The Courier Week 22

Edition 22

www.thecourier.es

Friday, July 22, 2011

YOU’RE NICKED

Brit among eight held after police swoop on burglars

EIGHT members of a gang of burglars responsible for some 30 break-ins in Alicante and Murcia have been arrested in a police swoop - including a man from the UK The gang was led by a man from Bulgaria, who ran a successful business in Alfàs del Pi where he lived under a false identity.

Also held are two other Bulgarians, two Germans, a Russian, and a suspect from Estonia.

It’s understood that most of them have previous criminal records, with one of the German gang members selecting targets from the properties where he was employed for maintenance.

The first arrests were made in Elche, when some of the gang were caught in the act trying to break in to a sports club. The other suspects were held in Orihuela and Benidorm last Friday.

Police searched six properties and recovered a large number of stolen items, which can be reclaimed at the National Police station in Benidorm.

They include plasma televisions, more than 80 watches, and Lladró figurines.Officers also confiscated wire cutters, hydraulic jacks and other tools the gang used in the break-ins.

IN YOUR COURIER TODAY...

YOUR ever-growing Courier writing team has another new face today – our vetry own agony aunt Romany Rose.

She’s seen it all and knows all the answers. And with her exotic background, nothing shocks her. So if YOU have a personal problem, drop Rose an email. Her first column is on Page 34.

There’s always lots to read in The Courier, the paper produced by professional journalists. This week you can... l Cringe with HAROLD HEYS on Page 4 l Rant with TONY MAYES on Page 5. l Grump with Editor DONNA GEE on Page 7

Police escort a suspect who was detained during early morning raids near Barcelona.

l Laugh with DAVE SILVER on Page 10 PLUS all our regular features including Food, Motoring, the Spanish and UK Press -- and of course your full TV Guide, which is on Pages 36-42.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

We’ll be down soon - just doing our air TELEPHONE

96 672 6437 JUNGLE DRUMS E-MAIL office@thecourier.es WEB www.thecourier.es HEAD OFFICE Alto del Moncayo s/n, Guardamar del Segura, 03140, ALICANTE PHONE: 96 672 64 37 Email: office@thecourier.es OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri 1030 to 1730 EDITOR Donna Gee ADVERTISING SALES 96 672 6437 office@thecourier.es TELESALES 96 672 6437 616 332 178 Sally Los Alcazares, San Javier 618 391 491 Myra Quesada, Rojales, Torrevieja, San Miguel Tel. 618 583 765 Denise La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 679 098 309 Jean La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 618 898 034 Writers Mick Hardy Donna Gee Suzanne Manners Sally Bengtsson Harry Nuttall Harold Heys Phil Smith Steve Bott Tony Mayes Jake Monroe

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Picture of the week

96 672 7334

Taking a shine to polish...

A PREGNANT mum has come clean about her bizarre craving - for FURNITURE POLISH. According to The Sun, Emma Veness, 26, has to eat the spray cleaner at least three times a day.

Seven-months pregnant Emma has already gone through three cans - despite her fears she may be harming her unborn baby girl.

Emma - who has been diagnosed with Pica, a rare disorder which sees sufferers crave non-food items said: "I can't explain why I like it so much. I think it has a lot to do with the texture. I normally spray a bit on my fingers and lick it off or spray it on the duster and suck."

Emma, from Birmingham, first became obsessed with sniffing furniture polish when pregnant with her first child daughter Darcie, now 11 months. She and boyfriend Gavin Wallis, 27, are desperate for her to give up.

Emma - whose favourite brand is Asda Smart Price polish - added: "I went to see my GP but she just told me to eat chocolate instead."

FED AND BURIED

9/11 avenger dies after slap-up meal

Mark Stroman on his way to his execution

A WHITE supremacist was executed on Wednesday night for a double murder spree launched in retaliation for the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Your bomber’s in my garden, Herr Flick A COUPLE were left shell-shocked after learning that one of Hitler's bombers is buried in their garden.

Andy and Betty Jennings had no idea their bungalow was built next to the spot where a Heinkel was shot down in the Battle of Britain.

But wartime archaeologists found its remains on radar and will start excavating next week.

Retired BT engineer Andy, 56, of Puriton, Somerset, said parts of the plane could be six feet below the surface. He added: "It was a surprise, but we're quite excited by it now."

Wartime records show the Heinkel was part of a Luftwaffe raid on aircraft works in Filton, Bristol, and Cardiff docks in August 1940. It was shot down by Spitfires and the crew bailed out safely.

One, Edo Flick, was injured when shot in the neck by a Home Guard member.

Monday Couple of showers High Temperature: 26°C RealFeel: 28°C

Mark Stroman, 41, went on a shooting spree after the Al Qaeda outrage, killing two and injuring a third as he targeted people he thought were Muslims. All three victims were from South Asia.

But in a defiant last speech, the murderer commanded his executioner: ‘Let’s do this thing’.’

Stroman’s lethal injection was halted for two hours after a desperate final appeal by one of his victims who said he forgave the gunman for his crimes. He was pronounced dead at 8.53pm at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit.

Before the execution Stroman enjoyed a calorific last meal of battered chicken, fried steak with gravy, 12 crispy pieces of bacon, a ham and cheese omelette, fried potatoes, squash, okra and a a pint of vanilla Blue Bell Ice Cream. The whole lot was washed down with three large Dr. Peppers.

Days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Stroman went on a ‘mission of revenge’ in the Dallas area.

He killed two South Asian immigrants and shot another - Rais Bhuiyan - in the face at close range, blinding him in one eye.

It was the death of 49-year-old Vasudev Patel that put Stroman on death row. Lone survivor Mr Bhuiyan unsuccessfully sued to stop the execution, saying his Muslim beliefs told him to forgive Stroman.

The 26-year old was a recent immigrant when he encountered Stroman and it took him years to recover from the gun shot - with bits of metal still embedded in his face.

The devout Muslim previously said he learned to forgive Stroman years ago, adding ‘I’m trying to do my best not to allow the loss of another human life.’’

Today Partly sunny High Temperature: 27°C RealFeel: 27°C

Saturday Partly sunny High Temperature: 29°C RealFeel: 33°C

Sunday Partly sunny High Temperature: 27°C RealFeel: 30°C

Tuesday Partly cloudy High Temperature: 26°C RealFeel: 28°C

Wednesday Partial sunshine High Temperature: 27°C RealFeel: 27°C

Thursday Mostly sunny High Temperature: 25°C RealFeel: 27°Cxx

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Friday, July 22, 2011

AIMEE’S PASSPORT TO NOWHERE

A TEENAGER is trapped in a 'bureaucratic nightmare' that means she may never be able to leave the uk or open a bank account - because she does not officially exist.

According to the Daily Mail, Aimee RaynerOkines, 14, was not issued with a birth certificate to prove her identity due to a registering mix-up after she was born prematurely during a family trip to Spain.

The blunder has meant that she is unable to get a passport to go abroad and has even been refused a bus pass Her parents Steve Okines, 45, and Claire Rayner, 35, have spent their daughter's entire life trying to correct the mistake - but thought was a certificate was Spanish authorities have repea- only some health notes,' Mr tedly refused to provide a certifica- Okines said. The Benefits te.

Agency finally agreed to pay Aimee was born after her father, child benefit when Aimee (picwho was considering emigrating, tured right) was three after her went to Spain in 1997 to help parents sent copies of her friends run a bar in Denia, near medical records to prove she Alicante. Miss Rayner joined him existed. when she was six months pregBut the Home Office has nant and expected to return to told the family that it cannot Britain to give birth process a claim for Aimee to But she was taken to hospital be registered as a UK citizen after her waters broke on July 6, unless she can produce a cer1997, and Aimee was born seven tificate from her country of weeks premature by emergency birth. Attempts to intervene by Caesarean that night, weighing 4lb their MP, Government minister 9oz. Staff at the hospital asked Mr Grant Shapps, have so far faiOkines to fill in some paperwork led. and assured him they would take The family, who live near St care of everything.

Albans, Hertfordshire, fear But after the family returned to that as a result, Aimee will be unathe UK they found they could not ble to marry, get a job or apply for claim child benefit without a birth a driving licence or bank account. certificate.

Aimee said: 'I feel angry and 'It turned out that the bit of paper upset. I sometimes feel like I don't supplied by the hospital which I really exist and nobody knows I am

Torment of the Spanish-born Brit who just ‘does not exist’

really here. All my friends go on holidays and school trips abroad but I cannot go.

'The local council would not even give a bus pass for me to get half-price fares. It means I have to

pay the full fare of £5.' Former publican Mr Okines said: 'It is sad for Aimee because she has absolutely no identity in the eyes of the law. It is as if she does not even exist.

'We have never been able to go on a family holiday abroad because she is not allowed to leave the country without a passport. She cannot even get on a ferry. She has never gone away to the sunshine and we cannot take her back to Spain to see where she was born.'

Mr Shapps, MP for Welwyn Hatfield, said he had first asked the Foreign Office to assist the family five years ago.

He has now asked foreign minister David Lidington to take up the case. 'This has turned into a 14-year bureaucratic nightmare for Aimee and her parents,' he said.

'It's having a direct impact on her life and it's time for the Spanish authorities to cut through the red

And she’s not the first...

IN 2008, the UK Press highlighted another like I don’t exist in this country. My life is on hold at the teenager in an almost identical situation to moment. I can’t get a job, a driving licence, go abroad, get the one Aimee finds herself in. This is how married. I couldn’t even go on a day trip to France.

“I have been really, really angry at times but I’m prepared her plight was highlighted...

A 16-YEAR-OLD Essex schoolgirl who has lived in England virtually all her life has been told she does not officially “exist’’.

Jade Jacobs-Brooks (pictured) has no birth certificate, no passport and no way of proving who she is because of a mix-up when she was born on holiday in Spain.

The Spanish authorities issued the incorrect documentation, and without a valid Spanish birth certificate she has never been able to register her birth in the United Kingdom.

The problem came to a head when she recently applied for a Saturday job but was turned down because she was unable to prove her ID. Jade, who lives in Harlow, said: “It’s so upsetting feeling

to do whatever it takes to be allowed to live a normal life.”

Jade was born on September 25, 1991 at the Veya Baja Hospital, near Alicante, as her parents Linda and Victor enjoyed a holiday.

A series of misunderstandings and bureaucratic errors meant they left Spain without the correct documentation, and have spent the last 16 years trying to sort it out.

Her father, Victor, said the hospital has no record of her birth and so she cannot be traced back to get the correct paperwork.

Mr Jacobs-Brooks, 52, said: “We’re at our wits’ end. This has been going on for 16 years and it’s beyond a joke now.

Jade is becoming so depressed.”

tape and issue Aimee with her birth certificate.

'I won't rest until the entire family can finally leave the country to go off on holiday together for the very first time.'

Mr Okines, a full-time carer to Miss Rayner, who has multiple sclerosis, wrote a dozen letters over several years to the hospital in Denia asking for proof of Aimee's birth, but never received a reply.

In 2006, he asked the Home Office if Aimee could be automatically granted UK citizenship after living here for ten years. But he was told he would still need to provide her birth certificate.

Finally the couple, who also have a son Jake, 11, flew out to Spain for a week in April last year to find that a new hospital had since been built in Denia.

Staff there 'said I should write to the Spanish president to get it sorted', Mr Okines said.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

THE ENGLISH ABROAD Retired racing journalist HAROLD HEYS certainly knows his horses... but when it comes to the Costas, he’s a bit of a Spain in the neck

THE first word I learnt as I embarked on picking up the rudiments of a new language ready for my latest holiday in Spain was ‘Hola!’ which means, to anyone who doesn’t know, ‘Hello’.

It is pronounced Hoe (as in Ho, Ho, Ho) La (as in Laugh).

I already knew a few words from being an avid fan of John Wayne Westerns - Gringo, Adios, Amigo, Por favor, Muchas gracias and Vamos!

I had managed to get through well enough on earlier visits to Spain. I could do simple sentences. Let’s vamos (Let’s get the hell out of here, as it kicked off in some dingy bar in the early hours), Adios amigos (Goodbye my friends), Chicken and chips por favour (Chicken and chips, please), Ah, my chicken and chips!

Muchas gracias! And so on. Nothing too complicated, you understand.

And I could count up to five in several languages, never having had the need to order more than five beers at a time, even on a very hot day. “Cinco San Miguels, amigo and some chicken and chips por favour”. And in French: “Cinq bieres and chicken and chips s’il vous plait.” I wasn’t as fluent in Italian but “Cinque beers and chicken and chips per favore,” usually did the trick.

Merits Not bad, eh? No. I was never going to starve or be stuck for liquid refreshment over on Le Con-tee-naunt. Ok, I wasn’t going to be quite up to discussing with the natives the relative merits of Barcelona and Real Madrid or the latest European legislation on the shape of carrots, but I would have coped.

I have to admit that a diet of San Migs and chicken and chips for two weeks might not have been the healthiest option for someone a stone or two overweight (God knows what that is in kilometres for anyone under 45). Perhaps I’ll mug up words for Lettuce, Lentils, Tomatoes, Celery and perhaps Tuna. Oh, and plenty of Fruit – Muchas fruit!

As a youngster I’d never tried to learn Spanish. I had quite enough on my plate with Latin and French, not to mention the finer points of English grammar. To this day I’m still not sure whether a gerund is a noun masquerading as a verb or a verb that thinks it’s a noun. I still find hanging participles

difficult to master and I can’t even pronounce words such as onomatopoeia and hyperbole.

I don’t think my French accent is too bad but I really don’t think my Spanish accent passes muster. It’s bad enough in England. The Americans couldn’t understand a word Cheryl Cole said and they have my sympathy. I’m fine with Scouse and Brummie is easy to follow. But Geordie, Cockney and anything west of Cheltenham just loses me completely.

When my daughter was a teenager she went to stay with relatives near Saarfend, at least that’s what they called it. It is, I am assured, spelt Southend. “Cana put mi coat in’t back o’ yer carr?” she asked a friend’s father who was giving the girls a lift. He hadn’t a clue what she was talking about. He looked at her as though she had just arrived from Mars and asked his daughter: “Woss-shesiy, Julie? Woss-shesiy?”

Translation effected, he told her: “Yi royt. Cowse ya caan.”

We have some friends who live a few miles away in Bolton and they take the mickey out of my accent. They’ve some room to talk. Whereas we, indeed anyone, might say:” I’ll have to go.” (or Ok, Let’s Vamos, for our Spanish-speaking readers) they says something along the lines of: “Allafertgoo”. No, I didn’t type that wrongly: Allafertgoo! What on earth is that all about?

Cheryl Cole makes more sense.

What I have learned over the years is that when you learn a language in school or college it bears little resemblance to what you face in the big wide world.

It struck me at MaisonsLaffitte or it may have been Longchamp many years ago. I was planning a ten franc (yes, it’s that long ago) bet on Prominer, an Irish-trained runner in the big race. Parisians, like New Yorkers, are notoriously difficult and short-tempered so I rehearsed my little speech to the Pari-Mutuel (Tote) clerk.

“Bonjour. Je voudrai dix francs gagner (to win) cheval numero trois, s’il vous plait.

Merci. Beaucoup.” I knew it backwards and inside out as I edged forward.

The chap in front was obviously a local. Yes, he had a hooped tee-shirt and a smelly Gaulois drooped from the corner of his mouth.

Laconic, is the best word to describe him. “Gagner le six,” he grunted. Tossed over a ten franc note, picked up his slip and shuffled off. Beautifully done.

I didn’t hesitate. My rehearsed speech in immaculate schoolboy French went away on the breeze. “Gagner le trois,” I said with a rather failed attempt at a grunt as I slung a ten-spot on to the counter. I picked up my ticket and exited stage left feeling quite the coolest chap on the course.

Prominer? It dead-heated. Boy, did that take some working out!

Disaster I love France, Spain and Italy but I must say again that the Parisians can be hard work. The first meal I ordered in a rather swish restaurant just off the Rivoli was a disaster. My wife and I ended up with two large bowls of fresh peas that would have provided ballast for the Ark Royal and, in the middle of each, a small brown lump that could have been anything. You could almost feel the sniggers.

That wouldn’t have happened along the Spanish Costas where I have always found waiters extremely helpful and considerate. Mind you, Spanish folk seem to talk really fast and chop words off before they get to the end. Oh, and they string words together in one lump. It ain’t easy!

Now where was I? Oh, yes. My first “new” word: Hola! I tried it soon after arriving at Alicante airport a few weeks ago. “Hola!” I called out to a chap I took to be a taxi driver.

“Bloody foreigners,” said my man with a scowl, beer belly and a broad Brummie accent.

The English abroad. Dontcha just love ‘em?

Friday, July 22, 2011

When the Brit hits the pan It’s more than his job’s worth to say it, but TONY MAYES reckons things are going distinctly downhill in UK town halls...

A DISABLED pensioner aged 76, is fined for displaying his disabled badge the wrong way round on his windscreen in a council car park. Fencing is erected across a council playing field and straight through the goalposts.

A cash-strapped council tries to extract more money from motorists by imposing pay and display charges in all its car parks, regardless of the fact that there's free parking in all nearby streets.

This is local government in 2011 - Britain in all its glory, and thanks to it we're all stuck with council tax bills that are pure daylight robbery.

Compare my ÂŁ1,400 bill in the UK for a modest two-bedroom bungalow to the 350 euros for a roof apartment in Spain and you've got a measure of the

problem in the UK. Councils attract the kind of people as councillors who are a pure pain in the neck. They're the control-freaks, busybodies, and those puffed up by their own importance. Add into the mix many council staff who wouldn't last a day in the real world of business and you've got a recipe for pure incompetence and a waste of money.

Its part of the reason why Britain is blessed with a growing number of jobsworths, of petty rules and regulations and the result is the slow and unending erosion of quality of life.

What's needed in Britain is a long hard look at whether it really needs all the government it is currently bogged down with.

Does Britain need parish councils, district councils, county councils, regional assemblies and central government? It's all this bureaucracy which strangles the country, adds to costs and slows decision-making to a crawl.

In a town close to where I live in the UK, there are three theatres, a museum and an art gallery costing local taxpayers a small fortune. Yes, in an ideal world, it's desirable to have entertainment on tap, and a place to cherish the local past. But the vast majority of local people don't go to see the shows, and haven't ever set foot in the museum or art gallery.

When we have councils wasting money hand over fist and creating residents' only on-street car parking which stands empty all day, forcing motorists to have to park in outrageously-priced pay and display car parks, the council and I rapidly part company.

I welcome the day when a government has the courage to begin stripping councils of their powers to spend money on anything other than the basics. If it did, perhaps people would get off their backsides and do something themselves. Like mowing grass verges outside their homes rather than expecting the council to do it, picking up litter in parks and open spaces, cleaning up graffiti and running their own museums, art galleries and libraries. This is the usual time in my usual

Continued on Page 19

Survival of the fattest...and put the beer on the buffalo bill!

A HERD of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.

This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells.

Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Pilot property scheme could bring buyers back to Spain

A PILOT scheme being tested in Spain and the Netherlands to help expats buy property overseas could encourage people to invest in the Spanish property market again while prices are low.

The EU funded initiative allows for the purchasing process to be completed in the buyer’s home country.

In a sure fire method to bring confidence back to the buying process, the Cross Border Electronic Conveyancing scheme will crucially guarantee compensation for a change in the planning laws.

This means that the buyers of any properties later dubbed illegal and possibly knocked down would be compensated.

The scheme will also protect buyers who fall victim to any violation of the contract by the

seller.

The initiative was praised by Liberal Democrat MEP Diana Wallis and it is expected to be tested in other nations throughout this year.

“The project seems to me practical and appears to work,” said Wallis.

“The beauty of it is that a buyer can have a direct contractual relationship with a person in their own country, which is what is needed because a lot of people don’t know whether they are coming or going when it comes to buying abroad.

“I’ve had so many people knocking at my door, dreadfully distressed, having bought in good faith and then lost their home or had serious problems with it because of unknown restrictions.”

The Eagle has crash landed near Sevilla A RESCUE centre responsible for the recovery program of the endangered Imperial Eagle has been accused of falsifying data and stealing eggs.

Police have arrested 16 people in connection to the fraud, which saw staff purchase eggs stolen from the wild, which were then passed off as part of the breeding program.

The artificial inflating of numbers of chicks born at the San Jeronimo centre led to the continuation of Junta grants – said to add up to millions of euros a year.

The network, which also saw the sale of some chicks for as much as 14,000 euros to collectors, is believed to involve 150

people around Spain.

The group were said to have also been linked to the smuggling of other rare birds including Peregrine Falcons.

Officers have so far rescued 101 live birds from the centre, where four people were arrested including its director.

“There is a huge problem with illegal bird trafficking in Spain,” said Juan Onate, a spokesman for SEO Birdlife.

“There are lots of bad people who just don’t care about the eagles, but it’s really important to protect this species as there are very few left and they are dangerously close to being extinct.”

DO YOU HATE AUGUST?

By SUZANNE O’CONNELL IF you live on the Coast, August can be the worst month of the year.

Everywhere is suddenly swamped by people.

You can’t get a table at your favourite restaurant and even if you can the food is more expensive/ not as good/ late in coming.

Parking is a nightmare and you take your life in your hands every time you approach a roundabout. And as for the relatives…

Enough reasons for hating August? How about some reasons for loving it? Warm evenings sat on the terrace, the summer sound of

cicadas and a Company Women chance to indulge and COOL DOWN. Now that sounds better.

Company Women are having a cool down/ chill out/ timeout session on August 4 at The Emerald Isle, La Florida.

There will still be the usual meal (buffet-style) and chance to network - but in addition you can have a free swim, too. Members and guests are invited to dip in and indulge. So, leave the summer visitors behind, shut down the computer and enjoy a very pleasant swim.

You might even begin to

wonder if August isn’t so bad, after all.

If you feel you’re wilting a little and the relatives are getting you down why not come and join us on the 4th? For more details visit our website http://companywomen .org

Cantabile Singers committee members presented a cheque for 165€ - raised at their recent concert - to Bruce Heath, Warden of La Siesta Church. Pictured from left: MD Jennifer Morton, Sharon Davies, Bruce Heath, chair Phyl Webb and Sybil Swann.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

COLLECTING THE EVIDENCE The two faces of doorstep charity

I’VE never been sure what the Spanish law is regarding doorto-door charity collections.

On one hand I’m told it’s illegal, and that the people who ring my bell trying to raise money for a new school/hospice/orphanage/public toilet are in fact bogus.

On the other hand, you have those charity callers whose impressive documentation .and smooth tongue convinces you they are for real. ‘’Don’t give money to anyone collecting at the door,’’ is the clear message from both my community president and the local Neighbourhood Watch. ‘‘The odds are that they are not genuine.’’

Well, for the last two or k three years, this cheerful-looking Spanish guy in his 40s, lways armed with identity card, badge, documents and flyers galore, has been doing his best to squeeze euros out of the expat community around my home.

Some people give, some don’t. And I admit he’s sweettalked me into parting with a few euros in the past.

Weapon But that was before I became Editor of The Courier – and in fact, before this newspaper even came into existence.

This time I was armed with a powerful new weapon and I plotted a scheme that would make or break him next time he came calling..

I wanted to tell him I was writing an article on residents being pestered by bogus charity collectors. I wanted to take his photograph and put it in The Courier, at the same time confirming to readers that he was no Luis the Ladrón and represented a

genuine cause.

I figured that an honest collector would agree instantly to being photographed since it would surely improve his returns…while an imposter would run a mile.

I was in the garden when he turned up in mid-afternoon a couple of weeks ago.

‘Hola senora, you Engleesh?’’

He clearly didn’t remember

me - not that I wanted him to. ‘’Yes, I want to speak to you,’’ I replied in Spanish, going straight on the attack as he pulled his documents out of his briefcase.

I reeled off my proposal (well, hardly reeled it off – my Spanish isn’t particularly good) and then mentioned taking his photo.

He did not like the idea. In fact, it horrified him. ‘No pho-

tograph!’’ he snapped, quickly putting his papers back in his briefcase. ‘‘Definitely not. It is illegal to take photos in Spain.’’ ‘‘It’s illegal to collect money door to door in Spain, more likely,’’ I retorted, uncertain whether this was in fact true.

With that, he thrust the leaflet alongside into my hand and stalked off to accost another potential victim.

The following day a respectable looking woman aged about 30 appeared at the front gate and began the charity sales talk. Or so I thought. ‘‘I’m sorry but there’s a great suspicion of charity collectors around here,’’ I said, lining up another photographic session. ‘‘People think you are not genuine.’’ ‘‘Charity? I’m not collecting for charity, cariño,’’ she retorted indignantly. ‘‘I’m collecting for ME. For me and my family.’’

There followed a party political broadcast on behalf of Spain’s unemployed masses. She told me she had lost her job, her husband was out of work and his dole had been stopped, and they had three kids to feed.

How else could she support them than by calling on the generosity of more

affluent people?

I know she could have been conning. But if she was, she deserved the €10 I gave her just for her acting skills.

Genuine or not, her face lit up at the sight of the money and she couldn’t thank me or hug me enough. ‘‘This will pay the lighting bill tomorrow, carino. I’m so happy.’’

And off she went with a parting shot. ‘‘Watch out for those charity collectors. You never know if they are genuine.’’

WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE TALKING of uninvited callers, I got into conversation the other day with two very nice ladies about…the end of the world.

Yes, they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now although I am not a Christian, I have never been one of those ‘we’re not interested – clear off’ types.

Indeed, apart from the fact that they are invariably humble, gentle people, I have the greatest admiration for the courage of Witnesses in the face of adversity.

Namely the antagonism of so many people who resent their intrusion. It’s all very well to turn them away politely but firmly, but verbal aggression and rudeness is not necessary.

I’d also like to clear up one or two misconceptions about Jehovah’s Witnesses. First of all, they are neither crazy nor any more deluded than followers of any other religious order.

Indeed, to me their message rings truer than most.

The mess that mankind has got the world into needs sorting urgently –

and who better to handle it than Big G himself? And soon!

I would never have the courage or dedication to become a Witness. But I do wish I could truly BELIEVE because it immediately takes all the fear out of dying ‘‘I bet you get a lot more abuse than friendliness when you knock on doors,’’ I said to my visitors. ‘‘You are so brave to carry on despite all the resentment.’’ ‘‘The strength to go on doesn’t come from us - but from Jehovah,’’

they replied.

I come from Jewish roots, but as a lifelong agnostic, I have spent my entire life wondering what existence is all about.

But there has to be more to it than eating, drinking and making a nuisance of ourselves.

Jehovah’s Witness literature often portrays their idea of the Paradise awaiting believers.

We see images of Mum, Dad and smiling kids strolling and playing in a sunny Garden of Eden, their pets including lions and tigers - sitting obediently at their feet.

Beat you to it, guys. I’m in Paradise every time I sit in my sunny garden, full of glorious summer colour, with one purring moggy on my lap and another at my side.

In this life, that’s as good as it gets for me. It almost makes my chronic backache worthwhile...

Agree or disagree, email your thoughts and comments to donna@thecourier.es

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Friday, July 22, 2011

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Friday, July 22, 2011

FERRY ACROSS THE MAR MENOR A DAY OUT WITH A DIFFERENCE IF you fancy a great day out with a difference, why not pop along to Santiago de la Ribera and catch the ferry to La Manga.

The trip takes a relaxing 40 minutes, passing breath taking scenery, and landing at one of most unique parts of Spain.

La Manga is a strip of land 21 km long and 300 metres wide, on average. La Manga means 'sleeve' and the long stretch separates the Mediterranean Sea from the Mar Menor (Small Sea). It is not to be confused with La Manga Club, which is a huge, luxury, all-round sports and leisure resort, about 10 km inland, and built near the beginning of La Manga, hence the name.

La Manga Strip has many hotels, shops, bars, clubs and restaurants. The great nightlife is well known. It became world famous due to the fact that you could

choose to either bathe in the shallow, tranquil waters of the Mar Menor, or surf on the wilder waves of the Mediterranean beaches, just five minutes walk away.

Driving to and along the Strip takes a long time. The Mar Menor is 73 kilometeres in circumference, and when you get to La Manga there is just one lane of traffic, with lots of traffic lights. In the months of July and August the road is renowned for being choc-a-block, with lots of jams. So the ferry is the ideal way to see this part of Murcia and enjoy the friendly service the ferry crew offer you.

The ferry will take you to the Thomas Maestre Port, which is the largest marina on La Manga Strip and has some amazingly expensive yachts moored in it. It faces the Mar Menor side, but has a canal, with a lift

bridge, leading to the Mediterranean. There are lots of restaurants and cafes nearby and you can choose to stroll across to either beach, or have a relaxing drink or snack overlooking beautiful views.

Back at Santiago de la Ribera, which is a small seaside town on the western shore of the Mar Menor, just to the north of the airport at San Javier? In the summer the beaches are lively, and there is a wide selection of bars, cafes and restaurants along the promenade and in the pedestrianised back streets.

Fat Catz and the Dog and Duck are firm favourites for visitors coming off the ferry, and are just a couple of roads back from the beach, along the pedestrian road through town.

Their snacks and lunches are

extremely popular.

And if you want to try something a little different, the canoe club, situated right where you take the ferry, rents out canoes for just five euros per person. They’ll give you a crash course should you need one, and the friendly staff will even escort you out over the calm waters. It is an activity which once you have tried you will want to do again and again.

For the ferry times see their ad below. The trip costs just 4 euros each way, and if you would like to take your bicycle this will cost just an extra euro. The ferry terminal is just behind the canoe club, right on the sea front of Santiago de la Ribera, opposite the Marino Hotel, along a little wooden jetty.

Travel Tips for Traveling by Train in Spain Spain is a nation of bold cultural elements and sunkissed landscapes.

Boasting ancient Moorish architecture, flamenco dancing and fine wine, Spain has earned a reputation as one of Europe's top tourist destinations.

Visitors have several options available to them for getting around the country. The most efficient and economical means of transportation is travel by train.

History RENFE, the Spanish state railway system, underwent drastic improvements starting in the 1990s. Spain used to have a notoriously slow train network, but this Iberian nation now operates some of the best train lines in the world, according to Rail Europe. All major cities have links to Madrid, many of which feature high-speed and luxury services. You may

have to ride on older trains with slower speeds in some of the more remote provinces and secondary cities, but overall rail transport still remains the most reliable way to get around when visiting Spain.

High-Speed Trains Spain's RENFE network features several high-speed lines. The TALGO line has

modern trains that travel at relatively swift speeds throughout the country.

There's also the newer and faster AVE, Spain's premier rail service. The lightningquick AVE runs via Madrid to both Seville and Barcelona in under three hours, as Fodor's Travel Guide attests. The AVE also makes stops at other popular cities such as Cordoba, Malaga and Valencia.

Spanish Rail Passes Spanish Rail Passes from RENFE provide travelers with a discount means of transportation throughout Spain. Travelers purchase

Standard Trains RENFE and several privately run railways also offer budget train services along other routes in Spain, notes the iExplore Travel Guide. For instance, the Andalus Express operates standard trains in the southern region of Andalusia, and the TranscantĂĄbrico provides connections throughout northern Spain.

The travel times are significantly slower, but the fares are also lower in most cases.

Eurail Spain Pass The Eurail Spain Pass gives holders unlimited travel on Spain's national rail network for a set time window within a two-month period.

Tourists purchase passes good for periods of three to 10 days, according to Frommer's.

This pass makes sense if you plan to move around a lot while touring Spain.

Eurail Select Pass

passes for a set number of rides in a two-month period, with price breaks going up according to the number of rides you reserve.

The Eurail Select Pass gives riders unlimited access to all rail lines in western Europe except for the British Isles.

Choose one country as your base and purchase a pass that gives you unlimited rides in three, four or five bordering countries.

This pass offers the best value if you plan on visiting other European countries besides Spain during your trip.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

THE DAY I MADE WARREN BEATTY LAUGH Dave Silver takes another humorous look at life

IN all my many years in journalism I have met celebrities from all walks of life.

But the most interesting meeting I had was nothing to do with my job. It was the day I made Warren Beatty laugh.

My wife, Mrs S, looked up from her newspaper one morning in the late 1970s, gulped and announced: 'Wow! Warren Beatty's in town. I have to see him.'

It was no Hollywood movie that had caught Mrs S's eye but the real thing. Shirley MacLaine's younger brother was indeed in Manchester.

He was producing, directing and starring in Reds. The story of the American journalist John Reed, who chronicled the Russian Revolution in his book 'Ten Days That Shook the World.'

Mr Beatty had been all over the place scouting suitable locations and had happened on the Zion Institute in Hulme, Manchester, which had been built in 1911 for the Congregational Church.

Apparently, the interior of that impressive edifice closely

resembled that of Chicago's City Hall in the early years of the 20th century and was chosen as the backdrop for a scene in the film.

'Right!' I exclaimed to Mrs S. 'Fire up the Morris Marina!

We're off to see Warren Beatty in the flesh.'

'In the flesh?' sighed Mrs S. 'Ooh, I hope so.'

We felt a bit like time travellers as we paused for a drink at a pub which was filled with movie extras wearing period costume and then we ambled over to the institute. We stood behind a crush barrier (surprisingly there were few people around) and waited.

Within minutes, the front door opened and the man himself emerged.

'Mr Beatty! Mr Beatty!' shrieked Mrs S, gesticulating wildly.

'May I have your autograph?'

Her question was badly timed because Mr Beatty was using both hands to carry a lunch tray and had no fingers free to oblige Mrs S's request. He shrugged and walked past us into his trailer.

My wife's reaction was uncharacteristic yet perhaps understandable. 'You're a very rude film star!' she shouted after him.

But a minute later she ceased her mumbled grumbles when the door of the trailer opened and Mr Beatty emerged. He made a beeline for my by now trembling missus. 'Now I can sign,' he said. My goodness! A Hollywood legend had delayed his lunch for us!

Mr Beatty scrawled his signature on the proffered piece of paper and Mrs S, unable to resist, clutched her idol's arm and announced: 'I’ve been a fan of yours for years.'

'Yes,' I added. 'But she married me anyway.'

Mrs S glared at me for spoiling the moment but movie superstar Warren Beatty actually laughed at my remark. Wow! As we drove home, Mrs S, clutching Mr Beatty's name to her bosom, swore that she would treasure the autograph until her dying day.

Within 36 hours she had lost the flaming thing. How, neither of us still don't know. But, hey, that's showbiz.

Which reminds me. Talking of celebs, we were watching Wimbledon on the telly recently when I mentioned to Mrs S: 'Were you aware that many years ago I met Martina Navrat . . er . . Natrav . . er . .'

'Steffi Graf?' suggested Mrs S. 'Yeah, that's the one,' I said. 'I asked her how old she was and she replied: "Fifteen, love." I met her again 15 years later and we had a similar conversation.'

'Yes, yes,' yawned Mrs S. 'And then you offered her an alcoholic drink but she called out "Juice" otherwise you'd only take advantage.

'For goodness sake,' she went on (and on): 'I've heard all your alleged witticisms so often that sometimes I think I'm married to an old loop recording that's gone . . er . . loopy.'

'Well, why don't you run off with Warren Beatty,' I suggested.

'Feel free but this time it's YOU who'll be signing YOUR name and, believe ME, HE won't lose YOUR autograph because it will be on a pre-nuptial agreement.'

'Warren Beatty?' she cackled. 'Oh, that was years ago.

These days it's Harrison Ford. And please don't talk to me in CAPITAL letters!'

At that point our grumpy neighbour banged on the wall and told us to keep the noise down as he was trying to view the tennis.

So we, too, returned to watching Wimbledon. It was the men's final and Novak Thingy was playing Rafael Whatsits. After a particularly good rally I commented: 'He's very good.'

'Which one?' asked Mrs S. 'Harrison Ford,' I said. 'I saw him in Witness and he was outstanding.'

Mrs S turned ashen and her jaw dropped.

'You saw Harrison Ford in Widnes?

Well, why didn't you get his bloody autograph!'

Friday, July 22, 2011

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Friday, July 22, 2011

BARK AND RIDE ANYONE?

ABANDONED dogs are flooding into the new Orihuela animal shelter at a rate of around 20 a week.

Although it has only been fully operational for a few months, the shelter is already at crisis point, with more than 200 dogs at a facility designed to take just 98.

While the shelter is successfully finding new owners for many animals, dogs are coming in faster than they can be rehomed.

The shelter has to take all abandoned dogs from the Orihuela municipality so cannot close its doors to new arrivals. The only hope for these animals is if lots of people now come forward to offer them homes.

Said shelter manager Virtudes Sanchis: “We have been completely shocked by the number of dogs being abandoned in Orihuela. We are up against a strong culture of abandonment, with owners thinking it is OK to dump their dogs when they are no longer wanted. Irresponsible owners are also allowing their dogs to breed indiscriminately and dumping litter after litter of unwanted puppies.

Unwanted “The shelter does its best to take in these unwanted animals, care for them and search for new homes, but the situation is impossible. Nobody could cope with these numbers.”

Prior to the opening of the new shelter, the number of abandoned animals in the municipality was not so obvious as they were collected and destroyed without any real attempt to give them a second chance.

Overcrowding the facility will cause a health hazard for the dogs, as it will be harder to provide high levels of care and to control disease. But the only real alternative is to euthanise animals, a measure the shelter is desperately trying to avoid. So shelter staff are calling on all animal lovers to help by adopting a dog if they possibly can.

Every day is adoption day at the shelter but in an urgent bid to promote more adop-

Horse, donkeys left in stable of horrors THE Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre has paid a total of 800 euros to save a horse and two emaciated donkeys that had been entombed in a derelict, makeshift building in San Luis.

Horrified volunteers had discovered a real stable of horrors the previous night, with the donkeys left without food or water, in what must have been a living hell with

no means of escape.

EHCRC founders Rod and Sue Weeding negotiated a price of 400 euros to save the donkeys - with volunteers dipping in their own pockets to enable them to receive the treatment they ned to survive their ordeal..

A 400-euro payment was also agreed for a white horse found tied up near the road.

Another horse that was

discovered along with the donkeys remains under the care of gypsies; who have agreed to feed, water and care for it properly – and to volunteers returning to check this was being done.

The rescue centre need your support more than ever.

To donate, please go to www.easyhorsecare.net, visit the centre or call Sue on 652 021 980. Open days Wed and Sun 1-4pm.

It’s wild at the saloon, cowboy!

WELL I’m the son of a gun! The Hideaway Bar in Via Park II, Playa Flamenca are holding a ‘Wild West Yee-Ha Day’ in aid of the Butterfly Children on July 24.

PEPA, the helping hands charity, will also be there with a Tombola Stall. The action starts at 3pm and is sure to be a great day out for all the family, with BBQ, line dancing, auction, games, stalls, DJ karaoke and live entertainment.

Fancy dress is optional with the theme of the day Country and Western and a prize for the best-dressed cowboy/girl. So make sure all you giddalong down to the Hideaway Bar! Raffle prizes and donations will be greatly appreciated; for more details on the event and charity call into the bar All funds raised on the day will go to the Butterfly Children registered charity.

tions, and to assist nonSpanish speaking people wishing to give a shelter dog a second chance, the shelter is holding a special adoption open day on Wednesday August 3 when English and German speaking volunteers will be on hand to assist.

The shelter has many beautiful dogs in desperate need of a home. There are lots of puppies as well as many big dogs such as Mastiffs, German Shepherds and American Pit Bulls.

Large breeds are particularly

vulnerable to abandonment as owners often don’t realise how big they will become.

There are also many small and medium-sized adult dogs of jut about every breed and variety at the shelter waiting for a new home.

And it’s not just dogs - 30 beautiful cats and kittens are seeking new owners, too.

The adoption day will be from 11am until 3pm at the shelter in Partida Lo Arques, San Bartolomé, close to the Vega Baja Hospital. From the ITV station, head toward the

DIAMOND RING UP FOR GRABS TREETOPS Restaurant in Campoverde are holding a breast cancer awareness fundraising event for AECC on July 23 (8pm till late).

There will be many special guests, games, entertainment and lots of surprises!

First prize in the raffle is a diamond ring and there are many more exclusive prizes including a Lladro figurine.

Opening the show will be the brilliant Stevie Spit.

Please come along and give this very worthwhile cause your support.

SUMMER CINEMA: Film fans can enjoy an open-air spectacular in Los Montesinos next Wednesday (July 27) – the screening of two movies.

Cats & Dogs (The Revenge of Kitty Galore) and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice will be screened at La Plaza de la Constitucion from 21:30.

mountain, left at second roundabout and follow signs.

Visit http://www.centroproteccionanimalesorihuela.co m and click under DONDE ESTAMOS for a map. Or email adoptdogsandcats@gmail.com and state where you are coming from to obtain written directions.

The shelter’s normal public opening hours for adoptions are Mon to Fri 10am to 3pm, Sat 10am to 2pm. Adoptions cannot be finalised on Sundays but dogs can be viewed from 10am to 2pm.

Raising funds? It’s just plane simple...

EXTRA support is flying into the office of Help Murcia Mar Menor in these days - from the Jet2.com airline.

Goods left on planes are kept for three months and then donated to charity. And for some time now, Jet2.com have been donating them to HMMM, who see the items go to those in need.

Recently, spectacles have been passed on through opticians in Dos Mares to third world countries; a pushchair and good quality clothes were given to the Samaritanos charity in San Pedro del Pinatar, and other goods were sold on Help’s Sunday car boot stall at the Autocine, Los Narejos.

Unwanted goods are always much appreciated - as are volunteer hospital visitors, office volunteers and fundraisers. If you can help, please call at the office between 10am and 1pm, Monday to Friday, or ring 968 570 059. The office is at Calle Penelope no. 11, Urbanizacion Oasis, Los Narejos, Los Alcazares.

IN THE PINK: The presentation by Maria Wilson’s Pink Ladies to the AECC cancer charity will now take place next Thursday (July 28) and not August 4 as previously indicated. The evening will run from 8pm till late at Fit4All,Punta Prima and tickets - to include hot and cold buffet - are 10€ per person Contact Maria on 634 198 351 or call in to Fit4All at Punta Prima.

Entertainment will be provided by Suzie G. IT’S Quiz Night followed by Play Your Cards Right at Manolo Restaurant on Tuesday. Please call 639 318 526 to book your place. All profits from the Quiz Night are for Paul Cunningham Nurses.

Friday, July 22, 2011

AROUND AND ABOUT ZOE HOLDEN takes a look at the latest news on the local Spanish websites...

MOORS, CHRISTIANS ...AND THE BAGPIPES

FOR the fourth year running, the Celts of Guardamar are participating in the town’s prestigious Moors and Christians festivities, which began last Friday.

The involvement and integration of expats in the traditional fiesta is unique throughout the whole of Spain - and the Guardamar event is recognised as of great regional tourist interest.

The Celts were originally recruited as mercenaries in 1609 to help the Christians when the Moors were expelled from the Kingdom of Valencia and shipped to North Africa. Many groups operate today in Asturias and Galicia, where the bagpipes are still to be heard. The Group or Fila – a gathering of like-minded Spaniards and Celts –was born four years ago and continues today as part of the Guardamar spectacle. The festivities finish on Monday.

A WEEK of music, lights and entertainment signals the annual celebration of the Moors and Christians in Orihuela.

The Playa Flamenca Office of the Town Hall and Concejalía de Transportes are playing their part by laying on a free bus service for the Moors parade tonight (Friday) and the Christians parade tomorrow night (Saturday). The bus will depart from the Mercadona roundabout at 7pm, calling at the Orange Bar about 7.30pm, and return from Glorieta Gabriel Miró when the parade finishes at approximately 1am.

Processions begin at 9pm and it is advisable to arrive an hour earlier to be sure of a viewing spot.

Places on the bus can be booked in

advance at the Tourist Office Playa Flamenca, by phone at 966760000 ext 32, or by email at Orihuelaplaya@touristinfo.net

THE main event at this year’s Almoradi fiesta won’t be the traditional festivities – because the World Cup is coming to town!

The opening ceremony is today (Friday) in La Plaza de La Constitucion, despite fears that the event would be affected by the current road works and the economic situation. Many local organisations are participating, including dance schools, La Union Musical and the Big Band. Also playing will be Spanish Indie musical group Second and traditional group Albaladre.

BENIJOFAR Town Hall is to hire six unemployed people, thanks to a grant from SERVEF - the Valencian employment and training service. The 37,481.38 euro grant will cover 80% of the salary and social costs of the workers, the Town Hall paying the rest.

The project will hire two cultural presenters who will work promoting the town and the Youth Centre, a librarian who will work at the Centro de Lectura de la Casa de Cultura, and three labourers who will help to maintain Benijofar’s buildings and gardens.

Town mayor Luis Rodriguez strongly supports the move. “This project will mean six currently unemployed people have the chance to work and gain experience for future jobs,’’ he said. ‘‘It is clear that the main problem we have right now is high unemployment and we have to do everything possible to reduce it significantly.”

Lorca’s €915 Hull raiser ENTERTAINER Pete Hull hands over €915 to Lions Club President Iain Bennett – proceeds of the mammoth show in aid of the Lorca Appeal Fund on June 30.

The event raised €750 on the day and has since been boosted by new donations, including a generous one from Hayley and Charlie of Quesada Country Club, which staged the original show and also Tuesday’s presentation.

Twelve different performers gave their services for free, including organiser Pete Hull, and the show ran from 2pm until 11.30pm.

Pete said: ‘‘The show was a lot of work but well worth the effort for the amount of money we raised - and because everybody who came along to support us enjoyed themselves.”

CRUISING TOWARDS A RAFFLE JACKPOT

AGE Concern’s Mediterranean adventure with David’s Coachtrips SL is cruising towards an amazing conclusion.

President Maureen Payne, vice-president Pam Horabin and secretary Jan Lane called at the Coachtrips Office in San Luis recently to receive another interim cheque in advance of their Cruise Raffle draw, taking the total raised so far to almost 5,000.euros. ‘’We cannot wait for the draw to take place,’’ said David. ‘’We are really looking forward to presenting the winners with their prize of a

fabulous Mediterranean Cruise for two plus 200. euros. ‘’May I express my sincere thanks to our hard-working couriers, who have willingly taken on the extra task of selling the tickets for this important charity. would also like to say an enormous thank you for the incredible generosity of our customers in supporting this effort.’’

Tickets will be on sale until the end of the first week in August. The winner will be

announced on www.coachtripsonline.com website on August 8.

The Charity would also like to thank The Rascals for their wonderful 'Rags to Riches' concert held recently, which raised 1,000 euros.

Age Concern CBS WalkIn-Centre in La Siesta will close on Friday July 29 and re-open on September 5.

The Torrevieja and Montesinos shops will close on July 29 and re-open on August 29

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Friday, July 22, 2011

How to Care for Sensitive Teeth

MANY of us say we have “sensitive teeth.” We usually mean that we feel twinges of pain or discomfort in our teeth in certain situations. These may include: Drinking or eating cold things Drinking or eating hot things Eating sweets Touching the teeth with other teeth or the tongue Breathing cold air Over half of us experience the twinge of sensitive teeth at some point in our lives — 30 percent of us suffer daily — and it’s a problem that seems to be on the rise. One of the most common dental complaints, it tends to peak in the 30-50 age group. Women are consistently shown to suffer more, although no one knows why.

Causes: One culprit is receding gums — they expose the sensitive dentine roots of the teeth not covered by protective enamel.

Receding gums become more common with age, but they’re also caused by overbrushing, which wears them away, or under-brushing and not flossing, which can lead to disease and shrinkage.

Certain foods and drinks can contribute, too. Anything acidic will slightly dissolve the enamel. That means sugary foods and drinks; anything frizzy, including carbonated water; and fruit and fruit juice — particularly rhubarb and grapefruit.

Wines, vinegars, pickles and lemon juice can have the same effect.

Other causes can include gastric reflux, where acid comes up to the mouth from the stomach. People with eating disorder like bulimia often have sensitive teeth, thanks to acid erosion from vomiting.

Excessive teething grinding can wear enamel away, and tooth-whitening procedures can cause temporary sensitivity.

What You Can Do: A few tweaks to your dental regime and diet really could help: Avoid hard-bristled brushes. It’s a good idea to avoid hardbristled brushes and aggressive scrubbing. Choose a medium bristle or, better still, an electric toothbrush. It’s almost impossible to over-brush with one, and you’ll keep gums cleaner, so disease is less likely.

Bring on the desensitizing toothpaste. It’s also worth trying products specifically designed for the issue. There are two formulations of toothpastes that treat sensitive teeth: stron-

tium chloride and potassium nitrate.

Sensodyne was the original toothpaste for treating sensitive teeth; its active ingredient was strontium chloride.

When your roots are exposed, you may have open pores in your tooth dentin that lead straight to the pulp of your tooth.

Merely touching this surface can provoke pain. Cold or air can also cause pain. Strontium chloride, the ingredient in the original Sensodyne formula, plugs these pores or tubules.

Later on, a potassium nitrate toothpaste formula was introduced, which is also very effective in treating tooth sensitivity. It appears that the potassium works by calming the nerve of the tooth, which prevents the transmitting of painful stimuli. Denquel was introduced as a competing brand, with the alternate potassium nitrate formula.

After that, Sensodyne introduced a potassium nitrate formula version. Now there are several brands available with both of these formulas, and they all appear to work well. It’s a case of finding one that works for your particular pattern of sensitivity. If you try one formula and it doesn't work, it may help to try the other formula.

For best results, put the toothpaste onto a dry brush, so it’s not diluted, and spit — but don’t rinse — after you’ve finished.

Floss daily. Do not avoid flossing your teeth; it’s an important part of proper dental hygiene. You should do it at least once a day after brushing your teeth.

Avoid sugary, fizzy and diet drinks. While it’s probably best to avoid sugary, fizzy and diet drinks, don’t abstain from fruit, juice or other healthy but acidic foods — just don’t brush within 20 minutes (and ideally an hour) of consuming them.

Salvia helps neutralize the acid on your teeth and if you brush straightaway, you’ll interfere with this process, as well as rinsing away any temporarily softened enamel. So brush your teeth before breakfast, not after.

Drink everything through a straw. Start protecting your smile today by drinking everything through a straw. Position the straw towards the back of your mouth. This will limit the amount of time the beverage is in contact with your teeth.

Up your intake of coenzyme Q10. There is some evidence has linking gum disease to lower levels of coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant made naturally in the body, found widely in foods, and available in supplement form.

Wear a mouth guard. If you grind your teeth in your sleep, then you should ask your dentist about getting a mouth guard to wear in your sleep. This will help prevent grinding your teeth which can lead to sensitivity.

See your dentist. If the pain is very high in intensity and prolonged, see your dentist.

An Over-Active Thyroid – The Facts What is it?

An over-active thyroid gland is known medically as thyrotoxicosis or Graves' disease.

Although thyroid problems can affect anyone of any age, women are eight times more susceptible — particularly between their 30s and 60s.

It is thought that, in most cases, the thyroid gland becomes over-active due to overstimulation by the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. The high activity causes toxic reactions in the body. The symptoms include nervous over-activity, anxiety and tension, perspiring, [Thyroid] high temperature, loss of weight despite eating

lots of food, slightly shaking hands, bulging eyes, diarrhoea, rapid heartbeat and pulse rate with palpitations, and often an enlargement of the thyroid gland

What Causes It? The precise cause is uncertain. However, the symptoms are due to an increase of the normal thyroid gland secretions.

How to Treat It Once the condition is diagnosed, treatment is usually effective, almost always starting with tablets. Special anti-thyroid drugs may be used to block the action of the thyroid hormone. Drugs

to slow down the heartbeat are also often needed for a limited period. Sometimes over-activity doesn't last long and may not recur. In other patients, the overactive thyroid seems to be less controllable. For them

and for young patients, an operation to remove part of the gland will be advised.

Note: Always insist on a test for tolerance to iodine before submitting to iodine treatment.

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HOW BRAINWAVE STATES CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH BRAINWAVES are the electrical activity of the brain, which can be measured using an electroencephalogram (EEG). The human brain is made up of billions of cells called neurons, which use electricity to communicate with each other. The combination of millions of cells sending signals at the same time produces an enormous amount of electrical activity in a ‘wave-like’ or cyclical pattern, hence the name brainwave.

Since 1929 when brainwaves were first discovered, scientists and researchers have identified four distinct brainwave states. These brainwave patterns known as alpha, beta, theta and delta change depending on what you are doing. When you are awake and alert, your brain is operating in the beta state of activity. Beta waves are fast waves associated with concentration, arousal, alertness and cognition. At a faster rate however, these waves are associated with anxiety, tension and unease.

As you become more relaxed, your brainwave slows down into alpha state which is a more focused yet relaxed state. This is what we experience when we become so absorbed in a television show. Alpha states are associated with learning, processing, storing and

recalling information. Slower still are theta waves which are associated with lucid dreaming and creativity. When theta waves become excessive, they become associated with distractibility, inattention and behavioural problems.

Many studies have also confirmed an overall increased production of theta waves with age, so much so that an increase in overall theta wave is the best and earliest indicator of cognitive decline. The slowest brainwave pattern is delta, the brainwave of dreamless sleep. Delta waves become active in your brain when you are in the deeper stages of sleep. They are associated with being completely unconscious, and in this state we do not remember or know anything.

The significance of these discoveries by researchers is that not only are brainwaves representatives of mental states, more importantly they can be stimulated to achieve desired results. Brainwave entrainment is the use of finely tuned light and sound to achieve these desired results and have found clinical applications in the treatment of ADHD, insomnia, depression, learning problems, addictions etc. This is possible because when the eyes and ears are stimulated they in turn stimulate the brain without the transferring energy to it, thereby making the process very safe. In an individual suffering from insomnia for instance, there is an increased production of beta waves, but by stimulating their sensory organs with delta wave frequencies, it becomes possible for them to fall asleep. The brain of a person suffering from ADHD has difficulties suppressing alpha and theta waves during cognitive tasks, in favour of beta waves, and this is why such individuals go into a ‘mental fog’ when faced with tasks such as reading or writing.

Brainwave entrainment has also seen applications in the field of sports, to increase the performance of athletes, as well as preventing jet lag in long distance travellers. Perhaps its most interesting application is as a prophylactic against cognitive decline.

Dr Machi Mannu is a Neuro-repatterning Specialist using brainwave entrainment technology.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

WHAT THE SPAN

A tailor-made law suit

By SALLY BENGTSSON THE Valencian premier, Francisco Camps, resigned late on Wednesday evening after bowing to pressure from his own PP party.

But he still faces a legal minefield after a court decided that there is enough evidence to try him over "la causa de los trajes," roughly translated as "SuitGate."

Camps, who is also head of the regional PP, is accused of accepting expensive articles of clothing worth more than 14,000 euros from a corrupt business network that operated nationwide and bribed numerous PP officials in exchange for government contracts.

Had he not stepped down, Camps, who was reelected in May despite the shadow of corruption charges, does not step down beforehand, would have been only the second regional premier to stand trial, after Cantabria leader Juan Hormaechea in 1994.

This setback for Camps comes after the Valencian High Court initially closed the case for lack of evidence. The Supreme Court later decided to reopen it.

The case is back at the regional court, where Judge José Flors estimates there is enough evidence to prosecute Camps and three other Valencian PP leaders, based on reports by the tax offices and witnesses such as the Madrid tailor who made the clothes, and who claims the premier never paid for them.

There are also handwritten documents and emails discussing gifts for Camps, which were sent by members of the corrupt business network known as Gürtel.

Francisco Camps: Received clothing worth more than €14,000

By SALLY BENGTSSON THE financial crisis is producing victims in a variety of circumstances.

Last Saturday a 49-year-old Spaniard became so frustrated with his situation that he took two people hostage at a bar just outside Madrid, and held them to ransom for four hours.

When police finally persuaded him to hand himself in, he said he had wanted to draw attention to his desperate situation of long-term unemployment and personal anguish.

The two hostage negotiators who helped to win the release of the bar owner and a friend after nearly four hours of tense discussions, said on Sunday that the suspect was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but was taking medication for depression.

Barged

THE Valencian president was set to become the second regional premier to stand trial. Now he has resigned and his expensive suits could cost him his career The indictment states that the goal of the ring was "to win, through gifts, the affection or favour of the people being presented with the same." According to the anticorruption attorney's office, between late 2005 and 2008 Camps accepted 12 tailored suits, four jackets, five pairs of shoes and four ties worth over €14,000.

JOB TORMENT OF MAN IN MADRID HOSTAGE DRAMA

The attorney considers that Camps accepted bribes, and calls on him to pay a fine of €41,250. The judge has tacked on an additional third of that amount for a total bond of €55,000.

The trial is likely to be held in the autumn.

Camps has always denied accepting the clothing as gifts. But after an employee

at the tailors said he had doctored company accounts to delete Camps' name, the now ex-premier's defence said he did indeed accept the gifts, but only in his capacity as head of the regional PP, not as regional premier.

The party are now in talks to choose a successor to preside over the Comunitat of Valencia.

The drama began shortly before 7pm when owner Tomás Carmona arrived at his bar and, according to his wife, "a bald man wearing a white shirt" barged in and pointed a gun at him. Carmona's 18-year-old son was about to enter the bar when his father shouted at him, "Don't come in. Call the police."

After the suspect, identified as JCAI, took Carmona and a 26-year-old friend hostage, police units and SAMUR emergency medical teams immediately surrounded the area.

The two hostages suffered only light bruises to the neck and throat but were ‘‘very nervous," explained Carlos Barra, SAMUR's director on duty, said the suspect was "very calm" after he gave himself up.

He had made a series of demands, including a Porsche Cayenne with a trunk full of supplies, a bed sheet to cover himself with as he left the bar, a bullet-proof jacket, a helmet and latex gloves.

During the duration of the incident, the suspect was said to have pointed the gun, which contained blanks, at the 26-year-old's chest and head.

17

Friday, July 22, 2011

NISH PAPERS SAY

CHE’S MOTORBIKE PARTNER DIES AGED 88

Anti-eviction protesters declare war on banks

THIRSTY WORK: The stranded canoeists prepare to take a tree break

Spanish firms head for Mecca with €6.5bn rail deal A SPANISH consortium has reportedly won a lucrative contract to build an AVE rail network to connect the Saudi Arabian city of Medina and the Muslim pilgrimage site of Mecca.

Sources said the cost of the project is estimated at €6.5 billion with 12 Spanish firms, including Adif, Talgo and Renfe, taking part in the construction. The consortium, which is 88 percent Spanish and 12 percent Saudi, beat competitors from China, South Korea,

Germany and France.

The French were Spain's toughest competitors with President Nicolas Sarkozy going to Saudi Arabia to lobby personally for the contract.

Some 450 kilometres of track across the desert will be constructed to connect Medina, Mecca and the city of Jeddah. The bid, which calls for 35 high-speed trains and the maintenance of the network for 12 years, was launched in 2006 by the Saudi Rail Organisation.

THE usually quiet square in San Javier witnessed a protest last Tuesday as approximately 50 people with banners made a stand against the cruel methods banks are using to punish those who cannot meet mortgage payments.

The latest case is against a married couple who had to choose between paying for medical treatment for their sick child, or paying the mortgage. Their priority was with their child. s However, despite promire re e ths w sing to pay the bank in instalTWO you worcy en g er ments, they are being eviccued by em ter Tuesday af ted and face the desperate kers last ee tr a in uck threat of being homeless. getting st the eing down Friends and neighbours while cano ! ia er in Murc realised the total injustice of e th s Segura Riv st in ei o id can tely stuck the situation and joined a The intrep the comple r car near protest organised by the ei th . ft le ee had Cieza their tr group “Plataforma de en from set off in m e ir F e, n river, and Cieza. In d to the zo Afectados por la Hipoteca” r lle a e ca n e s er e cano ungst is w to try to gain some extra time ause the yo the curren t but bec n’t be rescued this area s ju d n for the worried family. The a , ld g u n o co tr s rs had protest took place in the Caja pretty set- te helicopter etre after by land, a them de Ahorros Bank in San one kilom ll to u in p ed to h d cras calle ting off they as growing to be th were Javier. afety. Bo hw s ic h w to ee tr a r.

“We are just asking the ve ri e th . le of harmed in the midd bank to negotiate and have a me un a c e b e o Their can little flexibility towards each individual case,” said the

Help, our canoe’s in a tree

A new study has concluded that, contrary to conventional belief, cuddling and caressing are more important to men than women in

long-term relationships. Researchers studied responses from adults in the USA, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Spain, and also found that men

By SALLY BENGTSSON group spokesperson.

The couple are unemployed and have been unable to pay the mortgage for the last seven months. They face losing their home and yet still have a debt of 110,000 euros hanging over their heads.

The group has managed to stop 27 evictions in the province of Murcia over the last few months, but in most cases they just win the victims a little time, before the banks order the police to force them out for good.

It’s puzzling to understand the banks’ reasoning. They have thousands of repossessed homes, which they then try to sell at a reduced price.

But with no one to take care of them, houses decay and become the target of squatters, who seem to have more rights than the legal home owners.

were more likely to be happy in their relationship and that frequent kissing or cuddling was an accurate predictor of happiness for men.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

THE INBETWEENERS

WHAT A DIFFERENCE E-DAY MAKES

ON AUGUST 27, the largest exam board in the UK, Edexcel, officially releases the GCSE exam results to a large number of anxious children (not to mention their parents!). If you have children in Spanish school you have probably left all of this behind you. Nevertheless, you may have young adults in your household who do not know what to do in the future.

Not so very long ago if our expatriate teenagers wanted to stay on at school or college after the age of 16, unless they had fluent language skills then they had no alternative but to return to the UK. Some students, of course were entirely dardised qualifications grid, these skills are happy to complete their studies in Spanish becoming internationally recognised. whilst others couldn´t wait to get on the plane Whilst Spanish qualifications might suit and return home. Nevertheless, for others some pupils, others who would prefer to learn who had settled in Spain, the prospect of in their mother tongue or who wish to achieve going back was not a pleasant one and left a British qualification might want to look at them with the option of staying in Spain and alternative options. foregoing their qualifications or moving away These qualifications are also a sound and losing touch with friends. It is a crying option for adults who wish to return to educashame that some of these young adults now tion whether this is to gain skills for work or find themselves working in low paid, purely for personal growth. Studying at a colunskilled jobs over here much below their lege of further education can improve your capabilities purely because they lack the career options, enhance your social life and qualifications that they need to progress in increase your self confidence and motivation. their chosen field.

There are two main routes open to you to Luckily this situation is rapidly changing achieve your desired qualifications: the first is and there are other options whereby young the traditional method of GCSEs and A people have access to a whole host of qualLevels. The second option is to gain skills ifications without having to up sticks and through a more vocational route. Let´s move to a new town or country. It is never explore the possibilities. too late to turn your life around and learn new skills. Furthermore, thanks largely to a stan- BTECs

BTECs are vocational qualifications providing a more practical, real world approach to learning and skills development but still underpinned by traditional teaching. BTEC qualifications can open doors directly in a chosen career path or develop further with Higher Nationals or a university degree.

Unlike A levels and GCSEs, BTEC Firsts and Nationals are assessed through ongoing coursework and graded assignments and there are no exams to take at the end.

Assignments have to be checked by an external verifier to ensure that stringent quality standards are implemented and that a BTEC grade achieved in one centre is on a par with the same grade in another centre.

BTEC Firsts are a level 2 qualification which means they are equivalent to GCSEs whilst BTEC Nationals come in at level 3 which is the same as A levels. They can be studied on a full time or part time basis depending on the needs of the students and college.

A LEVELS AND GCSEs Regarded as essential qualifications by most employers, GCSEs and A levels are the cornerstone of many jobs and professions. A levels are recognised as the gold standard of the British education system and our abilities, even later in life, are still measured against them. Generally, full time students will study between 7 and 10 GCSEs over a two year period.

However, GCSEs can be achieved in a year with intensive study and dedication. A levels are a two year course and when studied full time students can usually sit between 3 and 5 taking an exam at AS level after the first year and followed by the final A2 level exams in the second year. GCSEs and A Levels always require you to sit examinations and some also have an element of course-

work which is also graded. When studying GCSEs or A Levels in Spain, you need to make sure before you start the course that your chosen school or college is an accredited examination centre and what the requirements are of both the centre and the examination board. If the centre is not accredited, ask them what provisions they will make for you to sit your exams somewhere else as you don´t want to be flying back to the UK at the eleventh hour. Fortunately a select few centres have facilities to meet the exam board criteria and you should have no problems finding somewhere suitable to complete your course and sit your exams in comfort.

Even if you have been studying in the Spanish system for a number of years and have fluency in Spanish, you might still wish to extend your skills base by adding a number of core GCSE subjects such as English, Maths and Spanish. This will keep your options open when making career choices.

The good news is, whether you are a school leaver needing to achieve qualifications to kick start a career or a mature student looking to broaden your horizons, you don´t have to move back to the UK. Various options available here on your doorstep and with the recession squeezing the number of suitable job opportunities both in England and Spain, what better time to pick up an extra qualification or two so you are armed with a portfolio of skills to catapult you into the career of your choice once the economic climate improves.

San Miguel International College of Further Education offers a wide range of study options to secure the long-term future of young adults and mature students including BTEC Firsts, BTEC Nationals, GCSEs and A Levels. Special core packages are available for students in Spanish schools. You can contact us on 965 720 785.

Recipe for a hungry boy

By ELLIS NASTRI THE other day I was at my friend’s house and his parents went out. We were left alone and after an hour began to get hungry, like any other pair of 15 year old children would. So we decided we should cook something to eat.

It was when my friend said ‘‘I don’t know how to cook’’ that I realised that not many of my pals know how to, nor do many children, I have always taken knowing how to cook for granted because my mum and I live alone (she is not divorced but my dad works in England) and I always help her in the kitchen. Sometimes I cook us dinner - and I have been doing this for as long as I can remember.

In this article I am going to teach you a simple recipe with some help from my friend

Aaryn James Park (but we call him AJ).

Something I like to cook that is fairly easy is French toast for one person. You will need two slices of bread, two eggs, 50ml of milk, a spoonful of butter, salt and pepper.

To prepare, whisk up two eggs, add the milk and a pinch salt and pepper (optional), then put the bread into the egg mixture and let it soak it up for a minute or two.

Then put a pan on the stove at medium-to-high temperature and after the pan has heated, add the butter. Put the soaked bread into the pan and let it cook for about three minutes. Keep flipping it and making sure it doesn’t burn; when the bread goes a brownish colour it is cooked.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy your food - and safe cooking.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRITE AS AN INBETWEENER? SEND YOUR STORIES TO OFFICE@THECOURIER.ES

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Friday, July 22, 2011

editor@thecourier.es You whingers have got me smoking mad!

AH, WELL, here we go again. Same old rant and rave about smokers taking up space outdoors, when all you reformed or whatever non-smokers had the luxury of sitting inside in the dark dismal days of winter.

Now summer’s here and we are supposed to be confined in the dark. When. oh when, I ask myself, is anybody going to get some joined up thinking?

By all means have smoking restrictions.

Not a problem. BUT what is the problem with having two licences - one that allows you to open a smoking establishment (complete with extract) and another that allows you to have a (guess what) NON smoking establishment? It’s not rocket science.

I, for one, am sick and tired of po-faced ex-

COMING CLEAN

smoker whingers who come to Spain to enjoy what is an essentially laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle that allows you pretty much to say what you like, pretty much do what you like, and basically enjoy life.

I came to Spain for those very reasons - to sit in the sun with a glass of wine (cheap), a packet of fags (cheap) and no petty bureaucratic tosser telling me what to do!

BUT, lo and behold, I am plagued with frustrated ex-smokers whose only joy in life is to ruin mine. Enough is enough.

Get a life. Enjoy the wit and social ambience that smokers provide. We don’t shove it up our noses, we don’t shove it in our veins, we don’t pig out on 14 burgers a day, we don’t drink ourselves into oblivion - all of which must cost the various health services

JUST befo re the elec tions, we plained to co O about the ru rihuela Costa town mbbish and hall other unm ables left entionbehind a ft Flamenca Saturday st er the Playa reet marke Yesterday t. th is rubbish cleared up was finally .

I would ho p the new ad e that this is a sign fro ministratio n that they m finally taki ng notice are of the peo live on the ple who Costa, and sh they care ab out the envi owing us that in as well ronment w e as the Ori huela inhab live inland. Kee itants p your fing er s PETER CA crossed.

MERON, P laya Flamen ca

far more than 20 fags a day!

I could go on about how much I have contributed to the NHS by way of exorbitant taxes on cigarettes…but non-smokers don’t want to hear that. All they want is to sit with similar people and find something else to whinge about.

I find it ludicrous that these very same people abide by a culture that promotes bull fighting, puts up with crooked politicians (no change there!), land grab, and a complete disregard of EEC rules.

Plus on-the-spot fines that go straight in to

My model wife still looks great in a bikini at 75

FIRSTLY, I would like to congratulate you on a fine newspaper - always interesting articles, not all adverts.

In your July 15 edition, you reprinted an article from the Daily Mail about people not looking their age.

Just looking around the Costa Blanca, there are so many ladies, maybe the poor and unknown, not the rich and famous, who look so good for their age. My wife is 75 and still looks good in a bikini - and she’s the same weight and size as she was 50 yrs ago.

She does have the advantage of good health and being fit, also the fact that she was a pin-up model of

the fifties. This gave her the incentive to keep fit.

She jokes that her skin needs a good iron these days, but like a lot of ladies on the Costa with no help from personal trainers, facelifts and nip and tucks, you see what you get.

Carry giving us a great newspaper, Courier. We also listen to TKO Gold, a great radio station, and had the opportunity of meeting Darren James a while back.

A great friendly guy and a credit to the station.

PETE FRAME I bet your wife looks absolutely amazing, Pete.

I’m not ageist - would she like to be the Courier’s Page 3 girl?! - ED

HITTING THE PAN From Page 5 rant where I like to turn to something a little lighter, but an item in a newspaper caught my eye. It concerned an unmarried woman who already has 14 children, her eldest three had children when they were teenagers and she was resentful when her 15-year-old fell pregnant - because she herself wasn't.

She's been trying to get pregnant again with her on-off boyfriend. And, guess what, it's all being paid for in benefits.

The good thing, though, is that she lives in Guernsey and so is not a drain on British taxpayers.

It's about time that the benefits system came to an end - it just breeds irresponsibility as well as excess children. Society may be better off as well as the tax bill.

the pocket! However, far be it for me to tell you to get a conscience.

You carry on berating smokers and I am sure the higher authority, if there is one, will bless you for it! Have a good life.

RICHARD CARDER You don’t shove it up your nose, Richard, you shove it up ours! And it seems you neither know nor care. Face reality, smokers are drug addicts and the thoughtless ones more dangerous than most because they inflict their poison on others. - ED

FIRSTLY, congratulations to Donna Gee on her recent appointment as Editor of The Courier.

Secondly, to smoke or not to smoke is a hotlydebated topic ever since the no smoking rules were introduced in Spain and parts of the world.

As an ex-smoker, I can empathise with both sides of the argument and don’t really want to force my views on anyone.

However, there are numerous “ quit smoking” programmes about in Spain – some work and others don’t, as was the experience of your reader, Hanne.

For those who have tried everything else, I would like to introduce a new energy therapy that is fast becoming a celebrity “must have” and this is Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT.

Negative

SOPHIA LOREN: Looking good despite her age

JUST like to start by saying that I do like your paper as it holds a lot of information. My little gripe is only to say that when you carried an advert about Ruby’s Bar, El Raso, it does not actually say where it is. I have tried to Google it but can’t seem to find it.

It does have a telephone number but no indication as to where it is! I have noticed this in other papers as well; just a thought that perhaps advertisers could put either a

Help! How do I find Ruby’s? little map or directions. That is all, keep up the good work.

JACKY BAYLIS, Jacarilla I understand your frustration, Jacky – we are looking at the possibility of a map of advertisers. In the meantime, you can always call our office for directions. - ED

This therapy has a proven success record in helping smokers quit permanently. The difference between EFT and other therapies around is that it deals with negative emotions that are the trigger for addictions, one of which is to nicotine, and neutralises these triggers.

Known affectionately as “Emotional Acupuncture”, it involves gentle tapping motions on known acupressure points on the body that are the site of negative emotions. No needles are involved with EFT, which will be a relief to those with a phobia of needles.

Many quit-smoking pro-

Anxious, bored or stressed EFT can stop you smoking grammes only deal with the superficial triggers, hence why it is easy to relapse into familiar and die-hard habits.

Electronic replacement gadgets, patches and nicotine-based chewing gum can ease cravings short term, but are not known to bring about long term benefits. The reason for this is that they contain a small level of nicotine which actually keeps the user in a dependency spiral.

People smoke for various reasons, too, ranging from boredom and stress to smoking as a weight management tool.

The most common trigger for smoking is Anxiety, which is an emotion that can be neutralised effectively by EFT..

JENNIFER RAHMAN EFT Therapist and life coach Jennifer’s EFT programme may well be what YOU need to help you stop smoking. We hope to bring you further details in next week’s Courier - plus a special offer - ED

20

Friday, July 22, 2011

TOP OF THE SHOPS! THE DELIGHTS OF THE PLAYA FLAMENCA COMMERCIAL CENTRE

Kamasutra – the taste of authentic cuisine KAMASUTRA is an Indian restaurant, wine bar and takeaway offering authentic cuisine.

Aromatic dishes head for smiling diners, and individual meals are also on the menu.

Open seven days a week from 2pm till late, the Kamasutra has many offers available including their Set Menu, which is only 6,95€ - and with a starter. For that price, you also get to choose any chicken dish with pilau rice or plain naan.

However, if you bring company, how about a

special dinner for two with any two starters, any two main dishes, plus rice or naan bread for 25€? And that’s including a bottle of wine!

The good deals don’t end there, either - you also get a free bottle of wine with all takeaway orders over 18€. Advance bookings or parties are very welcome and easily catered for – call Kamasutra on 965 325 298 and give your taste buds, and your pocket, a treat.

A Treasure Chest you must take a peek into FOR high-quality gifts at really affordable prices, THE TREASURE CHEST JEWELLERY AND GIFT SHOP is the place to go.

See the new season’s stock and select from a superb range of jewellery - including the popular silver Pandora-style build-abracelet beads.

Or for a unique gift, our in-house goldsmith and stone-setter will be happy to make your jewellery to order. We’ll also repair any broken jewellery you need fixing.

There’s lots more for you to see in the Treasure Chest, too.

We’ve a wide range of watches and for quality ornaments, take a look at our beautiful collection of Nao porcelain figurines from Valencia.

Oh, and you can save even more money by bringing in your unwanted or broken gold

and part-exchanging it against any item in the shop.

The Treasure Chest Jewellery and Gift shop is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.

Antisha: A wider choice of gifts and jewellery WELL, it looks like the move to the new premises has been a good one for ANTISHA. They have extended their range of gifts and jewellery - this means there is even more choice. Their range of sterling silver jewellery starts at under €20 and the fashion jewellery from €5 upwards. For that unusual gift, they are stocking even more crystals and mineral samples either for the collector or the holistic healer.

Owners Tony and Pat are now opening in the evenings to give their customers, old and new, more time to shop. So whether it’s a lump of fool’s gold, an angel or that special gift; you won't be disappointed

IF YOU NEED IT MACEYS HAVE IT FOR the seven-day experience, MACEYS have to be No1. Open every day of the week from 7.30am till 10pm, they offer a wide range of services, including: • International newspapers and magazines, with newspaper delivery available.

• A Spanish and overseas postal service • Mobile telephone credit cards -Spanish and overseas • A passport renewal service, plus faxing and photo copying • Greeting cards, postcards, stamps and stationery • Car and bike hire And of course, as an English supermarket, Maceys have a large stock of goods,

including wines, spirits, tobacco, beachwear, gifts, fresh baguettes baked daily, croissants and pastries, plus freshlymade sandwiches and salad bowls to take away.

If you fancy a coffee, our cafe is open from 8.30am every day.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Jasbah – a taste of Morocco with soul JASBAH, on the lower level of Flamenca Beach Commercial Centre next to Jamie’s Curry House, is a venue with real soul. Owners Lynne and Del have created a unique setting with a Moroccan theme, a laid-back atmosphere and a wide range of music from Soul, Reggae and Motown to Funk, Jazz and Full House.

There’s live entertainment on a Monday and Tuesday night with Soul singer

Ritchie Alexander, Dan the Man and Soul diva Celena Deans. Speciality DJs fill up the rest of the week with the 'G MAN' on Thursday.

At Jasbah, every night is a party night with special offers on drinks thrown in.

And if you fancy some delicious Indian food from Jamie’s, don’t miss the action – bring it back to Jasbah and enjoy the entertainment while you eat.

HEY, THIS PLACE IS PRETTY NEAT!!

PRETTY NEAT is one of those shops that you have to enter - because you just know there will be some-

Jamie’s: THE place for curries LOCATED on the lower level, JAMIE’S CURRY HOUSE was established just over a year and has created such a name for itself, people often highly recommend Jamie’s as THE place to go.

“Being from Bradford, it was hard to find a decent curry”, says Jamie, “so with my talented Pakistani chefs, Asad and Javid, we have been providing the area with the finest Indian cuisine at a price that is affordable to everyone”.

Unlike other Indian restaurants, Jamie’s curries and main courses all come with either pilau rice, plain Nan, chips or 2 chapattis. All chicken dishes are priced at only 7 euro and Veg dishes just 5.95 euro.

They also have a menu del dia, served all night with a starter of popadom and pickle, followed by onion bhaji, main of chicken or veg Bhuna, side of pilau rice or boiled rice or plain Nan, vanilla icecream and a small beer or glass of wine or soft drink for only 9.95 euro.....which, for me, is incredible value.

Visiting Jamie’s is such a friendly experience, where you will be greeted by their friendly and knowledgeable staff, Jamie, Kristoff, Jan and Mark will cater to you every need.

Located next to the Jasbah, your night out is made even more special, with nightly entertainment from live singers such as Richie Alexander, Dan the Man and Celena Deans

to the soulful sounds of The G Man and Del Maddix.

Take away and delivery are available, with 10% off takeaway orders over 20 euros, and free delivery for orders over 20 euros, within a 5km radius.

Call us to reserve your table or order your take away on 651 721 227. We look forward to seeing you soon.

thing interesting inside.

Inside you’ll find a wide range of gifts for any occasion at affordable prices and probably more greeting cards than you’ve ever seen in one place.

Pretty Neat also stock a good range of magnetic health products which come highly recommended - and if you’re thinking of having a party, this is surely

the place to come. They have everything you could need under one roof, including helium balloons, decorations and fancy dress for all occasions – with a wide range for Hen and Stag Night parties.

Pretty Neat is open Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm and then from 8pm to 11pm. Pop in and have some fun.

22

Friday, July 22, 2011

23

Friday, July 22, 2011

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.

ADVICE: Bob wanted advice on Anti-Virus and AntiSpyware software Until recently I have used AVG 2011 plus Super AntiSpyWare and Spybot Search & Destroy to protect my computer. A problem was that AVG 2011 appeared to slow everything down so I uninstalled it and replaced it with Windows Security Essentials. My computer now operates much faster. Was replacing AVG with the Windows version a good move? Your comments would be appreciated.

I have been told that I should replace Spybot with the free programme available from www.Malwarebytes.com for better protection. Your comments on this please?

Q

Hi Bob, I endorse both AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials as excellent free antivirus tools, another good one is Avast of course. So yes if you found that you were not getting on with AVG then replacing it with Security Essentials is a good move, it certainly seems to have worked for you. Both Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG have built in Anti-Spyware detection, so in short there is no “need” to use any additional applications, however I have to say that MalwareBytes is such a great tool that its certainly worth downloading and running weekly / monthly to give yourself that “belts and braces” feeling. I would not recommend using the “real time” protection (although this is actually not available in the free version of MalwareBytes anyway, just mentioning it in case you decide to purchase the full version) as this could clash with the “real time” protection that you already have in Microsoft Security Essentials.

A

ADVICE: Brian was having problems with the media card in his Blackberry Hi Rich got a problem with the media card in my Blackberry, the message says “A media card has been inserted that contains errors. To correct the errors please use a disk error- checking utility on your computer.” Question is where I find it on my computer hoping you can help

Q

Richard moved to Spain four 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!

TIP: How to take a screen shot of something.

I am asked, as I am sure you can imagine, many questions all day relating to computer,IT and gadget things. Most of the time people who have problems with their computers have an error message appear on the screen but they don’t have the time or means with which to make a note of the exact error message – and it’s the “exact” error message that really helps people like me find the answer to the problem, so here is a great tip that will allow you to take a copy of the whole screen or just the bit with the error in it.

To take a full screen shot – press and hold the CTRL key (bottom left or bottom right of the keyboard), with that key held down, press and release the “PRT SC” key (“IMP PANT” on Spanish keyboards). This will seemingly do nothing, you don’t get a bleep or a flash of the screen or anything, but trust me, you have just copied the whole screen. For the technical amongst you, this copy has been placed into the Windows Clipboard. Now all you have to do is fire up any kind of word processor or graphics package (Microsoft Word for example or OpenOffice Writer if you don’t have Word) and then just hit the paste button (or hold CTRL and press V once) and your screen copy will be pasted.

To take a screen shot of the active item on the screen only – follow the instructions above but rather than pressing CTRL and “PRT SC” press ALT and “PRT SC” and this is take a copy of the active window, perhaps it will be an error message box on the screen that you want to send to your computer guy? From there you just follow the same instructions and paste the item that you have copied into a word processor or graphics package and then you can send that file to whoever you want to see the screen shot as an attachment to an email.

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.

Hi Brian, you are having this problem because the media card in your phone has become corrupt or it has some corrupt files on it, if you follow the instructions below it should sort out the problem for you…

A

1. Plug your phone into a Windows computer, in your case, your laptop and turn on mass storage mode on your phone 2. Open My Computer (or Computer if you have Vista or Windows 7) 3. Right-click the “removable disk” that has appeared since plugging in your phone and choose properties.

4. Click the Tools tab, and then click Check Now 5. Select “Automatically fix file system errors” and then click Start.

This should scan, find and fix any errors that are on the drive and make it useable again in your phone.

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

Update: Hi Rich as always you know what you talking about - problem fixed!

Office: 902 906 200

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Quick-cooking cuts Lately, there's been a lot of focus on cheap joints of meat, which are great for keeping costs down and when you have more time – cheap cuts need longer cooking – but sometimes we need something a bit more instant, so look out for these quick-cooking cuts of beef, lamb and pork.

Escalope The eye of a loin that has been trimmed, then sliced into rounds for quick frying.

Cubed loin Rather than a whole chop, the loin can be trimmed and diced for cooking in stirfries and quick dishes.

Beef Sirloin Often sold as slices of meat, this cut is a large piece of meat taken from the middle of the animal’s back, next to the fillet. A good piece of sirloin should have a visible marbling of fat, to give good flavour, and be almost as tender as a piece of fillet.

Rump A good value steak that has much more flavour than a fillet or sirloin as the muscle that it comes from works harder in the animal. This also means that it can be

chewier, particularly if the meat has not been matured properly.

Fillet The most prized and expensive piece of meat on the animal – in a 300kg beef carcass there is only about 2kg of fillet! It is very tender as it is the least used muscle, but it doesn’t have as much flavour as some other cuts, so be careful not to overcook it.

Rib eye A very popular steak in

America. This is the trimmed fillet or eye of a forerib of beef, which is a classic roasting joint. It has lots of marbling, which gives it fantastic depth of flavour.

Pork Chump chops Further down a whole loin of pork comes the chump end. Chops from here are the most generous as they are boneless and nice and lean.

Lamb

Leg steaks These are slices of boned leg of lamb, which are ideal for frying and grilling.

Loin chops From the centre of a loin of lamb, these have a good layer of fat, making tender

and tasty chops. They can be a bit fiddly to eat because they have a bone.

Cutlets From the best end of lamb, otherwise known as a rack of lamb, the cutlets can be cut from the rack and panfried individually.

Friday, July 22, 2011

ORANGES AND DEMONS

By DONNA GEE

LORRAINE HINDLE looks around her fully-stocked restaurant kitchen and reflects on the time the cupboard was bare. Literally.

With no jobs or income, she and her family were forced to live on oranges and potatoes stolen from orchards and fields near their secluded home in the Costa Blanca hills.

Former businesswoman Lorraine and her carpenter husband Steve were left penniless after buying a house near Torremendo cheaply and then being ripped off by builders who took their money and ran. ‘’We reached a point where we couldn’t even afford to buy a bottle of water,’’ she recalls. ‘‘It was a desperate time for all of us.

We had three children to feed, so the only option was to steal oranges and potatoes.

Positive ‘’The one positive aspect was the quality time we were able to spend together as a family.

Unable to run their generator, Lorraine, Steve and children Sean, then 16, Raymond, 11, and five-yearold Mollie spent hours sittings in the dark, playing Monopoly by candlelight. ‘‘It was a long game - it went on for six weeks!’’ laughs Lorraine, who eventually foundherself a job of sorts cleaning the rundown La Fuente de Don Juan bar/restaurant. ‘‘I got the equivalent of 12 euros for three days work,’’ she reflected. ‘’And with my first pay packet, I went out and bought a rabbit. Not to eat – but as a pet for Mollie ater all she had gone through.’’

With that, life began again

TEAMWORK: Lorraine (right) with La Fuente de Don Juan staff members Patti and Joseph

Stolen fruit and spuds kept us alive, admits food queen Lorraine for the Hindles. ‘‘It’s remarkable how much we were able to buy for that 12 euros,’’ says Birmingham-born Lorraine. ‘‘It enabled Steve to buy a small amount of petrol, get back on the road and find some carpentry and building work.’’

Two years ago, on her feet again but hardly raking it in, Lorraine asked the owner of La Fuente de Don Juan if she could rent the property. And she became a restaurateur – albeit with a major job on her hands.

The first challenge was to restore the neglected premises in keeping with her own high standards. The second was to build a viable busi-

ness and spread the word to the wider community that the Costa Blanca had a new, vibrant venue for a special day out.

I can personally vouch for the quality of the food and the ambience at La Fuente in both winter and summer – having dined in front of the restaurant’s roaring fire in February and sampled one of the area’s best Sunday lunches al fresco in June.

At €12 for three courses with wine (or €7 for the main course alone), it’s money well spent. Choose from the wide-ranging a la carte menu is you prefer.

There’s also a special FREE bonus - the gorgeous

drive up to the restaurant past the bluest expanse of water I have ever seen.

When it comes to entertainment, La Fuente de Don Juan has its own built-in cabaret, with the emphasis on a certain Swedish band.

Lorraine herself sings with Abba Cadabra tribute band whilst staff member Patti is a member of Abba Elite. And they are not alone.

Slog ‘‘My staff are very versatile,’’ says Lorraine. ‘’They can all turn their hand to just about anything!’’

For the Hindles, it’s been a real slog to get back on their feet. But after 18 months of hard work turning the rural eatery into a popular country destination for expats and holidaymakers alike, Lorraine’s efforts are starting to bear fruit.

But let’s not talk about oranges just now…

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26

Friday, July 22, 2011

THE BRITISH PRESS

Staff nurse, 27, nicked by 'saline serial killer' cops A PARTY-loving staff nurse was being quizzed last night by police hunting the saline serial killer.

Rebecca Leighton, 27, was arrested at 6am yesterday at her flat near Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, Greater Manchester.

She works on one of the wards at the centre of the probe into the deaths of three patients.

Popular party girl Rebecca often moans about having to work nights.

She tells pals on her Facebook page how her work frequently gets in the way of a fun time out.

In one post she said: "I'm a happy, lucky kinda girl, loves the weekends (if I'm not working) and having a laugh with the people that I call friends for a reason."

In another she wrote: "I hate nights - can't wait for the weekend." And in a third, she wrote: "Worst night's sleep ever last nite, now for 14 hour shift aggghhhh".

Pals were shocked after redhead Rebecca, known as Becki, was arrested.

Studying She used to work on Ward A3 but recently moved to A1 - the two acute medical wards at the centre of a massive police probe.

Detectives are investigating the deaths of patients Tracey Arden, 44, George Keep, 84, and Arnold Lancaster, 71.

They died after a batch of 36 ampoules of saline - a salt and water mix - were deliberately injected with insulin on wards A1 and A3. This caused drastically low blood-sugar levels in patients.

A fourth patient, a man in his 40s, remained critically ill last night. And ten others have been affected by the contaminated liquid.

Rebecca, a heavy smoker whose favourite tipple is rosé wine, went into nursing after studying through the Open University.

The trade is in the family. It is thought her mum Lyn, 55, was born at Stepping Hill and worked there as a nurse before taking up a role as a trainer.

The Sun Rebecca lives with boyfriend Tim Papworth, the owner of a darts shop located beneath their flat. He is well known on the local darts scene and is a pal of professional players.

Tim, 28, sponsors a weekly darts contest at the Star & Garter pub which Rebecca helps to organise.

Landlady Beryl Cosgrove said last night: "She's a lovely person. Everyone around here in the darts world knows her and we're all shocked she's been arrested.

"Becki is a pretty young girl who is very sociable but never talks about her job. On nights out she drinks but never too much.

"She appeared a hard-working girl who is bubbly and friendly.

"She is always polite and everyone likes her.

She never plays darts herself but is always here to help out on Friday nights."

A neighbour of Rebecca said: "She's the last person on Earth who could be involved in anything like this. She's just a lovely girl. She's a nurse and lives to save lives."

Rebecca also likes larking with friends and had a fun picture taken with some at a colleague's leaving do on July 2, days after George Keep died.

Senior cops had planned the arrest for at least 24 hours before swooping on the nurse.

Her fellow staff were alerted in an email from Chris Burke, boss of the local NHS Trust.

One worker said: "Word went round the hospital like wildfire. Everybody was saying, 'They've nicked someone.' People have obviously worked alongside this nurse and they're wondering if they could have noticed anything suspicious about her behaviour."

Rebecca's father David, 51, is a driver for Finglands Coaches, the official bus firm for Manchester City football club.

The nurse's brother Darren, 31, is believed to have lost his job as a mechanic last year and is now travelling around the world.

A team of 60 detectives has been working on the saline case and has questioned more than 50 staff members including doctors, consultants, porters and other nurses. After Rebecca's arrest a dozen plain-clothed officers, some in tracksuits, arrived at the flat. They left just before 5pm carrying half a dozen bags and a computer.

It has been revealed that a clinical audit carried out at the hospital five months ago uncovered lax security surrounding medicines. Pharmacy staff found "all medicines" were locked away in only 63 per cent of the sections visited. They also discovered cupboards storing medicines were not locked on Wards A1 and A3.

And nursing staff on A3 did not check their supplies of controlled drugs on a daily basis.

Last night a hospital source said: "Perhaps some of the findings should have triggered alarm bells."

JEDWARD INTO JACKSON MANIA Daily Star MALFUNCTIONING twins Jedward want to open their own Michael Jackson museum after splashing out a fortune on King Of Pop memorabilia.

One of the bonkers Jedward brothers (God knows which one) told me: “I’ve got Michael Jackson’s autograph more than 20 times.

“I’ve spent thousands on his things including bed sheets, his sister Janet’s leather jacket, I even tried bidding on his This Is It Tour wig.

“I’d love to open a museum.”

But if you thought it would just be a Michael Jackson exhibition – think again. The Bad Behaviour boy added: “I’ve also got the outfit Britney Spears wore in the Pepsi advert and Jim Carrey’s Riddler costume from the Batman film.”

GLASGOW'S FRIED MARS BARS UNDER ATTACK

Daily Telegraph

WHOLE Foods Market, the US "natural foods" giant is headed for Glasgow, home of the deep fried Mars Bar. The 23,000sq ft outlet in Giffnock, an upmarket suburb south of the Scottish city, will be the chain's first store outside London and the first to open since the launch of Whole Foods' huge outlet in High Street Kensington in 2007.

Jeff Turnas, Whole Foods' UK regional president, said: "I see us having several stores in Scotland. This is the first step to learn about the market."

Friday, July 22, 2011

Mum dies after being run Bedbound pensioner down by daughter A MUM of three has died after her teenage daughter ran her down as she practised reversing into a parking space.

Sue Duke, 41, was crushed between 17-yearold learner driver Lauren's Ford Ka and another vehicle.

Barmaid Sue is thought to have been guiding Lauren into the space when her car suddenly lurched backwards.

Sue's brother-in-law Malcolm Mitchell said the

accident in Rochester, Kent, seemed to stem from a tragic mistake by school leaver Lauren.

He added: "She seemed to be practising reversing.

We think Susan got out to direct her.

"She must have got the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal mixed up and pressed the wrong one."

One witness, who declined to be named said: "At first we didn't realise Sue had been hit, we just saw the damage to the car.

gnawed by rats

The Sun "But then we saw Sue lying on the ground. She had been hit on the head, there was blood everywhere. It was catastrophic.

"We just tried to help her and comfort her before an ambulance got there.

"The girl was hysterical, she was screaming and crying. It was so awful. We tried to calm her down but she was so upset."

Lauren, sister Brogan, 21, brother Callum, ten, and

Daily Mail Lauren Duke dad Wayne, 44, were at Sue's bedside at a London hospital last night but she died today.

Crufts champ kept 300 animals in squalor A CRUFTS champion breeder has been banned from keeping animals for life after the RSPCA found 300 living in "filthy and horrible" squalor at her kennels.

Registered trainer Rachel Mortimore, 57, has scooped more than 40 prizes at the top dog show with her collection of Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (Tollers).

She was also a member of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers and charged owners £30 an hour for one-to-one training sessions at her kennels.

But when RSPCA officers inspected her premises they were horrified to discover hundreds of animals kept in "unbelievable" conditions.

They found 300 animals ranging from horses to chickens — including one of her prized dogs which was so neglected it had a hole in its jaw.

A cat had an ulcer in its eye.

Mortimore — who had been keeping animals for 25 years — admitted two counts of animal cruelty at Taunton Magistrates Court in Somerset yesterday.

Magistrates banned her from keeping animals for life and ordered that she complete 140 hours of community service.

Speaking after the hearing, horrified RSPCA officer Claire Ryder described the suffering of the animals as "unbelievable".

She said: "This woman was supposed to love her dog and had it for 12 years and left it with a hole in its face.

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The Sun "The other animals were living in filthy horrible conditions."

Mortimore charged owners £10 per night to look after their dogs at her Foxdown kennels in Culmhead, near Taunton.

In the 2010 Crufts dog show, she collected a handful of prizes — including first place in the Veteran Bitch category for Tollers, for her dog Foxdown Ambila.

Mortimore has been competing in Crufts since 2002 and has

scooped gongs each year since then, totalling more than 40 over the eight years.

She also works as a dog breeder, selling puppies for £750, and has the largest breeding kennel in the country for Tollers.

JPs heard how she had taken in too many rescue animals after owners kept bringing them to her as a result of the economic downturn.

Her lawyer said she was too kind-hearted to turn any away and her premises became overstocked.

Mortimore, who is to appeal against her ban, refused to comment.

AFTER 'SUBO... WATCH OUT FOR 'ROBO' Daily Mirror AN unlikely singing star has been hailed “the new Subo” after wowing the X Factor judges.

Roger Boyd, 32, was nicknamed “RoBo” by production staff after amazing the audience with a near perfect audition.

Walking on stage, he looked like a nerdy rocker, dressed all in black with long blond hair. He Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos, Kelly revealed that Britain’s Got Talent sensation Susan Rowland and Louis Walsh at the first X Boyle is his inspiration and even named his dog Factor audition in the LG Arena, Birmingham Pebbles, after her cat. the finals he will be given a great makeover.”

A show source said: “Just like SuBo, Roger looked a bit Off-licence worker Roger, of Portrush, Northern Ireland, said geeky and notan obvious star when he walked on without he had honed his voice by doing karaoke at a bar. much stage presence, but he launched into Meatloaf’s I’d Do Judge Gary Barlow told him at Liverpool’s Echo Arena: “I Anything For Love and the crowd went wild. absolutely loved it. That was great.”

“The judges had no hesitation in putting Roger through. If he And Louis Walsh asked: “Why didn’t we come here before?” gets to Simon Cowell’s hit singing show is back on ITV next month.

A BEDBOUND pensioner who was gnawed at by rats after her council abandoned weekly bin collections has died, it has been revealed.

The 80-year-old was bedridden following a stroke and was attacked on her feet by the rodents in her home in Byefield Road, Southcote, Reading, Berkshire, at the end of last month.

She was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital on Friday, July 1, but died from injuries caused by the stroke overnight between last Thursday and Friday.

Police continue to investigate the living conditions at her home while Reading Borough Council and Thames Water are carrying out a separate investigation into the source of the rat outbreak which is affecting at least three streets.

Angry neighbours blamed the infestation on Reading Council switching refuse collections to a fortnightly pick-up but the authority denied this yesterday.

Some residents have, however, been moved onto alternative accommodation until the situation is brought under control.

It has also confirmed councillors may look at changing a policy which means people in Reading are paying almost 12 times more than people from a neighbouring council to call out the council's pest control department.

Neighbours said rats were crawling into their homes through pipes and even coming up through toilets.

Chris Sullivan and his family were moved out of their home after they found rats in his daughter's bed.

Mr Sullivan said: 'I've had rats for three years - they're crawling around in the walls. They've even been in my kid's bed. We've been in touch with the council for the last two years, it's taken this long for something to be done.

'We hear them every day. They come through the pipes.

The last one we saw was in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. My youngest won't sleep in her bed any more. We're getting moved but don't want to come back.'

Council spokesman Oscar Mortali said: 'The Council is extremely sorry to hear that a Byefield Road resident has passed away and sends its sincere condolences to the fam-

Under siege: The 80-year-old is believed to have been attacked by rats in her home here in Reading ily. The Council will continue to pass any information it has to the police to aid them in their investigation.

'Extensive work to identify the source of the infestation, which the council began the week before last, is continuing.

'This includes the laying of bait and drainage surveys in the localised area.

'The Council’s Environmental Health team has also been liaising with Thames Water who have been baiting and investigating their sewage network.

'The Council’s priority is to continue our investigation and provide the necessary support to householders.'

He said at this stage there was no reports of rats using bins as a food source.

'There is no link between the move to weekly separated waste collections where householders follow the advice given to them and keep their refuse in closed wheelie bins', he said.

It has also emerged the council charges £114 - which is £104 more than the £10 Slough Borough Council fee.

Mr Mortali said the cost was introduced in January by the previous administration and the new administration was 'monitoring the current charge closely with a view to reviewing the charges if deemed necessary'.

Thames Water has been baiting and investigating its sewage network while the council was doing drainage work in the area this week.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

JEREMY CLARKSON’S BIGGEST OUTRAGES

He’s chalked up quite a record of 'moments' but these are our favourites LOVE him or loathe him, Jeremy Clarkson has livened up our screens and newspapers over the years with his outrageous shenanigans. From claiming the new Mini should be made into a quintessentially German car with the addition of trafficators that mimicked Nazi salutes, to suggesting a sat-nav system that directed the driver to invade Poland.

He has been blamed for all manner of things from the demise of MG-Rover, the sales failure of the Vauxhall Vectra, through to the slump in jeans sales in the 90s. But occasionally his caustic sense of humour and determination not to suffer fools means Jezza often finds himself at the centre of a storm of controversy. Here is our round-up of the more outrageous Clarkson moments.

In February 2004 the BBC was forced to apologise to a Somerset parish council after Jeremy drove a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck into a tree in the car park of St John the Baptist church in Churchill. The council had thought the damage to the 30 year old horse chestnut was down to vandals until a local resident saw footage of Jeremy demonstrating the car's strength on Top Gear. The Beeb apologised and paid the parish council £250 compensation.

Jeremy has even managed to whip up protests on the other side of the Atlantic with comments in his column in The Sun about America's treatment of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. He said that: "Most Americans barely have the brains to walk on their back legs," and went on to claim that starving black people in New Orleans were being shot by helicopter gunships rather than being rescued.

Poor old MG Rover has often been the butt of Jeremy's jokes - he compared the 75 to a 'Vicar's elbow patch' and a letter to the Daily Telegraph blamed Jeremy for Rover's ills.

Sacked MG-Rover employees were really incensed by his comments on the company's ultimate demise: "when I heard the news my first thought was: 'good'", prompting workers to hang a banner reading: "Anti-Clarkson Campaign", outside the defunct plant.

groups for saying he drives "fast and recklessly" through Lincolnshire because it is so boring.

With his famously scathing turn of phrase - he once said

the Suzuki Wagon R should be avoided like "unprotected sex with an Ethiopian transvestite" - Jeremy has no need to resort to violence. In fact only one man has been on the end of a Clarkson fist, Piers Morgan who, as the then editor of the Daily Mirror, published allegedly compromising pictures of Clarkson with a woman. Jeremy took such offence that at the 2004 British Press Awards he punched Morgan in the head several times; Morgan claims he still has a scar from a ring Jeremy was wearing. Morgan also claims that Clarkson deliberately spilt a glass of water on him during the last flight of the Concorde in October 2003.

Clarkson's gag about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes led to the BBC receiving more than 500 complaints and Jezza delivering an apology... of sorts. In the next show he went on to apologise... for not putting the Porsche 911's time on the power board.

Residents of Norfolk started this campaign in response to comments made by Jeremy implying that people living in the area were backward. Jeremy claimed that in the 'flat and featureless' county people point and say: "Hey, look, it's a car!" whenever he drove past and that the government should tell people to avoid it unless they like: "orgies and the ritual slaying of farmyard animals." Comments about Lincolnshire also got Jeremy lambasted by road safety

SCARED TO DEATH...

A TAXI passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the pavement, and stopped inches from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the taxi, then the driver said, "Look mate, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me!" The passenger apologised and said he didn't realise that a little tap could scare him so much.

The driver replied, "Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years!"

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Friday, July 22, 2011

WORLD'S SLOWEST CARS

WHY should the fastest cars get all the glory? In a world where some cars can get from 0 to 62mph quicker than the time it takes to actually say “nought to sixtytwo miles per hour”, it's easy to forget that speed isn't everything.

So here's our look at the slowest cars on sale today.

Cars so slow that you could read a newspaper front to back before they hit their miniscule top speeds. Cars that make drag racing a real drag.

But hey, count yourselves lucky, because we've also compared them to some of yesteryear's slowest motors.

You'll be amazed.

5: Fiat Qubo 1.3 MultiJet Active Price: £11,955 0-62mph in: 16.5 seconds Top speed: 97mph No, we don't know how to pronounce 'Qubo' either, but at least if you buy one you'll have plenty of time to mull over the possible variations while it's trundling to 62mph.

In fairness though, the small

MPV does have the highest top speed of all the cars in this list, but that's hardly a great achievement.

4.

Citroen Nemo Multispace 1.3 HDi EGS Price: £13,245 0-62mph in: 16.7 seconds Top speed: 96mph A 1.3-litre diesel is the sort of fuel-efficient engine you put in a city car to pay less tax. It's not exactly suited for a people carrier, especially an automatic one. Sure enough, the Multispace strains its way to 62mph in almost twice the time it takes the average family hatch to get there - and that's with nothing but a tiny French test driver inside.

With you and your tubby mates on board it'll barely move.

3:Smart Fortwo Cabrio Passion cdi Price: £12,700 0-62mph in: 16.8 seconds Top speed: 84mph It may not be the slowest to 62mph but the Smart Fortwo Cabrio diesel does have the

lowest top speed. We're pleased about that, mostly because of the din. You're virtually sat on top of the rattling diesel engine, which is loud enough at idle, let alone at top speed down the motorway with the roof down. And we use the term 'speed' loosely.

ing as the Kia Picanto is, this particular version is about as 'nippy' as a sleeping tortoise. That's largely due to the power-sapping fourspeed automatic gearbox, which adds almost three seconds to the 0-62mph time, compared to the manual version.

diesel. The short version is the one to go for if you're after speed: the Tepee L1 HDi 90 positively races to 62mph in a scant 18.5 seconds. The bigger L2, though, is today's slowest passenger car. A McLaren MP4-12C supercar can go from nought to 124mph, brake to zero and get up get back up to 62mph again in less time than it takes the L2 to hit 62mph.

FIVE CLASSIC CARS THAT WERE REALLY SLOW ...

2: Kia Picanto 2 1.1 Auto Price: £9,515 0-62mph in: 17.9 seconds Top speed: 90mph The word 'Nippy' is used to describe city cars whose small size and agility makes them seem quicker than they actually are. As charm-

1: Peugeot Expert Tepee L2 HDi 90 Price: £23,195 0-62mph in: 20.7 seconds Top speed: 90mph The prize for least bang for your buck in 2011 goes to the long-wheelbase Peugeot Expert Tepee

Slow cars are not a new phenomenon, though our 'top' five above leave some tardy classics for dead: 1953 Ford Anglia 100E 0-60mph in: 29.4 seconds The Anglia 100E was so luxurious that it had two windscreen wipers, although they were prone to stopping completely whenever the car went uphill or overtook anything. Fortunately, hill climbs and overtaking were rare occurrences, because the car's 36bhp engine and three-speed manual gearbox precluded such excesses.

1948 Peugeot 203 0-60mph in: 30.7 seconds A 1.3-litre petrol engine with 44bhp powered the Peugeot 203, whose body styles mimicked those we have today: there was a saloon,

an estate, a coupé and a cabriolet. First introduced in 1948, it featured rear-wheel drive, which was perfect for a bit of post-war power sliding - if you had a track long enough to build up any sort of speed.

1954 Mercedes-Benz 180D 0-60mph in: 32.3 seconds As Mercedes-Benz's first small saloon, the 180 series was essentially the precursor to today's C-Class. The diesel version had around 40bhp and even though it could hit 70mph it wasn't for the junior executive in a hurry.

1955 Fiat 600 Sedan 0-60mph in: 58 seconds The 600 Sedan accelerated like a pedal boat going through tar. The first versions in the mid-Fifties wouldn't even hit 60mph, but later ones reached the dizzy heights of 68mph. With drum brakes on all four wheels, that would be truly terrifying.

1950 Volkswagen Type 2 0-60mph in: 75.0 seconds An absolute motoring legend it may be, but the 75 seconds it allegedly takes for an original Camper to crack 60mph is, we believe, the slowest in recorded history. The stats suggest that number is about right: rearmounted 24bhp engine pushing a van weighing well over one tonne - and that's before any hippies get in.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Stu Solo is out on his own!

I had the great pleasure this week of meeting a fantastic singer who goes under the name of Stu Solo. I thought he was brilliant - he got the crowd involved and had fun which is what it’s all about in my book!

He started doing a bit of swing then went into Reggae and did some brilliant UB40 numbers, which for out here was a bit different as you don’t get many artists singing that style of music.

Stu has been living in Spain for 10 years now but has only been singing for about half of that. He started, as have a few others out here, by going to local karaoke nights and watching other people get up and sing. But he never quite had the courage to do it himself just in case he looked a fool.

It was a friend who eventually made him get up to

do a duet - and that was it. Stu got the singing bug!! He went to all the karaoke bars he could, learnt loads of new songs and then decided to enter into TKO’s X Factor competition.

He amazed himself that he went all the way to the final, where he was told that he should think about going out and making a living from his voice. He was even asked to sing on a charity CD by Francis Simmons at the Vegetable Market Studios.

So after saving up and buying all his equipment, he started up as Kojak's Karaoke and worked for a few years. But he still longed to be singing more than just watching others, so set up a duo called Swinging Affair with a woman he knew.

They parted company after just 18 months and that was it - he was finally going out solo. Hence the new name he gave himself - Stu Solo! He is now into his second year and is having a great time and loving every minute of it. So make sure you get to see this guy.

Also on Monday night (25th), Bar Rosa’s in Los Montesinos are holding a fantastic charity night in aid of Pia’s Four Paws.

Pia is a fantastic lady who gets stray dogs off the streets and re-homed and has no financial backing.

She pays for everything herself - injections, medical bills, operations she even has a couple of dogs over in the UK at the moment having artificial limbs fitted!!

I visited her a while back and was greeted by the lady herself with a lovely cuppa plus about 15 wagging tails and sloppy tongues. She also has some kennels in La Marina and is a fantastic woman who didn’t even ask for this charity night. It was something that Bar Rosa’s manager Therese and myself decided we wanted to do just to say thanks for all the hard work Pia does unnoticed.

The action at Bar Rosa’s Monday night, starting at 8pm, includes fun raffles, plus fantastic live entertainment including Lewis Lakin, a brilliant new singer to this area with a very powerful voice. Also on stage will be Dave E Moss, who is just starting up with a Buddy Holly Tribute is Dave E Moss and brilliant singer/ guitarist Stevie.

Plus lots of others to keep you entertained including the very funny Lynden B. I’ll be there too if you fancy meeting me and having a chat.

If you’re a bar or an entertainer and want to appear in the gig guide or have any events coming up that you’d like me to tell everyone about, email me on mandy@starsinbars.org or call me on 685302529 or just visit my website www.starsinbars.org

Mandy

DATE

VENUE

ACT/ EVENT

OTHER INFO

FRIDAY 22nd

Celtic Drop in Playa Flamenca El Mundo in Benimar Clapton’s in Quesada Diamantes in El Mojon Hillside in La Marina Arches in Los Alcazares Cheers Bar in Eagles Nest

Cabaroke with Davy Jones Lynden B Bobby Dazzler’s Karaoke Kerry Knight Jukebox Legends Samantha Curtis Mark Bailey

Starting at 10pm Comedy Show

Celtic Drop in Playa Flamenca Lodosol in San Pedro Los Belgas in Gran Alacant Happy Days in Catral Inn at the Green in Entre Naranjos Lo Marabu in Dona Pepa Flannigan’s in Cabo Roig Arches in Los Alcazares

Cabaroke with Davy Jones J.J Soulman U2 Tribute Lynden B Nick Gold Bobby Dazzler’s Karaoke Disco/ Karaoke with DJ Jay Tony Lincoln

Starting at 10pm

Snug in Torre de la Horredada Inn at the Green in Entre Naranjos Casa Ventura in San Luis Billy’s Bar in El Chaparral Diablo’s in Cabo Roig Flannigan’s in Cabo Roig Lo Marabu in Dona Pepa Hoggies in San Luis

X2 Cabaroke with Matt Christian Fun Music Quiz with Lynden B Karaoke with Dodgy Div Stevie Spit Andy McBride Bobby Dazzler’s Karaoke Jukebox Legends

MONDAY 25th

Flannigan’s in Cabo Roig Chicken Shack in San Luis The Garden in Los Alcazares Arches in Los Alcazares Bar Rosa in Los Montesinos

TUESDAY 26th

Inn at the Green in Entre Naranjos Bar Rosa in Los Montesinos Arches in Los Alcazares Diablo’s in Cabo Roig Flannigans in Cabo Roig Bills Bar in Los Dolses The Olympia in Mil Palmeras

B4 B.J Bluesman Jukebox legends Matt Christian Charity Night Kens Quiz Quiz night with Darren James Karaoke with Ruby Blues Karo The Blues Sista’s Stevie Spit Stetsons & Petticoats

WEDNESDAY 27th

Inn at the Green in Entre Naranjos Montes Bar in Los Montesinos Restaurant La Boca in Playa Los Locos The Club in Quesada Flannigan’s in Cabo Roig Arches in Los Alcazares

Crazy Bingo with Spike Fun Music Quiz B.J Bluesman Stetsons & Petticoats Curtis J.J Soulman

THURSDAY 28th

Inn at the Green in Entre Naranjos Sisoma Romana in Dona Pepa The Priory in El Galan Flannigan’s in Cabo Roig Bobby’s Bar in Quesada Arches in Los Alcazares

Fun Music Quiz with Lynden B Tony Lincoln Lenny Mitchell Stevie Spit Bobby Dazzler’s Karaoke Jimmy Mac

SATURDAY 23rd

SUNDAY 24th

Cher Tribute

Michael Buble Tribute

Comedy Show

Starting at 10.30pm

Starting at 5pm Starting at 5pm & BBQ Comedy Drag Show Starting at 10.30pm Starting at 6pm Live band starting at 10.30pm

Starting at 9pm

Starting at 10.30pm Drag Show Starting at 4pm Starting at 9pm

Starting at 9.30pm Comedy Drag Show

31

Friday, July 22, 2011

HOT GOSSIP The Barclaycard Mercury Prize is on it´s way, the Artists have been chosen for this years 'Albums of the Year'. celebrations and promotes the best of UK and Irish music.

The shortlist provides a snapshot of the year in music, recognizing artistic achievement across a range of genres. The Awards show will take place on Tuesday 6th September. So Let´s have a look at the nominees and place our bets for the winner this year!

Let´start off with Metronomy, played a lot on TKOfm, with their album 'The English Riviera' 'The English Riviera', Metronomy's third album features the singles 'She Wants', 'The Look' and 'The Bay'.

Our next artist is Adele, with her album '21' A world-wide number one, '21' was released in January 2011, '21' has gone 10 times platinum in the UK and features the singles 'Rolling in the Deep', 'Someone like You' and 'Set Fire to the Rain'.

We have heard a lot of her album on TKOfm and is one of our favourites to win.

Next up is Everything Everything with their album 'Man Alive' 'Man Alive', Manchester based Everything Everything's debut album, was produced by David Kosten and includes the singles 'MY KZ, UR BF' and 'Photoshop Handsome'.

Ghostpoet 'Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam' this debut album, was written in February and the album includes the singles 'Cash and Carry Me Home' and

'Survive It'. We haven’t heard much of this on TKO, as his style is more mesmerising homemade hip-hop: endlessly inventive beats, laid-back delivery and rueful stories.

Anna Calvi 'Anna Calvi' , released in January and recorded in France and Worcestershire, it features a guest appearance from Brian Eno. It includes the singles 'Blackout' and 'Desire'. She has one hell of a booming voice and if you haven’t heard anything from her yet, do check out her unique dramatic territory with formidable vocals and powerful guitar. A passionate and atmospheric debut' Ok, so we´ve all heard of Tinie Tempah´and his album 'Disc-Overy' recorded in London and Sweden, was released in October 2010. Tinie, from South East London, is the first UK rap artist to have a million selling single in the USA, with 'Written in the Stars'. The number one album also features the Labrinth produced singles 'Pass Out' and 'Frisky'.He has a brilliant new voice in British urban music.

You either love them or hate them! Next up it´s Elbow with 'Build a Rocket Boys!' Their fifth album, was produced by the band's Craig Potter. The five-piece band are from Bury.

Gwilym Simcock 'Good Days at Schloss Elmau' A renowned jazz pianist, recorded the album at Schloss Elmau, Bavaria.

It was released in January.

Then comes James Blake with his album called 'James Blake' His debut album was written

Artist of the week: Clare Teal We call her ´The female Michael Buble´Yorkshire born Clare Teal is one of the most successful Female British jazz singers in decades with a string of albums behind her, including the UK National Top 20 hit "Don't Talk".

Clare is currently either on tour, making radio shows for BBC Radio 2, writing columns or in the studio promoting her brand new album, 'Hey Ho' released in May this year. The album launch at Ronnie

Scott's in London saw Clare perform a short set to a packed house of media and friends, to a rapturous applause. And we certainly love to play her on TKO Gold 2011 has been the busiest year yet for Clare so far, with UK dates galore, festival appearances including Glastonbury, an Autumn tour and of course a Christmas tour - and a healthy smattering of other surprises in between. Wonder if she´ll make it to the Costa Blanca!?

FUNDAY IN AID OF EMAUS This Sunday 24th July at The Hot Stone Restaurant and Rubys Bar, El Raso off lemontree road there is a Fun day in aid of Spanish Association Emaus The day starts at 1 pm until 7 pm there will be Stalls, an auction, games, crafts, Magician along with music. TKO Presenters Lee Fox and Dennis Christian will be there entertaining you throughout the day.

Come along and join them for a great day out for all the family. For more information call Karen on 622 717 886

and recorded by the 22-year-old Goldsmiths music graduate at his home in New Cross. The album was released in February following a series of well-received EPs, and includes the singles 'Limit to Your Love' and 'The Wilhelm Scream'. We like him on TKOfm and he is another of our most played from the nominees !

She´s back and her name is PJ Harvey! Her new album is 'Let England Shake' it´s rather strange and unusual, just like P.J and she has won this award before! 'Let England Shake' was recorded in a 19th century church in Dorset and PJ Harvey is a previous winner of the Mercury Prize and this is her eighth album. It was released on Island Records in February 2011 and includes the singles 'The Words that Maketh Murder' and 'The Glorious Land'. A TKO Favourite Next up it´s Katy B 'On a Mission' We love Katy here at the Towers, this is her debut album. 22-year-old Katy B from Peckham. Katy studied music at Goldsmiths and her album, recorded in London, was released in April. Good luck Katy B! If you haven’t heard of King Creosote & Jon Hopkins, have a listen to their style of music on Ýou Tube 'Diamond Mine' includes field recordings capturing life in Fife and was released in March 2011 .This has been a year of musical excellence with these albums representing an eclectic range of styles from the UK .This quality is reflected in the closeness of the odds we've given to the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize 'Albums of the Year' ' every album here could be a winner."

The overall winner of the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize will be announced at the 'Albums of the Year' Awards Show on Tuesday, 6 September!

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO AND WINE AT QUESADA FISH & CHIPS POP QUIZ July 22 Welcome to the famous TKO Gold pop quiz! We sure did have some fun with last weeks quiz. Let´s see if you can win yourself a meal for two at Quesada fish and chips.

All you have to do is take the 1st letter from each answer to find the name of a band or Artist. Once you have found the key word listen in to Chris Ashley´s show on TKO Gold, Saturday mornings 9am – 12pm 1. A song written by John Lennon to Yoko Ono in 1980.

2. He was rolling like thunder under the covers and performed candle in the wind with George Michael.

3. 80´s duo who sang ´Everybody wants to rule the world´ and ´Shout?´ 4. Husband and wife duo Cecil D and Linda are known as ?

5. He Don’t wanna dance in 1982 but he´s relying on Joanna to give him hope!

6. Gloria Jones recorded the original version of this song later performed in the 80s by Soft Cell.

7. Lou Reed walked on this side.

8. An American Rock band formed in 1971 with hit Hotel California.

9. An English five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. ...

32

Friday, July 22, 2011

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, 9 represents H and 14 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

In this week’s Quickie crossword, all the answers are ANAGRAMS of the clue words: Across 1 Threats (7) 5 Trips (5) 8 News day (7) Oiled (5) 10 Risen (5) 11 Settler (7) 12 Drag us (6) 14 Abides (6) 17 Respect (7) 19 Pepsi (5) 22 Route (5) 23 License (7) 24 Edges (5) 25 Outside (7)

Down 1 Pests (5) 2 Dared (5) 3 Trade-in (7) 4 Leaser (6) 5 South (5) 6 Dresden (7) 7 Elapsed (7) 12 Use sago (7) 13 Related (7) 15 A dimple (7) 16 Bidets (6) 18 There (5) 20 On tap (5) 21 Wests (5)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Shatter, 5 Terns, 8 Instead, 9 Amass, 10 Tread, 11 Anytime, 12 Pastel, 14 Rented, 17 Startle, 19 Regal, 22 Mites, 23 Inroads, 24 Nerve, 25 Aimless.

Down: 1 Saint, 2 Aisle, 3 Treadle, 4 Redraw, 5 Toady, 6 Realist, 7 Suspend, 12 Postman, 13 Starter, 15 Eardrum, 16 Retina, 18 Taste, 20 Grade, 21 Lists.

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 Water down leggings (4) 3 Chats up pressure group that contains cover up (8) 9 Wander, heading Middle East followed by a strange-looking nerd (7) 10 Function in the midseventies (5) 11 She’s caught in the beam (5) 12 Wandering light following a saint (6) 14 A second drink for a pursuer (6) 16 Consent to give up first small account (6) 19 Endlessly discuss event (6) 21 Sailor consumed tail off (5) 24 Al meets Jack at the table (5) 25 Name one mysterious garden flower (7) 26 Hidden from view, like film stars (8) 27 Take it easy like all the others (4)

Down 1 Nostalgic Kim chose confusion (8) 2 Went for a dip in front of Indian teacher (5) 4 Raise a right row. This results (6) 5 Tuck into a mixed plate (5) 6 Lift characters at levee (7) 7 Location that sounds worth looking at (4) 8 Stick a commercial at this place (6) 13 Forcible opening around English border (8) 15 He’s high up in the world (7) 17 Stops cases around end of June (6) 18 Point to the condition of your property (6) 20 Denounce phoney cures (5) 22 A fuss about love (5) 23 Sang about old horses (4)

STANDARD CLUES

Down 1 Nostalgic (8) 2 Hindu religious teacher (5) Chaos (6) 5 Crease (5) 6 Raise (7) 7 Place (4) 8 Hold fast (6) 13 Fervent (8) 15 Flyer (7) 17 Comes to an end (6) 18 Land (6) 20 Nuisance (5) 22 Worship (5) 23 Scolds (4)

Across 1 Tights (4) 3 Hold back (8) 9 Roam (7) 10 Happening (5) 11 Glow (5) 12 Off course (6) 14 Follower (6) 16 Agree (6) 19 Athletics competition (6) 21 Decrease (5) 24 Communion table (5) 25 Windflower (7) 26 Shielded (8) 27 Relax (4)

Last weeks Solution Across: 7 Crease, 8 Agreed, 9 Take, 10 Credible, 11 Besides, 13 Waste, 15 Merit, 17 Dentist, 20 Baritone, 21 Drab, 22 Settee, 23 Shaped.

Down: 1 Urbane, 2 Kale, 3 Reached, 4 Jaded, 5 Irritant, 6 Zealot, 12 Initiate, 14 Release, 16 Enamel, 18 Skates, 19 Robes, 21 Dear.

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

3 letter words

Rep

Arras

Tatty

Act

Roe

Atlas

Toast

Are

Rut

Blink

6 letter words

Arm

Shy

Coach

Action

Bra

Tie

Llama

Balsam

Cue

4 letter words

Metre

Enlist Locate

Era

Fete

Naive

Eve

Pert

Otter

Lotion

Fab

Seen

Petal

Racket

LAN

Tons

Range

7 letter words

Net

5 letter words

Rouge

Lattice

Our

Agree

Sleep

Telling

Ran

Angst

Songs

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

Across 1 Walls (interior) (7) 5 Milk (5) 8 Open (7) 9 Jarabe (liquido) (5) 10 Ebony (5) 11 Leona (7) 12 Spiders (6) 14 Siempre (indicando frecuencia) (6) 17 Advertisement (7) 19 Dolores (físico) (5) 22 Tías (5) 23 Quarry (mine) (7) 24 Anxiety (5) 25 Serio (7)

Down 1 Paz (5) 2 Queen (5) 3 Defeat (sport, military) (7) 4 Taburetes (6) 5 Ready (physically) (5) 6 Plum (fruit) (7) 7 Handcuffs (7) 12 Air hostess (7) 13 Pupils (school) (7) 15 Principiante (7) 16 Flies (insects) (6) 18 Basket (5) 20 Ice (frozen water) (5) 21 Focas (5)

33

Friday, July 22, 2011 Across 1/24 The Super Bowl is the championship game of which sport? (8,8) 7 Which ballroom dance originated in Buenos Aires in the early 1900s? (5) 8 From the Irish for ‘Saxon’, what word is a derogatory term for an English person? (9) 9 In botany, which slender bristle-like appendage is found on the bracts of grasses? (3) 10/13 In the Christian tradition which is the first day of Holy Week? (4,6) 11/6 Which device, named after the German scientist who invented it, is used for measuring radioactivity by detecting and counting ionising particles? (6,7) 13 See 10 14 What name is given to a hot spring in which water intermittently boils, sending a tall column of water and steam into the air? (6) 17 Which swelling of the neck results from an enlargement of the thyroid gland? (6) 18 Vientiane is the capital of which landlocked Asian country? (4) 20 Which Scottish seaport is the centre of the area associated with Robert Burns? (3) 22 What name was given to the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938? (9)

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

23 John who played the camp Mr Humphries in the television series Are You Being Served? (5) 24 See 1 Down 1 Which Greek author wrote fables about the tortoise and

the hare and the ant and the grasshopper? (5) 2 Which is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet? (7) 3 In the ancient Roman calendar, what name was given to the days falling roughly in the middle of each month (15th or 13th)? (4) 4 Which deciduous flowering shrub of the rhododendron family has clusters of brightly coloured, sometimes fragrant, flowers? (6) 5 Which alloy of iron and nickel is used in tuning forks? (5) 6 See 11 Across 7 In India was name was given to the robbery and murder practised by the Thugs in accordance with their ritual? (7) 12 What is the name of the feral, sullen, deformed creature in Shakespeare’s The Tempest? (7) 13 Mogadishu is the capital of which African country?

(7) 15 What is the medical term for the shoulder blade? (7) 16 What name is given to a painting done rapidly in watercolour on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colours penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries? (6) 17 Jacob and Wilhelm were the first names of which German folklorists? (5) 19 Which Mexican agave plant with large fleshy leaves is cultivated for fibre production? (5) 21 In athletics, which spherical weight is thrown, or put, from the shoulder for distance? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH Cosas de casa 2 - Household items 2 Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch.

(Answers below)

1. Which composer wrote The Water Music?

2. What colour does acid turn Litmus paper?

3. What's the largest Scandinavian country?

4. What was Mickey Mouse's original name?

5. Which metal do you get from bauxite?

6. Which animal produces the biggest baby?

7. In Pop music, which two herbs go with 'Parsley & Sage'?

8. What was the name of the Benedictine monk who legend has it invented Champagne?

9. In which Country is Auschwitz (Birkenau)?

10. Who was Leonardo di Caprio's co-star in Titanic?

11. Acid rain is composed mainly of the oxides of two elements. Give either.

12. What sort of creature is a bustard?

13. What is calcium carbonate normally known as?

14. Who commanded the Allied forces, which invaded Europe on D-Day? 15. Who holds the record as being Britain's youngest ever Formula 1 Driver?

1. Handel 2. Red 3. Sweden 4. Mortimer Mouse 5.

Aluminium 6. Blue Whale 7. Rosemary and Thyme Scarborough fair 8. Dom Perignon 9. Poland 10. Kate Winslett 11. Sulphur or Nitrogen 12. A bird 13. Chalk 14.

Dwight Eisenhower 15. Jensen Button

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across:1 Anathema, 7 Aorta, 8 Ultimatum, 10/11 Enid Blyton, 13 Reeves, 14 Cudgel, 17 Shivah, 18/9 Cold war, 20 Ion, 22 Embroider, 23/6 Lewis Carroll, 24 Cod-piece.

Down: 1 Acute, 2 Astaire, 3 Hemp, 4 Mettle, 5 Brawn, 7 Amateur, 12 Delibes, 13 Ravioli, 15 Geordie, 16 Bamboo, 17 Snowy, 19 Dirge, 21 Soup.

a. washing machine, b. shower, c. iron, d. radiator, e. doorbell,

AZ S E P F K Z Z C T D R O G I H O G I C A F M E S E C V Y P N C A S W I P X X O I J K I AR Q U O H R LLR N Q HAR SAO U D S O T R E I B U C V A D N D I H A B I T A C I O N M A I B A L X G Q X E B J A G A H J G P I I F E R Y C R Z T N O O K E H D N R B P O E I S O M C F LE OAOTD R M B O S L K E M Z D O RAO B L Q T ZAP R U U C P V M RAN DA B A I B R H D A O E Y I L J N P Z H A L P LA N C H A S L O YOSKOFIRGTECHOA Soduko

f. letterbox, g. towel, h. cuttlery, i. toilet paper, j. tile, k. cushion, l. tap, m. pillow, n. floor, o. basement, p. lock, q. hand rail, r. roof, s. tenant, t. room.

15.el timbre, 16.la cerradura, 17.el techo, 18.los cubiertos, 19.la plancha, 20.la lavadora.

Span - Eng

Answers: 1l, 2i, 3b, 4g, 5k, 6d, 7m, 8j, 9n, 10f, 11s, 12o, 13t, 14g, 15e, 16p, 17r, 18h, 19c, 20a.

general knowledge

1.el grifo, 2.el papel higiénico, 3.la ducha, 4.la toalla, 5.el cojín, 6.el radiador, 7.la almohada, 8.la teja, 9.el piso, 10.el buzón, 11.el inquilino, 12.el sótano, 13.la habitación, 14.el pasamanos,

ALMOHADA

PAPEL-

BUZON

HIGIENICO

CERRADURA

PASAMANOS

COJIN

PISO

CUBIERTOS

PLANCHA

DUCHA

RADIADOR

GRIFO

SOTANO

HABITACION

TECHO

INQUILINO

TEJA

LAVADORA

TIMBRE

Quizword

Fill It In

34

Friday, July 22, 2011

Horoscopes

By Pandora Aries March 21 - April 19 A hard life will get harder for you this week as you start drinking heavily.

Careful how you handle yourself today others may be more tense than usual.

The re-animation of dead tissue may become an issue for you later this month.

My motherin-war keeps interfering Dear Rose, I have been married to a kind and loving husband for 15 years. The trouble is that he is too soft hearted and lets his mother constantly interfere in our lives. She is forever telling me how to bring up the children and how to care for my husband.

I was hoping that by moving to Spain this would all stop, but far from it. She rings us every day and now has said she is coming out to visit us for six weeks. I don't know how I shall cope. What advice can you give me?

SALLY Well Sally, this is a difficult but all-toocommon problem. I am sure your mother-in-law means well but it is extremely hard for you. My advice is to listen to her and agree with all she says - then go straight on and do exactly what you intended in the first place!

She is still fortunately in the UK and you are here in Spain. When she comes to visit try to be extra nice, even if it difficult. If things get too bad, you will have to ask your husband to have a word as after all she is his mother. Wishing you all the best of luck.

l

Suspicious swingers Dear Rose, Please help me. I am a member of a golf club near Torrevieja and last week I saw the husband of a close friend having lunch with a very attractive young woman. He didn't see me.

My friend does not come to the club so obviously does not know about her husband’s liaisons. Should I tell her?

MARY Dear Mary, It is a very difficult situation for you. Don't say anything just yet as the whole thing

l

Taurus April 20 - May 20 Massaging figures is something that both Accountants and Masseurs do. But they are NOT the same thing. Honestly. People say you make your own luck, but carrying around a sign that says "I'm needy and helpless" is probably not what they had in mind. Hopefulness can be a virtue, but naivity can bring you trouble.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Having a box of tissues close to hand might become important over the coming minutes. Many of your emotions have been plagiarised by others who have no idea how you feel. NO IDEA I TELLS YA!

Cancer June 21 - July 22

If you have a problem that Romany Rose can help you to solve, send her an email to office@thecourier.es could be completely innocent. If you see them again together, stop and say "hello ".

This way her husband will know that you have seen them and if this an inappropriate situation hopefully he will tell his wife before you do. I hope your suspicions are unfounded.

Growing-up problems Dear Rose, I am so worried and wondered if you can help me. I am 17 years old and recently moved with my parents to Spain. I am still at school and recently I have been having fantasies about my best friend.

She knows nothing about this as I know she would stop being friends with me. I don't think I am a lesbian, but how can I tell?

SUZIE Dear Suzie, I know this is easy for me to say but do try and not worry too much. The feelings you are having are perfectly natural for ado-

l

lescents.

When you have a close friend whom you are very fond of, it is easy to confuse the two emotions of affection and sexual desire.

Do not mention this to your friend at this stage as I am sure it will pass. If it doesn't then seek some help from one of the Gay and Lesbian organisations as they can give you more in-depth advice. I hope you will find this helpful

Sexless Marriage Dear Rose, WHEN we booked our honeymoon I found an icon on my husband's laptop which said, "Find sex."

My husband blamed his son - this is a second marriage for both of us - but I explained I couldn't bear it if he lied to me. He promised not to but our sex life never got off the ground after the wedding and I suspected he was using sex sites.

In the end I took his laptop to an expert and had it checked. He has been using

every kind of sex site including webcams since before we married three years ago.

We are 40 and 43. There has been almost no sex - only when I have become upset at his lack of enthusiasm.

The sites he has trawled make my stomach churn. He has denied it all but I have the evidence.

We have parted because I cannot take any more but I miss him dreadfully. He was kindness itself, except in the bedroom, where he totally neglected me.

He has asked if we can start afresh and I still love him, but feel it will only be a matter of time before it all happens again.

JACKIE Dear Jackie, Does he want to save your marriage enough to get professional help? Because that is what it will take for him to break his addiction to internet sex and rebuild a sex life with you.

If he is still denying he was even on these sites, then there's little hope anything will change.

He sounds a lovely man apart from this so tell him that he has one last chance - but he will have to be honest - with you and himself.

Remember though, that this is probably something he is deeply ashamed of.

l

Babies are not meant to be sugared or par-boiled. Parenting classes may be important to someone close to you.

Catch-22 is better in at least 2 ways than Catch-20. Don't be caught in the Catch20 loop - you're unlikely to ever see your family again.

Leo July 23 - August 22 By agreeing to read this horoscope you may be bringing on yourself several levels of suffering and/or pleasure. If you agree to this, please stop reading now.The future is what you make of it - and if it's anything like what you made of the rest of your life, I'd consider buying in materials for the nuclear winter.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 Distinguished guests will honour you today with their presence. The law may be your friend today, or it might turn round and bite you in the ass. Either way the word "law" is going to crop up.

Libra September 23 - October 22 You may hear good news today from an excitable old lady who may turn out to be drunk. There a lots of sweet delights in the air today, especially if a trip to the sweet shop is in the offing. And if not, well, it might not be quite so true.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 It can be scary, sad and lonely. Are you sure you want to go ahead with your plans? Minor changes to your driving style allows you to feel like you're a better driver, but actually are making your behaviour quite erratic.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Having reached a personal goal, the future ought to look rosier for you. I'll always be indebted to you for reading this horoscope, I hope you know that. Going to visit a particular website and clicking on an advert you see, may help pay for future emails you receive. ;)

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 The newspaper will become a source of great amusement this week as an article tickles your fancy in almost every way.

Two heads are better than one if you're trying to get a team together.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 Malicious gossip may reach your ears this week and cause a great deal of paranoia. The smoothness of your arms are testiment to all your work in that area.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 Cats can eat mice but can't dogs also?

This kind of nonsense querying that comes from an older person than you, will start to grate today. Watch out for overweight dogs when it's raining.

35

Friday, July 22, 2011

WHAT’S ON THE TELLY..?

If you must go indoors this week (escaping the heat maybe?) at least there’s a great line-up on TV and with TV listings you’ll get to catch the best programmes all week - as ever!

Blade Runner

Friday 22 July 11:05pm - 12:55am BBC2 After the original release in 1982 and the director's cut in 1992, this definitive version of Ridley Scott's dystopian masterpiece finally allows his ambitious themes about the meaning of life in an ailing society to shine through. It's still a fantastic melding of film noir and sci-fi, in which morose hitman Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) tracks down illegal replicants infiltrating humanity.

Eagle Eye

Sugartown

Saturday 23 July 10:40pm - 12:30am BBC1

Sunday 24 July 10:25pm - 11:25pm BBC1

DJ Caruso and Shia LaBeouf, the director and star of Disturbia, team up again for this fast and furious conspiracy thriller. In a Hitchcockian tale of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations, LaBeouf plays a slacker who, along with single mother Michelle Monaghan, is contacted by a mysterious female voice at the end of a phone line.

The pair are framed as terrorists, and must do as the voice commands in order to survive.

New series. Comedy drama set in a small northern England seaside town, whose sticks of rock were once known all over Britain. Now just managing to keep afloat, the rock factory is still the main employer for miles around. But owner Jason gets a shock when his prodigal brother returns from the big city with plans for redevelopment - plans that include closing the family business.

Shaun Dooley, Tom Ellis, Sue Johnston and Miranda Raison star.

Gomorrah

Wednesday 27 July 12:20am - 2:30am BBC2 All the usual macho clichés of gangster movies are thrown to the wind in Italian director Matteo Garrone's chilling study of the causes and effects of modern organised crime. Rooted in a rundown, hellish housing estate on the outskirts of Naples, it tells five interweaving stories that illustrate the various facets of the Camorra crime network.

Source Code

The Lincoln Lawyer

When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he's ever known, he learns he's part of a government experiment called the Source Code, a program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life.

With a second, much larger target threatening to kill millions in downtown Chicago, Colter relives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he can solve the mystery of who is behind the bombs and prevent the next attack. -- (C) Summit

Matthew McConaughey stars in this legal thriller as a low-rent defense attorney named Mickey Haller. Most of the time, Mickey barely keeps his head above water, representing lowlife clients and working out of the back of his car. He thinks he's landed the case of a lifetime when he's hired to defend a rich playboy (Ryan Phillippe) who stands accused of rape and attempted murder, and eagerly accepts his new client and the massive payoff that's sure to come with him. But Mickey soon discovers that he's become ensnared in a twisted plot where no fee in the world is high enough to pay for the deadly workload, and his only hope of survival may just lay in his own skills as a longpracticed double-crosser.

PG-13, 1 hr. 27 min.

Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Duncan Jones Directed By: Brad Furman In Theaters: Apr 1, 2011 Wide In Theaters: Mar 10, 2011 Wide On DVD: Jul 26, 2011 On DVD: Jul 12, 2011 US Box Office:$54.7M US Box Office:$58.0M Summit Entertainment Lionsgate Films

36

Friday 22nd July

00:20 Richard Hammond's Journey to the Centre of the Planet 01:25 Murdoch: Breaking the Spell?

- Panorama 01:55 Countryfile 02:55 Fake Britain 03:40 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 04:10 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Cowboy Trap 12:45 Saints and Scroungers 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:40 Doctors 15:10 Only Fools and Horses 16:05 Copycats 16:35 Me and My Monsters 17:00 Escape from Scorpion Island 17:30 Fee Fi Fo Yum 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show: Best of Britain 20:25 The Good Cook 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 A Question of Sport 22:00 My Family 22:30 Miranda 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Would I Lie to You? BBC2 00:20 01:20 02:15 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45

Made In Britain The Tudors Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today

04:00 Newsday 04:10 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Dipdap 07:15 Pinky Dinky Doo 07:30 Tinga Tinga Tales 07:45 Octonauts 08:00 Roar 08:25 Dennis and Gnasher 08:35 The Scooby-Doo Show 09:00 Paradise Cafe 09:30 LazyTown 09:55 Bob the Builder 10:05 The Koala Brothers 10:15 Little Charley Bear 10:25 Small Potatoes 10:30 Chuggington 10:45 Mr Bloom's Nursery 11:00 Gigglebiz 11:20 Zingzillas 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 Coast 12:45 Madonna of the Seven Moons 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 15:15 Animal 24:7 16:00 Weakest Link 16:45 Antiques Road Trip 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Escape to the Country 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Madagascar 21:00 RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2011 21:30 Gardeners' World 22:00 The Golden Age of Canals 23:00 The Rob Brydon Show 23:30 Newsnight

00:50 Odd One In 01:25 The Zone 03:30 The Rising Cost of Food: Tonight 03:55 ITV Nightscreen 05:30 The Jeremy Kyle Show 06:30 ITV Morning News 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 Ten Mile Menu 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Wild at Heart 18:00 Dinner Date 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Love Your Garden 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Phil Collins: One Night Only 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 The Last Boy Scout

PHIL COLLINS: ONE NIGHT ONLY The Grammy and Oscar-winning singersongwriter performs a selection of Motown and soul songs, including his 1983 hit You Can't Hurry Love and My Girl, which was made famous in 1965 by the Temptations.

The former Genesis star, who is accompanied by musicians from Motown Records' legendary session players the Funk Brothers, also recalls the people and places that inspired his career.

00:05 John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show 01:05 The Film Show 01:40 Hollyoaks Music Show 02:05 Cast Offs 03:00 The Sex Education Show 03:55 How to Buy a Football Club 04:50 Hill Street Blues 05:40 One Tree Hill 06:25 Countdown 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Frasier 09:25 According to Jim 09:55 Friends 10:50 C4 Presents - David Smith 2012 10:55 Help! My House Is Infested 11:55 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Secret Supper Club 13:35 River Cottage Bites 13:55 Blood Alley 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:25 4thought.tv 20:30 The Only Gay on the Estate?

21:00 Come Dine with Me 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats 22:30 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 23:35 Chris Moyles' Quiz Night

00:00 Police Interceptors 01:00 SuperCasino 05:00 The Family Recipe 05:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:00 Rough Guide To 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The Beeps 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Ebb and Flo 07:40 Olivia 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Milkshake! Bop Box 08:00 Little Princess 08:15 The Mr Men Show 08:30 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Roary the Racing Car 09:35 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:50 The WotWots 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Wright Stuff Extra with Gabby Logan 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:10 Emma's Wish 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 19:55 5 News at 7 20:00 Cricket 21:00 Danger: Diggers at Work 22:00 Castle 23:00 The Mentalist 23:55 CSI: Miami

37

Saturday 23rd July

00:05 My Favourite Joke 00:35 The National Lottery Friday Night Draws 00:45 Two for the Money 02:45 Rick Stein's Spain 03:45 Restoration Home 04:45 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 05:15 BBC News 05:30 Five Minutes With 06:00 BBC News 06:30 Our World 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:30 The Good Cook 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:10 Formula 1: The German Grand Prix Qualifying 15:20 Racing from Ascot 17:50 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 18:10 Cars 20:00 Tonight's the Night 21:00 The National Lottery: In It to Win It 21:50 Casualty 22:40 Lee Mack's All Star Cast 23:20 BBC News; Weather 23:40 Eagle Eye BBC2 00:05 Blade Runner 01:55 Dangerous Days: On the Edge of Blade Runner 03:35 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Dipdap 07:15 Pinky Dinky Doo

07:30 Tinga Tinga Tales 07:45 Octonauts 08:00 Deadly 60 08:35 Arthur 09:00 Little Howard's Big Question 09:25 Prank Patrol Down Under 09:50 Dennis and Gnasher 10:00 Trade Your Way to the USA 10:30 Fee Fi Fo Yum 11:00 Mission: 2110 11:25 League of Super Evil 11:40 Wolverine and the X-Men 12:00 OOglies 12:15 Richard Hammond's Blast Lab 12:45 MOTD Kickabout 13:00 Diagnosis Murder 13:40 Anchors Aweigh 15:55 Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher 16:45 Porridge 17:15 Live Challenge Cup Rugby League 19:30 Flog It! 20:30 Dad's Army 21:00 The Impressionists - Painting and Revolution 22:00 BBC Proms 2011 23:40 QI XL

01:30 The Zone 03:35 Flash Gordon 05:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 09:25 Ten Mile Menu 10:25 Coronation Street 12:45 This Morning: Saturday 13:45 The Planet's Funniest Animals 14:15 ITV News and Weather 14:19 Meridian Weather 14:20 Agatha Christie's A Caribbean Mystery 16:20 Columbo: Blueprint for Murder 17:50 Meridian News and Weather 18:05 ITV News and Weather 18:20 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 21:15 Odd One In 22:00 Penn & Teller: Fool Us 23:00 The Marriage Ref

00:25 The Big Bang Theory 00:50 Sirens 01:50 Abbey Road Debuts 02:05 My Name Is Earl 02:50 The Real Housewives of New Jersey 03:40 Ugly Betty 05:15 One Tree Hill 06:00 Countdown 06:45 Yo Gabba Gabba!

07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Film Show 08:00 MSA Formula Ford Championship 08:25 The Grid 08:55 The Morning Line 09:55 Friends 10:25 Hollyoaks Music Show 10:55 Smallville 11:50 Friends 12:20 Pop Up Pop Quiz 13:10 Dirty Sexy Things 14:15 The TV Book Club 14:45 C4 Presents - David Clarke 14:50 Channel 4 Racing 16:55 Come Dine with Me Extra Portions 19:00 Channel 4 News 19:30 4thought.tv 19:35 The Mystery of the Nevada Triangle 20:30 The Space Shuttle's Last Flight 22:00 Camelot 23:05 Kingdom of Heaven

THE SPACE SHUTTLE'S LAST FLIGHT Documentary charting the history of Nasa's space shuttle programme, as Atlantis completes its 135th and final mission. The programme explores how the craft has become a symbol of the USA's technological dominance, transformed people's understanding of the universe, aided technological advancement and enabled humans to discover the environmental impact they have on Earth.

00:50 Inside Hollywood 01:05 SuperCasino 05:05 Motorsport Mundial 05:30 Great Scientists 05:55 Rough Guide to Short Breaks 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Fireman Sam 07:40 Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends 07:50 Elmo's World 08:10 The Save-Ums! 08:20 Noddy in Toyland 08:30 Hana's Helpline 08:45 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:25 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 09:40 Rupert Bear 09:55 Olivia 10:10 The Mr Men Show 10:30 The Milkshake! Show 11:00 Mexican Food Made Simple 11:30 Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers 12:35 Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend 14:20 Cheyenne Autumn 17:25 Silverado 20:00 Cricket 20:55 5 News Weekend 21:00 NCIS 22:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 23:00 Boxing Live: British Heavyweight Title

AT LAST – SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE FINANCIAL FRONT! With poor returns from banks, suspicion about pension performance, and uncertainty about the credibility of the traditional financial institutions it’s refreshing to find a facility that’s as rewarding and transparent as that offered by Sporting Arbitrage.

“I was 35 years in stock broking – I’d recommend this mathematical certainty to anyone…” John O’Brien – Ex City stockbroker

“Our aim is to secure realistic, yet attractive tax free, risk free returns for all our clients” Steve Kelly – Head of trading Sporting Arbitrage is offering a consistent, risk free, tax free, return to clients of 2.75% per month. Yes, that’s right – per month.

Recently interviewed by Alex Trellinski on TKO Gold, John O’Brien, a city stockbroker of 35 years standing and now based in Catral said “The beauty of this system is that it’s based upon a mathematical certainty – you simply cannot lose. The worst scene scenario is we have a

break-even day but the likelihood is so remote that it’s scarcely worth considering” So, how does Sporting Arbitrage offer a return that most banks struggle to offer in a year, never mind a month? Furthermore, one that’s both RISK FREE and TAX FREE. The answer is relatively simple – buying at a cheaper price than we sell - and all can be explained at one of the company’s presentations which can be arranged to suit your schedule. “We’re involved in the biggest internet business in the world”, says director Steve Kelly, “namely the betting industry – but we definitely do not gamble!”

Does that sound a contradiction? Don’t worry, it isn’t!

Sporting Arbitrage traders

manufacture small but significant margins securing genuine “no loss” situations.

Mr Kelly continues “In fact if we were more adventurous I’m convinced, in fact I know the returns would be higher.

But we set our stall out to simply provide clients with a realistically achievable return that simply could not be matched on the high street.”

Critically, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and the website contains genuine testimonials, amongst them one from Steve Claridge, ex top-flight footballer and now a respected BBC pundit. Clients have access to their account 24/7 and funds can be withdrawn at just 48 hours notice.

“I played top flight football 10 years too early - but the income I enjoy from Sporting Arbitrage is premiership class” Steve Claridge – former top flight footballer, now BBC presenter

38

Sunday 24th July 00:25 The Rob Brydon Show 00:55 Dear Frankie 02:35 Adam & Paul 03:30 On the Road With 04:00 Close 04:00 BBC News 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Dipdap 04:30 Our World 07:15 Pinky Dinky Doo 05:00 BBC News 07:30 Tinga Tinga Tales 05:30 Click 07:45 Octonauts 08:00 Deadly 60 06:00 BBC News 08:35 Arthur 06:30 The Record Europe 09:00 Junior MasterChef 07:00 Breakfast 09:30 Me and My Monsters 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 10:00 Friday Download 11:00 Something for the Weekend 11:00 Sunday Morning Live 12:30 The Story of GI Joe 12:00 Country Tracks 14:20 EastEnders 13:00 BBC News 16:15 Live Challenge Cup Rugby 13:05 Formula 1: The German Grand League 18:30 Swimming Prix Live 20:00 Around the World in 60 16:20 My Family Minutes 17:20 Bargain Hunt Famous Finds 21:00 Top Gear 22:00 Space Shuttle: The Final 17:50 Lifeline Mission 18:00 Songs of Praise 23:00 Live MotoGP 18:35 Horrible Histories with Stephen 01:30 Highlander: Endgame 03:05 BBC News

Fry 19:05 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:30 Antiques Roadshow 20:30 Countryfile 21:30 Inspector George Gently 23:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:25 Sugartown

00:00 ITV News and Weather 00:14 Meridian Weather 00:15 Daylight 02:15 The Zone 04:15 In Plain Sight 05:05 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 09:25 May the Best House Win 10:25 Dickinson's Real Deal 11:25 60 Minute Makeover 12:30 This Morning: Sunday 13:30 Dinner Date 14:25 ITV News and Weather 14:29 Meridian Weather 14:30 Survival: Tales from the Wild 15:30 Inspector Morse 17:30 Midsomer Murders 19:30 Meridian News and Weather 19:45 ITV News and Weather 20:00 The Royal 21:00 Born to Shine 22:00 Law & Order: UK 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:14 Meridian Weather 23:15 Ocean's Thirteen

HOLIDAY HIJACK

New series. Big-spending British holidaymakers experience the hardships of everyday life in the world's most popular luxury holiday destinations, beginning in West African country the Gambia. They discover the impact of all-inclusive resorts on the local environment, as well as learning about the difficulties faced by the workers who keep the tourism industry running.

01:50 03:35 04:55 05:45 06:25 07:10 08:00 08:25 08:55 09:20 09:45 12:20 13:45 14:50 17:25 Down 18:30 19:25 19:55 20:00 Away 21:00 22:00

Bad Lieutenant Wrong Turn Hill Street Blues One Tree Hill Countdown The Hoobs Wakestock Festival Canary Wharf Triathlon The Crush Friends Hollyoaks RockCorps The Simpsons Coach Trip Help! My House Is Falling Deal or No Deal Channel 4 News 4thought.tv A Place in the Sun: Home or Holiday Hijack The Lovely Bones

00:35 UFC 79: Main Event 01:35 SuperCasino 05:05 The Family Recipe 05:10 Chinese Food in Minutes 05:15 Law & Order 06:00 Hana's Helpline 06:10 The Milkshake! Show 06:35 Thomas & Friends 06:45 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Fireman Sam 07:40 Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends 07:50 Elmo's World 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:15 The Save-Ums! 08:30 Noddy in Toyland 08:40 Hana's Helpline 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Little Princess 09:15 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:30 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 09:45 Rupert Bear 09:55 Olivia 10:15 The Mr Men Show 10:30 The Milkshake! Show 11:00 Animal Rescue Squad 11:20 How Do They Do It? 11:55 Police Interceptors 12:55 Danger: Diggers at Work 13:55 The Omega Man 15:45 My Favorite Martian 17:30 The Karate Kid 20:00 Cricket 20:55 5 News Weekend 21:00 New Cowboy Builders 22:00 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

39

Monday 25th July

00:25 Moving On 01:15 The Apprentice: How to Get Hired 02:05 The Apprentice: The Final 04:05 Holby City 05:05 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Cowboy Trap 12:45 Saints and Scroungers 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:40 Doctors 15:10 Only Fools and Horses 16:05 Copycats 16:30 Me and My Monsters 17:00 Escape from Scorpion Island 17:30 Horrible Histories 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show: Best of Britain 20:30 Fake Britain 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 One Born Every 40 Seconds Panorama 22:00 New Tricks 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 A Question of Sport BBC2 00:00 01:45 03:10 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00

Seraphim Falls Santee Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday

05:05 07:00 07:10 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:55 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:35 10:45 11:05 11:20 11:45 12:05 12:35 14:00 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

Close Wibbly Pig Dipdap Pinky Dinky Doo Tinga Tinga Tales Octonauts Roar The Jungle Book Deadly Art The Sarah Jane Adventures LazyTown Bob the Builder The Koala Brothers Little Charley Bear Small Potatoes Chuggington Mr Bloom's Nursery Gigglebiz Zingzillas Waybuloo In the Night Garden My Favorite Wife Swimming Weakest Link Antiques Road Trip Flog It! Escape to the Country Eggheads Celebrity Eggheads Victorian Pharmacy Wonderstuff University Challenge Antiques Master The Life of Muhammad QI Newsnight

01:30 The Zone 03:00 British Superbike Championship Highlights 03:55 Motorsport UK 04:40 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 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 Auction Party 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Wild at Heart 18:00 Dinner Date 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Countrywise Kitchen 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Show Me the Funny 23:00 ITV News at Ten 23:30 Meridian Tonight 23:35 The Jacket

WONDERSTUFF New series. Jane Moore investigates the ingredients used in the manufacture of everyday products, beginning with personal hygiene items. She examines soap and toothpaste before putting home-made versions to the test, learns a secret about the production of shampoo and asks whether conditioners are worth buying.

00:30 Beverly Hills Cop 02:40 The Death of Mr Lazarescu 05:10 Hill Street Blues 06:00 Wogan's Perfect Recall 06:25 Countdown 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Frasier 09:25 According to Jim 09:55 Friends 10:55 Three in a Bed 11:55 A Place in the Sun 12:55 C4 Presents - Ellie Simmonds 2012 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Relocation: Phil Down Under 14:10 River Cottage Bites 14:20 Torpedo Run 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 How Murdoch Ran Britain 22:00 Embarrassing Bodies 23:00 Sirens

00:10 Jet Li's The One 01:50 Inside Hollywood 02:05 SuperCasino 05:05 The Family Recipe 05:10 Great Artists 05:35 Nick's Quest 06:00 Hana's Helpline 06:10 The Milkshake! Show 06:35 Thomas & Friends 06:45 Roary the Racing Car 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The Beeps 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Ebb and Flo 07:40 Fireman Sam 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 The WotWots 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:30 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Milkshake! Monkey 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Roary the Racing Car 09:35 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:50 Olivia 10:00 Little Princess 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Wright Stuff Extra with Gabby Logan 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 Web of Desire 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 19:55 5 News at 7 20:00 Cricket 21:00 Police Interceptors 22:00 Swordfish

40

Tuesday 26th July

00:05 The Celebrity Apprentice USA 00:50 Weatherview 01:40 A History of Celtic Britain 02:40 Animal 24:7 03:25 Saints and Scroungers 03:55 An Island Parish 04:25 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Cowboy Trap 12:45 Saints and Scroungers 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Only Fools and Horses 15:45 Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers 16:05 Copycats 16:35 Me and My Monsters 17:00 Gimme a Break 17:30 Cop School 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show: Best of Britain 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Richard Hammond's Journey to the Bottom of the Ocean 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Imagine BBC2 00:20 01:15 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00

Torchwood: Miracle Day The Tudors Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday

03:30 03:45 04:00 04:25 07:00 07:10 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:55 10:05 10:15 10:35 10:45 11:05 11:20 11:45 12:05 12:35 14:00 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close Wibbly Pig Dipdap Pinky Dinky Doo Tinga Tinga Tales Octonauts Roar The Jungle Book Deadly Art The Sarah Jane Adventures LazyTown Bob the Builder The Koala Brothers Driver Dan's Story Train Chuggington Mr Bloom's Nursery Gigglebiz Zingzillas Waybuloo In the Night Garden Second Chorus Swimming Weakest Link Antiques Road Trip Flog It! Escape to the Country Eggheads Celebrity Eggheads Coast Restoration Home The Hour Twenty Twelve Newsnight

01:25 The Zone 03:30 Nightwatch with Steve Scott 04:20 ITV Nightscreen 05:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 06:30 ITV Morning News 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 Auction Party 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Wild at Heart 18:00 Dinner Date 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Wildlife Patrol 21:00 Cops with Cameras 22:00 Homes from Hell 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Celebrity Juice: Coronation Street Special

MEXICAN FOOD MADE SIMPLE Thomasina Miers visits a restaurant in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez mountains, where she learns to prepare a spicy summer soup. She also examines Mexico's answer to the club sandwich and makes a simple dessert of poached plums in rose syrup, served with creme fraiche and homemade biscuits.

00:05 Coming Up: Micah 00:40 Chris Moyles' Quiz Night 01:30 Live from Abbey Road 02:15 Jon Fratelli 02:25 The Space Shuttle's Last Flight 03:55 24 Hours in A&E 04:50 Bob's Burgers 05:15 Chat the Celebrity Cat 05:25 Hill Street Blues 06:15 One Tree Hill 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Frasier 09:30 According to Jim 09:55 Friends 10:55 Three in a Bed 11:55 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Fairy Jobmother 14:05 The Secret Supper Club 14:40 Channel 4 Racing 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 The Sex Education Show 22:00 Undercover Boss 23:00 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA

00:05 The Replacement Killers 01:50 Inside Hollywood 02:00 SuperCasino 05:05 The Family Recipe 05:10 Law & Order 05:55 Rough Guide to Journeys 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The Beeps 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Ebb and Flo 07:40 Fireman Sam 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 The WotWots 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:15 The Mr Men Show 08:30 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Roary the Racing Car 09:35 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:50 Olivia 10:00 Little Princess 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Wright Stuff Extra with Gabby Logan 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 Amber's Story 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Mexican Food Made Simple 21:00 One Year to Go: Building Stratford 22:00 CSI: Miami 23:00 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

41

Wednesday 27th July

00:35 Travellers 01:40 Coast 02:40 The Country House Revealed 03:40 Fake Britain 04:25 An Island Parish 04:55 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Cowboy Trap 12:45 Saints and Scroungers 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Only Fools and Horses 16:05 Copycats 16:35 Me and My Monsters 17:00 All Over the Place 17:30 Little Howard's Big Question 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 Olympics 2012: One Year to Go 20:30 The Great British Weather 21:30 Sherlock 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The National Lottery Wednesday Night Draws 23:45 Not Going Out BBC2 00:20 Mafia 01:20 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30

This World: Italy's Bloodiest Gomorrah Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report

04:45 04:55 07:00 07:10 07:15 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:55 10:05 10:15 10:35 10:45 11:05 11:20 11:45 12:05 12:35 14:00 16:00 16:45 17:30 18:15 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Sport Today Close Wibbly Pig Dipdap Pinky Dinky Doo Tinga Tinga Tales Octonauts Roar The Jungle Book Deadly Art The Sarah Jane Adventures LazyTown Bob the Builder The Koala Brothers Driver Dan's Story Train Chuggington Mr Bloom's Nursery Gigglebiz Zingzillas Waybuloo In the Night Garden Beautiful but Dangerous Swimming Weakest Link Antiques Road Trip Flog It! Escape to the Country Eggheads Celebrity Eggheads Rick Stein's Spain Top Gear The Code Never Mind the Buzzcocks Newsnight

00:20 iTunes Festival Highlights 01:15 The Zone 03:15 Crossing Jordan 04:05 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 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 Auction Party 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Wild at Heart 18:00 Dinner Date 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 The Corrie Years 21:00 50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Nature's Fury: Hurricane

THE CODE New series. Marcus du Sautoy explores the hidden numerical code that underpins nature, going in search of the numbers, shapes and patterns in everything from human veins to the night sky. He begins by revealing how 12th-century medieval clergy used simple number ratios to create cathedrals that they felt mirrored God's creation, uses pi to predict a Brighton fisherman's biggest-ever catch and explores the bizarre world of imaginary numbers.

00:05 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 01:05 European Poker Tour 02:05 World Touring Cars 02:35 Beach Volleyball 03:30 KOTV Boxing Weekly 03:55 The Grid 04:20 MSA Formula Ford Championship 04:50 Canary Wharf Triathlon 05:15 Freesports on 4 06:10 One Tree Hill 06:55 Sali Mali 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Frasier 09:25 According to Jim 09:55 Friends 10:55 Three in a Bed 11:55 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Fairy Jobmother 14:05 The Secret Supper Club 14:35 C4 Presents - Stephen Miller 14:40 Channel 4 Racing 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Extreme Parental Guidance 22:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:00 Murdoch: The Mogul Who Screwed the News

00:55 Crimes That Shook the World 01:55 SuperCasino 05:05 The Family Recipe 05:15 Law & Order 05:55 Rough Guide to Bang for Your Buck 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The Beeps 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Ebb and Flo 07:40 Fireman Sam 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 The WotWots 08:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:15 The Mr Men Show 08:30 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Milkshake! Monkey 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 Roary the Racing Car 09:35 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:50 Olivia 10:00 Little Princess 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Wright Stuff Extra with Gabby Logan 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 Garden ER 21:00 The Removal Men: Pickfords 22:00 NCIS 23:00 Panic Room

42

Thursday 28th July

00:15 Him & Her 00:45 Alien Autopsy 02:20 Bang Goes the Theory 02:50 Country Tracks 03:45 Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections 04:35 Royal Upstairs Downstairs 05:05 Newsday 05:30 Panorama 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Heir Hunters 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Cowboy Trap 12:45 Saints and Scroungers 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Only Fools and Horses 16:05 Copycats 16:35 Me and My Monsters 17:00 Project Parent 17:30 Richard Hammond's Blast Lab 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show: Best of Britain 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Traffic Cops 22:00 Torchwood: Miracle Day 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Kids Behind Bars BBC2 00:20 01:20 02:15 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45

Botham: The Legend of '81 The Tudors Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today

04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:05 Close 07:00 Wibbly Pig 07:10 Dipdap 07:15 Pinky Dinky Doo 07:30 Tinga Tinga Tales 07:45 Octonauts 08:00 Roar 08:30 The Jungle Book 08:45 Deadly Art 09:00 The Sarah Jane Adventures 09:30 LazyTown 09:55 Bob the Builder 10:05 The Koala Brothers 10:15 Driver Dan's Story Train 10:35 Chuggington 10:45 Mr Bloom's Nursery 11:05 Gigglebiz 11:20 Zingzillas 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 Affair with a Stranger 14:00 Swimming 15:15 Live Golf: The Women's British Open 18:15 Escape to the Country 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Celebrity Eggheads 20:00 Space Shuttle: The Final Mission 21:00 Rick Stein's Spain 22:00 Town with Nicholas Crane 23:00 Have I Got Old News for You 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Homes from Hell 01:30 The Zone 03:30 Pillow Talk 05:15 ITV Nightscreen 06:30 ITV Morning News 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 Auction Party 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 Wild at Heart 18:00 Dinner Date 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Chemical Cosh for Kids?: Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Single-Handed 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Piers Morgan's Life Stories: Rod Stewart

AIR CRASH INVESTIGATION New series. The story of British Airways Flight 38's crash-landing at Heathrow in January 2008. Minutes before touchdown, the plane suffered a loss of power and a rapid descent, missing the tops of houses by 200ft, as it struggled to reach the airport.

00:05 The Killing 01:05 C4 Presents - Danielle Brown 01:10 Demetri Martin: Person 02:05 4Play: Patrick Wolf 02:20 The Album Chart Show: Spotlight 02:35 Victim 04:15 My Other Wheelchair Is a Porsche 04:30 Embarrassing Bodies 05:25 Born to Be Different 06:20 Countdown 07:05 Sali Mali 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 08:55 Frasier 09:25 According to Jim 09:55 Friends 10:55 Three in a Bed 11:55 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 The Fairy Jobmother 14:10 The Secret Supper Club 14:40 Channel 4 Racing 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Help! My House Is Falling Down 22:00 The Killing 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Uncut 23:50 Rhod Gilbert and the AwardWinning Mince Pie

01:20 Poker: The Big Game 02:20 SuperCasino 05:00 The Family Recipe 05:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:10 Wildlife SOS 06:35 House Doctor 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The Beeps 07:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 07:35 Fireman Sam 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 The WotWots 08:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:10 The Mr Men Show 08:25 Thomas & Friends 08:40 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:25 Roary the Racing Car 09:35 Bananas in Pyjamas 09:50 Olivia 10:00 Little Princess 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 The Wright Stuff Extra with Gabby Logan 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Ice Road Truckers 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 Law & Order 16:15 A Soldier's Love Story 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:25 OK! TV 20:00 5 News at 7 20:30 How Do They Do It? 21:00 Air Crash Investigation 22:00 New Cowboy Builders 23:00 Candy Bar Girls

Friday, July 22, 2011

43

44

Friday, July 22, 2011

AWNINGS

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES CHURCH SERVICES

AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDER

CAR MECHANIC

10 cold drinks /snack vending machines with sites 44,900 euros.

Excellent cash income, no overhead, operate from home 31,000 euros NETT per year one day p.w. to service.25 Pringle vending machines with sites 14,900 euros 250 euros per week NETT guaranteed, machines and sites available individually. 965 326 442 / 659 696 455 (09) Bar for sale. Quesada area.

Going cheap. For information pack, email: . Tel: 688 800 960 (16) International Christian Assembly. Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja.

Evangelical non-denominational. Sunday services 11:00am. Children’s Church 11:00am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier. Ladies meeting Thursdays 11:00am. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo. All nationalities welcome 966 799 273 // 660 127 276.

Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3 Pilar de la Horadada opposite the old cinema.

Sunday Service 11am.

Home groups Tuesday

times vary Bible Study and Prayer Meeting Thursday 5pm.

Pastor Rev. Eddie Martens Tel 966 769 300 Mobile 650 509 600

HAIRDRESSER English mobile hairedresser.

20 years experience. Prices from 6 euros. Almoradi, Algorfa, Benijofer, Rojales, Quesada, Guardamar, San Luis, Torrevieja areas. Call Jeri on 966 318 550 / 698 257 200. (23)

FOR SALE For sale. Double & electric sliding gates in aluminium, guaranteed no rust. Call Tracy on 966 726 891 for details.(22) Inflatable dinghy for sale.

Tough rubber. Carries two adults. 90 euros ONO. Tel: 616 596 647 or 672 192 482.(22)

MORTGAGES URGENT MORTGAGES. We can lend you money for your house. We don´t care about RAI/ASNEF, proof of income or age limit. Free evaluation 966 698 781 / 696 289 407 email- eddieandnesta@hotmail.com (22)

PERSONAL Attractive sexy couple looking for femine women for threesome fun and friendship. Genuine, clean & dis-

creet, within 1 hour of Murcia. Contact 634 364 731(23)

PETS 2 Siamese kittens, free to good home. Both are chocolate point and white Ready in 2 weeks, both parents can be seen. Call 603 121 785 for more info(25) 5 month old Collie Cross Pup free to good home Full time jobs force reluctant parting He is brown with collie markings and has green eyes! a very handsome dog, fully house trained and is a big bundle of fun!

Call 603 121 785 (25)

PROPERTY FOR RENT Luxury appartments, 2/3 bedrooms in San Miguel De Salinas.

Floor heating, Elevator, Roof terrace with swimming pool, from 385 euros/month Also holiday rentals and appartments in San Miguel de Salinas from 350 euros / month. 966 723 437 and 616 487 493 (27) Ref: 49, 2nd floor one bedroom apartment situated

roomed property situated injardin Del Mar VII, with communal pool nearby.

Close to amenities. Short or long term rental available.

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, supermarket, restaurants and bars. Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 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.

REMOVALS 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: 78, South facing 3 bed-

Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 128, A lovely One bedroom 2nd floor apartment, American style kitchen, Lounge with patio doors to balcony, in the San Luis

SPORTS EQUIPMENT

PAVING

SHUTTERS

BOUNCY CASTLE

SKY TV

SWIMMING POOL MAINTENANCE

GARDENING

SECURITY

VAN HIRE

ADVERTISE HERE FOR A FIVER! CARPENTER

area. Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 104, Lovely Two Bedroom Apartment in Torrevieja, within walking distance of Friday Market and the beach. The Property is close to the Habaneras Shopping Centre and Aquapark. Short or long 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 or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, A lovely 1 bedroom apartment 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: 708, A lovely two bedroom, one bathroom corner ground floor apartment with a spacious patio & Residents off road parking.

Communal pool near by.

Short or long term rental available.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

LOCKSMITH

45

Friday, July 22, 2011 Punta Prima, 2 bed, 2 bath, ground floor apartment, very modern furnishings, garden and terrace area, 2 communal swimming pools, €450 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 897 (22) La Herrada, 3 bed, 2 bath, detached bungalow, private pool, lovely villa with solarium, €700 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 085 (22) Punta Prima, 2 bed, 2 bath, townhouse, brand new unfurnished property, communal pool, €450 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 833 (22) Los Montesinos, 3 bed, 2 bath, apartment, communal pool, very large apartment, balcony area, €375 p/month, contact 673 756 525 ref 127 (22) La Herrada, 3 bed, 2 bath, quad house, communal pool, off road parking, €500 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 108 (22) Vista Bella golf, 2 bed, 1 bath, ground floor apartment, south facing, €300 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 052 (22) Lo Crispin, 2 bed, 2 bath, end terrace, private swimming pool, large garden area, €550 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 139 (22) Vista Bella golf, 3 bed, 2 bath, quad house, communal swimming pool, off road parking, €475 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 091 (22) Blue Hills, 4 bed, 3 bath, semi-detached villa, very large property, communal pool, offroad parking, large garden shed,€675 p/month, contact 673 756 525, ref 149 (22) Punta Prima, 2 bed, 2 bath, townhouse, communal pool, solarium, off road

parking, €450 p/motnh, contact 673 756 525, ref 140 (22)

HAIRDRESSER

FURNITURE

CARDS

CHIROPODIST

HALOGEN

MOSQUITOS

SURVEYS

NEWS AGENTS

SIGNS

TATTOOS

PROPERTY FOR SALE Downsizing Opportunity. 1 bed apartment plus cash in Punta Prima area to swap for larger property. Contract sdlongfellow@hotmail.com or call 0034 635 953 977 (23) Gran Alacant, corner semi detached 3 bedroomed, 2 bathrooms, large garden, enclosed terrace, fully furnished, private drive for 2 cars, on gated desirable urbanisation Monte Faro, many facilities priced for quick sale 185,000 Tel 680333242 House for sale. Santiago de la Ribera, 3-4 bedrooms, lovely garden, two balconies, two fireplaces, quiet neighbourhood, five minutes walk to beach.

Tel: 616596647 or 672192482 (22).

Balsares, terraced 4 bedroomed house, 3 bathrooms, large underbuild, private underground parking direct to house, small gated urbanisation, directly over looking proposed new golf course opposite Gran Alacant, priced for quick sale at original off plan price 180.000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, 3 bedroomed, 3 bath mid terraced Altomar 1, views of Alicante Bay, close to communal pool, walking distance to bars and resturants opportunity at reduced price 145,000 Tel 680333242 Gran Alacant, front line, 2 bed, 1 bath, downstairs toilet, fully furnished, roof terrace, walking distance to beaches, large communal and resturants, beach front

property priced for quick sale 125,000 Tel 680333242 Quesada, detached 3 bedroomed, 2 bath, all large rooms, front enclosed conservatory, fully furnished, oiled fuelled heating, outdoor poolside kitchen and bbq area enclosed, large pool, outside toilet, garage for 2 cars, newly refurbished, established garden with fruit trees, set in a cul de sac on 1000m2, the overall plot can be divided, as registered as two plots, so this house could be a substantial investment opportunity, situated in the Dona pepe area close to Quesada town centre, priced 299,000 negotiable Tel 680333242 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 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 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 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: 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

PLUMBERS

Ref: 510, €79,999.

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: 146, €85,000. Three bedroom Two bathroom quad house in Dream Hills.

Off road parking on the front driveway with gates that can be padlocked for security.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: KP3100, €195,000.

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

Garage to side of house.

PETS

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 30, €119,000. Two bedroom detached house with large front terrace. This villa is in the Punta Marina area close to Playa Flamenca , Close to amenities.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

SITUATIONS VACANT

WANTED

LOCKSMITH

46

Friday, July 22, 2011

FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH THE fans’ throaty roar as Darren Clarke lifted the claret jug signalled their celebration of more than the Ulsterman’s great golf.

They were cheering for one of their own overcoming all that life can throw at a person.

Clarke is hardly some Atlas who can hit the ball further than the eye can see. His smile and rotund waistline make him relatable, and signify a man willing to indulge in life’s finer things.

The life of a professional golfer, especially in this era, is one of a luxury that’s unfathomable to most. Clarke has enjoyed that lifestyle, but hasn’t been immune from life’s darker side.

It’s been five years since he turned from an affable, Guinness-swigging Northern Irishman to sympathetic hero.

The transformation took place at the K Club in Ireland, where he led Europe to Ryder Cup victory just weeks after the death of his wife, Heather. His loss later extended to the golf course.

Though golf loses its importance in the wake of personal tragedy, Clarke’s was not in recent years the man who’d once been among Europe’s leading men. A new home, a new outlook and a new love all helped him reach the culmination of his career.

He moved back to his native Portrush last summer after about 13 years in London. He got engaged late last year to Alison Campbell, a former Miss Northern Ireland, whom he met on a blind date.

Two months ago, Clarke claimed his 13th European Tour title at the Iberdrola Open in Spain, his first victory in three years and only his third since 2003. And now he’s champion of the tournament that defines golf in his homeland.

He saw sports psychologist Bob Rotella earlier last week and credits that session with helping him hoist the claret jug.

Clarke shot 70 on Sunday to finish five-under at 275, three shots ahead of Phil Mickelson (68) and Dustin Johnson (72).

The Americans had their opportunities, but made repeated past mistakes.

“It’s been a dream since I’ve been a kid to win The Open, like any kid’s dream is, and I’m able to do it which just feels incredible, incredible right now,” said Clarke, 42.

Clarke started the final round one shot ahead of Johnson.

He’s the first player in his 40s to win a major since Vijay Singh at the ’04 PGA. Only two Mickelson made Sunday’s early charge with birdies on three other players were older when of his first six holes. He was tied for the lead after an eagle they won their first major — on the par-five seventh, and shot 30 on the front nine.

Roberto De Vicenzo (44) in the Another birdie at 10 got him one off the lead, but he never 1967 British Open, and Jerry recovered after missing a two-foot par putt on the 11th.

“It was a fun day,” Mickelson said. “When I saw Darren Barber (45) in the 1961 PGA wasn’t going to make a mistake, and he played some great Championship.

Clarke’s victory is the third for golf, I had to start trying to make birdies, and that’s when I Northern Ireland in about 13 ended up making a couple of bogeys.”

Johnson was in a major’s final group for the third time, and months, after Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell won the past made another memorable miscue. He was two shots behind two US Opens. The victories by Clarke when he his tee shot on the 14th hole cleared the outMcIlroy and McDowell were breakthroughs for players whose of-bounds stakes Johnson’s only regret? Not hitting three-wood instead. His careers were on the rise. Clarke’s win signifies a resurgence for a player who was at the last Ryder Cup as an assistant mistake allowed Clarke to play the final two holes with a fourstroke cushion. captain, not a player.

“I was loving every minute of it,” Clarke said. That’s proba“Bad times in golf are more frequent than the good times,” Clarke said. “I’ve always been pretty hard on myself when I bly an understatement, considering what he’s endured. fail because I don’t find it very easy to accept that. And there’s times I’ve been completely and utterly fed up with the game. But friends and family and Chubby (Chandler) say, get out there and practice and keep going, keep going. That’s JAPAN’S women footballers returned home as national why I’m sitting here now.” heroes after their astonishing World Cup success on Sunday.

The year’s first three majors have all been won by mem- With the nation still recovering after March's earthquake and bers of Chandler’s International Sports Management stable. tsunami, joy was unconfined as the United States were beatSaid Chandler: “Four weeks ago, Darren said, ‘I’m going to en on penalties in Frankfurt. prepare properly for the Open because I’m not going to have "We're so happy about the title, now we're number one," too many more chances to win it. I walked away from that said Japan captain Homare Sawa, who won the Golden Boot and I thought, ‘He’s thinking about winning the Open. That’s for top scorer in the tournament. "We know this is a great vicgreat.’” tory, we are bringing the gold medal home."

Japan's previous best finish had been reaching the quarter-finals in 1995, and they had never beaten the United States in 25 meetings prior to Sunday's enthralling final.

Their team is nicknamed 'Nadeshiko', after the pink plant that is used to personify the attributes of an ideal Japanese woman - neatness, resilience and loyalty.

Although Japan went into the tournament ranked fourth best team in the world, few experts predicted they would be able to overcome the more powerful and experienced nations like hosts and defending champions Germany, and the United States.

Coach Norio Sasaki had motivated his team by showing them footage of the areas devastated by March's earthquake and subsequent tsunami which reduced some of his players to tears, but inspired them to produce extraordinary results.

Japan beat Germany in the quarter-finals, Sweden in the semis, and twice came from behind in the final to force penalties, winning 3-1 on spot kicks after goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori saved two United States efforts.

The US team had the support of President Obama and his family, who watched the match from the White House, but ultimately they came up short.

Their goalkeeper Hope Solo offered her congratulations to

How courageous Clarke learned to live again

WORLD SPORTS ROUNDUP with Mick Hardy from Kidease

TSUNAMI INPIRED US, SAY JAPAN’S GOLDEN GIRLS

Japan, saying: "I truly believe that something bigger was pulling for this team.

"As much as I've always wanted this, if there were any other team I could give this to it would have to be Japan. I'm happy for them and they do deserve it." The next Women's World Cup finals will be held in Canada in 2015.

MANX FOR THE MEMORY, CAV MANXMAN Mark Cavendish secured his fourth win of this year's Tour de France, and 19th overall, with a well-timed sprint at the end of Stage 15.

Quick Step rider Niki Terpstra had a 12-second lead with 5km remaining but he was soon swallowed by the peloton before the HTC team put Cavendish in a position to attack in the final 200m.

The 26-year-old's victory on the 193-km stage from Limoux to Montpellier was his 19th Tour success in four years. The win took him to equal seventh on the all-time list of stage winners, alongside Francois Faber, with the only other entrant above him from the last 25 years the seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong, who won 22 stages between 1993 and 2005.

Cavendish also looked on course to take the green jersey for the first time in his career. He took 10 points in the intermediate sprint which took place with 46.5km of the stage remaining. Rojas claimed nine points and Philippe Gilbert, 71 points behind in the race for green, took eight.

FIVE-STAR DANI’S GERMAN JOY REPSOL Honda’s Dani Pedrosa roared to his fifth motorcycling Grand Prix victory at Germany’s Sachsenring circuit in only his second race since returning from surgery on his broken collarbone.

At the end of lap one, Jorge Lorenzo led the three Repsol Honda’s of Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso, who fought amongst each other for second until Stoner made his attack on Lap 5 to take the lead, only to have Lorenzo regain the lead status a few laps later.

The Mallorcan then tried desperately to defend his line, until Lap 21 when Pedrosa got a huge drive out of the last corner to launch himself into the lead for the last time.

Stoner leads the championship with 168 points, just 15 points ahead of Lorenzo. In third is Dovizioso with 132 points.

EVIAN IN MAJOR GOLF COUP THE Evian Masters, long a favourite among LPGA players for its Parisian stage and bulging purse, is going to be an even bigger hit.

Beginning in 2013, Evian will be designated as a major championship, the LPGA’s fifth after the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wegmans LPGA Championship, US Women’s Open and Ricoh Women’s British Open.

47

Friday, July 22, 2011

WHERE ARE THE SPANISH WORLD CUP WOMEN?

By JAMES BADCOCK

looking for a report on one of those victories in the (lengthy) sports section of EL PAÍS and being genuinely shocked to find that that Spanish success in a Grand Slam event final had been tacked on as a final paragraph to a report on a male player, who had not at that point won anything.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, just four of the 16 medals won by Spaniards in individual disciplines (two more medals were won in sailing, which is mixed) went to women.

The female basketball team has been consistently successful, picking up a range of European Championship

medal and a bronze at the most recent worlds.

Players such as Amaya Valdemoro may not be household names but they get enough air time with the national team to be recognized here and there.

But someone like Amaya should be used to attention – she has played in the WNBA! But back to football. Spain’s female Superliga has been up and running for over 20 years. So guess who the 2010-11 champion was... Barcelona? Real Madrid? Maybe Valencia? Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Rayo Vallecano won it for the third straight year, ahead of Espanyol, very much Barcelona’s second club in the men’s game. But you won’t have seen it on television, interspersed with ads in which women jockey for position in front of the screen in a packed bar. Real Madrid ladies does not even exist. A former coach of Athletic Bilbao’s women’s team once told me that until Real joined the Superliga, the women’s game was condemned to remain anonymous. It’s not that I have any special desire to see the duopoly of the two mega-moneyed teams in the men’s game become a similarly overbearing presence in women’s soccer. But the media lure of a women’s clásico would raise the profile, and the pressure and the scrutiny could help raise the standard.

So why the mismatch between men and women? Pure, traditional machismo? Surely not. And there are the Arantxas and the Amayas to confound the sexist stereotypists. The trail has been blazed. Children in public schools in Spain tend to get around a couple of hours a week of physical education, where the emphasis is understandably on basic gymnastic skills.

Perhaps girls with promise are less likely than boys to be taken to a club to hone that talent. When this happens, then Spain will become a true global sporting power.

ASTON VILLA’s Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar is weighing up his future as he considers whether to return to former club Rangers in Scotland or go back to his native Spain.

The 29-year-old centre-back is set to become the latest player to leave Villa, as manager Alex McLeish continues to reshape his squad for the new season.

Villa agreed a fee with Rangers at the end of last week, but reports in Spain over the weekend indicate Espanyol will try to lure Cuellar back home.

The Madrid-born player is continuing his rehabilitation from an operation on his knee, but should be fit for the start of the season.

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith confirmed that negotiations with Cuellar are ongoing, but they are not the only club keen on securing his services.

Smith said: “I’ve heard Espanyol are interested in Carlos. It depends on whether the boy prefers to go back to Spain and play for them or come to Scotland and play for his old club.

“It would be wrong to say we’re poised to sign him. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

One potential stumbling block is wages. Cuellar is reported to earn around £40,000-a-week at Villa, but Rangers are thought to be offering around £25,000.

PORTUGUESE giants Benfica have "tweeted" this interesting picture of club president Luis Felipe with Villarreal’s Spanish International Joan Capdevila.

Mates? Was in Lisbon and I thought I would drop in to say hello?

No, apparently putting the final touches to a transfer agreement where Capdevila is the chosen defender to take the place of the now Real Madrid player Fabio Coentrao. The transfer is not official as neither Villarreal nor Benfica have made any announcements. But this picture speaks a thousand words.

AS the Japanese women’s team bask in the glory of last weekend’s women’s World Cup final victory over the USA, Spanish fans have been treated to myriad repetitions of the Andrés Iniesta goal which brought Spain global glory in South Africa one year ago.

But what of the Spanish women’s team? And does anyone care? This summer’s World Cup in Germany has been the biggest in terms of media attention and public interest in the history of the women’s game, hosted as it is by a country which has managed to develop female soccer along the same lines as the man’s sport – in part due to the the commitment to women athletes shown by the former east German regime. Spain, as it happens, failed to qualify, being pipped by England in its preliminary group. In fact, Spain’s women have not featured in any of the six such events organized by FIFA since 1991. Isn’t it strange in such a soccer-obsessed nation that the Swedish and Danish teams, to take two examples, consistently outperform far more populous Spain?

And it’s not just soccer where Spain’s women are seemingly condemned to trudge far behind the footsteps of their feted male counterparts. Tennis offers a poignant example. In the 1990s Arantxa Sánchez and Conchita Martínez were way ahead of Spain’s men. Replacements did not come through as the likes of Moyà, Ferrero and Nadal joined the victorious cavalcade of Spanish sport in the 21st century. These things run in cycles, maybe, but what is striking is how few now seem to mourn the huge disparity between the men and women’s game in Spain to the point where even the triumphs that female players have achieved tend to be entirely overlooked.

Anabel Medina and Virginia Ruano were French Open women’s double champions in 2008 and 2009, but I recall

Cuellar’s Ranger signal

Tevez, Fabregas and the transfer-go-round From Back Page Moves to his homeland and Brazil may well have been on the cards but only if the player is looking to wind down his career as wages in Argentina and Brazil are nowhere near the sums he could command on the Continent or in England.

Corinthians are now hoping to resume discussions for their former

player in January stating that it is too close to the current transfer deadline to do a deal now.

City are still likely to pursue Atletico Madrid's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero as they look to strengthen their squad for a serious assault on the Premier League title and their first sortie into the Champions League and a major bid is imminent.

Manchester United, Tevez's former club, are looking for a replacement for Paul Scholes, who retired at the end of last season, but manager Sir Alex Ferguson has distanced himself from reports of a move for Wesley Sneijder and Arsenal are stubbornly holding on to Fabregas and Nasri until the bitter end but moves are still likely for the pair before

the transfer deadline next month.

Nasri was on the brink of a move to United until Arsenal dug their heels in and Barcelona remain Fabregas's club of choice.

Now Pep Guardiola, the Barcelona manager, says his club will not be held to ransom as they attempt to bring Fabregas home.

They have had a £31.5m bid rejected and are also

keen on landing River Plate's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez.

United, meanwhile, have given reserve players Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck a huge boost by stating they will play a part in first-team affairs this coming season. Both have been out on loan but now Fergie is ready to give them their head in the first team squad and reckons mid-

field man Cleverley is good enough to break into the England squad.

Striker Welbeck has been on loan at Sunderland but was not among the United players secured permanently recently by Black Cats' manager Steve Bruce, himself a big favourite at Old Trafford in his playing days.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

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THE EXIT DOOR

Fabregas, Tevez on way but Atletico pull out of Arteta deal

STEVE BOTT reports AS Cesc Fabregas and Carlos Tevez continue to look for a way out of England, Mikel Arteta's hopes of a move to Madrid are diminishing.

Both clubs in the Spanish capital have shown an interest in the Everton mdfielder, but Atletico baulked at the player's 拢75,000-a-week wage demands and have withdrawn their interest.

Arteta, born in San Sebastian and a teenage friend

and colleague of Real's Spanish ace Xabi Alonso, started his youth career with Antiguoko and Barcelona but could not break into the first team at the Nou Camp and moved on to play for Paris St Germain, Rangers, Real Sociedad and Everton.

He has caps at Under 16, 17, 18 and Under 21 level for Spain and has long been a target for top English and Continental clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and now the two Madrid clubs.

Meanwhile, hopes among Manchester City and Arsenal fans of keeping hold of superstars Fabregas and Tevez are almost certain to be dashed before transfer deadline day.

The old adage of "it's no use trying to hold on to an unsettled player" is likely to hold true in the case of Tevez, Fabregas and Arsenal's other wantaway star, French midfielder Samir Nasri.

Malaga were among a number of clubs chasing Tevez and a 拢35m deal with Brazilian outfit Corinthians has hit the rocks prompting thoughts that Tevez may end up going nowhere.

Tevez has expressed a wish to move to a club where he can settle with his children, who are still living in Argentina, and Spain and Italy are top of his list.

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