quiz in my local bar, Sofia’s. The person with the lucky ticket wins a modest amount, and then gets to pick from several envelopes and hopefully double his or her money or better still. I closed my eyes, removed one of the envelopes fanned out before me, and came up with what was effectively a 7/1 winner. OK, the prize money was

DUMPY OLD GRAN’S SPONSORED DIET

Now I was under the impression that Brucie’s rules applied…so when I went higher than a seven and up popped another seven, I thought my chance had gone. But no, house rules allow a change of card when a pair is drawn, so on I went to come up trumps and snaffle that €100 jackpot. (Half of which has gone into my Crohn’s Disease fund.. only 65 euros, but I had ‘outlucked’ 50 other ticket holders who would happily have changed places with me. Fast forward five days to the weekly Bingo Evening at Sofia’s – and the Play Your Cards Right raffle, where would-be contestants buy tickets at 50 cents apiece in the hope they’ll get their chance to play for a Brucie-type bonus. This week’s jackpot stood at exactly €100…and who’s ticket was drawn out

I was so stunned at winning that I sat there stony-faced, when I should have been jumping for joy. They say everything comes in threes – and that’s where the Euro millions come in. So if there’s no sign of my column in next week’s Courier, you’ll find me in the penthouse suite of the luxury hotel I’ve just purchased. I would have bought two – but you don’t get anything for a pair. Not in the property game.

Pound foolish

“YOU’VE lost nearly a weight - sorry, overdrive. pound. Well done!’’ said Hang on, I thought, I was Val, feigning pleasant sur- 90.8 last week and I’m 89.9 prise at the info displayed now. That’s almost a kilo on the scales. I’ve lost.’’ My initial reaction to A quick revision conseeing the flickering figure firmed that I had in fact ‘89.9’ had dropped been one of TOTAL LOSS, 2 WEEKS 2lbs to hit joy because the 14 stone I’d dipped mark in my under 90 battle to lose kilos. But the 35lb. reality was disappointing. I’m still more than three Val, the chirpy stone above my ideal Glaswegian who weighs weight but I already feel me in at the Beauty and more energetic. And now Wellness Salon, rubbed in I’ve plunged past the the minimal weight loss by 90kilo/14-stone mark, I’ve adding enthusiastically: got 85kilos in my sights. “That’s 300 grams you’ve I’m also looking for a lost in the last week!’’ maths tutor who underMy mind went into over- stands fluent Glaswegian.

3.3 kilos

Friday, January 25, 2013

A CLEAN SWEEP

MOTHER read the letter slowly as I stood there trembling with excitement. My heart was on spin cycle in my dry mouth. I was leaning against the mangle in our kitchen that spring afternoon many moons ago, school cap clutched in one hand, battered satchel in the other, waiting for Mother to finish reading. After what seemed an eternity, she folded the single piece of paper and pushed it into the pocket of her pinny. 'Well?' I asked, my voice croaking with anticipatory elation. 'Do I have your parental permission to go on the school trip? Please say yes. It's only for a week.' Mother sighed, emptied the mop bucket, turned it upside down and bade me to sit. 'I remember my first school trip,' she began, a faraway look in her good eye. 'Do you, Mama?' I said pleasantly but thinking: Blimey, she's off on one of

her rambling monologues. 'One week of total liberation as my adolescent worries fell from me like a redundant skin,' Mother burbled on. 'And I discovered that true contentment is not only attainable but sustainable, too. Because ever since then, I can draw on those treasured memories as a harbour of peace in the stormy seas of life's vicissitudes.' 'Got it in one, Mother,' I said, trying to unclench my numb buttocks on the upturned mop bucket. 'Does that mean I can start packing my portmanteau for the greatest adventure of my young life?' Mother patted me on the head. 'Sorry, Son. But I've already fixed you up with a summer job as a chimney sweep's assistant.' I hurled my school satchel blindly across the room in frustration. The straps caught on the handle of the mangle and both Mother and I watched in fascination until

the satchel stopped swinging. 'Wow!' said Mother, deeply impressed. 'I bet you couldn't do that again.' 'That's not important right now, Mother. I beg of you to let me go on the school trip. Please, please and pretty please. I know I sound immature but I am still only a kid.' 'Hmm,' hmmd Mother, rubbing at her chin. 'I hate to disappoint the chimney sweep but I'll tell you what. We'll let your dad decide.' So I waited until my father got home and with fingers crossed I eavesdropped at the parlour door. 'The boy insists on

going on holiday with the school,' Mother said. 'What do you reckon?' Without a second's hesitation, Dad delivered his decision. And so full of praise were his words that even years later I can recall them verbatim. 'I'm surprised you even had to ask,' he told my mother. 'Our son is a constant source of pride to me. His positive qualities and affable personality clearly demonstrate h i s worth as a human being. Of course he may go on the school trip.' 'Hang on a second,' said Mother. 'I was talking about our David, not his older brother.' 'Oh,' said Dad. 'I thought you'd already fixed our David up

with the chimney sweep job. Still, I suppose we should let him go on the trip otherwise he might smother us in our sleep.' I ran into school the next morning, clutching the holiday consent form. 'Mr Gilhooley, I can go!' I yelled, skidding to a halt before the teacher who was in charge of the holiday arrangements. 'Slow down, Silver,' he said. 'You're acting like an hysterical 12-year-old.' 'But, sir, I AM an hysterical 12-year-old.' I felt summer would never come but it did. The holiday party clambered aboard the coach outside the school gates. 'I'm so excited!' I screeched, plonking myself down next to a super-cool, laid-back young dude named Arthur Blenkinsop. 'Yeah, yeah,' he mumbled with supreme indifference, jiggling a bejeaned leg over the seat in front.

'But you don't understand,' I said. 'I've never been abroad before.' 'Look, man,' said Arthur Blenkinsop. 'The Costa Blanca it ain't. It's one lousy week in North Wales and it'll probably pour down every day.' 'So why are YOU going?' I asked. 'Because somebody's got to look after you crazy kids. But I honestly didn't think playing nursemaid to a pack of delinquent bums was part of the deal when I became a teacher.' The ancient charabanc coughed and spluttered into life. We were on our way. 'Ta-ra, Dad!' I yelled through the window. My father, bless him, had sacrificed his Saturday morning lie-in to come to see me off. My last vision before the coach turned the corner was of Dad waving back at me, the legs of his pyjama bottoms poking out from beneath his trousers.

Friday, January 25, 2013

SAY IT IN SPANISH Learn the lingo - with a little help from JEANETTE ERATH LESSON 55 Here are the answers to last week’s homework: First I asked you to join the following: (a) bebo dos vasos de agua (b) estoy en lo cierto (c ) quiero dormir (d) tengo diez minutos y nada más (e) voy a ver mi amiga (f) soy inocente (1) tengo sueño (2) Hago una visita (3) tengo sed (4) tengo razón (5) no tengo la culpa (6) tengo prisa The correct answers are: (a) + (3), (b) + (4), ( c) + (1), (d) + (6), (e) + (2), (f) + (5) Then I asked you to translate the following into Spanish: It is not foggy this morning – no hay niebla esta mañana, the clock strikes eleven thirty – El reloj da las once y media, The people shout – la gente dan gritos, the players give a hug to the goalkeeper – los jugadores dan un abrazo al portero, it is windy in the countryside – hace viento en el campo, I visit my country every year – hago una visita a mi país cada año, we have to leave now – tenemos que salir ahora, are you hungry? - tienes hambre, I am not correct – no tengo razón, my friend is in a hurry – mi amigo tiene prisa, you have to make the bed every day – tienes que hacer la cama todos los días. I always visit my family in July – siempre hago una visita a mi familia en julio. This week we are going to learn how to give affirmative com-

mands in the second person familiar single. There are the xx other ways to use commands - as we know there are four ways to say ´you´ in Spanish, however the most commonly used way with be the second person familiar single, that is ´tú´ Just to clarify what I mean by an order, it is anything that tells someone what to do, which is why it is only used with ´you´ for example, “close the door”, “read the book”, “go to bed” This command is usually used in the present tense as you can imagine, although if the command is used in the future then the time may be indicated with the appropriate adverbs or adverbial phrases. For example we might say, “pay the bill next week” or “ Bring the money tomorrow” How do we conjugate the verbs to give a command? As mentioned I am only dealing with the informal singular version, tú It is very easy to learn this as it is the third person singular form of the verb. I hope you can all remember how to conjugate verbs to this form, that is the él, ella and usted version. So if we want to say he buys the books, we say: él compra los libros, if we want to say the command Buy the books we say Compra los libros. Because the verb to buy is comprar and to conjugate this verb to the third person singular we take off the ar and add a . This is the same then as the command. Another example, if we say she learns the rules we need to say ella aprende las reglas, but if we want to order someone to learn the rules we say ¡Aprende las reglas! Because Aprender – to learn conjugates to aprende in the third person singular. IR verbs conjugate the same as ER verbs in this way also, therefore she wites the letter now translates as ella escribe la carta ahora, however to tell someone to write the letter we say ¡Escribe la carta ahora! The exclamation marks (don´t forget to invert at the start of

the sentence and normal at the end) can be used to indicate a sense of urgency by the writer. Context and punctuation, as in many parts of Spanish, helps to distinguish between the third person singular present tense and the command forms. For example, a comma can tell you whether or not the speaker is talking to a person in the imperative, and when spoken of course, tone of voice and pauses can give the same effect: Juan, trae la botella – Juan, bring the bottle : Juan trae la botella – Juan brings the bottle There are a few very commonly used verbs in the command form that are irregular in their third person singular forms. The following are some of these, and I will only give you them in Spanish. If you are not sure look up the translation, are: Infinitive decir hacer ir poner salir tener venir

Familiar (tú) affirmative commands di haz ve pon sal ten ven

So, this week translate the following into Spanish all using the command form: Read the message, put the books here, tell the truth, be careful (tener), go to school now, drink water, listen!, start now, sleep in your bed, eat now. Enjoy using some commands when you get the chance and listen out, especially for Spanish people talking to their children, and see if you can hear any of the above. Tengas una buena semana, ¡hasta la próxima!

Friday, January 25, 2013

WHY DO THEY DO THAT? Top dog psychologist PETER SINGH writes exclusively for The Courier. Check out www.thedogyouneed.com or email Peter at peter@thedogyouneed.com

THE PEACEMAKER

Dogs like my Billy can teach us all so much

MY job is to help people achieve calm and bal- near any person or any other dog. I remember putting a lead friend in life, as they both walked off happily into the afteron him and getting him to walk alongside me and progress noon sun. ance for themselves and their dogs. A real added bonus to this, is that once your dogs are calm and balanced, they can then go on to help many other dogs that suffer from psychological problems. One of my friends has a little dog called Tommy, who struggles sometimes to make sense of the world around him. He had a very bad start in life and was rescued and given the loving home he now has when he was around five months old. To help Tommy, I sometimes bring him into my home to spend time with my pack of six dogs. My dogs are very friendly and are always interested in meeting other dogs, but as soon as Tommy arrives, they automatically sense that he does not want any attention, so they leave him alone to adjust in his own time. The amazing thing, though, is that at around thirty minute intervals, one of my dogs will approach him, to try to get him to become part of the pack. They are constantly encouraging Tommy to snap out of his negativity. Dogs will know instinctively when or when not to help another dog and that is why I am extremely lucky to have such intelligent and dedicated assistants. Billy, my male German Shepherd, came to the rescue of a male Podenco dog, while we were working in Spain. This Podenco was afraid of his own shadow. He did not want to go

was being made - but it was small progress. I remember Billy looking at me walking this Podenco and his look was as if to say to me, “Let me give you a hand, Dad, I can help you with this one”. So I thought, “Why not? Let’s give it a try”. I attached Billy to the other dog and watched as he tried to take the Podenco for a walk! At first the dog did not want to move and then, all of a sudden, magic happened. Billy had given him the correct signals and in a matter of seconds this Podenco had made his first

Billy takes the Podenco for its first walk

For me it was emotional to see. Billy knew exactly what to do and when to do it. He is much better, you see, at being a dog behaviourist than I am. He is in fact my teacher and I am simply a glorified messenger. Any praise I ever receive should be directed at Billy and my other dogs, because they teach me each day all I know and all I talk about to each and every client. Watching the Podenco take his first few steps with another dog and then to totally relax in such a short amount of time, was incredible. Everything about his body language and facial expressions told us that he was very much enjoying having an eight stone German Shepherd take him for his first proper walk. My teacher, Billy, is lying right next to me sleeping as I write this. He is waiting for his next job, where he is called into action to help another insecure dog find the peace and balance they have always been looking for. As well as Billy, there are millions of other dogs out there, who instinctively know when and how to help another dog. Lying next to you right now may be your best friend, who is waiting to be given the chance to help another dog in need. All balanced dogs know how to do this. They just need to be given the chance to show that in actual fact, they are the real dog behaviourists and we are simply their students.

PETS’ CORNER: CAN YOU TAKE IN A HOMELESS DOG OR CAT? Charlie is a wonderful, 1 year old German Shepherd. He is good with other dogs and loves to be around people. Call: 645 469 253. www.petsinspain.com

Paddy is a 12 year old cocker spaniel and needs a home. He is good with other dogs and cats. It would be wonderful if this beautiful boy found a home for him to enjoy his retirement in! Call: 645 469 253. www.petsinspain.com

Apollo is a year and a half old. When found he was in very good condition but when he was examined by our vet they found that his previous owners had cut his vocal chords. He has been castrated, micro-chipped and vaccinated. 616210850

Carbonel is approx 8 months old, he is a chubby, healthy kitten. He is quite a dominant kitten who loves his food and wants everyone else’s. It would be better to re-home him where he would be an only cat. 616210850

Paddy

Apollo

carbonel

TIA is a 6 year old Cocker crossbreed. She was found along with three young pups and also, sadly, a dead female adult. Tia is a gentle natured dog and very keen to be your friend. She is fully vaccinated, micro chipped and spayed.. 966 710 047

Kira is 4 years old and weighs just 7 Kilos. She is shy and a little nervous but very loving. Call: 654 027 748. www.petsinspain.com

Charlie DINOZZO is almost 2 years old and a loving and quiet boy; he has been in our care from 6 weeks of age. He is fully vaccinated, micro chipped and castrated. 966 710 047

Dinozzo Penny is a beautiful, Norwegian Forest Cat who is in need of a permanent home. She has been spayed and has all her vaccinations. To meet Penny please call Joe (The Cat Man) on 966719272.

Penny

Tia

Kira

Friday, January 25, 2013

Línea Directa reports: HOW TO COMPLETE AN ACCIDENT REPORT FORM • This document is essential for determining who is responsible for a traffic accident, which has a direct effect on the price that customers pay when renewing their insurance.

What is an accident report form? An accident report form is a document which outlines the circumstances which have occurred in a car accident. In addition to the personal details of the drivers and their vehicles, the document includes a jointly agreed description of the manoeuvres carried out by the drivers when the accident took place, which plays a key role in determining who is responsible for a traffic accident.

How should it be completed? Línea Directa offers the following advice to complete the form: 1. Columns A and B (blue and yellow), are for the personal details of the drivers and their vehicles. 2. In section 12, (Circumstances) the numbered column on the left describes the manoeuvres of car A and the one on the right those of car B. If you are unsure which box to mark, leave it blank. Make a drawing of the accident in section 13 indicating the manoeuvre of each car. 3. If anybody has been injured or if you think they might have been injured, complete section 24. 4. If there is more than one car involved in the accident, also complete section 23, on the reverse side of the form, and include it in the sketch. 5. Sign the form and keep a copy.

Call now for more information on 902 123 104

Friday, January 25, 2013

ANOTHER YEAR OLDER

expectations and all the wondering why fades to a distant As we enter a New Year I have just had another English when we get round to it. After the show, the DJ played music and my friends had a memory. birthday. It certainly doesn´t seem like a whole I know I am not the only one to think like this. In fact a few year ago I was having the last one but I suppose dance. However it was, by now, around 3am and I was seriously starting to flag! of my friends have had the same reluctance to a night out, it must have been. My birthday was on a Sunday and my friends and I decided to go out on the Saturday night, I managed to find a babysitter for the whole night and we headed off as a group of adults ready for a night on the town, childless for the first time in a long while. It had been over seven years since I had a visitor staying with me. However, a friend had come over from the UK for my birthday and so he, me and a few other friends began a night out to celebrate. First we went for a Chinese meal. Where else can you fill up ready to soak the alcohol for such a bargain price? After a fun meal we headed to a local bar in Almoradí where there was a drag act. He (or she) was very good but of course talking only in Spanish my friends didn´t understand him, and after the few glasses of wine and Baileys in the restaurant and the wine I´d had in the bar I was beginning to struggle to comprehend what he was saying. Somehow, though, it didn´t really matter what he was talking about, also the fact that he was miming to the songs didn´t seem important and we all thoroughly enjoyed the show. At the end of the performance we decided that we would go to Benidorm and see a drag act in

When I was younger I was never the clubbing type. I was more than happy sitting at home in front of the telly with the occasional glass of wine, and as I´ve grown up I am still happy sitting with my feet up in the comfort of my own home. However, I have started to appreciate more the joys of going out, although with a little person it is more difficult! Going out to me always seemed a bit of a chore when I was younger, and at times it still does. That is, of course, until I am out and find myself enjoying the evening in great company. Sometimes the thinking about going out can make the event seem such a strain, but when the effort is made it more than lives up to

but have all admitted that once they were out they were pleased they went. My evening ended with my staggering to bed, not too drunk, at around 4am in the knowledge that I had to pick my little fella up a few hours later. However I soon fell into a deep sleep and no sooner had my head hit the pillow than I was waking up to my alarm and staggering into the shower. After my efforts at looking more human with the help of plenty of make-up, I went with my friend and picked my son up. We had a cooked breakfast, although mine consisted of poached eggs on toast and lots of coffee - and decided that the best thing to do would be to go home and rest. I am not getting any younger and it took me the whole of Sunday to get over the night before. I hadn’t drunk a lot; more than I’m used to in a night for sure but I certainly wasn´t drunk. Yet I still needed a whole day to start to feel normal again. I have to admit, albeit reluctantly, that although my life started at 40, of that I have no doubt, it also is when I started to realise that my body can no longer do what it used to and it takes a lot longer to recuperate from nights out It will only get more difficult I’m sure – unless, that is, I do it more in order to get used to it.

Friday, January 25, 2013

BEHIND the glum and hopefully sincere faces in London and Washington over the hostages who died in the Algerian siege, I suggest there are many world leaders who are delighted at what the Algerians did against the terrorists. Had the Yanks or Brits led a military operation in which there was a loss of lives, the political fallout would have been gigantic, and it may not even have happened in the first place. The risk of losing innocent lives in a compound would have been too large, but with the Algerians not that bothered about the consequences, they could let the terrorists have it with both barrels. Remember that Algeria is hardly a paragon of democracy, and the rulers there are obsessed with the rise of radical Islamism. The West, whilst shedding public tears over the killed hostages, would have privately been high-fiving over the Algerian SAS not pussyfooting around, and sending out a strong message to Al Qaeda and other associated groups. For this, if not many other things, the

IF WE HAD FACED ALGERIA’S TERROR oversight from the regular sources like the Daily Mail was grossly over the top. I take it then that all references to Hitler, Stalin and Tony Blair will have to be removed from all future repeats, including the Teletubbies Evil Dictators special? Poor old Oona King! What happened to her on last Sunday’s Dancing on Ice, with her professional partner injuring himself, pretty much mirrored her political career. So near, yet so far. The Labour hierarchy had big hopes for her when she became only the second female black MP to be elected in 1997, following on from the wonderful Diane Abbott. It was pretty much odds-on that she would become a minister after the 2005 election but she lost

Algerians should be roundly applauded and congratulated. The dreadful news out of Algeria led to one of the oldest tricks in the political book on Friday. With that and the heavy snow dominating the UK headlines, it was a good time to bury some dodgy news, and the government duly did that by admitting that over £1 mil-

lion had been spent on Olympic and Paralympic tickets for London 2012, purely for ministers and their civil servants. I doubt whether anybody has heard of the former Treasury minister, Lord Sassoon, but this bloke got more than £700 of athletics tickets. And Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt wasn’t far behind in his four-sport package that cost over £600. The details popped up on the Culture department website, as if by magic, last Friday afternoon, in the hope that nobody would notice. Of course people did, and such a cynical move will lead to more questions being asked than would have been the case in the first place! The hysteria over the serial-paedophile Jimmy Savile continues to keep the anti-BBC witchhunt going in the British tabloids. The victim of the latest disgraceful transgression was the toddlers channel, CBeebies, which happened to have an old

Tweenies show from over a decade ago (I used to love them). Up popped an episode with the character of Max wearing a Savile-style wig and doing a pretty good impression of the old slime ball. I doubt very much whether any of the underfive viewers would have known what it was about, but the uproar over a small

her seat in Bethnal (populated largely by Muslims) to the Respect candidate, George Galloway, after continuing to back the invasion of Iraq. Then, in 2010, many senior Labour figures wanted her to become the party’s candidate for London Mayor, but to their chagrin, Ken Livingstone easily beat her to the nomination, making it pretty much a done deal that Big Boris would hold on to power. King was made a Baroness two years ago, and she’s still only 45. It’s a big shame that the Labour Party didn’t help her more, as opposed to their white male middle-class clods, because this articulate and amiable lady could and should have become a massive political figure. Perhaps there’s still time yet?

Friday, January 25, 2013

CARIBBEAN RECIPES

Ever wanted to be on a caribbean island? Well now you can pretend! JAMAICAN GRILLED FISH Ingredients 2 medium red snappers or whole bream , gutted, scaled and cleaned 1 tbsp onion powder 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika pinch dried thyme 100ml Jamaican beer (we used Red Stripe), plus extra to baste 2 limes, 1 sliced, 1 cut into wedges

Method 1. Make a few slashes in the flesh on either side of the fish with a sharp knife. Mix the onion powder, paprika, thyme and some seasoning with the beer. Pour over the fish and rub into the slashes and cavity. Place the lime slices inside the fishes' bellies, cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr. 2. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the fish on a tray and grill for 15-20 mins, depending on the size, turning halfway through. Baste the fish with a little beer as it cooks. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

JERK CHICKEN WITH RICE & PEAS Ingredients 12 chicken thighs, bone in 1 lime , halved hot sauce, to serve (optional) FOR THE JERK MARINADE 1 big bunch spring onions, roughly chopped thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves ½ a small onion 3 scotch bonnet chillies, deseeded if you want less heat ½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp thyme leaves juice 1 lime 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp ground allspice FOR THE RICE & PEAS 200g basmati rice 400g can coconut milk 1 bunch spring onions, sliced

2 2 1 2

large thyme sprigs garlic cloves, finely chopped tsp ground allspice x 410g cans kidney beans ,drained

Method 1. To make the jerk marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor along with 1 tsp salt, and blend to a purée. If you're having trouble getting it to blend, just keep turning off the blender, stirring the mixture, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up - don't be tempted to add water, as you want a thick paste. 2. Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning - it should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly, puckering salty. You can now throw in more chillies if it's not spicy enough for you. If it tastes too salty and sour, try adding in a bit more brown sugar until the mixture tastes well balanced. 3. Make a few slashes in the chicken thighs and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. 4. If you want to barbecue your chicken, get the coals burning 1 hr or so before you're ready to cook. Authentic jerked meats are not exactly grilled as we think of grilling, but sort of smoke-grilled. To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue, and cook your chicken over slow, indirect heat for 30 mins. To cook in the oven, heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with the lime halves and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through. 5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice & peas. Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan with all the remaining ingredients except the kidney beans. Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over a high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins. 6. Add the beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed. Squeeze the roasted lime over the chicken and serve with the rice & peas, and some hot sauce if you like it really spicy.

Friday, January 25, 2013

COCONUT AND BEAN SOUP Ingredients 1 tbsp sunflower oil Â˝ bunch spring onions, whites and greens separated and sliced 1 red pepper, diced 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and pounded to a paste 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp medium curry powder 1 tsp allspice 3 plum tomatoes, chopped 1 vegetable stock cube 410g can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 410g can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 410g can black-eyed beans, rinsed and drained 2 x 400g cans coconut milk juice 2 limes

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sizzle the spring onion whites, pepper, chilli paste and garlic for 5-8 mins until soft and fragrant. Add the thyme, curry powder and spices, then cook for 1 min more, Stir in the tomatoes, then cook for 2 mins to soften slightly. 2. Crumble in the stock cube, then tip in all the beans and the coconut milk. Simmer for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and stir in most of the spring onion greens, the lime juice and some seasoning. Ladle into bowls and scatter with remaining spring onions just before serving.

SIZZLING SPARE RIBS WITH BBQ SAUCE Ingredients 4 x 500g packs pork spare ribs 1 bunch of spring onions, roughly chopped (green stems and all) 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 6 tbsp Appleton rum 6 tbsp demerara sugar 6 tbsp dark soy sauce 6 tbsp clear honey 6 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp ground allspice

EXOTIC AVOCADO SALAD Ingredients 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds 2 ripe papayas 3 ripe avocados 85g bag trimmed and washed watercress 20g pack fresh mint juice of 1 lime 3 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Tip the ribs into a big bowl (not a metal one) and throw in the spring onions, chilli and garlic. Now spoon all the remaining ingredients over the ribs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Get your hands in the bowl and turn the ribs over and over again until they're coated in the sauce. (You can keep the ribs uncooked - tightly covered - in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for several months.) 2. Cook the ribs over a moderate barbecue for 20-30 minutes depending on their size, turning them over frequently and brushing with sauce each time. The turning and brushing is important, so that all four sides of each rib get encrusted with the sauce, which builds up like a lacquer. If you have any leftover sauce at the end, heat it up in a pan and pour it over the ribs just before serving.

1. Dry-fry the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan for a few minutes, tossing and turning them until they look toasted. Tip them out of the pan and let them go cold. Peel the papayas, halve them lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into long, thin slices. Halve the avocados and remove the stones, then peel off the skin and slice the flesh lengthways into thin slices. 2. Put the papayas, avocados, pumpkin seeds and watercress into a large bowl. Chop about 1 tbsp of the mint leaves and set aside. Pick the remaining leaves from the stalks and tear them into the bowl.

Continued on Page 18

Friday, January 25, 2013

3. Mix the lime juice and olive oil with the rest of the chopped mint to make a dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then transfer to a serving platter.

HOT & SPICY SWEET POTATOES Ingredients 2 large sweet potatoes (about 500g/1lb 4oz each) 4 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 red scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and finely chopped

Method

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut crossways into slices 2.5cm thick. Lay each potato on a large sheet of foil, keeping the slices together. 2. Drizzle each potato with the olive oil, sprinkle with the thyme leaves, about half of the chopped chilli and season with plenty of salt and pepper. With your hands, massage the flavourings into each slice. Replace the slices in their original positions. Lay a thyme sprig across the top of each potato and sprinkle with the remaining chilli. Wrap the foil securely round the potatoes to make two parcels. (You can prepare to this stage up to 24 hours ahead.) 3. Put the foil parcels on the rack over the hottest part of the barbecue and cook for 45 minutes until the potatoes are buttery and softened. (Unwrap and test with the point of a knife to check if they're ready).

JERK CHICKEN KEBABS WITH MANGO SALSA Ingredients 2 tsp jerk seasoning 1 tbsp olive oil juice 1 lime 4 skinless chicken breasts, chopped into chunks 1 large yellow pepper, cut

into 2cm cubes 100g bag rocket leaves, to serve FOR THE SALSA 320g pack mango chunks, diced 1 large red pepper, deseeded and diced bunch spring onions, finely chopped 1 red chilli, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Mix together the jerk seasoning, olive oil and lime juice. Toss the chicken in it and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 20 mins, or up to 24 hours. 2. Make the salsa by mixing all the ingredients together with some seasoning - add a chopped red chilli if you like extra heat. 3. Heat the grill or barbecue to Medium. Thread the chicken onto 8 metal skewers divided by the yellow peppers - aim for 3 of each per skewer. Cook for 8 mins each side until cooked through and lightly charred. Serve with the salsa and rocket leaves.

SPICED GLAZED PINEAPPLE Ingredients zest and juice 1 lime 2 tbsp clear honey 2 pinches ground cinnamon few gratings whole nutmeg

2 tsp icing sugar, sifted 200g very low-fat fromage frais 2 tsp butter 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 8 long wedges, skin and core removed

Method

1. Mix the lime juice and half the lime zest with 1 tbsp honey, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Set this sauce aside. Stir the icing sugar and a pinch of cinnamon into the fromage frais. 2. Heat the butter and remaining honey in a non-stick frying pan until melted. Add the pineapple and cook over a high heat for 8 mins, turning regularly until caramelised. Pour in the spiced lime sauce and bubble for a few secs, tossing the pineapple to glaze in the sauce. 3. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining lime zest and accompanied by a dollop of the cinnamon fromage frais.

Friday, January 25, 2013

100 NOT OUT

The Courier would like to thank all our advertisers and readers for making us the most popular newspaper on the Costa Blanca. We now have 100 editions under our belt. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to the next 100.

TESTIMONIALS

Since advertising with The Courier since the Mirador opened I feel I have received a very good response from my adverts and will continue to do throughout the next 100 editions. Justine El Mirador At The Electrical Shop, Blue Lagoon, we have known Jean for quite a few years now. ItÂ´s very true when they say that people buy off people, not necessarily off a company. The first time Jean came into the shop she was smiley & friendly & bubbly. We all liked her straight away. She has always been efficient and professional and organised. Jean often pops in when passing and tells us about any special advertising offers that she thinks we may be interested in. I have never found her pushy - if we choose not to place an advert or take up the offer of a good deal, she still stays and has a quick chat and then promises to pop back in a few weeks and check on us again. There is no hard sales push which means that when we advertise it is because we want to not because we feel that we have been bullied into it :) CONGRATULATIONS on the 100 th edition of The Courier, Debbie Thank you for your support this year, the advertising has once again grown the business and we feel we are with the right people. Howard Goldsmith. Before then After.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Tip top skin with Medeasthetics

Skin problems are as prevalent at this time of year as in Summer. Cold, wind and rain can be as harmful to your skin as the sun. Even something like taking anti-biotics can have an effect. Here at Medaesthetics we use Dermalogica products for all our facials. These products are exclusive to salons and cannot be bought over the counter. Each client has different skin so at the start of each facial a consultation is vital to see if you have any problems. Each facial is tailor-made to each client ensuring the facial you receive is appropriate. From dry or sensitive skin to acneprone skin Dermalogica has a range of products to suit each condition. To help keep skin in tip top condition it is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water a day – yes eight!! This will help maintain the critical

Chinese medicine A 2 Z

CHINESE medicine is an ancient, alternative medicine practice that was developed in China thousands of years ago and it widely practiced today throughout the world. Chinese medicine is a multi-faceted form of medicine that is considered to be a holistic treatment. It looks at the health and vitality of the body as a whole and doesn't focus on one area exclusively. The main aim is to encourage a healthy flow of "chi" or energy in the body. Traditional Chinese medicine involves the practice of acupuncture, moisture balance of the cupping, herbs, moxibustion, shiatsu body and skin and also massage and tuina. There are also the assist in detoxification. A aspects of diet and therapeutic sysnecessity of healthy skin is tems such as the practice of tai chi and to moisturize. Both morning qigong, which help to relieve stress and night and when a good, and harmonize the body. The main concept of Chinese mediminimum factor 15 sun screen should be used when cine is to provide the body needs with sunbathing and even for a healthy balance of yin and yang on all everyday as part of your levels and not just through one chanroutine. Try to limit alcoholic nel. When observing a patient, specific beverage throughout the diagnostics are done using the senses week as alcohol can con- (touch, hear, smell) and also asking the tribute to skin dryness and patient about his or her background. Practitioners commonly take their body dehydration. Another problem for skin patient's pulse rate in six different posiis smoking. Smoking tions. They also observe his or her depletes vitamin C in the face, eyes, ears, tongue, voice and body and restricts oxygen to even posture during a session. the skin. It impairs healing Analysing all these aspects helps them and causes a yellow, sallow to identify the blocked chi and provide look to the skin. Smoking ways to release it. The treatment is may also cause blackheads done either through the prescription of and wrinkles. January is a herbs, changes in the diet, exercise or good month to try and give by offering some of the more traditional up smoking or to at least cut methods which include acupuncture, down! Positive effects to the cupping, moxibustion and tuina. Acupuncture skin can be seen within 2 Acupuncture involves piercing the weeks. For a free skin body with very thin, flexible needles. analysis call us today!

This type of treatment is believed to stimulate the skin and balances out the body's energy. It is also commonly used to unblock energy or release tight or aching muscles and pains in the body. Although this may sound rather painful, the sensations experienced in an acupuncture session do not last long, and can be considered more of a dull pain than a painful experience.

Cupping

This technique is generally used to help patients who are suffering with colds and flu. It is also used to improve circulation and can also treat headaches, migraines, dizziness and asthma. The practice involves heating jars with alcohol, placing them upside down on the patient's body and releasing them. This provides a gentle vacuum and releases the blockage.

Herbs

of treatment is generally done for patients who suffer with arthritis, asthma or stress. It can also help aid with digestion and irritable bowel syndrome.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is an ancient form of Chinese martial arts; however, it is a non-contact practice, and there is no physical attacking involved. It has been practiced for thousands of years and its aim is to foster the circulation of 'chi' within the body, the belief being that by doing so the health and vitality of the person are enhanced.

Tuina

This practice involves massaging the body and may also include slight and gentle manipulation of the vertebrae to release blocked energy.

Qigong

Much like tai chi, qigong, also known as "chi kung", combines exercise with the intention of strengthening the mind and body connection to provide a healthy flow of energy. Practicing this form of exercise can improve spiritual awareness and, like tai chi, unblock negative energy.

Shiatsu massage

Chinese medicine is well known for its use of herbs to treat disease or conditions. Herbs are generally recommended rather than traditional medicine, because they are believed to be better absorbed by the body than the synthetic medicine and vitamins of the western world.

Moxibustion

This process involves placing burned leaves of the mugwort plant over body parts that are blocking the flow of energy. These leaves are believed to warm the energy, thereby releasing and encouraging a healthy flow. This type

Shiatsu massage is a form of massage that involves using finger pressure. It is much like acupressure, however, very different from acupuncture. Therapists apply pressure with their fingers, thumbs and also their palms. It involves pushing and rubbing techniques. As with all Chinese medicine practices, shiatsu massage also aims to unblock chi and increase the flow of healthy energy within the body. Shiatsu is often done on patients to reduce blood pressure, release toxins and stresses in the body, increase flexibility, and ease anxiety.

How tea protects the heart

FOR hundreds of years people all over the world have been brewing and drinking some form of tea. In fact, archeological evidence traces the first use of tea as far back as early humans, over 500,000 years ago. Even though the health benefits of tea may not have been known that long ago, scientific investigations in the last 20 years have been uncovering fascinating links between the consumption of tea and tea-derived products and improvements in health. One of the most compelling areas of tea research that is beginning to emerge is the relationship between tea consumption and reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease. The term “tea” describes the plant, leaf, or beverage originating from a specific plant species known as Camellia Sinensis, and is generally categorized into

DR MACHI MANNU’S ADVICE CLINIC Email your questions and comments to machimannu@gmail.com

three types – green, black and oolong. Although the color and taste of these three types of tea vary greatly, they all originate from the same basic plant, a fact often misunderstood. The differences in color and taste between these types of tea are determined by the degree of fermentation that the tea leaves are allowed to undergo after harvesting. The health benefits of tea are due to a high content of a complex group of compounds known as flavonoids. These compounds are commonly found in nature, and help plants by providing antifungal and antibacterial properties. Catechins are the flavonoids found in tea, and they are most abundant in green tea. While the manufacturing

process of green tea is designed to conserve and maintain catechins, the same cannot be said of Black tea. The process of making black tea focuses on breaking down catechins into other compounds allowing for its characteristic taste and colour. On average, a typical cup of brewed black tea contains 10 times less catechins than a cup of green tea. One of the major ways by which tea consumption is thought to confer protection to the heart is through its anti-oxidant protection as catechins have been shown to have very powerful antioxidant properties. By mopping up free radicals (toxins) in the body, anti-oxidants protect the body against many chronic diseases.

However, in addition to having the ability to directly quench free radicals, flavonoids such as catechins have been shown to bind toxic heavy metals, enhance the supply of oxygen to the body, inhibit the production of certain harmful enzymes in the body, as well as help in the detoxification of cell. One particularly impressive study known as the Rotterdam study in the Netherlands showed a 70% reduction in fatal myocardial infarction-a type of heart disease for those that consumed more than 2 cups of tea daily. Current research is also showing that in addition to containing antioxidants, components in tea may also be able to alter cholesterol levels, and this may be

another key pathway by which tea is able to modify the risk of heart disease. It is still possible that we are yet to scratch the surface regarding the health benefits

of drinking tea. To find out more about anti-oxidant supplements discussed as well as for questions, please email contact@medb.es

Friday, January 25, 2013

DR MANNU, what is your medical background and what are your qualifications - and why did you decide to practise in Spain?

I qualified as a medical doctor with Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery from The University of Nigeria. Since graduating, I have received specialist training in the fields of Medical Diagnostics and Bioenergetics therapy. I consider myself an integrative medical researcher and practitioner in the sense that I investigate all healing techniques with a scientific or rational basis to its healing protocols. While working as a research consultant for The Imperial College in London studying the impact of ADHD on care providers, I became aware of other alternative and effective non-drug methods of treating ADHD using neurofeedback or brainwave entrainment technologies. These and other similar diagnostics and healing methods are based on the subtle energies that are known to emanate from the body. Current medical technologies that employ subtle energies include EEG (Electroencephalogram), measuring brain waves, and ECG (Electrocardiogram), which measures energy waves from the heart. Today we use a similar technology at our clinic for advanced medical diagnostics and therapy. Like many others from the UK, I decided to move to Spain because of the sea and sun, and enjoy living here.

Q A

WHAT are your general opinions about prescription drugs?

Prescription drugs are medicines prescribed by licensed medical practitioners and sold by a pharmacy. The term is

How prescription drugs can save you - or kill you used to differentiate it from non-prescription or over-the-counter drugs (OTC) that can be obtained without a prescription. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture prescription drugs and sell them to the public after a series of clinical trials to determine how safe they are. Prescription drugs have saved the lives of millions of people, and have also caused misery and ill health to countless millions. In the United States, for instance, they cause more that two million hospitalisations and over 100,000 hospital based deaths every year. They cause harm to the body through side effects, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, addictions and poor body tolerance. Several reports have described how most drugs approved by the regulatory bodies are under-tested for adverse drug reactions, yet offer very few benefits. Experts have also pointed out how current regulations reward drug companies for developing marginally better drugs rather than discovering breakthrough, life-saving drugs. Furthermore, women and the elderly are very poorly represented in clinical trials, making up less than 20% of participants in the early stages. Prescription drugs are useful for acute health problems but can become deadly if taken over any length of time.

I WAS diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica about four months ago after suffering agonising pains for about six weeks. My doctor has put me onto dacortin steroids 5mg, I am presently taking two a day plus one omeprazole 20mg a day to protect my stomach. In about two weeks’ time I have to reduce the dose to 1.5 a day. I am always careful what I eat and limit my calories daily but even though I am doing this I am still putting on weight. Is there any other way I can control this condition without taking steroids?

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR), which literally means ‘pain in many muscles’ in Greek, is now recognised as an auto-immune disorder affecting the muscles and joints and characterised by pain and stiffness. It nor-

mally affects the neck, shoulders and hips, and usually occurs in women over 50. Steroids are well known for causing weight gain by distorting the body’s metabolic processes and causing abnormal fat deposits, especially in the abdomen, and are most likely the reason why you are putting on weight. It is also important that you are aware of other side effects of the long term use of corticosteroids such as osteoporosis, infections, stomach ulcers, insomnia and altered response to physical stress. Because PMR is an auto-immune disorder affecting the immune system, therapies that stimulate the immune system have been found to be very helpful in managing the disorder. Herbal remedies with immune-stimulating properties, such as Cat’s Claw and Valerian, are known to be very useful for alleviating the symptoms of PMR. Enzyme preparations like Wobenzym are also very effective for enhancing the immune system and providing anti-inflammatory benefits. A revolutionary method for treating auto-immune disorders such as PMR employs the use of a device known as Cosmodic-Scenar to stimulate and repair damaged organs and systems. This form of therapy is not widely available at the moment, however we will be providing this service very soon.

Friday, January 25, 2013

RICHARD CAVENDER

Bluemoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

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

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

ADVICE: David was having problems viewing his Hotmail ADVICE: Uffe wanted to know whether he could print account with Internet Explorer 7 from his Android tablet to his HP printer

Hi Richard, I have an Acer laptop loaded with Internet Explorer 7 however I am having troubles getting on Hotmail. It goes onto the page, but it locks also on many occasions it says Internet Explorer cannot display page. I took advice and loaded Firefox and when I access Hotmail it works and I have no problem. The trouble is that it has no task bar and I cannot use my favourites. Is it best to use Firefox all the time and delete internet explorer (if possible). Regards David

Hi David, the version of Internet Explorer that you are using is very old and quite a bit out of date, that is probably why you are experiencing these problems, you can upgrade your version of Internet Explorer by using your Windows update, you don’t mention which version of Windows you are using but given that you have Internet Explorer 7 I am going to assume you are using Windows XP, in which case you can navigate to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and follow the instructions to ensure your software is up to date. With regards to whether its “best” to use Firefox, it’s simply a matter of personal choice, there are a number of browsers available (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Chrome, Safari etc.) and you should use the one that you prefer.

ADVICE: Ian wanted to use the same favourites in Internet Explorer and Google Chrome

Q A

Hi Richard. I am on windows XP, and use Internet Explorer & Google as my search engines. When I go on a website & right click the mouse & add to my favourites it appears ok on my favourites in Internet Explorer, but there seems to be no favourites within the Google home page, is this correct?...Ian

Hi Ian, as Internet Explorer and Google Chrome are two totally different and separate programs, they act independently and do not share information, if you add a favourite to Internet Explorer, that favourite is not shared with Google Chrome. If you do the reverse and add a Bookmark (the name for favourites in Chrome) then that Bookmark will not appear in Internet Explorer either. You do have an option within Google Chrome to import your Internet Favourites, this will make bookmarks for each imported item within Chrome and in order to do this you should… 1. Launch Google Chrome 2. Click on the menu icon (looks like 3 bars in the top right of the screen) 3. Click Bookmarks 4. Click Import bookmarks and settings. 5. Ensure that Microsoft Internet Explorer is selected and click Import …your browsing history, favourites, saved passwords and search engines will all be imported.

Hi Richard, first of all: A happy New Year to both of you! Anyway, I hope you can help me with a question about HP eA-i-O: I understand that the "e" denotes sort of Wi-Fi? However, I can't see anywhere whether these printers support Android. Hope you can assist me - when convenient.

Q A

Hi Uffe, there is a free app that you can add to your Android device to allow you to print to any HP wirelessly connected printer, you can find more details here… http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/smartphones-handhelds-calculators/mobileapps/app_details.html?app=tcm:245799203&platform=tcm:245-799126

ADVICE: Janice wanted to know whether there was a way to use her mac to receive UK catch up TV

Q A

I use a MacBook Pro computer & want to know if I can download Expat shield on it to be able to watch UK TV. If this site is only for PC's is there another that is compatible with a Mac. Many thanks. Janice

Hi Janice, I’m afraid Expat Shield is not supported on Mac computers, it’s a Windows only thing; however there are services out there that you can use, a quick Google will give you a number of options, but the one I tend to recommend is www.my-private-network.co.uk as they provide great support and are a very low cost option at only £5 a month. Also when using their service you don’t get the adverts that you do tend to get with Expat Shield.

Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter @bluemoonspain Alternately why don’t you sign up for my newsletter. You can do this by going to:www.bluemoonsolutions.es and fill in the form that is on any page except the front page. office@bluemoonsolutions.es www.bluemoonsolutions.es Mobile: 655 044 970

Office: 902 906 200

Friday, January 25, 2013

Hiding the scourge of multiculturism

NO doubt all newspaper readers and TV viewers will have been filled with revulsion at the news that another group of Asian men are on trial for running an exploitation ring with young vulnerable girls. It centres around nine Asians charged with a number of sex offences, including child rape, grooming children for sex, child prostitution and trafficking a child around the UK for the purposes of sex. This latest trial involves a group in Oxford, and shows all the hallmarks of another group of Pakistanis convicted recently of similar crimes in the Bradford area. Their prey were girls from deprived areas and from children's homes, easily led astray by gifts of money, drink, cigarettes and drugs until they become dependent. After that, the girls were controlled by threats and actual violence, handed around members of the gang and others and driven to other cities of the UK as sex objects. The court was told of a 12-year-old girl burned with a lighter because she refused to have sex with one of the men. The court heard men would travel to Oxford "often by appointment" from as far afield as Bradford, Leeds, London and Slough 'specifically to abuse young girls'. Sometimes the girls were taken to towns and cities such as London and Bournemouth. The men would inflict 'extreme physical and sexual violence on the girls, using knives, meat cleavers and baseball bats. They were humiliated and degraded, bitten, scratched, suffocated, tied up, beaten and burnt. Sometimes the abuse would go on for days on end. It is claimed the men also threatened the girls and their families if they should try to free themselves from the grasp of the group. One of the victims described her ordeal at the hands of the men as a "living hell". I found it astounding that most newspapers and TV reports failed to mention that these were Asian men who were abusing white girls. The BBC were taken to task on the BBC viewers’ complaints programme over this issue. Why the secrecy? Is it that the authorities are frightened by a racial backlash from a furious public? We often hear politicians speaking of the benefits immigration has brought to Britain, but how often do we hear of

all the trouble it's caused and is still causing. These poor girls certainly have suffered as a result. And it won't be the last case we hear. Those who believed it wonderful to experiment with a multicultural Britain have a lot to answer for. And don't start calling me a racist - I'm saying it as it is and it's no good trying to pretend it doesn't exist or that it will go away - it won't. ONE of the saddest stories of the week must be that of a divorced man who learned, after raising his two children to the ages of 20 and 18, that they were not his. His cheating ex-wife carried on the deception for years, allowing him to pay £300 a month maintenance. At first the marriage worked, and the husband was overjoyed at the birth of the children. He was promoted at work and had to work longer hours, leading to matrimonial problems, culminating in his wife walking out with the children. He was ordered out of the matrimonial home, but continued to see the children regularly. But recently he started having doubts as to whether he was their genetic father. Finally he sought DNA tests, which shattered his life again when he learned that neither child was his. A quirk of UK law holds that raising a child is a privilege and not detrimental in any way, which means it is impossible for men to reclaim maintenance payments (now that's a sick joke, isn't it?). He was advised by his solicitor that the only way forward was to sue his ex-wife for deceit. His success at Norwich Crown Court paves the way for

other fathers, who believe they may have been similarly lied to, to seek legal redress. He was awarded £12,500 for each child — his suffering was seen as akin to bereavement because he had effectively lost the chance of being a father. He was also awarded costs of £25,000. The ex-wife and the two children have now moved out of the family home, which is on sale for £119,995. The equity will be used to pay the ex-husband's damages and costs. The children no longer want any contact with him. It’s an extremely sad case for all concerned - particularly sad for the children, totally innocent parties in all this, but it makes me wonder how many men there are out there who have been or are raising children which aren't theirs. I have no doubt this case will prompt more to seek DNA tests and financial redress. Cheating wives be very afraid! LAST week I wrote of my dismay at the erosion of many of the values the majority of British hold so dear. What got my goat was the decision by the Girl Guides to consult on whether to change the oath of allegiance to God and Queen, which has been the norm for the past 102 years. So, it was with some pleasure I heard the decision of the European Court of Human Rights backing the claim of unlawful dismissal against a BA check-in clerk who refused to stop wearing a Christian cross necklace at work. How ironic is that the European Court, of all institutions, is coming to Britain's aid and saving the country from itself. I can understand the stance of British Airways, worried just in case the sight of a cross might upset some other religions - and we all know of how some are looking for any reason to complain, especially when it comes to anything concerning race or religion. But that's tough, I'm sure companies in any other country in the world would never in a million years try to stop their nationals wearing the trappings of their religions in case it might offend Christians. The important words in all of this is tolerance and just plain common sense. I hope that in 2013 there will be a greater understanding of both those values. And it should start with the Christian church in the UK, which seems hell bent on tearing itself apart over a number of issues, including gay marriage and women bishops.

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

Paradise? Not in this world!

I AM amazed by some of what I’ve read regarding the “Trial by Fury” (Issue 100). Am I alone in predicting that the owner of Rayz Bar was going back to the UK from the very first moment she appeared in the programme? Why is everyone surprised that the lady in question left Spain without a word to anyone? There are a large number of expats in Spain because they are running away from something in the UK and return a few years later expecting that those problems are long forgotten. If they were to stay in Spain they would have similar problems to the ones they left behind. There is no paradise anywhere in the world; there are simply some places that are better than others for a variety of reasons. Wherever you go, your life pretty much goes with you so if you were having a nightmare in one place do not expect a new place to be one of endlessly wonderful dreams. Spain offers some wonderful opportunities for a change of lifestyle but nothing is without a certain amount of hard work. Because the UK has bent over backwards towards welcoming immigrants does not mean that the country of your

choice is going to act in the same manner. Expect frustration from day one and prepare to act as courteously as possible. Pay for things you would expect for nothing in the UK and if you are dealing with any form of bureaucracy then take an interpreter or learn the language or your mistakes may be expensive. STEVEN MORRISSEY (Age 52) Via Courier website

We must tackle crime together

OPENED in 1999, in Torrevieja, and legalised in 2000 by the Alicante Generalitad to try to reduce crime and vandalism, the Vecinos Colaborando Association (Crime Watch Spain) is now represented in many villages and towns in the Costa Blanca, such as Almoradi, Dolores, Los Montesinos, Guardamar, Callosa, Catral, Torrevieja, Quesada, Rojales, Ibi, Altea, Teulada, Alicante, Benidorm, etc. During 2012, we received 25 complaints about barking dogs and 50 complaints about loud music. We reported 28 robberies; 10 abandoned cars; five stolen cars; seven road attacks on people; 11 street thefts; 10 Internet and telephone scans, and 23 pickpocket robberies at markets, supermar-

kets and parking places. Luckily, many of the complaints relating to barking dogs and loud music were sorted out by our own coordinators after visiting and speaking to the people involved. We would like to remind citizens to be aware of Internet and telephone scans. Please do not open any message that does not involve anything you really know. Please do not entertain any suspicious phone call. If they persist in phoning you put your phone down or call the Police. Your house is your castle; please do not entertain anyone who comes to your door or gate asking to donate money for charity, or to repair your house’s gas or electrical equipment. Usually insurance companies will not entertain any house's claims if alarms are not installed. You do not need to be a member of our Association to be helped and our service is free. To have a community group is a convenience, but not an obligation. The most important thing is that we, as a responsible community's citizens, in order to help our areas, must report any serious incident to the Local Police (tel. 092) or Guardia (062 or Emergencies (112) or Domestic Abuse (116) or National Police (091). If we do not report serious incidents to the Police or Guardia, they will not be able do anything to help us. Our Association email is: colaborando.crimewatch@skynetlink.com VECINOS COLABORANDO

Friday, January 25, 2013

Make an Impact with Slim Fit Europe

Following their business success at “Medaesthetics” in Punta Prima, Director, Lynda Gibson, and Manager, Lauren Shakespeare, are preparing to launch their latest franchise “Slim Fit Europe”. This franchise is not merely a business venture for them, but could open up a whole new career opportunity for anyone with the drive and enthusiasm required to work within the Health and Weight Loss Industry- one of the biggest areas of economic growth at a time of economic decline. The training programme offers applicants a recognized nutrition qualification and current knowledge of the weight loss industry, enabling them to promote a proven weight loss product range and method of health improvement which can be applied in a variety of settings. From here the franchise Associated Partners will have the opportunity to open their own business, with only minimal outlay costs and guaranteed earnings from day one. Slim Fit Europe and its Associated Partners are set to make a big impact on the lives of many people who have ongoing health and weight problems. For further details about this exciting new business opportunity please visit the website www.slimfiteurope.com; email to info@slimfiteurope.com; or call the team on 965 060 811.

No more run in the sun Imagine sitting in the hot Spanish sun with your face beautifully made-up but free from the fear of melting streaks of colour running down your cheeks. Or just think of jumping in a pool without a moment’s worry that your waterproof eyeliner will turn out not to be. Better still, envisage waking up looking just as good as when you went to bed. This freedom to look good ALWAYS is just what advanced semi-permanent make-up specialist June Hutchinson gives her clients. June, a key member of the Medaesthetics team has worked in the beauty industry for many years, and trained in the art of semi-permanent make-up with world acknowledged experts Finishing Touches. With semi-permanent make-up, June can define eyebrows, draw in eyeliner and put subtle definition back into lips. June also offers medical tattooing and non-laser tattoo removal.

An estate agent for life Having lived in Spain for more than 25 years and run a successful estate agent, Peysu, since 1993, Susanne Seiler is an expert not just in the property market but also in helping people make the smooth transition to a new life in Spain. She believes that selling a house doesn’t stop the minute the customer signs on the dotted line, and for her providing a good after sales service is just as important as helping customers find their perfect property. Susanne offers her customers a complete legal package, including property registering and transfer of utility bills. But it doesn’t stop there. Many people who have bought a house through Susanne stay with her for years as she helps them prepare wills, make tax declarations and get the best car insurance. Of course, you don’t have to have bought your house through Susanne to get these great services.

Bright Sparks at The Electrical Shop The Electrical Shop has welcomed overwhelming success since opening its doors, and celebrates its third birthday in March. The store stocks a wealth of high quality, affordable electrical goods, from recognised UK and international Manufacturers. Debbie and the team offer a friendly, honest service, and are always on hand to offer advice so that clients make the best choices regarding their electrical appliances. This has enabled the Electrical Shop to develop an impressive portfolio of new and repeat clients, many of who pass through the doors on recommendation alone. Debbie commented that “During these competitive times the personal touch is often missing. But when delivered, and delivered well, it creates a great Customer Service experience which is appreciated by everyone!” So next time you are in search of new electrical items, or experience a problem with existing ones, call in to the Electrical Shop, and get some sound advice from the experts!

Enhance Your Smile with Eagle’s Nest Dental Practice “Eagle’s Nest Dental Practice” offers a friendly, sympathetic service, which is not only designed to put you at ease when you visit, but provide a winning smile when you leave. Dental Practitioner, Gabriella Nemeskeri commenced her career in Budapest, Hungary where she established her own surgery. Twelve years later, Gabriella relocated to the UK, where she was employed by the NHS for 4 years. This helped her to expand her knowledge and explore all of the latest treatments and techniques in orthodontics and implant surgery. Gabriella moved to Spain in 2010, to launch her latest Dental Practice which has recently relocated to new premises on Avenida de Ibiza, near Campoamor Golf Resort. Eagle’s Nest Dental Practice offers a range of professional dental treatments at affordable prices. The practice welcomes an international client base, catering for even the most nervous of patients. For further information or to make an appointment, please call 966 775 133 or email enquiries to dental.happiness@gmail.com.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Making dreams come true YOU DESERVE PRIVACY, peace, harmony, wide views, sunny side, Spanish relaxing style of life – therefore you are in Spain! And you can afford it, now more than ever before! Bargains are waiting for you – sometimes a quick decision is needed! And what about building your dream home with us, ready in 4 months time. For example 120 m2 living area on 5000 m2 plot at € 135.000,-! Take the challenge.......and live your Spanish dream in 2013!! EVA VERONIKA is at your side finding the right home, during the purchase and after it if you need us for translations, NIE numbers, residence, looking for schools, buying furniture, etc! EVA VERONIKA, wants you to be well informed and we will be glad to advise and support you! EVA VERONIKA, office: 966 180 004, mobile phone: 669 621 173, e-mail: info@spain-fincas.info, website: www.spain-fincas.info

Timeless Fashions: Specialists in Style Timeless Fashions has been established in Punta Prima for several years, delivering a selection of elegant and affordable clothing to ladies on the Costas. Now under new Management, the boutique is better than ever, supplying a wealth of stylish garments from popular fashion labels such as Saloo, Casamia, South Lodge and Addinni. The outfits are available in a variety of cuts and colours, with sizes ranging from petite to XXXL. As a small, independent boutique, Timeless Fashions is able to provide a personalised, clientfocused service, expanding and refreshing stock in accordance with demand. Manager Joy, hinted that the new season collection will be arriving soon, so why not pop in and give your wardrobe a makeover. Timeless Fashions is located within the Punta Marina commercial Centre. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays.

Training that’s a cut above The Palace Hair and Beauty training Academy is the premier training school for would-be hair and beauty professionals on the Costa Blanca. Run by top industry professionals, Margarita and Latashia, who between them have more than 60 years’ experience in the field, The Palace offers ITEC Certificate courses that are recognised in 32 countries worldwide. Margarita started her career as a make-up artist, and has worked with local TV station Sol Productions, while Latashia has run successful salons in both the UK and Spain. Not only do these ladies have unsurpassed practical knowledge of hair and beauty craft, they are also experienced teachers and understand the business side of the industry. So, whatever your hair and beauty career goals, The Palace is the school for you. For the best training and a perfect start to your hair and beauty career, call Palace Hair and Beauty Training Academy today.

Hair loss? It’s all grow at Margaretha‘s! IF you're feeling self-conscious or worried about hair loss, Salon Margaretha is here to help you with practical no-fuss solutions that will help restore your hair health and feeling of well-being and confidence. Their 20 years experience ensures that you are in trustworthy, professional hands and their completely private consultation offers unrivalled advice, personalised treatment and tailor-made hair replacement solutions. Their wide range of wigs and prosthetic hair pieces is so natural that it's impossible to tell them from real hair and their cutting and styling expertise ensure that your look is completely 'your own'. If you need any help in connection with hair loss, contact Margaretha herself on 966 921 846 at her clinic. (She specialises in alopecia and disruptions in hair growth due to illness, injury, hormone imbalances and chemo/radiotherapy treatments).

Racing Ahead at Razorsedge Lisa, the owner of Razorsedge Hair and Beauty Salon in San Luis, has to be one of the most dynamic businesswomen on the Costa Blanca. As well as Razorsedge, one of the best Hair and Beauty Salons around, Lisa is also a partner alongside her husband in the busy Olive Grove Restaurant which is based in Torreta II in Torrevieja. Lisa puts her success down to knowing what her customers want and always going that extra mile to offer an excellent service in a warm, friendly environment that keeps clients coming back time and time again. Lisa also believes in value for money and the prices in Razorsedge reflect this. Lisa has recently taken on a new stylist Jo, who is offering 10% off all perms throughout the month of February. Look out for special seniors’ offers in Razorsedge on Mondays and Tuesdays. To make an appointment or for more information Tel: 966 788 904.

Friday,December January 18, Friday, 16,2013 2011

Oasis: The Perfect Watering Hole Located on the sea front at Playa Flamenca, Oasis Cafe Bar is the perfect place to escape from reality. Business Owner, Diane, offers a warm, friendly service, and selection of delicious homecooked dishes to tempt your taste buds. The Cafe has been revamped, so that diners can relax in style and comfort whilst absorbing the glorious views of the Mediterranean. The famous Oasis All Day Breakfast provides the perfect start to the day whatever time you surface, and offers unbeatable value from just 4.50 euros. Diane has also introduced a selection of warming winter specials and light bites to the menu, including Baked Potatoes with a variety of toppings, sausage rolls and tasty tapas for those who love to nibble. Oasis is the perfect place to stop for a brew whilst enjoying an afternoon stroll, with a selection of speciality coffee, tea and cakes, along with beers, wines and spirits to warm the cockles. They even sell a variety of ice creams to keep the kids happy. Oasis is open from 10:30 to 17:00 and all food items are available to eat in or takeaway.

The Food Cupboard is always full…. The Food Cupboard is situated in the High Street of San Miguel de Salinas - directly opposite the Guardia Civil. It has been open for nine months and benefits from being a family run business. A small but very friendly supermarket, it stocks all your favourites including McVities, Kenco, Yorkshire Tea, Vitaminas, Bisto, Sharwoods and Weetabix to name but a few – plus fresh produce such as milk, Cravendale, cheese, fresh farm eggs, butter, cream, etc. There is also a wide variety of cakes and biscuits to satisfy the sweetest cravings. Other services include greetings cards; English newspapers and magazines; jewellery gifts; UK postal service (Royal Mail); mobile phone top-ups and unlocking; laptop and mobile phone repairs. A home delivery service, And if they don’t have what you want, they’ll try to source it for you. Opening hours are Mon-Fri 8.15am to 7pm; Sat and Sun 8.15-2pm.

On Trend and On Target At Moda La Finca Britta and Helga opened up MODA LA FINCA at the Finca Golf Course in Algorfa in the middle of the recession in 2010. Fortunately these courageous businesswomen have made their business a huge success. Their shop sells mostly well known clothes made in Germany except for their Boutique brand Frank Lyman from Canada. What is nice about this shop is that you can take your time, check out the bargains in the outlet section but also buy new collections like Doris Streich, Paddocks Jeans or for the men beautiful jumpers from Breidhof and comfortable trousers from Club of Comfort. For the very big sizes they stock Duke of London for men or Chalou for women. Chalou’s sizes go up to a size 34!!! They also invite you to sit down and have a coffee or a cold drink. Open daily from 10 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. They are looking forward to your visit.

Still Going Strong at New2You Karen Dowsing is the owner of New2You, a small chain of quality used furniture shops. She opened her 1st shop 22 years ago and has gradually expanded the business to now include three shops located in Mar Azul/Eliseos Playa as well as the shop at Zoco Sunday market. Karen told us “I feel the success of my business is due to the high standard of our furniture, quality of service and fair pricing policy when both buying or selling”. New2You is much more than just a furniture shop, it is an Aladdin’s cave of ideas. Within the main shop in Eliseos Playa you will find the new household department selling everything to compliment your home from practical kitchenware, towels and bedding to decorative items. Karen is an active member of various business groups including TIBA and Women of Fire.

food cupboardAD

Friday, January 18, 2013

Friday, January 25, 2013

Out of the Blue, the Angels of Charity By SPIKE THE Blue Angels Motorcycling Club were meeting up on a clear bright Saturday in January, not a day we would normally meet. But today was special; well, we were hoping it was going to be. We were going to our chosen charity, an Orphanage in nearby Elche to deliver a van load of goodies, toys for the kids and an assortment of dry goods to help out the staff at the orphanage, as

unfortunately due to the times we live in they don’t get the help they need and deserve from the local authorities, so help is always needed. All the toys, dry goods, (and there truly was a van full) were donated by the public and business. The appeal was a joint effort between Bar/Restaurant El Mirador, Eagles Nest, San Miguel and the Blue Angels MC Spain. I must also mention Lea of Bad Boyz Motos, Cabo Roig, who was a major contributor and

also supplied the transport for the vast amount of goods collected. The Moore’s Bar 100 club at Cabo Roig collected €200 which they used to buy blankets and toiletries, big thank you for that. A special thanks to Greg Daly who visited a local toy shop, dug deep into his pocket and filled the boot of his car, and believe me he has a big boot, as well as a big pocket and heart. Also to all the individuals who donated, thank you all. We left the Bar/ Restaurant Mirador just after 2pm for a leisurely ride to Elche, the Blue Angels leading followed closely by the prospects and support club and a small convoy of cars bringing up the rear. On arrival at the Orphanage we were greeted by some of the kids and staff; they were clearly please

HELLO CAMPERS, DI DE DI!

COME and enjoy an evening with the staff and campers at Craplin’s Holiday Camp. The year is 1959 and the aging staff are now catering to the older camper. All the activities have been designed to enable the campers to fully enjoy the Pensioner Specials, but the guests have mixed reactions. The staff group still consists of hopeful Bluecoats and jaded entertainers. Partridge is getting more grumpy and bad tempered with age, the dancers continue to snipe at each other and Ted still needs Spike to bail him out of his self-inflicted difficulties.

Peggy may be getting on in years, but she still hopes to get her promotion before she receives her Old Age Pension. However, the Craplin Debonaires provide excellent nightly entertainment in the Hawaiian Ballroom. Come and enjoy a fun filled night of staff and camper antics and enjoy the cabaret shows by the splendid Craplin Debonaires. To be performed at the Casa de Cultura San Miguel on Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th March. Tickets can be purchased at Bargain Books, San Miguel or phone Colin on 96 677 4127.

to see us, we lined up the bikes in a couple of rows and got the toys and things inside, Then, for the best bit, we let the kids sit on the bikes and rev the engines. Both staff and kids thought this was great fun, a few worried looks on some of the guys’ faces as the rev counters bounced off the limiters. A great day all round. The Blue Angels MC was established in 1963 in Glasgow, where the Mother Chapter still resides. There are currently many Chapters in major towns and cities throughout Europe and it is one of the largest Motor Cycle clubs in Europe. They will celebrate their 50th Anniversary later this year in Scotland.

The CATS whiskers!

THE Torrevieja Costa Lions Club are living up to their name – by promoting a CATS spectacular at the Teatro Municipal in conjunction ith the Ayuntamiento. The world-renowned Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will hit the stage for one night only on Saturday March 9, performed in English by the acclaimed Footlights Youth Theatre. The show starts at 8pm and proceeds from the profits will be disbursed locally to Lions Club Charities. Tickets for this superb show are just €12 and demand for tickets is expected to be high, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. They are available from the theatre box office or online at www.servicam.es - just click on the logo for the Teatro Municipal Torrevieja, and follow the drop down menu. The Footlights Youth Theatre have a multi-national cast of around 30 and are performing four shows in Calpe from February 14-16 prior to the Torrevieja event. CATS was first performed in London’s West End in 1981 and has since been performed in over 20 countries and 250 cities worldwide. It has also been translated and performed in 10 languages. For more information on Footlights Youth Theatre go to www.footlightscalpe.com For more information on Torrevieja Costa Lions Club go to www.torreviejacostalions.org

Friday, January 25, 2013

was a week, Spangles’ helping Thatthat was! hand for Spain A SERIES of concerts organised by award-winning Spangles Ladies’ Harmony Chorus of Los Alcázares has helped to raise funds to help two young Spanish barbershop quartets to represent Spain at a European Contest in Holland in March. Torrevieja’s Fourmidables and Cataluña-based Hanfris appeared with Spangles and the Torrevieja Harmonisers at concerts in Los Alcázares and Castalla, and the two quartets also sang to a packed house at Diamante’s Restaurant in El Mojón. All four groups are Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers medallists. Audiences, whose vision of barbershop may have been of four men in boaters and striped waistcoats, were blown away by the stunning voices of the two young men’s quartets and the entertaining and profession-

al performances of the choruses. SABS president and Spangles musical director Gail Grainger commented: “These young guys are great ambassadors for SABS and we are so proud that they have qualified to

represent us on the European stage. It will cost approximately 2,400€ for each quartet to compete in Holland and Spangles wanted to show their support by helping to raise funds for their trip. “I’m delighted to say that

we raised 1000€ from the series of concerts and we’re extremely grateful to our wonderful audiences.” After winning a Gold medal, quartets and choruses cannot compete in the following year, so Spangles and Hanfris will be going for gold again at the SABS Convention in Benalmádena, Málaga in April. “The Chorus is working hard on our two contest songs and we will be showcasing them at a show in March,“ remarked Gail. Following on from their gold medal success, Spangles has released a CD called ‘Pure Gold’, which includes their two winning contest songs and many audience favourites. ‘Pure Gold’ is on sale at just 5€. Call 968 432 525 or 968 334 527 to order your copy. Spangles welcomes new members so, if you’re looking to make new friends and enjoy singing, why not visit a rehearsal at Las Claras? They meet every Thursday from 10.00am to 1.00pm. for more info, please call Lyn on 968 432 525 or Anthea on 968 334 527 - or visit the website: www.spangleschorus.com.

AFA’s Judy Ferris receives the NoSmoKing Club cheque from Dorothy Gates Torrevieja’s Alzheimer’s Association are reflecting on what they describe as ‘’a terrific week’’ which brought in sizeable donations from the NoSmoKing Club and Carl’s Bar. First, members of the NoSmoKing Club handed over €300 to AFA treasurer Judy Ferris. Club president Dorothy Gates said her members were very pleased to continue their support for such a worthy and deserving organisation - and applauded the work and dedication of AFA for this growing problem of dementia. Trish and Martin, new owners of Carl’s Bar in the main square in Los Montesinos, continue to be staunch supporters too. Their Christmas Raffle raised €230, which was then topped up with a further €201 from Saturday’s Charity Night. In a press release, AFA said: “With this sort of kindness and support, we can look forward to caring for patients and their families at least for the immediate future. The other side of the picture just doesn’t bear thinking about, as dementia is such a cruel problem which whilst it cannot be cured, can and does respond to the professional cares we are able to provide.’’

RUNNING SMOOTH Four members of Running Wild A.C. braved the extreme windy conditions to join the 7,000plus entrants at this year’s Santa Pola Half Marathon on Sunday. Helen Giles (Vet A, Over 35 category) was well pleased to achieve a personal best with 2hrs. 01´ 18” following a recent good spell of distance training. Newcomer Craig James (Vet B) completed the 21.1K course in 2hrs. 13´ 29”, while Julia Skinner (Vet C) was only 61 seconds behind him. Vet E Helen Mitford, one of the club´s quicker lady runners, took just over 2hrs 20min to finish following health problems. She hopes to be back to strength for the Torrevieja race in five weeks´ time. Jim Gavin was unable to run in Santa Pola, due to a thigh-strain but attended as support and hopes to resume training shortly

Kim Carey of GA Property Needs would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who sponsored her in the Santa Pola 21 km Marathon. She managed to finish in 2 Hours 45 Minutes and raised 903€ for The Friends of The Children of Elche. Your generosity was well appreciated x in order to compete along with Helen Giles, Julia Skinner, Howard Bednall & Ingrid Patursson at the prestigious Paris Marathon in April.

The Club also hopes for a good turn-out for both the jointly-run 10K and Half Marathon events in Torrevieja on February 24.

Friday, January 25, 2013

UK HEADLINES

A TAD NIPPY

The naked truth about Britain’s new craze WHILE Britain shivers in the big freeze, hundreds of hardy souls have joined a new craze - posing naked for a snapshot in the snow. It all started when care worker Leanne Myers, 40, stripped to her undies to pose for a picture playing guitar in the snow with 25year-old neighbour Danielle Smith. In a bid to cheer up workmates Leanne posted the picture on a Facebook page she set up called “Wiltshire, let’s get naked in the snow!”. She also invited friends to strip off for their own goosebump photos in the snow and 250 people have taken up the challenge in just three days. Leanne, from Durrington, Wilts, said yesterday: “It is totally amazing, I really had no idea it would take off like this. “People have really embraced it, and a lot of the pictures are of friends of

The Mirror friends, but now there’s some coming in from people I don’t know. “I’ve had interest from Abu

Dhabi and America and people messaging me saying ‘we’re not in Wiltshire, can we send in a pic?’ “They are welcome from anywhere, as long as they are kept tasteful.” Leanne posed up for her

guitar picture after spending a day battling through snow blizzards to get to the homes of patients last Friday. She said: “I’m a care worker and on Friday while everyone had a

snow day, me and my colleagues couldn’t. “We simply have to get to our patients at their homes, there’s no alternative. “I had an horrendous day on Friday trying to get around and at the end of the

day I came home and thought ‘right, I need to cheer up me and my colleagues. “So I got Danielle from next door and we did a silly picture of us with some guitars and I started the page. “I really did just think it would be a bit of fun, to provide a bit of a giggle for maybe 50 of my friends and neighbours in the village, but on Saturday it really took off. “My husband and I went out on Saturday to the club in the village and a lad said ‘Hi Leanne, I didn’t recognise you with your clothes on’. That’s when I knew it had gone a bit further than that.” More than 5,500 people have visited Leanne’s website and she is now hoping to use it as a fund-raiser for local charities. She said: “It would be great to use this for some good, especially as it’s a bit of fun.”

Very inconspicuous! WANTED - BURGLAR BILL THIEF WHO ROBBED WAITROSE

CCTV cameras caught the crook, who bears a striking resemblance to children’s storybook character Burglar Bill, breaking into a Waitrose store in Essex Police are hunting a conspicuous thief who broke into a supermarket - dressed as a BURGLAR. CCTV cameras caught the crook, who bears a striking resemblance to children’s storybook character Burglar Bill, breaking into a Waitrose store in Essex. The man broke into the supermarket

in Southend after hours dressed in a dark blue striped shirt and black hat. His stereotypical burglar attire is

remarkably similar to the cartoon villain who appeared in the popular book series by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. Burglar Bill was best known for his stripy jumper and his catchphrase "I'll 'av that!" Police today released CCTV images in the hope of tracking 'Bill' and his accomplice who made off with two cameras and Xbox controllers. One staff member at Waitrose commented: "It is quite comical to see the similarity between this guy and Burglar Bill.

No Irish joke as council backs rural drink driving A COUNTY council in south-west Ireland has voted to back a motion allowing for people living in isolated areas to drink and drive. The motion was passed by Kerry County Council on Monday by five votes to three, with the remainder of the councillors either absent or abstaining. It supports the creation of a permit that will allow rural drinkers to drive after having "two or three drinks". It was tabled by the independent councillor Danny Healy-Rae, who has claimed it would help prevent depression and suicide in the county. Healy-Rae said people in rural areas were "travelling very minor roads … with very little traffic" and "have never killed anyone". He said his proposal would bring back a social outlet for lonely people in rural areas that had been lost after stricter drink-drive laws were introduced. Healy-Rae, who owns a pub in Kilgarvan, County Kerry, said it would benefit people who are "looking at four walls", and could help prevent mental illness. "They're travelling in very minor roads, often on tractors, with very little traffic and it's not

right they're being treated the same as the rest of the travelling public and they have never killed anyone. "The only outlet they have then is to take home a bottle of whiskey and they're falling into depression, and suicide for some of them is the sad way out," he added. The head of Ireland's Road Safety Authority criticised the proposal. Noel Brett said the greatest toll in deaths and injuries from road accidents had been felt in rural locations. "There is very strong evidence which makes an irrefutable link between the consumption of alcohol and impairment," he said. Some councillors in Kerry have distanced themselves from the pro-drink-drive motion. The Irish Labour councillor Gillian WhartonSlattery said she did not want to be associated with the motion. Addressing HealyRae, she said: "Depression causes suicide. It's not caused by not being able to go to the pub. “There's more things to do in Kilgarvan than go into your pub."

Friday, January 25, 2013

SPANISH NEWS

KIDNAPPED BABY MEETS HER MUM – AFTER 50 YEARS A SPANISH woman has been reunited with her mother nearly 50 years after being abducted as a new-born baby. The story with a happy ending is one of numerous cases of "stolen babies" from the Franco era, when the dictator’s regime allowed children to be taken away at birth if the parents were leftwing opponents or unmarried. Victims' groups say the practice continued after his death in 1975. In the latest such case to be resolved, a woman in Valencia who suspected she was a stolen baby lodged a judicial request to find her mother, according to national police. Examining hospital records, officers identified a woman whom DNA tests revealed to be the biological mother. She had been told by the hospital where she gave birth in 1964 that her baby had died. "She was very surprised and happy to hear the news," the police statement said. "All these years the biological mother had lived believing that the baby, whose sex she had never even been told, had died in childbirth.’’ Campaign groups for suspected victims of the practice such as

‘SOS Bebes Robados’and ‘Anadir’ say hundreds of thousands of newborns were stolen under Franco. They say some 1,500 court cases have been filed with prosecutors but that judges have shelved many cases on the grounds that the deeds were committed too long ago. Police are continuing investigations to locate those responsible for the abduction – but did not reveal the two women's names. In another case, a lawyer said that judges have launched a fresh investigation into a nun accused of stealing newborn babies in the 1980s. In April last year, Sister Maria Gomez Valbuena, 87, was the first person to go before a judge over the scandal. She was questioned over the kidnapping of a baby girl from a Madrid hospital three decades ago. Now she is accused by another mother, Purificacion Betegon, of taking away her twins in 1981, said the plaintiff's lawyer, Alipio Barbero. Last month, 47-yearold Quique Olivert from Huelva said he tracked down his birth parents with the help of SOS Bebes Robados after his adoptive parents died.

SPAIN UNITES IN INDIGNANCE AT €22M PP SHARK REPORTS that former Popular Party treasurer Luis Bárcenas siphoned an astonishing €22 MILLION into a Swiss bank account has lifted the fury of Spain’s self-styled ‘Indignant Ones’ to new heights. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, a PP party member, faced a barrage of questions from journalists last Friday, and denied knowing anything about the money, or about the reports that Barcenas also gave party members large sums in under-the table payments to keep them happy and to oblige them to keep their mouths shut. She deflected questions as to whether Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy or other members of the ruling conservative PP government received money. The National Court says an investigation into irregular payments by companies to party members in return for business contracts uncovered five Swiss accounts for Bárcenas, a former senator, who resigned in 2010, months after he was first named in the investigation. Murcia´s regional

Luis Bárcenas...his Swiss bank account had an average balance of €15million spokesman, Jose Ballesta, described the situation as intolerable and indecent, and demanded a severe punishment for the political thief. He added that the crime was exacerbated due to the difficult times the country was experiencing, with families having huge problems just to make ends meet, while this kind of immoral robbery had helped plunge the country into even deeper recession. Ballesta went on to say that if the whole country is indignant, those who work as politicians were more indignant than anyone, because they should be giving their best to society in the most

honest way possible, and the action of a few corrupt politicians had given them all a terrible reputation. Bárcenas, had a bank account in Switzerland with an average balance of €15 million, according to an ongoing investigation into the kickbacks-for-contracts Gürtel scandal in which a number of high-ranking PP officials have been implicated. After Bárcenas was officially implicated in the Gürtel probe in 2009, he withdrew the funds from the account, transferring them to another one in the name of a company called Tedesul. The initial account was with a branch of

Dresdner Bank in Geneva in the name of a Panamanian company called Sinequanon, controlled by Bárcenas. Bárcenas and his wife face charges of tax fraud and of receiving illegal payoffs in connection with the Gürtel ring controlled by businessman Francisco Correa. A number of top PP officials in Madrid and Valencia have also been officially targeted in the probe. When judge Garcon started to investigate the crime he was accused by PP members of gathering evidence in an illegal way, and was prohibited from working as a lawyer in Spain for ten years.

Now the King faces blackmail threat In what could see his popularity plummet further, King Juan Carlos faces more embarrassment over the threatened release of 200 emails. One already leaked is said to cause speculation regarding the friendship of King Carlos and

German aristocrat Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. Sayn-Wittgenstein, who is 28 years younger than King Carlos, first made headlines when it was revealed she had accompanied him on his much publicised elephant hunt last year.

The incredible part of the story is that the documents are currently in the hands of Diego Torres, the former business partner and alleged co-conspirator in the on-going case of the King’s son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin. In what has been called ‘public black-

mail’, Torres has said he will release the 200 emails unless prosecutors spare him jail for the embezzlement charges he faces. He and Urdangarin are accused of embezzling public funds through a non-profit organisation he chaired in Majorca.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Horoscopes Aries March 21 - April 19 Wind is well starred, as is wind power generally in what could be the precursor to your most environmentally friendly year ever. Light and shade will vary in danger for most of the year, with darkness pipping lightness' badness at times. Beware graveyards and things much bigger than you that go bump in the night.

Taurus April 20 - May 20 Your brutish Taurean appearance is set to offer many benefits this week, especially if fighting and punching is required to end disputes. If law and order breaks down you have been gifted the ability to triumph over adversity by simply sneering or cocking your eye with disdain. Blancmanges and jelly are both well starred, but not in the pre-school party sense.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Beware frugal people in all of their forms and especially those who admit to tipping poorly. Contempt for the rules in your favourite sport are set to lead you to continued moments of sending off, or reprimands from stewards. A husband or wife may gain over 20 pounds due to mysterious reasons that can only be explained by secretly placing a camera in the kitchen.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 The letter 'p' is set to provide moments of unfettered joy this year, although not in January, February, March, July and October where nothing but evil will result. A similar situation may occur with people of all hues: stand your ground and refuse to clean up after the merriment has passed.

By Pandora Leo July 23 - August 22 A Walt Disney type incident with some kind of cute Bambi type animal on a back road, or possibly in a street or built up area, is set to enchant a small person who knows you. This small person might be a child, or a dwarf, or a pet. Ensure you have enough Bambi food in your car at all times and possibly a blanket and bottle of water.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 The danger of attack from behind while driving, which peppered 2008 so frequently, is about to pass. From Wednesday you no longer need to check the back seat for people hiding there waiting to attack you as you drive along. You will continue to do so of course because of what has happened to you earlier, but Neptune now has other things on its mind.

Libra September 23 - October 22 You are going on a journey, according to Neptune, a long journey, possibly one involving sand, hot air and bumpiness. But a journey can, of course, be as much a spiritual one as well as a physical one, it can mean a kind of advancement, of learning. Whatever it turns out to be, take along some apples, and eat them when you feel hungry.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Wobbling is majorly starred in your charts this yweek, be it wobbly bridges, wobbly door locks or wobbly in-car bouncy headed dogs - all are set to inspire and annoy in equal measures, as Saturn bides its time. Brown furnishings continue to be moderately well starred until dusk on the Tuesday and then for the rest of the week are fearfully badly starred

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Bangs, but not pops, could well decide your fate around Friday, especially if ingredients from a pizza are involved. Choose oranges and lemons in any citrus fruits based emergency. Tall buildings will provide moments of calm in what will otherwise be quite a stormy week. Live through this one and you can do almost anything.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Hazard warnings have never bothered you very much, especially on building sites and electricity generating plants, however now might be the time to review your views on such things. You have undoubtedly been lucky, and your luck may be about to run out especially on Tuesday.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 There has been a distinct lack of flamboyance in 2012 and you should look forward to a year of over indulgence and hearty laughter where you will hold your sides for hours while you laugh mercilessly and only slightly hysterically at a glorious miscellany of targets to be provided to you by the planets.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 A call on a mobile phone, or a standard phone, is set to add intrigue into your life for much of the week. Running, jumping, but not flying are all highly starred depending on your body weight. A dog named George deserves a kicking. Kick him with your eyes not your foot.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Nissan 370Z Nismo revealed for 2013 Following hard in the tyre tracks of the Juke comes Nissan’s second Nismobranded performance product for Europe: feast your spoiler-deprived eyes on the 344hp Nissan 370Z Nismo. It’s got wing. And then some.

bigger brakes it has upgraded the hoses and the fluid to GT-R spec, helping the 370Z stop more assertively. Specially developed Bridgestone Potenza tyres complete the performance overhaul.

Nismo stands for Nissan Motorsport. While the in-house tuning division is legendary in Japan for building championship winning racing cars, not to mention some extreme road going kit, the name is more familiar to gamers than drivers over here – having featured extensively in the Gran Turismo racing franchise.

Red accents are the key Nismo spotter’s guide – and they appear both inside and out. The pre-production version previewed to MSN Cars on the Juke Nismo launch also features a cabin crammed full of Alcantara, though the exact interior spec is still to be confirmed. New pedals and extra supportive seats are certain, however. How fast is the Nissan 370Z Nismo? Similarly, the 370Z’s official performance credentials are yet to be homologated, but Nismo is confidently predicting 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, 0.1 of a second faster than before. Top speed remains limited to 155mph. Fuel economy and emissions are likely to be a touch worse than the standard car.

What’s 370Z Nismo’s interior like?

What does Nismo mean?

What’s different about the Nismo version of the Nissan 370Z?

There are already Nismo versions of the 370Z available in Japan and America, but in Europe it gets bespoke chassis tuning to better suit our roads and driving tastes. To this end, although the springs and dampers are “15-20%” stiffer, actual ride height is reduced a scant 10mm.

Is the Nissan 370Z Nismo aimed at road or track drivers?

The idea is to make it more responsive without sacrificing the suspension travel necessary to cope with bumpy surfaces. A dedicated track weapon this most certainly is not. Fast road use is the intention.

How aerodynamic is the Nissan

370Z Nismo? Complimenting the suspension changes, Nismo has worked on the aerodynamics. All the add-on parts you see here are functional, to the point where downforce levels are close to those generated by the Nissan GTR supercar. That tea tray on the back isn’t for show.

How powerful is the Nisson 370Z Nismo?

Under the bonnet, Nismo has increased

output from the 370Z’s 3.7-litre petrol V6 to 344hp – 16hp more than the 328hp of the standard car. Torque also improves, from 267lb ft to 273lb ft. Significantly, the engine is now said to respond better at lower revs – so it should be more fun more of the time.

How else has Nismo improved the 370Z’s performance?

Enhancing the sporting sensations still further is that subtle looking new exhaust system, and although Nismo hasn’t fitted

How much is the Nissan 370Z, and when does it go on sale?

The 370Z Nismo will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox only – because “you need to converse with your car”, says Nismo – and is set to go on sale in the UK in June or July 2013. There’s no word on pricing at this stage, but we’d anticipate a cost in the region of £40,000.

Friday, January 25, 2013

CODE CRACKER Code Cracker is a crossword puzzle with no clues; instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number. In this week’s puzzle, 25 represents C and 19 represents Z, when these letters have been entered throughout the puzzle, you should have enough information to start guessing words and discovering other letters.

QUICKIE

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

CRYTPIC CLUES Across 1 Possibly arm of politician (6) 4 Wasn’t peculiar desires (5) 8 Scrooge in film is Eric Idle (5) 9 Witty remark, for example, about constant batterer (7) 10 The king has terrible trembling (7) 11 The man holds the Queen in this place (4) 12 Enact odd swallow (3) 14 Charges from coffee shop’s price list (4) 15 Teas blended the Oriental way (4) 18/22 Test each damaged crate (3,5) 21 Ache is awful for everyone (4) 23 The French train construction of convenience (7) 25 Broke her boot instrument (7) 26 Telephones everybody in the civil service (5) STANDARD CLUES

27 Slacken off and allow to surface (3,2) 28 Carbohydrate from an unsuspecting source (6) Down 1 Bush sees Maoism as wrong (6) 2 Mother’s wise to knead (7) 3 A sterile liquid as soon as possible (8) 4 Scrap Christian festival (4) 5 Never change brass (5) 6 Point to prime kind of silly smile (6) 7 Mingle in that gossamer get up (5) 13 A gripping feature of marine life (8) 16 It’s talent and French frying pan (7) 17 Pulse advanced to 150 (6) 19 Admit everything, only point (5) 20 Summer perhaps when boy goes under the briny (6) 22 See 18 Across 24 Policeman has the right to cut back (4) Down

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

2 letter words Go So 3 letter words Ago Cod Duo Dye Peg Rub Tie Too 4 letter words Apse Bass Bead Best

Brae Calf Else Emmy Eons Fete Give Gnat Guru Idle Iris Kilo Loss Oboe Odes Ogle Pile Post Prim Prow

Sial Sire Skid Stem Stet Tiny Togs Tree Ulna 5 letter words About Audio Educe Friar Glebe Gloam Goals Grits Large

Lists Lorry Onion Rangy Ruble Rural Sails Showy Shred Snowy Sonar Sorry Story Sweet Sword Swore Verse Vicar Yours

6 letter words Aplomb Copter Floors Gauges Levels Obtuse Slowly 8 letter words Renowned Snobbery 9 letter words Criterion Insoluble

SPANISH-ENGLISH CROSSWORD Improve your Spanish - clues in Spanish, answers in English or vice versa.

Across

Down

1 Amount owed (7) 5 Municipal (5) 8 Dawdler (7) 9 Bohemian dance (5) 10 Japanese dish (5) 11 Remains (7) 12 Boil gently (6) 14 Offensive (6) 17 Give off (7) 19 Raises (5) 22 Adhere (5) 23 Drinking glass (7) 24 Entrails (5) 25 Lessons (7)

1 Book of maps (5) 2 Rants and raves (5) 3 Greediness (7) 4 Entice away from proper conduct (6) 5 Escapade (5) 6 Rupture in a planet's surface (7) 7 Framework (7) 12 Hot wind from North Africa (7) 13 Diaphragm (7) 15 Quandary (7) 16 Frantic (6) 18/20 World's highest waterfall (5,5) 21 Organises (5)

Last weeks Solution Across: 7 Peseta, 8 Around, 9 Kiss, 10 Scenario, 11 Parsley, 13 Facet, 15 Eager, 17 Ransack, 20 Vigilant, 21 Bury, 22 Urgent, 23 Answer. Down: 1 Retina, 2 Mess, 3 Hassled, 4 Gavel, 5 Nowadays, 6 Entire, 12 Specimen, 14 Partial, 16 Aviary, 18 Carpet, 19 Faith, 21 Busy.

Scribble Pad

1 Tropical plant (6) 1 Limb (6) 2 Knead (7) 4 Desires (5) 3 First in time (8) 8 Skinflint (5) 4 Least bit (4) 9 Witticism (7) 10 Trembling (7) 5 Courage (5) 11 In this place (4) 6 Silly smile (6) 12 Consume (3) 7 Blend (5) 14 Charges (4) 15 Orient (4) 13 Appendage (8) 18 Hot drink (3) 16 Frying pan (7) 21 Every (4) 17 High-protein pulse (6) 23 Toilet facility (7) 25 Obsolete bass lute (7) 19 Permit (5) 26 Telephones (5) 20 Time of year (6) 27 Diminish (3,2) 22 Large strong box (5) 28 Carbohydrate found in 24 Season’s yield (4) fruit (6) Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Malaria, 5 Maize, 8 Anarchy, 9 Noise, 10 Sonar, 11 Armpits, 12 Odessa, 14 Stalin, 17 Slipper, 19 Sloop, 22 Chain, 23 Chatter, 24 Ethos, 25 Electra. Down: 1 Meats, 2 Learn, 3 Records, 4 Anyway, 5 Minim, 6 Initial, 7 Emerson, 12 Ossicle, 13 Epitaph, 15 Testate, 16 Creche, 18 Panes, 20 Octet, 21 Parka.

Across

Down

1 Flowerpot (6) 4 Detrás de (6) 9 Third (7) 10 Hit (blow) (5) 11 Sun (3) 12 Dentistas (8) 14 Capilla (6) 15 Fiebres (síntomas) (6) 18 Soltero (8) 20 Todo (3) 23 Parrots (5) 24 Stewardess (in plane) (7) 25 Cheerful (person, expression, atmosphere) (6) 26 Rug (for floor) (6)

1 Motorbikes (5) 2 Match (for lighting) (7) 3 Train (4) 5 Dieciocho (8) 6 Islas (5) 7 Vestidos (7) 8 Panadero (5) 13 Defender (8) 14 Onion (7) 16 Emanar (7) 17 Tails (of birds, horses, fishes, planes) (5) 19 Meat (5) 21 Dejar (poner, soltar) (5) 22 For (going to) (4)

Friday, January 25, 2013 Across 1 Which adjective means ‘of, in, or appropriate to spring’? (6) 4 In which word game, invented in 1938 by American architect Alfred Mosher Butts, do two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game-board marked with a 15-by-15 grid? (8) 10 In humans, what is the name of the internal organ in which the first part of digestion occurs? (7) 11 What is the title of the official in a British hospital who looks after the social and material needs of the patients? (7) 12 Which word can precede: air, door, house, letter, season and secret? (4) 13 Which iron-tipped stick is used by hill walkers and formerly by mountaineers? (10) 15 Which word can mean both ‘a sharp pointed implement (usually steel)’ and ‘the leaf of a conifer’? (6) 16 What title is given to the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right? (7)

20 Kelle Bryan, Louise Nurding and sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett were the four members of which English R&B girl group, formed in 1992? (7) 21 Which small spring-flowering Eurasian plant of the iris family, grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple or white flowers? (6) 24 Which city in California is the second most populous in the United States, after New York City? (3,7) 26 What (shortened) first name is shared by British progressive rock guitarist, Rutherford and Tyson, the former American world champion heavyweight boxer? (4) 28 Which word for extreme greed for wealth or material gain is derived from the Latin for ‘greedy’? (7) 29 What name is usually applied to a person who does not believe in the existence of God or gods? (7) 30 What name is commonly given to a short opera, usually on a light or humorous theme and typically having spoken dialogue? (8) 31 What was the surname of

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

the singing partner of Dianne Lee, who won a then record of seven times on the 1970s television talent show Opportunity Knocks? (6)

Down 1 Which British nobleman ranks above a baron and below an earl? (8)

2 Franklin Delano were the first names of which president of the United States? (9) 3 By what much shorter name is the non-departmental UK governmental body the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service better known? (4) 5 What name often given to large French country houses comes from the French for ‘castle’? (8) 6 What is the name of the envelope of gases surrounding the Earth or another planet? (10) 7 What is the name of the game in which players mark off numbers on cards as the numbers are drawn randomly by a caller, the winner being the first person to mark off all their numbers? (5) 8 According to legend, which word, the Greek for ‘I have found it’, was said to have been uttered by Archimedes when he hit upon a method of determining the purity of gold? (6) 9 A pregnant female dog is often said to be ‘in what’? (5) 14 By what name is a native or resident of Florence usual-

ly known? (10) 17 First released in October 1989, which ballad by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, was the second single from the album Sleeping with the Past? (9) 18 Often used for storage, what name is given to the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level? (8) 19 Which highly heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, is used in brake linings and in fire-resistant and insulating materials? (8) 22 Which city in western Texas gave its name to the title of a 1959 hit single by Marty Robbins? (2,4) 23 Released in the UK by ZTT Records in 1983, what was the title of the debut single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood? (5) 25 Which word completes the title of a UK Top 5 hit single by the Swinging Blue Jeans Hippy Hippy [What]? (5) 27 What is the name of the clarified butter made from the milk of a buffalo or cow, which is used in Indian cooking? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH

SEÑALES DE TRAFICO - TRAFFIC SIGNS Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch. (Answers below)

sports QUIZ

ANSWERS: 1. Pole Vault 2. Chess 3. (Ten Pin Bowling) 4. Boxing 5. 12 (6 Stumps, 4 Bails & 2 Bats) 6. Canada 7. Carl Lewis 8. Milan 9. Tennis 10. Damon Hill 11. Nine 12. Australia

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Word Solution Across: 1 Streak, 4 Angstrom, 9 India, 10 Kiwi fruit, 11 Took, 12 Dido, 13 Pylon, 15 Catwalk, 16 Talk, 19 Star, 20 Wet suit, 23 Omaha, 24 Owls, 25 Boar, 27 Guy Fawkes, 28 Ennui, 29 Tincture, 30 Stitch. Down: 1 Sciatica, 2 Redcoats, 3/26 Adam West, 5 New South Wales, 6 Soft palate, 7 Rouble, 8 Mutiny, 10 Knickerbocker, 14 Martial art, 17 Dubonnet, 18 Starfish, 21 Nougat, 22 Canyon.

peatones

camino cerrado,

peligro

carril

prohibida

cruce

salida

curva

sentido único

despacio

sin salida

desvío

tope

entrada prohibida

velocidad máxima

parada de autobús Empareja estas palabras - Match the Spanish and English words You will find the answers at the bottom of the quiz. 1.alto, 2.camino cerrado,

13.sentido único, 14.sin salida,

i.no entry, j.bus stop,

3.carril, 4.curva, 5.despacio,

15.tope, 16.velocidad máxima,

k.prohibited, l.road closed,

6.desvio, 7.entrada prohibida,

17.cruce.

m.crossing, n.lane, o.slow,

8.parada de autobús,

a.pedestrians, b.speed limit,

p.diversion, q.no entry.

9.peatones, 10.peligro,

c.one way, d.curve, e.exit,

11.prohibida, 12.salida,

f.stop, g.speed bump, h.danger,

Soduko

Span - Eng

Quizword

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

1. In Which Athletic Event Is A Planting Box Used? 2. Bobby Fischer Was the First American To Be World Champion At What? 3. Which Sport Is Played With The Heaviest Ball? 4. In Which Sport Is The Lonsdale Belt Awarded? 5. How many pieces of pure wooden equipment are used in a game of cricket? 6. Lacrosse Is The Official National Sport Of Which Country? 7. Which American was Olympic long jump champion in 1996? 8. In Which Italian city Is The San Siro Stadium? 9. For Which Sport Is Andy Murray Well Known? 10. Which British Driver Was Formula One World Champion In 1996? 11. Between 1920 & 1928 How Many Gold Medals Were Run By The Finnish Distance Runner Paavo Nurmi? 12. For which International side did Shane Warne play Cricket?

alto,

Fill It In

Friday, January 25, 2013

TRELI ON THE TELLY A big Beeb boob to burn Brown jewels

with ALEX TRELINSKI IN these dismal times of depression whilst we feed ourselves on bread and water, as well as trying to light up discarded fag ends, we need more than ever to have a right good laugh, courtesy of the good old telly! Sadly, that appears to be as rare as the old rocking horse proverbial, and even good old Auntie Beeb seems to have made a rod for her own considerable back. BBC1 has decided to run its only two “laugh out loud” shows, Miranda and Mrs. Brown’s Boys, back to back on a Monday night. And with them sadly coming to an end, you wonder what they have in store for the rest of the year to tickle our funny bone? Up against fierce opposition from Lewis on ITV, both comedies have impressive

viewing figures of around seven million UK viewers, and Mrs. Brown’s Saturday night repeat gets close on five million. That’s 12 million people viewing a comedy the critics hate, which shows them to have their intellectual heads up their posteriors. What a waste to “burn” out both prog r a m m e s straight away, and when they finish, there’s absolutely nothing left. Even more worrying for the

BBC is that Miranda Hart has told her cast members that she might only do a

ers, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn were back with some new tales of Hacker, Sir Humphrey, and Bernard, along with the familiar opening titles and music. But despite some nice lines, which had an eighties ring about them, there was one massive problem in the first couple of episodes. All I special in the future, whilst work of P.G. Wodehouse. could think of was how Paul Brendan O’Carroll is concen- I’ve found it amateurish in the Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne trating on making a film ver- extreme and it’s been almost and Derek Fowlds would sion of Mrs. Brown, making it like a cartoon, but nowhere have delivered the script in clear that he doesn’t want to near as funny. The humour of their own magical way, and overexpose the character too Wodehouse has been lost in this just totally distracted me much. a programme that has from getting into the show. So enjoy both shows removed all of his subtlety The new cast did their whilst you can because I and given us a sackful of best, but it just wasn’t the sense we’ll only be left cardboard cutouts. It’s a same, and I could fully with future Christmas spe- shame to see Timothy Spall understand why the BBC told cials at best. and Jennifer Saunders wast- Jay and Lynn that they were Meanwhile, ITV ed on this, and the producers not interested in showing this are dipping their should be sent DVDs of badly misjudged revival. toes into sit-com territory Jeeves and Wooster to see Call the Midwife for the first time in ages the kind of work that Fry and bounced back onto with a show set in a West Laurie did in bringing BBC1 screens last Sunday Midlands job centre called Wodehouse properly to the night with another wonderful The Job Lot. No transmission small screen 20 years ago. hour of warmth, sadness and date has been set - and for Yes Minister and the humour. It’s such an effortthe sake of British TV comesequel Yes, Prime less piece of work with a dy, let’s hope that it’s a hit. Minister were said to be lovely cast but was the East With Miranda and Margaret Thatcher’s End London of the fifties realMrs.Brown set for long favourite sit-coms, and the ly like the way it‘s portrayed? rests, BBC1 has given dear old lady’s poor health A tiny quibble, to be fair, over us some toffee- may have turned for the a programme that I feel we’ll nosed toffs in worse if she’s tuned in to a still be watching new B l a n d i n g s , revival on the satellite chan- episodes of in five years’ based on the nel, Gold. The original writ- time.

The Courier Friday TV

January 25

00:35 01:20 03:25 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:30 05:50 06:00 06:30 06:45 07:00 10:15 11:00 11:58 12:00 12:45 13:13 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:25 23:35

This Week Presumed Innocent Skiing Weatherview Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC News Asia Business Report Sport Today HARDtalk BBC News BBC News World Business Report BBC News Breakfast Wanted Down Under Homes Under the Hammer BBC News; Weather The Sheriffs Are Coming Cowboy Trap BBC News; Weather Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Father Brown Escape to the Country Perfection Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Room 101 Silent Witness BBC News Regional News and Weather The Graham Norton Show

00:20 Tankies: Tank Heroes of WWII 01:20 Bowls 02:20 The Culture Show 02:50 Panorama 03:20 Queen Victoria's Children 04:20 Close 04:55 Schools - Bringing Books to Life 05:55 Schools - Once Upon a Time 06:35 Schools - Seeking Refuge 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 The Sheriffs Are Coming 08:45 Cowboy Trap 09:15 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 10:00 Antiques Roadshow 11:00 Question Time 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Live Bowls 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Heir Hunters 21:00 Mastermind 21:30 Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein 22:00 Italy Unpacked 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight

00:45 The Golden Rules of TV 01:10 Jackpot247 04:00 Tonight 04:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 05:20 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Wild Britain with Ray Mears 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Great Night Out 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Coogan's Bluff

FIRST TIME FARMERS Alex from Cheshire faces his biggest challenge yet when his father goes on holiday, leaving him to run the family farm and carry out a £30,000 cattle deal at the market. Twenty-five-year-old Ally from Herefordshire has recently taken on responsibility for his family's 500-acre arable farm, while in Somerset, dairy farmer James prepares for his wedding to the local vet.

00:05 Random Acts 00:10 The Undateables 01:10 What Happens in Kavos 02:05 MotherTruckers 03:00 Dispatches 03:30 Time Team 04:25 The Churchills 05:20 Deal or No Deal 06:15 Countdown 07:00 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 07:05 Sali Mali 07:10 The Hoobs 08:05 Will & Grace 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:55 Frasier 10:30 Frasier 11:00 Undercover Boss USA 12:00 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday 13:05 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 13:30 Food Unwrapped 14:00 The Spoilers 15:40 Countdown 16:30 Face the Clock 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 First Time Farmers 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats 22:30 The Last Leg 23:00 Paddy's TV Guide 23:50 Alan Carr Live: Spexy Beast

00:00 Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:30 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olive the Ostrich 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 All-New Trisha 13:00 Looney Tunes 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:10 Let Me Call You Sweetheart 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Benidorm ER 21:00 Ice Road Truckers 22:00 Celebrity Big Brother

The Courier Saturday TV

January 26

00:25 She's out of My League 02:00 Weatherview 02:05 BBC News 02:30 Click 03:00 BBC News 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Click 05:00 BBC News 05:30 Five Minutes With 06:00 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 The Good Cook 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:15 Football Focus 14:00 Rugby Union: Six Nations Highlights 14:30 Live Athletics 17:30 Final Score 18:15 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 18:30 Animal Antics 19:00 Richard Hammond's Secret

00:00 00:45 00:50 02:10 03:10 04:10 07:00 08:05 09:25 12:30 13:00 13:30 15:25 17:30 18:30 19:00 Off 20:00 Off 21:00 21:30 22:30 Music 23:30

The Review Show Weather Treacle Jr Bowls Question Time Close The Black Rider The Mouse That Roared Live Tennis: Australian Open Map Man Indian Food Made Easy EastEnders Live Bowls Natural World Flog It! The Great Comic Relief Bake The Great Comic Relief Bake Dad's Army Natural World Howard Goodall's Story of QI XL

01:20 04:00 05:30 07:00 07:25 07:40 08:05 08:40 09:05 09:30 10:00 10:25 10:30 12:20 12:24 12:25 13:10 16:00 17:00 Song 18:30 18:30 18:45 19:00 20:00 21:30 22:45 23:45 23:59

Jackpot247 Carry On Matron ITV Nightscreen Handy Manny The Hive Dino Dan Almost Naked Animals Matt Hatter Chronicles Ultimate Spider-Man Victorious Jessie ITV News The Jeremy Kyle Show USA ITV News and Weather ITV Meridian Weather All Star Family Fortunes Live FA Cup Football Dinner Date The Nation's Favourite Abba ITV Meridian Weather ITV News Meridian ITV News and Weather You've Been Framed! Splash! Take Me Out The Jonathan Ross Show ITV News and Weather ITV Meridian Weather

00:55 The New Normal 01:25 2 Broke Girls 01:50 Random Acts 01:55 Happy Endings 02:15 Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 02:40 Bob's Burgers 03:00 Glory Daze 03:40 Smallville 04:25 St Elsewhere 05:10 Deal or No Deal 06:05 Countdown 06:50 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 Beach Volleyball 09:00 The Morning Line 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:00 Frasier 11:30 Frasier 12:00 Undercover Boss Australia 13:00 The Big Bang Theory 13:30 The Big Bang Theory 13:55 The Simpsons 14:30 Channel 4 Racing 17:00 Come Dine with Me 19:05 Channel 4 News 19:35 4thought.tv 19:40 Mrs Doubtfire 22:00 World Without End 23:00 The Hurt Locker

MRS DOUBTFIRE

Service 19:45 Britain's Brightest 21:00 The National Lottery: In It to Win It 21:50 Casualty 22:40 Mrs Brown's Boys 23:10 BBC News; Weather

Comedy drama starring Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan. When voice-over artist Daniel Hillard walks out of his day job, his wife Miranda decides it's time to walk out on him, and is granted custody of their children. Daniel is desperate to be with his kids, so when Miranda advertises for a nanny-cumhousekeeper he applies for the job in disguise.

23:30 Meet the Parents 23:30 National Lottery Update

00:00 Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 SuperCasino 04:55 Motorsport Mundial 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 07:30 The Mr Men Show 07:45 Olive the Ostrich 07:50 Abby's Flying Fairy School 08:00 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:05 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:20 Animal Antics 08:25 Make Way for Noddy 08:40 City of Friends 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Rupert Bear 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 Toby's Travelling Circus 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Jelly Jamm 11:00 Power Rangers Samurai 11:35 Batman: The Brave and the Bold 12:10 Celebrity Big Brother 14:10 At Risk 15:55 Everything She Ever Wanted 19:15 5 News Weekend 19:20 Impact 22:45 The Matrix

The Courier Sunday TV

January 27

01:15 Buster

00:15 Hard Rain

02:45 Weatherview

01:45 Bowls

02:50 Five Minutes With 03:00 BBC News 03:30 Dateline London 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Our World

02:45 Close 07:00 Close 08:00 Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein

05:00 BBC News

08:30 A to Z of TV Gardening

05:30 Click

09:15 Live Tennis: Australian Open

06:00 BBC News

13:00 Coast

06:30 Politics Europe

14:00 Cowboy

07:00 Breakfast

15:30 Live Bowls

10:00 The Andrew Marr Show

18:15 Ski Sunday

11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics 13:25 Countryfile 14:25 Call the Midwife

19:00 Flog It! 19:30 Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey

15:25 Escape to the Country

20:30 Open All Hours

16:25 Chatsworth

21:00 Top Gear

17:25 Songs of Praise

22:00 Wonders of Life

18:00 Africa

23:00 Racing Legends

19:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:30 Blandings 20:00 Countryfile 21:00 Call the Midwife 22:00 Ripper Street 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:25 Prisoner Number A26188: Henia Bryer

00:00 01:30 03:30 04:15 07:00 07:25 07:40 08:05 08:40 09:05 09:15 09:30 10:00 10:25 11:20 12:20 13:20 13:29 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:25 16:25 16:30 19:05 19:15 20:45 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:19 23:20

FA Cup Football Highlights The Store In Plain Sight ITV Nightscreen Handy Manny The Hive Dino Dan Almost Naked Animals Matt Hatter Chronicles Rated A for Awesome Rated A for Awesome Big Time Rush The Aquabats Super Show House Guest in the Sun 60 Minute Makeover May the Best House Win ITV News and Weather ITV Meridian Weather Dickinson's Real Deal Rosemary & Thyme Murder, She Wrote ITV News Meridian ITV Meridian Weather Live FA Cup Football ITV News and Weather Dancing on Ice All Star Family Fortunes Dancing on Ice: The Skate Off Mr Selfridge ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV Meridian Weather FA Cup Football Highlights

WONDERS OF LIFE Professor Brian Cox travels around the world to investigate whether the emergence of life was an inevitable consequence of the physical laws that govern the universe. On the edge of Taal Volcano lake in the Philippines, he demonstrates how the first spark of life may have arisen from the chemical changes caused when heat from the inner Earth forced its way to the surface.

01:40 03:15 05:20 06:00 06:45 07:10 07:35 08:05 08:30 08:55 09:25 09:55 10:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 17:25 18:30 19:25 19:55 20:00 21:00 22:00

Cyrus Hollyoaks Smallville Countdown Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard The Hoobs The Hoobs Will & Grace Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Annie Time Team Deal or No Deal Channel 4 News 4thought.tv Come Dine with Me The Hotel The Fighter

01:30 SuperCasino 05:00 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:25 Great Artists 05:50 County Secrets 06:05 Hana's Helpline 06:15 The Milkshake! Show 06:35 Thomas & Friends 06:50 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 07:30 The Mr Men Show 07:45 Olive the Ostrich 07:50 Abby's Flying Fairy School 08:00 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:05 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:20 Animal Antics 08:25 Make Way for Noddy 08:40 City of Friends 08:50 Mio Mao 09:00 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Rupert Bear 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 Toby's Travelling Circus 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Jelly Jamm 11:00 Power Rangers Samurai 11:35 Batman: The Brave and the Bold 12:10 Monkey Life 12:40 Once Upon a Time 13:40 Teen Wolf 15:30 See Spot Run 17:20 The Princess Bride 19:10 5 News Weekend 19:15 Spider-Man 3 22:00 Person of Interest 23:00 My Best Friend's Girl

The Courier Monday TV

January 28

00:05 00:45 02:10 02:15 02:30 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 06:45 07:00 10:15 11:00 11:58 12:00 12:45 13:13 13:15 14:00 14:30 14:45 15:15 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:25 23:35

Room 101 - Extra Storage The Celebrity Apprentice USA Weatherview Newsday Our World BBC News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC News HARDtalk BBC News World Business Report BBC News Breakfast Wanted Down Under Homes Under the Hammer BBC News; Weather The Sheriffs Are Coming Cowboy Trap BBC News; Weather Bargain Hunt BBC News; Weather Regional News and Weather Doctors Moving On Escape to the Country Perfection Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Inside Out EastEnders Panorama Miranda Mrs Brown's Boys BBC News Regional News and Weather Have I Got Old News for You

01:00 interMission 02:40 Holby City 03:40 Close 07:00 Close 07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 The Sheriffs Are Coming 08:50 Cowboy Trap 09:20 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 10:05 MasterChef: The Professionals 10:35 Countryfile 11:35 Click 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The One Show 14:30 Weakest Link 15:15 Mastermind 15:45 Reel History of Britain 16:15 Rick Stein's Spain 17:15 Life on Earth 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Welsh Railways 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 MasterChef: The Professionals 22:00 Winter Viruses and How to Beat Them 23:00 Mock the Week - Again 23:30 Newsnight 23:30 Weather

00:20 Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby Union 01:15 Grimefighters 01:40 The Store 03:40 Monk 04:30 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Cornwall with Caroline Quentin 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Lewis 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News Meridian 23:35 The Agenda

00:20 The Firm 03:05 Honeymoon 03:40 St Elsewhere 04:25 Smallville 05:05 Deal or No Deal 06:00 Countdown 06:45 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 According to Jim 08:25 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 11:00 Undercover Boss Canada 12:00 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday 13:05 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 13:30 River Cottage Bites 13:40 The Shepherd of the Hills 15:40 Countdown 16:30 Face the Clock 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Dispatches 21:30 Wild Things 22:00 Embarrassing Fat Bodies 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Deal or No Deal

ASSASSINS Action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas and Julianne Moore. Disenchanted hitman Robert Rath wants to hang up his gun, but he is continually dogged by a young, rival contract killer who is determined to take Rath's place as the top assassin.

00:00 Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop

00:55 Botched Up Bodies 01:55 SuperCasino 05:00 Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:25 Great Artists 05:50 County Secrets 06:05 Hana's Helpline 06:15 The Milkshake! Show 06:40 Thomas & Friends 06:50 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:30 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olive the Ostrich 07:55 Little Princess 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Mio Mao 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 All-New Trisha 13:00 Looney Tunes 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Essex Jungle 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Nora Roberts' Tribute 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 The Gadget Show 21:00 Police Interceptors 22:00 Rory and Will - Champions of the World 23:00 Assassins

The Courier Tuesday TV

January 29

00:05 Blandings 00:35 The Graham Norton Show 01:25 The Celebrity Apprentice USA 02:45 Weatherview 02:50 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer 03:00 BBC News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC News 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 The Sheriffs Are Coming 12:45 Cowboy Trap 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Moving On 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Perfection 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Death in Paradise 23:00 BBC News 23:25 National Lottery Update 23:35 The Richard Dimbleby Lecture

00:20 Locomotion: Dan Snow's

History of Railways 01:20 Film 01:50 Who Do You Think You Are? 02:50 Close 05:00 Schools 07:00 Close 07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 The Sheriffs Are Coming 08:50 Cowboy Trap 09:20 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 10:05 MasterChef: The Professionals 11:05 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The One Show 14:30 Weakest Link 15:15 Mastermind 15:45 Reel History of Britain 16:15 Rick Stein's Spain 17:15 Life on Earth 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Welsh Railways 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 The Mary Berry Story 22:00 Locomotion: Dan Snow's History of Railways 23:00 The Sarah Millican Television Programme 23:30 Newsnight

00:05 Monk 01:00 Jackpot247 04:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show 05:45 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 14:55 ITV Meridian Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 River Monsters 21:00 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? 22:00 Great Houses with Julian Fellowes 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV Meridian Weather 23:35 River Monsters

THE UNDATEABLES Thirty-eight-year-old Heather has Asperger's and OCD, and avoids inviting people into her home due to her fear of contamination by germs. Cameras follow her as she goes on her first date in three years. Gareth, 28, has a rare disease that makes his bones extremely brittle. He takes Beth to a seafront restaurant, but will they hit it off? Meanwhile, autistic student Matthew, 20, goes for an Indian meal with Nicola, who has the same condition.

00:05 00:10 01:15 01:45 02:40 03:25 05:20 05:25 06:10 07:05 07:10 08:00 08:25 09:25 09:55 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:05 13:35 13:45 15:40 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:55 21:00 22:00 23:00

Random Acts One Born Every Minute The Shooting Gallery Supersize vs Superskinny Scandal The Promise A Guide to Taking a Photo St Elsewhere Deal or No Deal Sali Mali The Hoobs According to Jim Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier Undercover Boss Canada Come Dine with Me Channel 4 News Midday Jamie's 15 Minute Meals Kirstie's Vintage Gems The Fighting Kentuckian Countdown Face the Clock Deal or No Deal Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News 4thought.tv Supersize vs Superskinny The Undateables Utopia

01:40 Pawn Stars 02:10 SuperCasino 04:55 House Doctor 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:30 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olive the Ostrich 07:55 Little Princess 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Mio Mao 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Milkshake! Monkey 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 All-New Trisha 13:00 Looney Tunes 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Essex Jungle 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Disney Shorts: Magician Mickey 16:20 Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Monkey Life 20:30 Highland Emergency 21:00 Benidorm ER 22:00 Dallas 23:00 Brain Hospital: Saving Lives

The Courier Wednesday TV

January 30

00:25 Film 00:55 Fifty Dead Men Walking 02:45 Weatherview 02:50 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer 03:00 BBC News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC News 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 The Sheriffs Are Coming 12:45 Cowboy Trap 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Moving On 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Perfection 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 19:30 BBC London News 19:55 Party Political Broadcast 20:00 The One Show 21:00 The Food Inspectors 22:00 Africa 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:25 National Lottery Update 23:35 Match of the Day

00:20 Wonders of Life 01:20 Wonderland 02:20 Nature's Weirdest Events 03:20 Close 05:00 Schools: 3, 2, 1, Go! - Key Stage 3 06:00 Schools - Ecomaths: Primary 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 The Sheriffs Are Coming 08:45 Cowboy Trap 09:15 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 10:00 MasterChef: The Professionals 11:00 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 11:30 See Hear 12:00 BBC News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 The One Show 14:30 Weakest Link 15:15 Mastermind 15:45 Reel History of Britain 16:15 Rick Stein's Spain 17:15 Life on Earth 18:10 Antiques Roadshow 18:55 Party Political Broadcast 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Welsh Railways 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 The Hairy Bikers' Everyday Gourmets 22:00 Funny Business 23:00 The Culture Show 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Grimefighters 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Loose Women 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:25 Party Political Broadcast 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Midsomer Murders 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News Meridian 23:35 Inside Death Row with Trevor McDonald

00:10 8 Out of 10 Cats 01:00 Random Acts 01:05 European Poker Tour 02:05 Sailing 02:30 KOTV Boxing Weekly 02:55 Beach Volleyball 03:45 Brief Encounters of the Sporting Mind 03:55 Paper Moon 05:35 Smallville 06:15 Deal or No Deal 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 According to Jim 08:25 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 11:00 Undercover Boss Canada 12:00 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday 13:05 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 13:35 Kirstie's Vintage Gems 13:50 Broken Arrow 15:40 Countdown 16:30 Face the Clock 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Gok's Style Secrets 22:00 One Born Every Minute 23:00 Derek 23:30 Dispatches

GOKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STYLE SECRETS Gok Wan comes to the rescue of a 53-year-old woman who hasn't been on a date for nearly two decades. Since splitting up with her partner, former aerobics teacher Naseem Khan from Braintree in Essex has thrown all her energy into raising her son, who is now 19 and about to fly the nest. Gok gives Naseem a crash course in everything a woman needs to know about dating style and seduction skills.

00:00 CSI: NY 01:00 CSI: Miami 01:55 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 05:20 House Doctor 05:45 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:30 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olive the Ostrich 07:55 Little Princess 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Mio Mao 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 All-New Trisha 13:00 Looney Tunes 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Essex Jungle 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: Miami 16:15 Polar Storm 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Police Interceptors 21:00 Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers 22:00 NCIS 23:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 23:55 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

The Courier Thursday TV

January 31

01:05 The Ring Two 02:50 Weatherview 02:55 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer 03:00 BBC News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC News 05:30 Panorama 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 The Sheriffs Are Coming 12:45 Cowboy Trap 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Moving On 16:00 Escape to the Country 16:45 Perfection 17:30 Antiques Road Trip 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Waterloo Road 22:00 Silent Witness 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Question Time

00:20 The Genius of Invention 01:20 Dara O Briain's Science Club

02:20 See Hear 02:50 Close 04:55 Schools: I Never Said Yes 05:45 Ask Lara 06:00 Spark 07:00 Close 07:05 Homes Under the Hammer 08:05 The Sheriffs Are Coming 08:50 Cowboy Trap 09:20 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 10:05 MasterChef: The Professionals 11:05 Robbed, Raided, Reunited 11:35 HARDtalk 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The One Show 15:00 Coast 15:15 Mastermind 15:45 Reel History of Britain 16:15 Rick Stein's Spain 17:15 Life on Earth 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Welsh Railways 20:30 Great British Menu 21:00 The Planners 22:00 The Genius of Invention 23:00 Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Safari Vet School 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Dunkirk 06:15 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News Meridian 14:55 ITV Meridian Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 ITV Meridian Weather 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News Meridian 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Nursing the Nation 22:00 The Secret Life of Dogs 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News Meridian 23:35 The Jonathan Ross Show

DANGEROUS DRIVERS SCHOOL New series. The return of the documentary in which qualified drivers who have fallen into bad habits relearn the skills required for safe motoring, this time including celebrities who have agreed to expose their issues to serious scrutiny. In the first episode, It Ain't Half Hot Mum star Melvyn Hayes goes out for a spin with instructor Colin Wilkinson, who notes that under pressure the actor's performance is faultless, but that he needs to bring his driving up to date to keep himself out of danger.

00:30 Random Acts 00:35 Embarrassing Fat Bodies 01:40 Launched at Red Bull Studios 02:10 Mercury Prize: 2012 Albums of the Year Live 02:35 Revenge 03:20 The Ice Storm 05:10 Amelia and Michael 05:20 Deal or No Deal 06:15 Countdown 07:00 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 07:05 Sali Mali 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 According to Jim 08:25 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 11:00 Undercover Boss Canada 12:00 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Midday 13:05 Jamie's 15 Minute Meals 13:35 Kirstie's Vintage Gems 13:45 Blithe Spirit 15:40 Countdown 16:30 Face the Clock 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Four in a Bed 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Location, Location, Location 22:00 The Restoration Man 23:00 Secrets of the Pickpockets

00:55 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 01:50 True Crimes: The First 72 Hours 02:15 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 05:25 House Doctor 05:45 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 Wildlife SOS 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Fireman Sam 07:30 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Olive the Ostrich 07:55 Little Princess 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 All-New Trisha 13:00 Looney Tunes 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Essex Jungle 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 The Mentalist 16:15 Goodnight for Justice 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 World's Toughest Prison 21:00 Dangerous Drivers' School 22:00 Winter Road Rescue 23:00 Navy SEALs

Friday, January 25, 2013

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AUCTIONS

ALARMS ADT Authorised Distributor Fully fitted alarm systems, approved by the Guardia Civil. Master keypad with remote control, wireless handset, 2 image movement detectors with sound, wall base unit and GPRS/GSM transmitter sends message to your mobile phone. All this for only 99€ installation and only 24€ per month call now on 966 923 963.966 923 963

ANIMALS

CHURCH SERVICES International Christian Assembly, Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja. Evangelical non-denominational church. Sunday services 11am. Children's church 11am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier. Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am. Craft club, Tuesdays, 2pm. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo. All nationalities welcome. Call 966 799 273 or 660 127 276. Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3. Pilar de la Horadada. Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Bible study and Prayer. Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information contact Pilar ChristianCommunity Church@gmail.com or contact Reverend Eddie on 966 7693 00 or 650 509 606. Reg No:2009-SG/A The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) meet at 10.00 each Sunday at their Torrevieja meetinghouse in the Torreaguas building on the corner of Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 104, close to the windmill in Torrevieja, 667 533 597.

CARS FOR SALE

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Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.villaandvacation.com or Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 DUTCHMAN LIVING IN SAN FULGENCIO/LA MARINA IS LOOKING FOR DUTCH AND BELGIAN CLIENTS RENTALS FOR RENT MORE INFORMATION SEE MY WEBSITE WWW.LAMARINACASA.NL OR CALL 682 763 987 (104)

2 or 3 bed / 2 bath apartments in San Miguel. Lift, communal rooftop pool & solarium, video entry system. Available for short or long term rent from 300 pcm. Tel 966723437 or 636615716. (105) Ref: 61, A lovely two bedroomed ground floor apartment, located in the centre of the small Spanish town of Los Montesinos, With a pleasant communal swimming pool adjacent & all amenities in walking distance. Long and short term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. KBJ3 – Luxury duplex penthouse apartment located near the marina in Guardamar. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, amazing panoramic views, inc.parking and storage. 600 € pcm. 966 923 963 Ref. CBR21 – A rare chance to rent a frontline beach apartment in Torrevieja! Ground floor with large terrace, 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, direct and full-on sea views. 500 € pcm. 966 923 963 Ref. CBR20 – Spanish style 4th floor apartment right on the beach! 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, lovely balcony to soak up the amazing sea views. 500 € pcm. 966 923 963 Ref. CBR19 – 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in sought after area beachside Punta Prima, with communal pool and fully furnished, only 400 € pcm. 966 923 963

CARPENTER

COMPUTERS

Excellent prices for expats, all policies available in English or German. We will call you back with a price. 966 923 963

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PROPERTY FOR RENT

CBR22 : Modern 2 bed apartment only 500m from Los Locos Beach. Fully furnished, inc.storage room, 350€ pcm. 966 923 963 Ref. CBR3 – 2 bedroom 2 bathroom townhouse located in Algorfa, communal pool, fully furnished, 300 € pcm. 966 923 963 Ref. RS20 – 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment within private enclosed residential in San Luis, large terrace, 350 € pcm. 966 923 963 Ref: 49, 2nd floor one bedroom apartment situated conveniently located in the town centre of Torrevieja, with a small sun balcony overlooking the lovely communal pool. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref 33, Ground floor spacious 2 bedroom apartment, located in Torre la Mata. Close to all amenities and beach. 3 month rental €300pcm Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 104, 2 Bedroom apartment in Torrevieja, (near gypsy lane), small balcony, near all amenities and Friday market. €350pcm Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 112, Spacious 3 bedroom detached villa with its private pool is located on the El Raso urbanisation near Guardamar. Convenient for all amenities, shops, super-

market, restaurants and bars. Short term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 155, Luxurious Three Bedroom Villa With Private Pool, in Quesada Close to shops and restaurants within a five minute drive, and Guadamar Beach is within a ten minute drive. Short term rental €800PCM. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref 702: Beautiful 2 bedroom apartment, located near los Locos beach, beautifully furnished. Short term rentals from 175€ per week. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 El Chaparel/La Siesta Two bedroom apartment in a quiet gated urbanisation for rent €350 per month plus bills. Reference No 17 Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach. There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 117, A Lovely 3 Bedroomed 1st floor apartment on the outskirts of Torrevieja (Mar Azul). The Apartment is in walking distance of the excellent beaches and a good selection of restaurants, shops and bars. Long and short term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

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Friday, January 25, 2013 Ref: 63, Two bedroom 1st floor apartment situated in Monino Blanco. The property overlooks a superb communal pool area, in within walking distance of bars, restaurants and shops. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 CBR23 : Stylish new house in Los Montesinos, 3 bed 2 bath with large 65m2 garage, front and back terraces. 500 € pcm. 966 923 963

PROPERTY FOR SALE Comprehensive cover for house and contents with CASER Seguros - excellent prices for expats; policies available in English or German. Call 966 923 963 for a quote. Ref. BRJ1 – 1 bedroom top floor renovated apartment in San Luis. Great sea and lake views. 55.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS96 – Charming 1 bedroom top floor bungalow, 300m from the sea in La Mata. 55.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref: 510, €70,000. Bungalow located in San Luis. It is close to the supermarkets, bars and restaurants and is on the local bus route. An Opel Corsa car is included in this sale. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. RS63 – 2 bedroom 2 bathroom townhouse in Torrevieja, with communal pool and lots of extras. 95.000 €. Tl. 966 923 963

Ref. RS59 – Detached 3 bedroom 2 bathroom villa in San Luis, plot of 350m2, private pool, and additional “granny annex”. 169.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS1 – Detached 3 bedroom 2 bathroom villa with 900m2 plot located in Toretta Florida. Has private pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and much more! 345.000 € .Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS67 – 2 bedroom apartment with lovely sun terrace located in Playa Flamenca urb with communal pool. All amenities nearby. 61.500 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS98 - Spacious 2 bed, ground floor apartment 250m from La Mata beach, inc private parking and storeroom. 115.000€ Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS58 – 2 bedroom 1 bathroom second floor apartment located in La Mata, communal pool, fully furnished, 79.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS84 – Large 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment of 100m2 situated in Los Montesinos. Communal solarium upstairs with pool. 79.900 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS20 – 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment within private enclosed residential in San Luis, large terrace, 90.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS65 – 2 bedroom 1 bathroom penthouse apartment, communal pool and parking area, located near the beach in Guardamar. 79.950 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. RS90 – 2 bedroom

detached villa all on one level, fully furnished, as new! Located in El Raso (Guardamar) 145.000 €. Tel. 966 923 963 Ref. KEIGUA – Luxury duplex atico apartment in Guardamar. 3 bedroom 2 bathroom, 118 m2, private parking, storage room, communal pool, magnificent views of forest, beach and sea. 169.000 € Tel. 966 923 963 Lovely Corner property in Novamar V, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms Being sold fully furnished including appliances, Has secure underground parking and faces large oasis communal pool. Walking distance to beach. 139.000 Euros, Call 627 711 155 and quote Ref No. K10 Ground floor duplex, with splendid views. Quiet location in Gran Alacant. Immaculate condition. Price has just been reduced to 105.000 and includes everything. For viewing call 627 711 155 Ref. No K27 Rare opportunity to purchase on Mediterrania III, Gran Alacant. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Private Parking, F/Furnished, Large communal pools & Tennis courts S/W facing, Dramatically reduced for quick sale to 126.000 euros. Ref No. K58 Call 627 711 155 for immediate viewing Ref: 521, €105,000. This comfortable bungalow is located in San Luis with a new roof and solarium tiles. It is close to supermarkets, bars, restaurants and is on

the local bus route. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Don Pueblo, Gran Alacant. 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Large Kitchen with Galleria, Secure underground parking, Gas Central Heating, Glazed in Porch, Solarium with stunning views. Viewings absolutely essential. Very large property at reduced price of 190.000 euros. Ref No. K38 Call 627 711 155 Opportunity to purchase at the off plan price of 195.000 euros. Large 4 Bed, 3 Bath Brand new property. Secure underground parking for 2 cars and communal pool. Situated opposite Gran Alacant and over looks projected golf course. Ref No. K52. 627 711 155 Viva Villa and Vacation Services are pleased to offer property sales for the Torrevieja and Oriheula areas of the Costa Blanca, Spain. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 or Visit : www.villaandvacation.com 2 Bed, 1 Bath Ground floor duplex. Central heating, Grills, Fully furnished, Glazed in Galleria, 2 communal pools, private parking and walking distance to the Gran Alacant commercial centre. Situated in the popular urbanisation of Puerto Marino. Now only 96,500 euros for quick sale Ref No. K46. 627 711 155 Immaculate ground floor Duplex, 2 beds, 2 bath, Private Parking, Situated in Novamar, Gran Alacant. Price includes very tasteful

furniture and white goods. Walking distance to all local amenities and beach. Now only 129,750 euros. Ref No K24. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant Detached villa, located in a very sought after location.Situated on a 560m2 S/W facing plot and constructed in 2005. Comprising of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 full baths), Lounge-Diner, fully equipped Kitchen, Porch and Solarium with Alicante & Sea Views. ref.L81. €258,000 neg. Tel. 680333242 Ref 533: Lovely 2 bedroom Townhouse located in the popular area of Punta Prima, the property has a large lounge and fully equipped kitchen, 2 double bedrooms, one with balcony, bathroom with double shower. €126,000 Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Gran Alacant Town House with a difference. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Glazed in Porch, Quiet Location, Extra storage areas, and South Facing Private Pool as well as 2 communal pools. Fully Furnished, All mod cons. Greenland Views and all local amenities close by. Ref. No L79. 179.000 euros 680 333 242 Top floor Duplex. Very good price of 108.000 euros for a quick sale. Furnished to a very high standard, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, Lounge Diner, Glazed in Porch, Large Roof Top Solarium. Choice of Communal Pools,

Private Parking. Walking distance to all amenities and on the First urbanisation as you enter Gran Alacant. Viewing essential. Ref No. K44. Tel. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant immaculate villa, 3 bedroomed, 3 bathroomed property maintained to a very high standard inside and out and the interior furnishings are top quality, offering a feeling of luxury and good taste. The plot size is 400m2 and has been beautifully tiles, and graveled and has established palms and plants. Oil fired central heating throughout, log effect fire place, ceiling fans in all rooms, towel heater rails, glazed in shower units, instant hot water, water purifier, free English TV, phone & internet lines, fitted double hanging wardrobes, safe, glazed in front porch, vanity units and much more. The pool is an 8 X 4 m2 salt water pool, meaning maintenance is much easier plus outside toilet and shower. Sea views to front with Greenland views to the rear. ref K51. €245,000 Tel 680333242

Friday, January 25, 2013

Ref: 520, €85,000. Two bedroom apartment in Dream Hills, with a fully equipped kitchen, large lounge, glazed-in terrace and a large solarium. This property comes with a large communal swimming pool. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 78, €120,000. Three bedroom Quad in Jardin Del Mar VII. There is off-road parking and small storage shed in the enclosed garden area, communal pool nearby. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Balsares is opposite Gran Alacant where the proposed golf course is now being started so this property will virtually be on the golf course, it is an investment not to be missed. The property is on a small gated urbanisation of 18 houses with private underground parking for 2 cars and direct access to the house, communal pool and toilets/changing rooms etc. The house is brand new and consists of 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, lounge with working fire place, large kitchen 12 m2, large galleria/ utility room, bedroom balcony and front tiled terrace. This property also has a converted under build for an extra lounge or bedroom. ref K52 €198,000 Tel 680333242 Ref: 516, €39,999. Studio apartment in San Luis, close to amenities. Open plan fully equipped kitchen. Good sized lounge, bedroom and out onto balcony which has been glazed to create another room. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: KP3100, €183,000. Three bedroom, two bathroom detached villa, located in San Luis, on a 450sqm

plot, with communal pool. Garage to side of house. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, €60,000 A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach. There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Gran Alacant Opportunity to purchase a beautiful 3 bedroomed, 3 bathroomed,large kitchen, detached property with rooftop solarium. Well established gardens and drive way for 2 cars, whilst also overlooking the projected 18 hole golf course. Comprising of fitted wardrobes, utility room, air con H/C, alarm system, electric wall heaters, intercom system, fireplace, ceilings fans, 8x7 gazebo, use of 2 large communal pools, immaculate condition with many extras. ref K12. €180,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant bargain, detached villa with pool on 400m2 plot. Briefly comprising of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Lounge Diner, independent kitchen, solarium with views, well maintained gardens. Quiet location yet within walking distance of all amenities. Top quality furni-

ture and appliances included in the price. Extras include, mosquito nets, grills, toldos blinds, built in wardrobes, gas fire, electric heating, ceiling fans, English & Spanish TV, tastefully tiled & graveled garden with irrigation system. ref K43. €229,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant South facing attractive corner house Situated in the sought after urbanization of Monte Faro, this secure gated urbanization offers a stunning oasis pool, with mountain views, tennis courts and football courts. Consisting of 3 double beds with balconies, 2 bathrooms, kitchen leading onto court yard which can easily be converted into an extra room, lounge diner with working fireplace, front garden with private parking for 2 cars. Being sold fully furnishes with white goods, built in 2006 so immaculate condition hardly lived in. Ref K48 €168,000 priced for quick sale Tel 680333242

LOCKSMITH

KITCHENS

Gran Alacant, Large detached villa with beautiful gardens set on 550m2 plot, built in BBQ area and large 10x6 pool.Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Lounge Diner with fire place, Independent Kitchen, air con H/C, Solarium, front porch, converted under build with 3 extra rooms, private covered parking, irrigated gardens, close distance to beach and amenities. Ref. K18 €250,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant Gem! Fabulous detached Villa, with Alicante sea views to the front and wood land views to the rear, means this immaculate villa is very private and un-overlooked. Comprising of 2 large bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 2 bath, large fully equipped kitchen,glazed porch sitting area, solarium, Attractive Pool with cover, well maintained Gardens. Central Heating, Air Con, Ceiling fans, Private Parking, Alarm system, Decorative working Fire Place complete with electric Fire. Outdoor workshop/storage area, Quality Pergola & BBQ. Constructed in 2006, on plot size of 380m2 and being sold fully furnished including white goods. ref L80. €234,995 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Ground floor south west facing apartment in Puerto Marino close to G.A commercial centre,

comprising of 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, Lounge-Diner, Independent Kitchen with Galleria, Porch area and large tiled front garden, The property is being sold fully furnished and includes all kitchen appliances, H & C Air con is fitted as well as sky TV. The apartment enjoys the use of 2 large communal pools and has private parking in an enclosed electronically gated car park. Competitively priced for a quick sale. Ref. K40 €91,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, this mid terraced Puerto marino townhouse has been priced low purely for a quick sale. Briefly comprising of: 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Lounge-Diner, Independent Kitchen with Galleria, Porch area, Front tiled garden, Private gated Parking & the use of 2 large communal pools Ref. K22 €123,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, corner property in Don Pueblo with no

expense spared, comprising of 3 double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 2 decoratively tiled bathrooms, very large independent kitchen with galleria. Included in the price are all kitchen appliances such as large fridge freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, microwave to name just a few. There is a huge lounge complete with chimney, plus large fully transformed under build,and small workshop. Front and rear private garden area, secure underground garage, tennis courts, football pitch and communal pools. Ref. K14 €209,00 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant villa located in a very quiet area , situated at the end of a cul-de-sac means there is no through traffic.3 bed, 3 bath, 330m2 plot, established large gardens, working fireplace, solar panel for hot water,private parking, south facing great views, fully furnished, fantastic opportunity. ref. L85. €215,000 Tel 680333242

PARTY PLANNING

PERSONAL TRAINER

ELECTRICIAN PETS

PLUMBERS

DAMP PROOFING

DRAINAGE MASSAGE

POOL TABLES

PLASTERER

Friday, January 25, 2013 Gran Alacant, Situated in the "Alto" part of Gran Alacant, this 3 bedroomed, 4th floor apartment, offers luxury accommodation, with absolutely stunning sea views, as well as views of Alicante bay and the famous Santa Barbara Castle.The apartment is 89 square meters with open plan kitchen / living room and includes all electrical appliances & furniture also there is a utility room, open terrace, and private parking. The urbanisation also offers many communal pools, tennis courts, restaurants and bars. Ref. K20 €109,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant large detached villa with 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge-diner, fully equipped kitchen, large porch, roof top solarium, 400 m2 Plot, with established low maintenance very private gardens with irrigation system, electronic gates, private parking, outside wc, sink & shower, terraces, air con ( h & c ), mosquito nets, grills, alarmed, large spa pool with separate Jacuzzi section. Within easy walking distance to Gran Alacant commercial centre and close to local bus and tram route. Ref K33. €260,000 neg Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Rare investment!! corner south facing opportunity on Novamar urbanisation.This immaculate ground floor duplex has been kept and maintained to a very high standard inside and out the position is fantastic, enjoys views over the lovely oasis communal pool, surrounded by lawned gardens. Comprising of plot size 100m2 Build Size 90m2, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully furnished, AntiGlare Windows, Security Door, Security Grills, Built-in Wardrobes, Extra Storage, Galleria, Electric Panel Heaters, Heated Towel Rails, Air Con (h&c), Ceiling.

REMOVALS

Fans. Thermo Shower, Vanity Units and decoratively tiled throughout, exquisite garden, Underground private parking. Ref.K10 €139,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, detached villa in desirable road close to all amenities, comprising of 3 double bedrooms, 3 baths, lounge diner with working fire place, brand new kitchen with all appliances and black granite work tops, private pool, plot of 550m2, established irrigated gardens and fruit trees, private parking, solarium, also there is a converted under build giving more bedrooms ,bathroom & kitchen, this house has many extras and is being sold fully furnished. Ref.k47. €280,000 neg Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant south-facing, very private villa, with woodland and Alicante views. Situated at the end of a small cul-de-sac which means this villa enjoys a very peaceful location.3 Bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 3 Bathrooms, lounge-diner with working fireplace, fully fitted kitchen with including white goods, large front porch, solarium,workshop and storage in under build, central heating, air con H/C, ceiling fans, grills, UK T.V, off road parking and plenty of outside parking also. Due to its orientation of this property enjoys full sun, all day, something very important in the winter months. Ref.K24. €237,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant detached villa with converted under build and pool. Comprising of 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Lounge- Diner, Front Porch, Large Solarium, decoratively tiled, Irrigated Garden. BBQ and Log Storage Cupboard. Raised walls for Privacy. Also many extras, toldos blinds, freshly decorated interior, Grills, Mosquito Nets, Air Con H/C, Ceiling Fans, Log Burner Fire, Electric Radiators, Heated Towel Rails, Alarmed, Phone Line, Satellite UK TV, private parking. Plot size 310m2 under build 100m2. price includes all furniture.The under build consists of 2 beds, lounge, kit/utility room. ref L79. €250,000 Tel. 680333242 Gran Alacant immaculate outstanding south facing villa in sought after road. Set

on a 350m2 plot with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths,large porch, solarium and terraces. The large under build includes a lounge, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom and patio doors leading to pool area. Internal & external access for under build. Extras include electric radiators, air con H/C, ceiling fans, gas fire, heated towel rails, extended walk-in shower, fitted wardrobes. Decorative tiling inside and out. Panoramic views towards Alicante Bay, Sky TV, phone line and Internet & Private parking, established gardens, water features and fruit trees. Being sold with exquisite furniture and all white goods. Immaculate finishes and decor. ref L84. €278,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant South facing attractive corner house Situated in the sought after urbanization of Monte Faro, this secure gated urbanization offers a stunning oasis pool, with mountain views, tennis courts and football courts. Consisting of 3 double beds with balconies, 2 bathrooms, kitchen leading onto court yard which can easily be converted into an extra room, lounge diner with working fireplace, front garden with private parking for 2 cars. Being sold fully furnishes with white goods, built in 2006 so immaculate condition hardly lived in. Ref K48 €168,000 priced for

quick sale Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant limited edition villa, not very often available on the market. Only a few of this type were ever constructed- Very large 5 bedrooms, 4 bathroom(2 ensuit) property, situated on a large corner plot with a 10 x 5 private pool and private parking. Lounge-diner with working fireplace, fully equipped kitchen with utility room. Large landing area, leading onto solarium, with extra storage external room. Front porch area leading into large well established gardens with irrigation system and fruit trees. Being sold fully furnished. Within walking distance to Gran Alacant commercial centre and 5 minute drive to Carabassi beaches. ref. K11. €270,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, Situated in the central area of Gran Alacant and within walking distance to all local amenities such as a selection of different cuisine restaurants, bars, pharmacies, banks, popular GA market and Carabassi Beach. Comprises of 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with a private garage and roof-top solarium. This property is part of a small urbanization which has the use of a large decorative communal pool. Ref. K36 €149,000 Tel 680333242

WARDROBES

Ref: 513, €115,000. Two bedroom ground floor apartment, in Aguas Nuevas, close to all amenities including the beach. It has a good size lounge, kitchen and has off road parking facilities. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Beach front Line property, over looks Carabassi Beach, Gran Alacant. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Secure Underground Parking, Fully furnished, Roof Top Solarium. 3 Large Communal Pools, Fantastic communal Gardens, Tennis Courts and much more. 125.000 Euros Ref No. K23. Tel. 627 711 155 Gran Alacant, Situated front line to the famous blue flag beaches of Carabassi, the real beauty of this property is its proximity to the beach, but also on offer is a fantastic communal pool situated in beautifully kept gardens with little Spanish walk ways.Comprising of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge diner, American style kitchen including all appliances, roof top solarium with stunning views, front porch area with front garden and a secure underground garage. fully furnished Ref. K23 €125,000 rare opportunity Tel 680333242 Ref: 520, €85,000. Two bedroom apartment in Dream Hills, with a fully equipped kitchen, large lounge, glazed-in terrace and a large solarium. This property comes with a large communal swimming pool. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

STORAGE

QUIZZES Experienced quizmaster/question setter with personality available to host quiz nights in local bars. Tel:- 664 838 581

REMOVALS Small removals, deliveries & storage. Spain-UK-Spain. Budget prices. www.spanishmoves.net. UK 01209 843971 or Spain 687 756 644 (101)

SITUATIONS VACANT Inviters wanted for all areas including Cabo Roig, La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Punta Prima and all areas of Costa Blanca South. Hours to suit and great rates of pay. Phone Sue (691 063 203) to find out more about working for the best New Company on the Costa Blanca.(101)

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

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

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Friday, January 25, 2013

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

RAKE UP TIME I’VE often written about etiquette in golf covering speed of players to general good manners, but there are some basics that get ignored and can be not only irritating but spoil your round. There are players I have witnessed, and I am sure you have too, who walk into the bunker, play their shot and walk out again, leaving size 10 footprints all over the place. They have been approached about the misdemeanour, only to announce that it’s the greenkeeper’s job. Some golfers just seem to never rake a bunker or sand trap after playing a shot out. This could be because they do not properly know how to rake out the bunker or are just too lazy to do so. Besides not knowing how to rake bunkers properly, some golfers do not know where to leave the rake after they have raked the surface of the bunker. Both of these procedures are an important part of golf etiquette. Performing this repair is a courtesy to the golfers playing behind you and should always be done to offer the best possible playing surface for others on the course. Hitting the ball out of a sand bunker is difficult enough. Hitting out of a sand bunker that has not been raked properly is made even more difficult and frustrating to the golfers behind you. Raking a sand bunker is one of the easiest things a golfer can do. Using these easy to follow procedures will allow you to rake a bunker properly and put the

Blast for bunker boys who put their foot in it and don’t clean up

rake back in its proper place. 1. Choose the lowest spot to enter and exit the bunker. This will make it easier to rake it out properly. When a golfer chooses to step into a bunker from the highest point, it can cause the bunker to erode rapidly and creates a larger area to rake out. 2. Take the rake with you when you enter the bunker. This speeds up play and is perfectly legal. Just make sure you do not improve the ball’s lie with the rake or use the rake to align your shot. Make sure you lay it out of the way before making your shot.

TITTER ON THE TEE

A minister, a priest and a rabbi were golfing one day on the Costa Blanca. It was very hot. They were sweating and exhausted when they came upon a small lake on the 14th hole. Since it was fairly secluded and not many golfers were on the course, they took off all their clothes and jumped in the water. Feeling refreshed, the trio decided to walk over to the rough to pick a few berries while enjoying their "freedom." As they crossed the fairway, who should come along but a ladies’ four-ball from town getting ready to tee off. Unable to get to their clothes in time, the minister and the priest covered their privates and the rabbi covered his face while they ran for cover. After the ladies had teed off and moved on, the men got their clothes back on. The minister and the priest asked the rabbi why he covered his face rather than his privates. The rabbi replied, "I don't know about you, but in my congregation, it's my face they would recognise."

3. After hitting out of bunkers, they should always be raked smooth for the players who follow; you should first fill in the deep ruts made by your feet and club. Move to an area where your feet ground into the sand. Pull the rake toward you and level the surface of the sand, as well as maintain the contour of the sand. Make sure you do not take too much sand with you as you pull the rake towards you. 4. Follow yourself out of the bunker with the rake, when raking the bunker, then smooth the sand as evenly as possible levelling the surface from where you entered and exited the bunker. Once you reach the edge of the bunker, review the raked sand and decide if the surface is as smooth as

possible. You don’t want any gouges, divots or other indentations in the sand. Most rakes have a smooth edge opposite to the teeth of the rake. Use this to smooth out the grooves. There is not perfect answer on where to place the rake after you have cleaned up the bunker. Some golf courses have specific rules on the placement of rakes around the sand bunker, but the R&A has no rule that covers this part of the game. If the course does not have a placement rule, then use your best judgment. Most experienced golfers lay the rake on the outside of the bunker, but on the side of the bunker that is away from where most balls enter. For example, if the bunker is located in front of

KNOW YOUR RULES What is the ruling if your ball comes to rest in or near an area of plants that have thorns or stinging nettles on them? A: Play the ball as it lies or take an unplayable lie, with a penalty shot. B: Pick up your ball without penalty and place it one club length from the plants. C: You get two club lengths drop without penalty because of a dangerous situation. ANSWER A: If a player’s ball comes to rest in or near an area of plants such as poison ivy, cacti or stinging nettles, the player must either play the ball as it lies or, if applicable, proceed under Rule for (Water Hazards) or Rule (Ball Unplayable).

a green, you do not want to place the rake between the bunker and the green or between the approach shot and the sand bunker. The best place to lay the rake is along the side of the bunker, closest to the rough. If a bunker is located along the side of the fairway, you will want to lay the rake on the highest point of the

bunker, but out of the customary line a golfer hits into the bunker from. If the bunker can be hit from the tee box, find that line from the tee box to the bunker. Make sure you do not lay the rake anywhere within that line. Never place it between the tee box and the bunker. Always place it on the opposite side. Performing these easilyto-follow instructions properly will make the game more pleasurable to play for any golfers behind you. Always use your best judgment when completing these tasks. Think of how you would want the bunker to look and where the rake should sit if you where playing that hole. As a kind of a footnote (no pun intended), I played that well-cared-for course at Alenda Golf last Tuesday and, lo and behold, some inconsiderate golfer had walked into the bunker, played his shot and walked out again, probably even walked on the rake, too, if the evidence is anything to go by (I took the attached photo). So if you recognise those size 10 footprints by their sole pattern, please report him to the Director of Golf. It does not take that much time out of your game to show a little courtesy.

Friday, January 25, 2013

DR SHEKEL AND MR PRIDE

FOOTBALL’S version of the Village People, not the YMCA but the lately-formed YCMU club (You Couldn’t Makit Up) met up again last week in Southampton. Their previous meeting was in Nottingham two weeks earlier when popular and successful Nottingham Forest manager Sean O’Driscoll was summarily dismissed by the club’s new owners, the Kuwaiti Al Hasawi family. The dismissal took place hours after the 4 – 2 defeat of Leeds which put Forest seventh, two points off the play-off places. The new manager was announced the next day. Pep Guardioli? No, that wellknown Scottish loser Alex McLeish, the one currently aping Tommy Docherty as the man who’s had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus. Like Forest, the Southampton meeting also caught every rightminded football person by surprise, including almost all the fans and, similarly to Forest, beggars belief. Nice Nigel Adkins had earned – hard-earned –

Man U and Co are welcome to the money mob – just leave us provincials alone

the grudging respect of the rest of the Premier League as in his first

Mauricio Pochettino

season he weathered an early-doors shellacking from the big boys, but soon came of age. Bottom-placed initially, Saints slowly, steadily surfaced to start swimming away from the sinking scene with excellent team performance from a hardlyknown group of solid professionals. Just like O’Driscoll the p r e v i o u s evening, Adkins had seen his team produce a star-studded performance, coming back from t w o

goals down at the mighty Stamford Bridge to draw 2-2 against Champions League holders Chelsea. If poor Nigel had any inkling of what was about to happen back at St Mary’s, he hid it well as he rightly heaped praise on his team after the match. Early next morning the Southampton chairman, Italian Nicola Cortese, amazingly announced Adkins’ sacking and that his successor would be 40 year-old Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino, whose only modest claim to fame was that he used to be manager of Espanol - who are to the City of Barcelona what Stockport County are to Manchester United. Pochettio is totally unknown to the cut-throat world of the Premier League, and doesn’t currently speak English (a bit like McLeish). It’s a tremendous risk to Cortese, if not a huge challenge to Pochettino. Say Saints now suffer ‘n struggle (tee-hee) and the ‘r’ word becomes relevant? Ooh er! Football, once a working man’s sport, has now been reinvented as a sexy plaything for the trendy movers and shak-

Torry out to tame leaders LEAGUE leaders Novelda come to town on Sunday seeking to complete the double over Torrevieja, having won 1-0 courtesy of a penalty conversion in September. They bring with them three ex Torry players in Manu, Juande and Inarejos, all of whom will be keen to lift all three points and extend their lead at the top with second placed La Nucia having the weekend off. It was a makeshift Torry outfit that drew at Crevillente on Sunday with teenager Paricio (known at Patri) scoring from a free kick, thanks to a wicked deflection. Crevillente then dominated most of the match and equalised before the interval. Torry had chances to win the game in the final ten minutes but these opportunities were wasted and so had to settle for a point.

Manager Joserra is hot on the trail of three new recruits to bolster his depleted squad. Ernesto has knee ligament problems and is out for the remainder of the season, whilst Dani has left to return to Murcia. With less than a week left until the transfer window closes, it looks like another matter going to the wire. The match with Novelda kicks off at 5pm and will at least see the return of Vicente Boix and Jorge to tighten the defence. A new face or two is also a possibility, which would be a super bonus. Although five points away from the relegation zone, Torry are only eight off the play off places, so this season is not over yet, not by a long chalk. Jeff Scott

ers of today. As a lifetime supporter of a provincial city team like Nottingham Forest, not from a footballing hot-bed conurbation like Manchester, Liverpool, Teesside, Birmingham or of course Greater London, it is a privilege when my team is in arguably the world’s most prestigious league - or at least trying hard to get back there. For my money, ANY manager who can keep similar provincial sides like Norwich, Stoke, Swansea, Wigan and Reading – and Southampton – in that league deserves enormous respect for the man’s massive abilities. And definitely NOT the sack! The ‘Championship’ is bursting with more hungry provincial sides like Cardiff, Leicester, Hull, Burnley, Brighton, my beloved Forest and more below ‘em. Dignified, competent, experienced real football men like Chris Hughton, Tony Pulis, Brendan Rodgers, Roberto Martinez (love his

Spanglish Wigan accent) and Brian McDermott are already doing a superb job in a pressure-cooker environment . Nigel was too, more’s the pity… As ever in life, the great God mazooma/shekels/money dictates everything: Americans own Man Utd, Liverpool and Aston Villa, Sheiks bankroll Man City and The Rabid Russian runs Chelsea. But I say xenophobically to all those provincial poachers – overmoneyed , over nosey and worst of all, over here: Leave off our provincial clubs! Right - I’m off to picket the next YCMU meeting.

ELCHE – NOW THE BIG ONE!

League leaders Elche, our local heroes, are 11 points clear at the top of Spain’s second division 2A, and if they can maintain progress for the rest of the season will be promoted back to La Liga after a gap of 30 years. Tomorrow evening, the Illicitanos (Elche) host their nearest and deadliest rivals, next to bottom-placed Hercules of Alicante, who won at last at the weekend while Elche drew away. On paper Elche should win easily, but local derbies don’t work like that form goes out of the window and local passions run riot. Game on! Mucho Elche!

Every Day’s a Football Day January 27th 1994 An exchange deal with a difference as Bradford City and Scarborough swap chairmen. Geoffrey Richmond joins the Bantams, with David Simpson travelling in the opposite direction. 28st 1961 Denis Law scores six goals for Manchester City in their cup tie against Luton. However, with City leading 6-2, the match was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch. In the rearranged game, Law scores again but City lose 2-1 29th 1949 In the FA Cup fourth round, Yeovil Town of the Southern League beat first division Sunderland 21 on Town’s famous sloping pitch. This, despite the presence in the Sunderland team of Len Shackleton, the most expensive player in the country at the time. 30th 1965 Following the death of Winston Churchill, the BBC cancel Match of the Day as a mark of respect. 31st 1987 A 70th minute goal by Adrian Sprott is enough to give Hamilton Academicals a shock 1-0 victory over Rangers. The goal is the first conceded by Chris Woods since November 20th 1986, 1,196 minutes earlier. Compiled by STUART EVANS

Friday, January 18, 2013

FEATHERS DAY

It’s Bantams v Swans in Wembley clash of the unlikely lads Bantams – cocky little upstarts, don’t know their place, frightened of nothing. Swans – powerful creatures got some neck, not to be messed with. Nah, we’re not putting birds of prey together, silly, it’s Brassy Bradford City, amazingly from League Two against proud Premier players Swansea in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley on February 24. What’s the closest thing to Silver? The Lone Ranger’s bum! Actually at the Etched on Saturday it was the ball that was closest to Man City’s David Silva, closely followed by his congratulating team-mates as the on-fire Spaniard scored two, nearly three for a Stetson stunt (hat-trick?) that sank floundering Fulham. Those thrilling three points meant the Boys in Blue are still in the Silver Medal position, but pegged back another two points from their nasty neighbours going for Gold at Old Trafford: Man U’s lead is now down to five: 23 down, 15 to play... ‘White’ Hart Lane was the aptly-named snowy scene as the league leaders looked lethal, that man Robin

John McGregor reports

van Persia getting his 22nd of the season to put the Red Devils on their way with a first half header. But Spurs wouldn’t give in, and ironically in ‘Forgive time’, Clint Dempsey yanked Tottenham level at last hey, late, late scoring’s normally the Reds rules! On Wednesday, Arsenal got it right at last, coming from behind to slam sliding West Ham 5 -1. Tyneside troubles are totting up, as Reading repeated their ruse of pretending to be prostrate (ask the Baggies), going behind at Nervy Newcastle courtesy of a cracking French free-kick from Johan Cab aye; the lead first nullified then nuked by two quick goals from French-sounding substitute Adam Le Fonder. Cab aye was substituted as boos rang round unhappy St James Park, where stalwart centre back Fabric Clocking is said to be homesick for Argentina. Problems piling up for Par dew, precariously placed two points over wayward Wigan and resurgent Reading: Royals two wins from last two. No such stutters at nearby Wearside, though, with two-goal Steven Fletcher saving (re)surfacing Sunderland, as the Black Cats clawed back in a 3 – 2 thriller against woebegone Wigan, who went ahead early doors. Gallic games? At Upton Park Harry Redknapp’s first French Foreign Legion foray fared favourably, his

pricey new Marseillan striker Loic Remy taking just 14 minutes to spring West Ham’s offside trap, fastening onto Adel Taabart’s thimble-threaded through ball to get Harry’s Hoops’ hopes up. But Samsammers stormed back and finally flourished courtesy of the Cole brothers, Carlton heading down for Joe to equalise, so the sides settled for shared success. But Querying Points Relinquished must muster more as they stay stilted at the bottom, four from freedom. The SAS took out Norwich, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez both scoring in Liverpool’s 5 – 0 carpeting of the Canaries. Championship leaders Cardiff treated themselves to a well-deserved winter break this week in Dubai after winning a hard-fought ding-dong battle 2 – 1 at managerless Blackpool. It kept the Red Bluebirds on course for the Premier League with a terrific tenpoint lead over Leicester and Hull. It had to happen sooner or later – shock, horror, even mighty Barcelona lose now and again, going down 3 – 2 to Real Sociedad (Lionel Messi scored, though, of course). Both Madrid sides celebrated with wins, Atletico 2 – 0 over Levante and Real walloping our local lads Valencia at the Mestalla 5 – 0. The Barca/Atletico gap’s 8 points, but 15 over Real: bet that’s going down well at the Bernabeu!