The Courier Week 49

Edition 49

www.thecourier.es

Friday, January 27, 2012

OLYMPIC TICKETS GALORE

Sold out?

Not here in Spain!

TICKETS for top Olympic events that sold out immediately they went on sale in the UK can still be bought over the counter in shops in Spain.

Thousands of Brits were left disappointed after failing to get

By AMANDA BLACK their hands on tickets for their chosen sport when they and ZOE HOLDEN were sold online in the UK, but tickets for the same football, boxing. basketball, events are gathering dust on you name it.

“Prices depend on what shelves of Fnac stores date and what event. But you across Spain.

And a spokesperson for must pick your tickets up in the Murcia branch confirmed person.’’

Spain was the only country yesterday (Thursday): “We have tickets for almost every- that chose to sell its allocathing. Basketball, wrestling, tion of Olympic tickets over volley ball, tennis, handball, the counter rather than

online. The decision by the National Olympic Committee to keep the tickets off the internet was designed to ensure that most of the tickets would go to Spanish residents.

But the Spanish have shown little interest and even tickets for the most popular sports remain unsold.

Tickets that Britons are desperate to buy, including

A fire helicopter cools off the work of arsonists in Torrevieja

Arsonists: Councils team up to tackle a burning issue

BY AMANDA BLACK

A SPECIAL task force has been set up in a bid to put a stop to deliberate forest fires.

The move has come after the failure to catch the arsonist or arsonists responsible for more than 40 fires Want Olympic in the natural dune park and pine forests that have tickets? Then destroyed about 80 hectares of reeds and pines in Fnac is the Torrevieja, Rojales and Guardamar. place to ask Police and fire crews have been dealing with these fires, which display a very specific methodology, for more than three years.

Fighting the fires has regularly involved helicopter and aircraft deployment as well as ground fire crew from across the Vega Baja. Local police, Guardia and Seprona units have also been involved.

Torrevieja council said the task force, set up by Torrevieja and Guardamar councils with input from Rojales, aims to "coordinate efforts between the two locations and leverage all existing resources to eradicate this situation, which has been occurring too often and seriously damaging the forest environment … a true basketball, beach volleyball haven of natural biodiversity.’’ A second objective is “to and gymnastics are readily encourage citizens to actively collaborate in preventive action against forest fires, available. providing information to When a Daily Mail reporter the bodies and state secuvisited Fnac in Madrid she rity forces and local was offered tickets for 11 police.’’ sports, 12 of which are The councils did not unavailable in the UK after comment on the controverselling out last year. sial removal last summer The paper was able to buy by the regional governseats for rhythmic gymnas- ment of the reinforcement t i c s , b a s k e t b a l l , b e a c h forest fire brigades that Turn to Page 2 were based in Guardamar.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

This’ll be fun. The guy’s a shepherd from Germany TELEPHONE

96 692 1003 679 096 309 JUNGLE DRUMS E-MAIL office@thecourier.es WEB www.thecourier.es HEAD OFFICE Calle Luis Canovas Martinez 1. Urb Aguas Nuevas, Torrevieja 03183, ALICANTE PHONE: 96 692 1003 Email: office@thecourier.es OPENING HOURS Mon - Fri 1030 to 1730 EDITOR Donna Gee ADVERTISING SALES 96 621 1003 office@thecourier.es TELESALES 96 621 1003 616 332 178 Sally Los Alcazares, San Javier 618 391 491 Myra Quesada, Rojales, Torrevieja, San Miguel Tel. 618 583 765 Jean La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig Tel. 618 898 034 Therese Guardamar, La Marina, Santa pola, Gran Alacant Tel 616 332 178 Writers Donna Gee Amanda Black Sally Bengtsson Rebecca Marks Jeanette Erath Alex Trelinski Dave Silver Steve Bott Tony Mayes Jake Monroe

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Picture of the Week

96 692 1003

TORREVIEJA BRITS OUTNUMBER REST THE population of Torrevieja has grown by more than five times in the past 20 years and the city is now the fourth largest by population in the region.

It started the year with 105,270 registered inhabitants.

Only the provincial capitals – Valencia, Alicante and Castellón – and Elche are home to more people.

Torrevieja’s population explosion is, of course, down to foreigners, with more than half its citizens coming from outside Spain. Unsurprisingly, Brits make up the biggest number, with 13,185 residents hailing from the UK. Next biggest group is Germans (4,032), followed by Russians ( 4,013), Swedes (3,107) and Moroccans (3,063).

Bulgaria, Romania, Holland, France, Iraq, Sudan and Sierra Leone are among the other 121 countries represented in Torrevieja.

In the past year, the city’s population increased by 1,730.

This sees the return to growth after figures fell in 2009 and 2010 when Torrevieja shed nearly 1,200 people. Most of these were immigrants who lost their jobs in construction.

Torrevieja’s population has increased fivefold in the last 20 years

Double-dip recession predicted for Spain

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Spain will fall back into recession this year.

It expects the recession in this country, as well as Italy, to be “quite pronounced”, and the IMF’s José Vinals warned that the world’s economy is “deeply into the danger zone” and that "a failure to address underlying tensions could precipitate a global crisis".

On Monday, IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned that the global economy could experience a "double-dip recession" and fall into an economic spiral reminiscent of the 1930s unless action was taken on the eurozone crisis.

The Spanish Central Bank also warned of a double dip recession in Spain.

From Page One volleyball, fencing and canoe slalom. Even the cheapest seats, which were the first to sell out in Britain, were available.

Staff at the Madrid Fnac said the Mail was only the third customer in a month to ask about Olympic tickets.

The shop had sold so few tickets for the Games that the first two sales assistants the Mail approached did not even know they were available in store.

The 20 Fnac stores across Spain, including branches in Alicante and Murcia, have reported a similar lack of interest.

q

The UK government has refused to resume negotiations with Spain over the sovereignty of Gibraltar while the authorities of the colony are not in agreement.

Britain’s position was delivered following a statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo, that the Spanish would not talk about cooperation with Gibraltar until there is progress on the issue of sovereignty.

“This joke is over. Policy on Gibraltar is going to change,” he said. “We will not be talking about cooperation if there are no advances on the fundamental issue of sovereignty.”

The UK has emphasised that it will not change strategy and that it will “not enter into a process of discussion on sovereignty without first talking to the people of Gibraltar”.

Friday Showers High 15° Lo 8° Chance of rain 66% Monday Partly cloudy High 15° Lo 3° Chance of rain 3%

Olympic tickets galore

Tuesday Sunny High 14° Lo 3° Chance of rain 3%

Saturday Showers High 14° Lo 5° Chance of rain 56% Wednesday Sunny High 16° Lo 11° Chance of rain 1%

Sunday Partly cloudy High 13° Lo 4° Chance of rain 3% Thursday Rain High 13° Lo 4° Chance of rain 75%

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Paedophile in cell suicide as S U E V I G ?

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A CONVICTED paedophile whose partner is accused of murdering their children in Spain has been found hanged in his prison cell in Manchester.

Martin Smith, 46, was jailed in March 2011 for raping an underage girl in Cumbria. Smith (pictured) had been on the run in Spain with partner Lianne Smith and their two children

CAMPS IN THE CLEAR Jury’s verdict suits ex President

FORMER Valencia government leaders Francisco Camps Ortiz, and Ricardo Costa Climent were controversially acquitted of passive bribery on Wednesday.

But the verdict was promptly dismissed by one key witness as ‘’an insult to the intelligence’’.

The jury returned a verdict by five votes to four that there was insufficient evidence the two men illegally received gifts of clothing in the so-called Gürtel Case. despite the fact that neither could prove he had paid for the controversial suits himself.

The jury were unable to establish that the heads of the Gürtel companies had paid for the clothes. Neither did they find more than a ‘commercial relation’ between the gifts and the contract adjudications from the Valencia Government.

Camps, ex PP President of the Valencia Government,

FREE CHEERS: Happy Camps gives the thumbs up to his supporters as Costa looks on

before being extradited to the UK in the spring of 2010.

His body was found in his cell on Monday evening.

Lianne Smith is in custody accused of killing their two children, Rebecca, five, and 11-month-old Daniel, in a hotel in Lloret de Mar. Martin Smith was convicted at Manchester Crown Court on 11 counts of rape, attempted rape, and indecent assault on his victim over a ten-year period, allegedly using hypnotism to facilitate the crimes.

Riddle of dead baby and the mum aged 13

By AMANDA MARKS POLICE are investigating the death of a baby whose 13year-old mother is thought to have given birth in secret at her home in Orihuela.

The pregnancy only came to light after the girl was rushed to Vega Baja Hospital suffering from an infection and high temperature.

Doctors realised she had recently given birth, but when they asked her where the baby was she refused to comment.

Medical staff immediately contacted the police.

The girl, who cannot be named, is Bulgarian and lives in a rundown house with at least eight people in the centre of Orihuela.

All initially denied any knowledge of a baby and insisted the girl had not been pregnant or given birth.

Eventually the girl’s 15-year-old cousin, who also lives at the house, admitted that he had helped dispose of the baby’s body.

Distrust

and Costa, former Secretary General of the PP in Valencia, both resigned last summer.

The court noted contradictions in the testimony of the tailor, José Tomás, and saw too many doubts in the different evidence presented in the case. But Tomas later described th verdict as ‘’an

insult to the intelligence’’.

The verdict came three years and a day after Camps appeared before the media for the first time, to deny any links between him and the case. ‘’It has been worth the effort to face up the system’’, he said, thanking the jury who he said had demonstrated that all that had been said

about him was not true.

The verdict came despite the 18 arguments presented by the prosecutors, and 20 hours of deliberation by the jury at the end of 28 days in court.

Under Spanish law, with a jury of nine, a guilty verdict needs seven votes, while not-guilty requires only five..

He said the girl had not known she was pregnant and the baby was stillborn. He claimed he and the girl put the baby’s naked body in a bag dumped it on waste ground.

A body has since been found, although not on the waste ground, that is thought to be the 13-year-old’s child.

The baby appears to be fully formed and weighed almost 4 kilos.

The body was transferred to the Anatomical Forensic Institute of Alicante for autopsy. Samples have also been sent to Barcelona for testing in bid to determine whether the baby was born alive.

It is believed that the girl’s family does not appear on the municipal register of Orihuela, and that 13-year-old was not in school.

The Office for Children will now investigate the welfare of the girl and the courts will determine if the parents should face criminal charges. The Guardia Civil has yet to determine who helped the child give birth as it is believed she did not do so alone.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Kate Britain – a slave to fashion

I'VE written before about the sadness of people who flock to follow the latest fashion - whether it be lumps of metal in faces, or tattoos which makes an employer think more than twice about taking the risk of employing someone looking like a freak.

Latest example is girls spending a fortune to look like Kate, our latest princess. Yes, she looks gorgeous and someone to aspire to - but why do people have to be such slaves to fashion? The only winners are the over-rich people running the fashion empires.

Another subject I have written about frequently is the continuing saga about the Human Rights Act. Latest revelation is that Britain currently loses three out of four of the cases brought against it - and it’s resulting in millions of pounds being paid out in compensation to the least deserving people.

The situation is crazy. No-one in their right mind wants to allow foreign murderers or terrorists to remain in the UK because of they have run to the Human Rights Court to argue it is against their human rights to be deported.

The vast majority of people want an end to this stupidity including the directive which says prisoners should have the right to vote.

It's only soppy Liberals, soft in-the-head Socialists and dogooders who want this stupidity to remain, and I say, a plague of curses on them.

much more brainy.

If they chose to read subjects which do not materialise into jobs it is down to their judgement. It's like the thousands of students who read media studies while their tutors knew only too well that because of a contraction in the newspaper world, there was no hope in hell of a job afterwards.

So, my advice to Miss Snotty is to stick at the job in Poundland - after all, with a university degree she might, just might, become the chief exec one day.

But with her attitude, she perhaps shouldn't hold her breath!

BARKING MADNESS

MISS SNOTTY AND POUNDLAND This takes me conveniently on to the case of a 22year-old graduate in geology who has been unable to find a job in her chosen field.

She claimed unemployment pay and took a voluntary job in a museum, hoping it would lead to a meaningful job.

But along has come the new Government scheme requiring long-term unemployed to undertake specified work in order to claim benefit. In her cause she was ordered to work stacking shelves in Poundland. She was told if she failed to do the work she would lose her Jobseeker's Allowance of £53.45 a week.

The prima-donna has said her treatment is against her human rights and amounts to forced labour. She has instructed lawyers to seek a judicial review against the Department for Work and Pensions' ruling in her case. it really is about time that students who obtain university degrees realise that such a qualification is not an automatic

ticket to a job.

Snotty university graduates have no divine right to a job and shouldn't be treated any differently than anyone else.

And that is particularly so when it is so obvious that university degrees have been dumbed down by a money-grabbing education system.

The number of first-class degrees has more than doubled in the past decade - no way can students have become that

Why do some people have animals? It seems one of the worst aspects of living in Spain is the problem of barking dogs.

Once one dog barks it sets off a chain reaction and within seconds half a dozen or more are barking their heads off.

The least thing can set off the mayhem, a passing cat, a person walking by, or an unusual noise, but worst of all is the dog that has been left all day while the owner goes to work and the dog is left to howl its head off for hours on end.

A recent article in a British newspaper amused me. It concerned a husband and wife who confessed they seemed to argue many times more since a dog entered their lives.

The dog was a present for one of their children, who promised to take it for walks and clean up after it. That promise lasted only a few days, but within a short time the dog had become another child to the woman of the house, who quickly started calling it her "baby".

The husband very soon realised that he had become less important in her life - the dog had taken pride of place.

It followed them upstairs and claimed a spot between them on the bed and life revolved around the dog - the dog was splitting the couple. Holidays had to be shortened because it was unfair to leave the dog in kennels for any length of time, and food and vet bills put a dent in the family finances.

I wonder how many others have learned to their cost the many down sides of a new four-legged arrival?

Schools funding crisis deepens SOME 450 charter schools in the Valencia region threatened to close their doors last week, leaving 250,000 pupils on the streets.

The reason: they can no longer pay their bills for basic, essential services such as electricity and water because they have not received any funding from the local authority for the last six months.

The Valencian Local Authority reportedly owes these schools around €50 million. Some centres have sent parents a bulletin

warning of their imminent closure. In others, teachers have been asked to forfeit their Christmas bonuses or take a cut in salary to cover the salaries of other school workers, such as administration staff, cleaners and janitors.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Schools in other autonomous regions, such as the Balearic Islands or Castile, are also suffering from financial difficulties because their local authorities have not paid them, either.

The main Valencian teaching unions, CCOO-PV, UGT-PV and

FSES called for a protest march for yesterday (January 26) as a unanimous show of strength in view of the gravity of this situation.

On top of this, the UGT-PV is

filing a lawsuit denouncing the misuse of public funds by the Valencian Local Authority expresident, Francisco Camps, whom they blame for the region´s enormous debts.

Meanwhile, more than 40,000 protesters took part in a mass demonstration in Alicante last Saturday (pictured), calling for an increase in the numbers of teachers, increased funding for school resources and the end of prefab classrooms.

In Valencia, protesters demanded that the Generalitat paid the €50 million it owes to schools.

One of the region’s education unions – UGT-PV – is also taking the ex-President of the local authority to court over misuse of public funds.

Education International reports that as a result of the missing money, some schools in the region are facing closure, and teachers have been asked to take cuts in salaries and go without Christmas bonuses. But this is not an isolated case, with schools in other autonomous regions suffering similar financial difficulties.

See Letters, Page 30

Friday, January 27, 2012

Domestic violence: The pain in Spain DOMESTIC violence is such a big issue that I have decided to write the article over two weeks.

However, the message is clear from the start - no one deserves to be a victim and there is a way out before you become another figure on the Spanish news.

Statistically, more than one woman is killed by a partner or ex partner every week in Spain.

This article is not intended solely for women, however, as men can be victims just as easily. But domestic violence against women or violencia en genero (gender violence) is a huge problem in Spain and, as such the Spanish government has been working towards making it a more serious crime than maybe it was previously seen to be.

So, you never thought it would happen to you.

You have always been so strong, so in control, you were the one giving advice and now you are the one that needs it. But it’s hard to take, it’s different when you are the victim.

It´ll pass, it´s a phase, I need them.

Whatever you are saying to yourself to justify staying in a relationship long gone bad, none of it is the truth, and when abuse, either physical or mental becomes involved, the decisions to be made become even more urgent.

If you have always attracted an abusive partner or if this was a one off, the first time violence is used or implied always comes as a complete bolt from the blue, suddenly the little comments and nasty put downs take a more sinister edge.

The signs are there at the start, but you find yourself accepting and ignoring them when you are in the first flush of love. It is easier to tell yourself it´s just their way and you will accept them as they are. But when do comments become abuse?

As far as I am concerned, nasty comments are a form of abuse. Put downs, such as “what are you wearing that for? You look stupid” is akin to abuse, it is a form of control and nothing you would think of reporting to the police; however it can grow from comments like that to full threats to kill.

What are the signs that the abuse may become serious? How do you spot them.

Well, for example: they get angry quicker, start trying to control where you go or who you´re with, they drink or take drugs. This is by no means comprehensive and violence can be triggered by issues with family or friends, health issues, money worries - and even having a baby is a big stress factor and a lot of domestic violence begins with a new baby in the home.

Once a serious verbal threat to health is made, it is nearly always followed by more threats and then, if allowed to continue, may escalate to physical abuse.

There is a lot more help for victims, everyone in Spain needs to know that if they report a case of domestic violence by a partner/ ex partner/ family member, they will be taken seriously and everything possible will be done to help that person.

There is a way out and, in my experience, the police treat every case with respect, and you are left with some dignity that the abusive partner has tried to take away.

OK to have affair, say 50% A NEW survey suggests that Britons are becoming less honest and are more tolerant of behaviour like lying, having an affair and drink driving than they were ten years ago.

The survey was carried out by the University of Essex, which has just launched Britain's first Centre for the Study of Integrity.

Researchers found that, in 2000, 70 per cent of people believed that an extra-marital

affair could never be justified. Today only 50 per cent say the same.

In addition, the proportion of people who say picking up money in the street is never justified fell from 40 per cent to 20 per cent.

The Independent reports that lying and breaking the speed limit have also become an accepted part of life.

Lying in a job application and having an affair are less acceptable, but many people don't rule them out.

There have also been smaller changes in attitudes towards failing to report damage to a parked car, buying stolen goods and drink-driving.

The only behaviour that people are more disapproving of is cheating on benefit claims.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

BACK in 2007 Valencia appeared to be THE place to be in Spain. Thousands of holiday homes were springing up around luxury golf courses, and the America’s Cup Yacht Race boats proudly lined the city’s port.

In 2008 PP party leader Mariano Rajoy (pictured) even declared the Valencia regional government an example of efficient administration, saying: “This is the model that I would like to apply to the government of Spain.”

Four years on and the then Valencia government leader Francisco Camps is on trial for corruption and Valencia, once the envy of the country, is an economic basket case and mired in an institutional, financial and economic crisis.

It’s hard to keep up with Valencia’s corruption scandals: in Castellón, an airport that should never have been built; in Valencia, the Emarsa sewage-treatment affair; in Alicante, the Brugal case; and hovering over the entire region, the Gürtel kickbacks-for-contracts affair, in relation to which Camps is being judged.

The region has become politically untouchable; Rajoy has not included a single politician from the region in his national government. A veteran PP member says the prime minister has effectively set up a cordon sanitaire around his government “in the hope of protecting himself from any time bombs that have not yet been detected but could go off in the future.”

The Gürtel network of bogus service contracts was fed with taxpayers’ funds, but it wasn’t the only method used to make money by business people with the right political connections. There were scandals around high profile development projects such as Terra Mitica and Ciudad del Luz film studios, and over events such as the Grand Prix.

Despite a promise that no public money would be used, the Grand Prix cost the tax payer 80 million euros with a contract for seven more events set to land the public with a 244 million euro bill.

Incredibly, Camps re- sible financial irregularities mained popular even while still under investigation. facing trial over bribery Camps portrayed himself charges. He was re-elected as the victim of a witch hunt with an increased majority in by political opponents, last May’s regional elections. judges and left-leaning But by the end of the year, media. Asked in December Camps was facing charges 2010 to comment on some for allegedly receiving tailor- of the allegations, he said made suits in return for pub- that "nobody should believe lic contracts, with further pos- Soviet-style propaganda

FROM GLITZ TO THE PITS regions' financial system collapsed, in turn cutting off credit to businesses. With Valencia’s bonds now at “junk” status, the region is unable to look for money on the international markets.

Valencia's regional government faces a 62-billion-euro debt, with no means to raise money other than by tax hikes. Savage spending cuts are expected and have already hit education and healthcare hard.

At the end of last year, the central government had to bail out Valencia to help it pay a loan back to Deutsche Bank.

In return, Rajoy told Fabra he would have to implement major cuts. But the problem is not simply about reducing spending; it's about finding the money to pay suppliers. More than 450 schools face closure as they have no funding.

Fabra will have his work cut out, but has already met with scale international events. hostility from many in the To do this they relied on the region's parliament. region’s savings banks.

Observers say Rajoy's Bancaja and CAM financed refusal to have anything to do Terra Mítica, the new with Valencia is not helping: if Formula 1 track in Valencia Fabra is to press ahead with and Castellón's airport. the cuts demanded by the PP, When the construction bub- he will need support from ble burst, the regional gov- Madrid, they say. ernment owed millions.

The fiesta is most certainly In the process, the over.

How Valencia fell off the top of the world against everything that has been achieved in Valencia.

"But eventually the weight of accusations made Camps a political liability to his own party, and he resigned.

He was replaced by Alberto Fabra, the former mayor of Alicante, who was unable to blame the region's disastrous finances on any-

body else but his predecessor. "We knew things were bad, but we had no idea that they were this bad," says a senior Valencia official.

So how did things get this bad? Successive administrations, but particularly that of Camps, based economic growth on construction, tourism and hosting large-

Spain fears free Scotland

BELIEVE it or not, Spain is standing in the way of Scotland's ambitions to become an independent nation within the European Union, because of fears that it could spark the break-up of the Spanish state.

According to The Independent, senior Whitehall sources have confirmed that Spanish officials have registered concerns with counterparts in the United Kingdom over the Scottish government's independence blueprint.

Spain has indicated it could block an independent Scotland's accession to the European Union, sources said. Spain has already refused to recognise Kosovo's existence as an independent state. Madrid fears such moves will encourage separatist ambitions in Spanish regions, particularly Catalonia and the Basque region. Spain's refusal to recognise Kosovo has frustrated the former Serbian province's ambitions to enter the union.

The Catalan premier, Artur Mas, last week drew parallels with Scotland as he argued for a new financial deal with Madrid.

"Spain refuses to speak publicly about Scotland at this stage," a senior Foreign Office source said yesterday. "But they have been making it clear for a number of years they are apprehensive about the prospect of Scotland becoming independent.

The renewed debate about the referendum has started it all again."

A Spanish veto would undermine claims an inde-

pendent Scotland could immediately operate as a viable state. Although Alex Salmond insists Scotland would be able to join the EU following a ‘yes’ vote in a referendum, experts maintain membership would not come automatically.

An official House of Commons briefing paper on the subject points out decisions on membership must be agreed unanimously by all EU member states. It added, "It is worth considering, if there is a continuing UK, it would have a vote on an independent Scotland's accession application, as would other member states with their own internal regional

independence issues, such as Spain."

The implications an independence vote could have beyond UK borders emerged as the latest front in a war of attrition between London and Edinburgh. Mr Salmond will begin a counteroffensive this week with the

launch of a consultation on an independence referendum. On Tuesday, the First Minister will be in London to promote the idea of a "new union of independent countries".

Michael Moore, the Secretary of State for Scotland, called on Mr Salmond to use his launch "to address the key issues that currently stand in the way of a referendum".

He added: "I hope they will acknowledge the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to hold a legal referendum, and that a Section 30 order devolving that power is the best way to proceed.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

GHOSTS - A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE What will science reveal over the NEXT 100 years?

IT’S a fair bet that by the year 2112, scientists will have long discovered that there are more dimensions to life than we can imagine.

In fact, prove me wrong, and I’ll give £1,000 to anyone who produces this article exactly 100 years from now.

Joking aside, I am not so stupid as to dismiss the bizarre stories of ghosts, UFOs, alien abductions and the like as the fantasies of , shall we say, colourful minds.

I spent an hour on Saturday with local expat Mike Sweeney, originally from Southport, whose family have spent the last few months living in a haunted house near Guardamar (I’m not saying where in case it sends local house prices crashing to the point where the sellers pay the buyers!).

It is only recently that cash-strapped Mike, his wife Debbie and their teenage children Aaron and Hollie managed to ‘escape’ to a new rented home where the supernatural action seems to have disappeared.

Whether equipment and cans will still continue to fly ghostly figure, seven feet tall, about involuntarily in bars he appearing virtually every frequents Is another matter. night, a mobile phone continTheir nightmare began ually dialling 112 by itself, with a mobile telephone dis- and a non-existent 5am ‘visiappearing during the night tor’ crunching up the gravand then turning up on a bed elled drive to the front door. two weeks later after being With the help of a digital turned off and then back on. recorder, Mike claims to have The subsequent sequence not only seen, but actually of bizarre happenings includ- spoken to the shadowy ‘presed a Playstation control pad ence’, which can be seen on disappearing in front of Mike the stairs in the photograph. and Aaron and then being Asked for his name, he found in a completely differ- replied in a ghostly whisper, ent place two hours later, a either ‘Alberto’ or ‘Roberto’.

The Broadband and Telephone Company

966 784 532

SCARECASE: A ghostly shadow fills the staircase in this photo taken by Mike Sweeney (pictured left) at the home he insists was haunted Later, another whisper floated though the air, asking: ‘Why do you keep calling me?’’

When Mike called in a clairvoyant, the young psychic couldn’t get away quick enough. Terrified, she ran off praying the spectre didn’t follow her home.

So what is it all about? Do ghosts exist or are the Sweeneys imagining things?

I doubt it’s all in the mind because Mike is not the only one to have experienced the mysterious activity.

But could the explanation be that he has been subjected to unusual natural forces which man has yet not discovered and harnessed.

In other words, the ‘happenings’ may be an intrusion from a Fifth Dimension to life (and perhaps death) that those of us in this thirddimensional world cannot access – yet.

There are so many examples of supernatural events all around the globe that the phenomenon has to be taken seriously. The same thing goes for UFOs – thousands and thousands of sightings, many by large groups of people, are surely evidence that, in the words of Spock: There is life, Jim… but not as we know it.

I am no expert on the supernatural, but much of what Mike has experienced smacks to me of classical poltergeist activity.

Wikipedia describes a pol-

tergeist as “a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about . . .’’

Apparently, the agents for the poltergeist activity are often children or teenagers – which figures in Mike’s case.

Apart from Aaron and Hollie, he himself had, shall we say, unusual experiences as a youngster.

That should have been it.

But a bizarre incident that occurred on Monday – less than 48 hours after I interviewed Mike – that could have come straight out of a Hammer House of Horror movie.

I was crossing the road to

the Courier office with a colleague when a stationary car, which had been parked about 20 feet in front of us.

Suddenly revved loudly and shot back in reverse at boyracer speed.

We both screamed and at the same time dashed for safety – the car screeching to a halt literally an inch from flattening us.

Shocked, breathless and relieved, we went to remonstrate with the driver…and in the driving seat found, not a wild young man, but a repentant white-haired Swedish clergyman who must have apologised a dozen times for his inexplicable behaviour.

I didn’t ask his name, which maybe just as well. It’s probably Alberto or Roberto.

Or even Damien…

8

Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Holden fights for her life as she gives birth to baby girl TALENT show star Amanda Holden has given birth to a baby girl – after three days in a ‘critical condition’. The Britain’s Got Talent judge was treated in intensive care after giving birth to daughter Hollie Rose Hughes on Monday.

The 40-year-old – believed to have been eight months into her pregnancy – was now recovering, her publicist Alison Griffin said last night. ‘Hollie Rose is healthy and weighed in at 2.8kg (6.1lb) but Amanda has been in a critical condition for the past three days,’ she added. ‘She is now stable and we expect her to make a full recovery soon.’

The seriousness of her condition was revealed when Ms Griffin said: ‘Until Amanda is in a position to indicate what she wants to say, there’s no more information I can give.’

The TV star was scheduled to film Britain’s Got Talent this week with Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams, but admitted herself to hospital on Monday.

The birth of her second child follows a string of heartbreaks for Ms Holden and hus-

band Chris Hughes.

She had a stillborn son while she was seven months pregnant in February last year and suffered a miscarriage in 2010.

A spokeswoman for the ratings topping ITV talent show said: ‘We extend our congratulations to Amanda and Chris on the birth of Hollie and wish Amanda a speedy recovery.’

Speaking backstage at the National Television Awards after picking up his award for Best Entertainment Programme, Michael McIntyre said: ‘I’m over the moon for Amanda. ‘It’s been a very tough year for her so I’m so glad she’s had her baby.’ And former Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan also offered his congratulations. He wrote: ‘So happy for @Amanda_Holden & Chris on the birth of Hollie Rose.’

Holden, who pulled out of her role in Shrek when she fell pregnant, wed music producer Mr Hughes in 2008. The couple already have a six-yearold daughter, Alexa, known as Lexi.

for the world to see.

Until now, the move has been voluntary but users are being told they have just seven days to choose the photos, posts and life events they want to make public on their

homepage.

Meanwhile, the European Commission yesterday proposed sweeping reforms to protect personal data online, including a ‘right to be forgotten’.

Redknapp ‘victimised’ for his roots

HARRY REDKNAPP claims he was ‘victimised’ for being a Cockney, his tax evasion trial heard yesterday. The Spurs boss (right) also said there was ‘nothing on me in this world’ and he was ‘sick and tired’ of allegations being levelled at him.

Prosecutors said excuses given by Redknapp and Milan Mandaric for their alleged receipt of a £189,000 ‘bung’ were ‘contradictory, inconsistent and lacking credibility’. The trial continues at Southwark crown court.

Damilola’s killer let out of jail early

Facebook gives users 7 days to safeguard their privacy FACEBOOK users’ profiles are being updated – whether they want them to be or not.

They will all be switched to the new-look Timeline which will expose their entire history

9

Best wishes: Amanda Holden

ONE of schoolboy Damilola Taylor’s killers, who was sent back to jail for breaching the terms of his licence, has been released from Pentonville prison.

Ricky Preddie , who was jailed with his brother Danny for eight years in 2006 for manslaughter, was originally released in September 2010 but sent back to jail last March. Damilola’s father, Richard, said: ‘If I had my way, the two brothers should have been hung for what they did to Damie.’

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Friday, January 27, 2012

LIFE IS STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS

I RETURNED home the other day wearing a pained expression.

Mrs S immediately sensed that something was wrong.

'Are you ill?' she asked. 'Only I'm going food shopping. But if your illness turns out to be a hospital job I won't have to buy in any stuff for you.

She pondered for a moment and then said: 'You are okay with hospital food, I take it.'

'I was just about to ask you the same question,' I hissed, counting to 10.

Mrs S winked. 'Only joking,' she said. 'Are you really poorly, darling?'

I shook my head. 'I just felt slightly uncomfortable walking home just now.'

Mrs S sighed. 'Don't tell me you put both feet into the same leg of your underpants again. I keep telling you to dress in front of the mirror.'

'It's not that,' I mumbled. 'It's just that I saw two magpies together.'

'Nothing to worry about,' Mrs S reassured me. 'The rhyme says that it's one for sorrow and two for joy. So you're going to experience something quite delightful in the near future.'

She scratched her head in a gesture of puzzlement. 'At the same time I don't believe you'd know what delight was if you fell over it in the street.'

'But you don't understand,' I said. 'Two magpies might signify a pleasurable event.

But the two birds I saw were having a fight.'

'Oh,' said Mrs S. 'Never mind. It's all silly superstition anyway. So are you taking me

shopping?'

One thing I can say in Mrs S's favour is that, unlike some wives, she doesn't drag me off to different supermarkets all over the place.

No, we go to the same store -- albeit seven times a week.

'But why go every day?' I cried out once.

'Don't you trust the suspension on my car to accommodate a week's shopping?'

'It's just that I like to buy fresh daily,' she pointed out. (What, even boiled sweets?)

'I heard what you just thought,' she said.

'Yes, even boiled sweets. I never trust expiry dates.

'And besides, I like that store's oven chips because they're all the same length.'

Now, we've been married for many years but I still can't get my head around that one.

I mean it's not as if Mrs S is attempting to remodel the kitchen floor surface with interlocking potato pieces. Or maybe it is. Go figure.

Anyway, we left the house and spotted the two magpies still scrapping.

'Fingers crossed I've got my lucky rabbit's foot with me,' whispered Mrs S as she climbed into the car.

'Can we stop at the library first?' she asked as I drove to the supermarket which lay in the opposite direction.

'But why do we have to go to the library first?' I asked, executing an almost-perfect U-turn on the busy main road.

'Because it's Sunday and the library shuts early.'

'It can't be Sunday,' I muttered. 'The Great Escape isn't on telly this afternoon.'

So we got to the library and Mrs S dragged me over to the fiction section.

'How about this large compendium of short stories?' I ventured.

'No good,' she said, indicating the book's thickness. 'I've just not got the time to read short stories.'

I mentally placed that remark on the list under 'same-length chips.'

'Ooh, this looks a good one,' said Mrs S. She turned to the fly leaf and commenced to read.

'It's about this servant girl who's ravished by the son of the lord of the manor and she's thrown out into the snow when it's discovered she's with

child . . .'

'Seen the film,' I yawned. ' . . . and she's thrown into the workhouse where she brings up her son single-handedly. Then she gets a job at the local mill and years later she takes over the factory . . .'

'Don't tell me!' I interrupted. 'And then she meets handsome pipe-smoking Gregory and with one bound he is by her side, hovering seductively over her thin chemise-clad porcelain shoulders . . .'

'Do you mind!' boomed the woman behind the counter. 'This is a library not a bawdy house!'

Oblivious to the trouble I now found myself in with Conan the Librarian, Mrs S flipped to the end of the book and read the whole of the last page to herself.

'Great!' she exclaimed. 'I haven't read this one before. I'll take it.'

I added that bit of business to the list under 'no time for short stories' and allowed myself to be escorted from the premises by the security man.

Mrs S and I had lunch at the supermarket -- I tried not to mentally measure the length of the chips -- and after doing a bit of shopping we returned home.

The magpies were still brawling outside, unless it was two different magpies. Either way I was still feeling twitchy.

I collapsed onto the sofa and switched on the television for some relaxed viewing.

'Oh, no,' I groaned as Hitchcock's The Birds came on.

'Never mind,' said Mrs S. 'Have a boiled sweet. They're fresh.'

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Friday, January 27, 2012

SAY IT IN SPANISH Learn the lingo - with a little help from JEANETTE ERATH ¡HOLA! I hope you are enjoying learning some words in Spanish and that you are beginning to put them into practice as you go about your daily lives.

One thing to consider when learning a new language is that you need a good dictionary. The old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is relevant here; however, as you are just starting off on the journey, a basic dictionary will do you. Not a pocket size one, but you don´t need the complete allsinging version either. Keep it handy, in a place you know where to find it at all

times, so that when you see or hear a word you don´t understand you can go straight to the dictionary and track it down.

Another good idea is to carry a pen and notebook when you´re out and about, so that when you see a word or phrase, you can write it down and look it up when you get home.

This week we are going to start to learn numbers and telling the time. We’ll begin with the numbers up to 60 – the number of minutes in an hour.

NUMBERS 1 – 60 1 – uno, 2 – dos, 3 – tres, 4 – cuatro, 5 – cinco, 6 – seis,

7 – siete, 8 – ocho, 9 – nueve. 10 – diez, 11 – once, 12 – doce, 13 – trece, 14 – catorce, 15 – quince, 16 – dieciséis, 17 – diecisiete, 18 – dieciocho, 19 – diecinueve, 20 – veinte, 21 – veintiuno, 22 – veintidós, 23 veintitrés, etc.

However from thirty you add ´y´ (and) 30 – treinta, 31 - treinta y uno, 32 – treinta y dos, 33 – treinta y tres, etc.: 40 – cuarenta, 41 – cuarenta y uno, 42 – cuarenta y dos: 50 – cincuenta, 51 – cincuenta y uno, 52 – cincuenta y dos: 60 – sesenta Now we know the numbers, we have two ways to tell the time: The first is the way we say it in English with O´Clock, quarter to, quarter past, half past, five to, five past, etc.

To say O´Clock is simply ´son las´ and the hour, for example 2 o´clock is son las dos, 3 o´clock is son las tres.

The exception is that any time beginning with 1 becomes ´Es la´ so, 1 o´clock would be es la una.

Half past: you simply add the hour and y media. F´or example, half past two is son las dos y media, half past three is son las tres y media, and half past one, es la una y media.

Quarter past: say the hour and add y cuarto. For example: quarter pas two is son las dos y cuarto, quarter past three, son las tres y cuarto and quarter past one, es la una y cuarto. Don´t get mixed up with cuarto and cuatro (four).

Quarter to: say the hour and menos cuarto, which translates as less a quarter, so, quarter to two is son las dos menos cuarto, quarter to three is son las tres menos cuarto and, of course, quarter to one is es la una menos cuarto.

To say times in between those above, you simply use ´y´ for past and ´menos´ for to, examples 2.55 - son las tres menos cinco 4.10 - son las cuatro y diez 2.25 - son las dos y veinticinco 6.35 - son las 7 menos veinticinco The other way to tell the time is to say ‘five fifty five’, ‘six forty five’etc. which is why we´ve learnt the numbers up to

60. But it is just as easy to say ‘five to six’ as long as you remember it is six ‘less five minutes’.

A few words which can be used with the time, along with the days of the week you already know: What time is it? (‘what hour is it’) – ¿Que hora es?

Today – Hoy (don´t forget the ´h´ is silent so it is pronounced oy as in boy) Tomorrow – Mañana Yesterday – Ayer (pronounced ay as in hay and er as in

air...ay air) In the morning – de la mañana In the afternoon – de la tarde At night – de la noche Es mediodía – it´s midday, noon Es medianoche – it´s midnight Don´t forget, every time you pass a clock, practise saying the time and whenever anyone asks you, tell them in Spanish.

A bit of homework: Write the following times in Spanish five o´clock; 4.30, 3.15, 2.45, one o’clock, 6.30, 2.55, 8.10, 9pm, 7.45am, 1.30pm, 10.45am, 12.18pm.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

THE SPANISH PRESS

FLAMING BULL KILLS MAN AT FESTIVAL DURING a festival in Navajas in Catalonia a flaming-horned bull trampled and fatally gored a man in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The mayor of the small town of Navajas, with a population of just 730, said emergency services were unable to save the life of the 45-year-old victim, whose name was withheld.

Jose Vicente Torres said the accident happened when the man, who had travelled from Alboraia, about 70 kilometres to the south, tripped just as the bull was released.

Torres said the bull charged the man, gored him and then stamped on his head, causing him “irreversible injuries”.

The mayor said he had offered his condolences to the man’s family, but would not cancel similar events on the Sunday.

“Although ours is a small town, many people from outside come to visit our feast dedicated to Saint Anton,” Torres said, adding that black bows had been tied to town

Red for danger: The bulls are set alight and tormented

hall flags as a mark of respect and mourning.

Many towns in this part of the country celebrate feasts with “toros embolados,” or “flaming bulls”, which feature the animals racing around and shaking their heads as a reaction to flames or fireworks attached to or close to their horns.

While Catalonia has banned bullfighting, the region passed legislation protecting flaming bulls.

Many critics said banning one act while enshrining the other in law was hypocrisy.

La Opinion THE Costa Concordia shipwreck may seem like something that should never have happened, metres from land and on still waters, but a very similar disaster was front page news just over 100 years ago, only that time it took place in Murcia, in the port of Cabo de Palos.

On August 4, 1906 almost 400 of the 822 passengers drowned when another Italian liner hit rocks off the coast of La Manga.

The ship, El Sirio, had set off from Italy on August 2nd, headed for Buenos Aires.

It was only scheduled to dock at Barcelona and Cape Verde, but the captain appears to have had other plans. His own personal itinerary included stopping at Aguilas, Almeria and Malaga.

It is believed he picked up poorer passengers from these ports, who paid him 100 pesetas in cash, in the hope of making a better life for themselves in Las Americas.

In a bid to save fuel and shorten distances, the captain sailed dangerously close to the coast, despite the known risks of getting too near to Isla Hormigas, off Cabo de Palos.

At four in the afternoon, in calm waters, El Sirio was sailing at top speed when its hull was smashed by rocks three miles from the coast. It took 24 hours to sink, eventuKnut Frostad ally breaking into three pieces. and a holed hull.

Both wrecks appear to The third leg promises to be just as hazardous with have a common denominathe fleet racing more than tor: the stubbornness of the 3,000 nautical miles across captains, who ignored nautithe Indian Ocean, through cal protocol and put the lives the Malacca Strait and into of their passengers at risk. the South China Sea. And, in both cases, the The fleet will face mon- captain jumped ship before soon winds and long everyone was safe. stretches of upwind sailing Both tragedies saw local through rough seas and fishermen rush to rescue surbusy shipping lanes. vivors.

PIRATES FORCE RACE ON TO ARMED SHIP SEVERAL boats competing in the Volvo Ocean Race were lifted aboard an armed ship and transported to the safe haven of the Maldives capital because of the threat of pirates along the east coast of Africa.

Dutch ship Happy Diamond was protected by barbed wire when it delivered the six-strong fleet safely to Male.

“It has been a very tense and difficult time for us, and obviously we did not want to have to take this measure,” race CEO Knut Frostad said.

For the first time in the race’s 38-year history, boats were transported in late December on an armed e it tion to the fall, becaus ship through the Indian year breaks an almost 50Ocean. They completed the life in tendency of rises leg with a short sprint into ograexpectancy,” said dem Abu Dhabi in the first week of e tev pher Albert Es of January. a Autónom Barcelona’s The race, which started University. in late October from t ins The INE warned aga Alicante, has already had the into ch mu reading too be its share of drama. The drop saying it could boats were forced to sus. ted rela weatherpend racing four times because of broken rigging

y c n ta c e p x e fe li in p First dro an- El Pais THE average life expect ain Sp in g livin ple cy of peo an average July expected to live fell slightly between compared rs, yea 87 78. of 1 to 0, and 2010 and June 201 201 in 94 78. htly with 81.87 years, very slig n 84.82 me wo sh ani Sp ord lower than in 2010, acc 84.91. ics years, down from ing to the National Statist though we are talking “Al Institute (INE). dredths, six about a drop of hun Figures for the first princiin ant lev show possibly irre months of 2011 pay attento e hav you , ple now Spanish men are

Death cruise a reminder of 1906 tragedy in Murcia

Friday, January 27, 2012

LÍNEA DIRECTA, THE BEST COMPANY FOR EXPATRIATES AT THE BEST PRICE Since 1998 Línea Directa, the market leader in the sale of direct car, motorbike and home insurance in Spain, has offered an exclusive telephone service entirely in English and German. This service, the first of its kind in Spain, forms part of the company’s commitment to quality and excellence, which have also made it the market leader in this business sector, due to the fact that it currently has over 63,000 foreign customers residing in Spain.

As a result, services such as purchasing a policy, making enquiries, processing claims, sending documents and 24-hour assistance can all be carried out in English or German at a time which is convenient for the customer by making just one phone call.

And not only does Línea Directa offer the best, it also offers its services at the most competitive price on the market.

A real case

“This email to confirm receipt of insurance settlement in my bank account today.

Many thanks for the professional and efficient way you have dealt with this claim.

Regards.”

Call now 902 123 104

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14

Friday, January 27, 2012

TIBA – The International Business Association.

2002 - 2012. Celebrating 10 years of supporting businesses and providing quality services from it's members to the public.

In April of this year, TIBA will be celebrating 10 years as one of the Costa Blanca's main and possibly longest running business groups Many people still ask however ?

What IS TIBA and what does it do ?...well....the answer is very simple:

TIBA works in 2 ways: 1. FOR BUSINESSES. TIBA provide networking opportunities and support to legally registered, professional businesses and business owners.

This involves: • Checking that a business is registered to legally trade in their chosen sector • Businesses being voted into the group at a weekly meeting • Providing a wealth of knowledge and experience between all business owners • Offering professional services to the public, secure in the knowledge that they adhere to the self regulated code of conduct and are accountable for services provided.

2. FOR THE PUBLIC. Ensuring professional services to the public and a place for business owners to be accountable.

This involves: • Being a point of reference, should you be dissatisfied with a members services • Quality Assured Services from TIBA members • That all businesses under the TIBA banner are legally registered • Reassurance that your chosen service or product has

been provided by someone who takes pride in what they do

TIBA members want your return business.

That is why all members agree to provide their services based on the TIBA code of conduct. Our members volunteer to adhere to this, because they want you, the service purchasers to feel secure that you are receiving quality services and products.

Our members services cover a wide spectrum of the business world and include: • Business to Public Services • Business to Business Services.

Whatever you are looking for, there is bound to be a TIBA member providing it for you.

TIBA wants YOUR BUSINESS ....JOIN US..

In today's current financial and employment situation, we could all really benefit from a little support or helping hand.

If that is merely being able to share your thoughts with other business people, bounce ideas around or get some reassurance that you are on the right track, then make TIBA your first stop.

TIBA are an inclusive business group and welcome all businesses from all sectors and there is no limit on the amount of businesses in any particular sector. Our only stipulation is that you are legally registered.

Whether you are a seasoned business owner or are just starting out, the members of TIBA will offer you a warm welcome and great support network, as well as regular Social occasions (we all need to let our hair down occasionally, even those of us with none).

In the Community.

TIBA are proud to support local Charities and offer help in various ways via donations, charitable events and fun days, raising funds for those who need it most.

CALLING ALL LEGALLY REGISTERED BUSINESS OWNERS. COME ALONG TO OUR OPEN DAY. If you are in business like the idea of being in a supportive, friendly & professional business association, why not come along to our Open Day:

THURSDAY 2nd FEBRUARY at 10.00 a.m.

At: FIT 4 ALL PUNTA PRIMA TORREVIEJA

..to see what we do and how we do it.

As TIBA prepares to enter into the next 10 years, as one of the leading business groups in the region, we hope that you will be there to join us.

Visit: www.tibacb.com for more information on our association and a full list of our members and their business sectors.

Friday, January 27, 2012

15

From union relics to brothers grim A COUPLE of weeks ago I heard the early ’70s pop record, Part of the Union by The Strawbs, and it was a fascinating memory of the time when the unions ruled the roost in the UK. It really was a case of “Out Brother, Out Brother out!” if the unions didn’t like anything, and the shop stewards all seemed to be like Fred Kite, the wonderful creation of the great Peter Sellers in the movie, I’m All Right Jack.

I even remember being affected by the unions in my very early broadcasting days.

One of my first interviews was with a prominent Labour MP at his house, and he quickly asked me whether or not I was a union member, as if it was any of his business!

He could tell that I was somewhat green behind the ears, and nervous on my first assignment, but I don’t think he was joking, and so I told a lie. He then proceeded to spout on in an unmemorable manner into my microphone, which I could barely keep still with my shaking hand.

Some months later, I started doing freelance television work in the North of England, which was hastily terminated with reluctance by the management when they discovered I was not a member of the Equity union.

The “closed shop” was well and truly alive and kicking, and my chance of being a TV announcer was promptly ended!

Until the early ’80s, trade union leaders wielded so much power, it was incredible, with undemocratic practices and a lack of secret balloting. You would have the sight of card votes, with the union barons holding up two or three million votes in their hands, which were pre-determined in cabals in smoke filled rooms.

Those were the days of Vic Feather, Len Murray, Joe Gormley, Hugh Scanlon, Jack Jones, Ray Buckton and Clive Jenkins as well as smaller figures on the shop floor like Derek “Red Robbo” Robinson, and an up and coming NUM leader in Yorkshire called Arthur Scargill.

These names just popped up on the TV in every news bulletin and current affairs programme, and every word they uttered was treated as if it had been personally passed down

by Moses.

Strikes were the norm in the ’70s as Britain teetered on the edge of economic disaster, and the voters ran away from it in the two General Elections of 1974. That’s when Ted Heath asked the question, “Who runs Britain?” on the back of the Three Day Week and the showdown with the miners.

Not for the first time, the British public funked away from making a fundamental decision, and Heath’s Industrial Relations laws were repealed as Labour took power. Then, some five years down the line, far tougher medicine appeared in the form of Margaret Thatcher.

Ironically, Thatcher probably only won the 1979 election because the unions chose to dump on Jim Callaghan in the famous “Winter of Discontent”. And if some of them had used a bit of restraint, then Sunny Jim would have been voted back, and the pain they were to suffer in the Thatcher Years would not have happened.

Instead, they got a massive payback from the Tories for what happened in the ’70s, and UK trade unionism was never the same again.

I’m walking down Memory Lane here because one or two union leaders are desperately trying to get people interested in what they think, on the back of some pretty sensible talk from the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.

The two Eds have launched a dramatic change in direction for Labour over the last couple of weeks, born out of pragmatism and common sense. They have all but admitted that if they were in charge, public sector pay rises would have to be curbed, and changes in the pensions introduced.

Job losses would also be inevitable.

Close to two years after their election defeat, the penny has finally dropped, and the period of Labour self-denial is coming to an end. This, though, has all gone down like a lead balloon with some of the union bosses.

Former docker Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, the largest union in Britain, laid into Miliband and Balls big-time for abandoning millions of poorly paid public sector workers - and predicted disaster for Labour at the next General Election.

There was also an underlying threat to lock Unison’s financial coffers that Labour need to fight the next campaign.

It really was a throw back to 30-odd years ago, when the Labour leadership would leap through hoops of fire like a pack of performing poodles to say sorry for upsetting a union leader.

Not these days, as Miliband fought back against McCluskey’s attack, which really was ill-thought out and it’s a fight that he will lose, and lose quickly. Labour learnt in the ’90s that the only way they can win is to be united, and that means no listening space for trade union leaders, who are relics of a bygone age.

The delicious irony is that Miliband had the union votes that gave him his narrow leadership win over his brother back in 2010. But at least Ed can now shout to the tabloids that he’s no longer “Red Ed” as he’s slayed a union dragon with as much puff as a wheezing 60-a-day cigarette smoker.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

THE UK NEWS

£41m BULLSEYE Builder Gareth’s wash-out day

A self-employed builder and his wife have banked a massive jackpot of nearly £41 million from last week's EuroMillions draw.

Gareth and Catherine Bull, from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, scooped the rollover jackpot of £40,627,241 in the draw on January 20.

Gareth, 40, said he bought his ticket on a whim when he could not start a building job because of the weather as he did not want to get rained on.

He drove ‘with the lads’ in his work van to a shop he had never previously been in and bought a Lucky Dip ticket.

He checked his EuroMillions ticket as

is a EuroMillions clean-up

Daily Mirror

usual on TV on Saturday morning and said he knew he had the two Lucky Star numbers because they immediately jumped out at him.

But it very quickly dawned on him he had more numbers than he thought.

Catherine, 35, said: “He came into the bedroom as white as a sheet, the ticket was shaking in his hand and I knew that something wasn't right.

“When he tried to explain that he thought we'd won I thought he was pulling my leg.

“I was in the middle of READING, writing and computer game fans are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s, a straightening my hair and study has suggested. A lifetime of regular told him I wasn't very mental - or cognitive - stimulation is linked to happy with being teased."

Catherine said that a lower risk of dementia.

People who kept their minds occupied ten- even though their winning ded to have lower levels of a “hallmark” numbers were shown on Alzheimer’s protein called amyloid in their television she had to go brains, the report in the journal Archives of online to double check.

Neurology revealed.

"My head was in bits Dr Simon Ridley of Alzheimer’s Research and I thought from the UK, said: “The authors of this small study numbers matched we suggest there may be benefits to keeping an had won £4k, then I active mind throughout life, not just old age. thought it was £40k - but “With 820,000 people in the UK living with the zeros and commas dementia, it is essential we understand the were all in the wrong factors that can lower our risk, so we must place and we couldn't invest in more research.” work it out.’’

An active mind ‘can defy Alzheimers’ Daily Mirror

ABBA back - after 20 years ABBA are set to release their first new song in almost 20 years.

The Seventies super band will bring out new track A Twinkling Star To A Passing Angel in the spring, their first since 1994.

Creators Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus have remixed the old tune from demos and made a medley of unheard material for a new CD release.

They unearthed the composition while working on the re-mastering of the upcoming deluxe edi-

tion of their final 1981 album The Visitors. ABBA remain one of the world's most popular bands and their music received a new lease of life with the Mamma Mia stage show and film.

A statement on the band's website said: "This is the first time since the Thank You For The Music box set in 1994 that ABBA have opened the doors to the tape vaults to release previously unheard music from the group's heyday.’’

Daily Mail

A TEENAGE girl who has eaten almost nothing apart from chicken nuggets for 15 years has been warned by doctors that the junk food is killing her.

Stacey Irvine, 17, (pictured above), has been hooked on the treats since her mother bought her some at a McDonald’s restaurant when she was two.

Shocked doctors learned of her habit when the factory worker, from Castle Vale, Birmingham, collapsed and was taken to hospital after struggling to breathe.

Miss Irvine, who has never eaten fruit or vegetables, had swollen veins in her tongue and was found to have anaemia.

Medics gave her a series of injections and started her on an urgent course of vitamins.

But, despite being warned that she could die if she sticks to her nugget addiction, she still can’t resist the fast food. But she admited: “I am starting to realise this is really bad for me.’’

I didn’t try to kill my wife, officer, it was a ghost A MAN arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse told stunned cops a GHOST had punched and strangled his wife.

Michael West, 41, was arrested after police were called to a disturbance at his home in Wisconsin on January 15.

At the scene, his wife Rebecca told police that he had twice tried to strangle her and punched her in the face when she tried to

Daily Mirror call 911. But, according to a Sheriff’s report, West claimed his wife had been injured in a series of falls.

When pressed specifically about the injuries to his wife’s neck, West is believed to have answered: “A ghost did it.”

An intoxicated West was reportedly arrested and charged with domestic abuse, strangulation, battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

He is currently in the custody.

West’s supernatural excuse has been mocked by paranormal experts.

Filmmaker Ron James told the Huffington Post: “Reports of ghosts attacking people or

making them do things are extremely rare and there is no solid evidence to support them. You won't find anyone who will vouch for them."

James reportedly added that the only way West's claim might be legit is if the house has had documented paranormal activity, or if West and his wife have been known to have otherworldly entities following them.

Friday, January 27, 2012

THE TABLOIDS

£100 TO FILL UP YOUR CAR New fuel fears as top refinery goes under

MOTORISTS are facing the threat of fuel shortages and £100 fill-ups after one of Britain’s biggest refineries went bust this week.

As well as posing a serious risk to forecourt supplies, retailers say petrol prices could soar to record highs as speculators and profiteers capitalise on the disruption.

Diesel prices in particular are set to rise by up to 3p to a record £1.45 a litre, they warn. That would mean more than £100 to fill up a typical family saloon with a 70-litre tank.

MPs and unions joined the chorus warning of shortages while forecourt bosses said there was a risk of parts of the South East ‘grinding to king to customers’.

Coryton supplies around a halt’ after supplies from the giant Coryton refinery in 10% of the UK’s petrol and diesel, and 20% of the total Essex were suspended.

No petrol, diesel or other in the South East.

The warnings came as products, including bitumen Swiss-parent for road building, were lea- Coryton’s company Petroplus filed for ving the site yesterday.

The action came when bankruptcy with the threat the refinery’s owner ran out to up to 1,000 UK jobs.

Tanker drivers at the of cash and was unable to extend its credit facilities. South Killingholme refinery Administrator Pricewater- in Lincolnshire, which suphouseCoopers said it had plies 340 Jet filling stations, no idea when supplies are involved in a separate would resume but was ‘tal- strike.

Daily Mail

17

Corden Bennett..! it’s slimline James Daily Mirror

JAMES CORDEN has always been reassuringly cosy – but not for much longer.

The once portly Bafta-winner has lost FIVE stone. And James, 33, is on course to shed a further 21lb before heading Stateside to make his Broadway return.

During his last theatre run in Manhattan, in 2006/7’s The History Boys, he weighed a notso-slight 21st.

But this time he aims to be tipping the scales at a sprightly 14st 7lb.

He is reportedly the lightest he has been since he was a child – 16 stone.

And he’s done it by dieting and exercising The final incentive was when his theatre hit One Man Two Guvnors was signed up for a run on Broadway.

Headless corpse found: man held

Police at the scene yesterday

A HEADLESS body was found during a blaze in Stockport town centre yesterday (Thursday).

The corpse was discovered on a grass verge in the early hours.

Firefighters called in the police after finding the body while putting out the fire.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Officers were called at 5.10am after fire crews extinguished a blaze on a verge off Wellington Street.

"Police attended and discovered

Daily Mirror the decapitated body of a man believed to be in his 20s.

"Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody for questioning."

The crime scene, near Stockport Magistrates' Court, was cordoned off as forensic examination took place.

Earlier, police said the investigation was in its early stages as they tried to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.

Don’t jail druggies - treat them, says Branson THE war on drugs has failed and users should not be jailed, Sir Richard Branson said on Tuesday.

The Virgin boss, who admits he once smoked cannabis, told the Commons Home Affairs committee that drugs should be regulated, not criminalised.

Daily Express He pointed to Switzerland and Portugal, where he claimed lenient drug laws have cut heroin use in half and reduced HIV infections and violence.

Britain spends most in Europe on its anti-drugs strategy but still

has some of the highest user numbers, Sir Richard told MPs. The failure was caused by “trying to deal with it as a criminal problem rather than a health problem,” he added.

Sir Richard (pictured) called for drugs policy to be switched from the Home Office to the

Department of Health.“Treatment is a lot cheaper than prison and more effective,” he said.

New guidelines will reduce sentences for drug mules and cannabis possession if used for medicinal purposes. Street dealers caught with up to 13lb of cannabis could also be spared jail.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

One-Pot Chicken Dinners Simplify mealtime with chicken recipes that provide the meat, starch, and veggies all in one dish.

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE POT PIE Decrease the time it takes to make old-fashioned chicken pot pie by using a store-bought pie crust and frozen peas. To save even more time, use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the breasts.

You'll need about three cups of shredded chicken.

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, chopped 4 carrots, diced 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 cups 1 percent milk 1 10-ounce package frozen peas 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Salt and pepper 1 9-inch store-bought piecrust, thawed if frozen

Preparation 1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the chicken in a pot of simmering water until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool, then shred.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes (do not let them darken).

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2to 2-quart baking dish.

4. Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust. Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes.

BAKED CHICKEN AND RICE WITH BLACK BEANS One-dish bakes are often smothered with cheese, but this recipe uses the bold Monterey Jack as an accent instead of a featured ingredient.

This dish goes well beyond traditional black beans and rice with the addition of chicken, carrots, and bell peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 (10-oz.) package yellow rice mix • 1 cup chopped onion • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper • 1/2 cup chopped carrot • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 cups cubed cooked chicken • 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained • 1 (10-oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained • 2 cups (8 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, sauté onion, bell pepper, and carrot in hot

oil in a medium skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender.

3. Combine hot cooked rice, onion mixture, chicken, beans, diced tomatoes and chiles, and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 3-qt. or 13- x 9inch baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

4. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

LEMON-ROSEMARY ROAST CHICKEN WITH POTATOES Start cooking the whole chicken in the oven by itself, then add lightly-seasoned potato wedges to the roasting pan to finish the cooking process and ensure that the meal comes together perfectly.

Carve the bird, dish up the potatoes, and serve with the only side you'll ever need with this recipe–a wedge of lemon.

for 40 minutes.

5. Increase oven temperature to 450°, and bake an additional 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of thigh registers 170°. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle the potatoes with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

6. Remove skin from chicken; discard. Carve chicken, and serve with potatoes and lemon wedges.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS The quintessential comfort food, chicken and dumplings is the classic one-pot chicken dinner. Ladle a heaping helping of this soul-warming stew-like dinner into individual bowls for a top-rated dinner tonight.

Ingredients • 1 (3 3/4-pound) whole roasting chicken • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided • 3 garlic cloves, minced • Cooking spray • 3 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 pounds) • 4 lemon wedges

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken; trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

3. Combine 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, rind, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub seasoning mixture under loosened skin and over breasts and drumsticks. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack coated with cooking spray, and place rack in a roasting pan.

4. Toss potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Arrange potato mixture evenly around chicken. Bake at 375°

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 (2 1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut up 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules 3 cups self-rising flour 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/3 cup shortening 2 teaspoons bacon drippings 1 cup milk

Preparation 1. Cover chicken with water, and bring to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and next 3 ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; cool chicken. Skim fat from broth; bring to a simmer.

2. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken. Add chicken, bouillon, and remaining salt and pepper to broth. Return to simmer.

3. Combine flour and poultry seasoning in a bowl. Cut in shortening and bacon drippings with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1-inch pieces.

Bring broth mixture to a boil. Drop dumplings, a few at a time, into boiling broth, stirring gently. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring often, for 25 minutes.

19

Friday, January 27, 2012

You wouldn’t believe it!

WHO’S THAT IN THE WINDOW

THE image is said to bear an eerie resemblance of Frances Grimshaw, who worked at the guesthouse and stood for hours at the same window taking bookings.

David Grimshaw, a former resident at the property, said he was convinced the figure is the ghost of his mother, who died nearly a year ago aged 87.

He believes her spirit may have appeared to protest at the demolition of Meadowbank House, which she adored.

"That is my mother. I'm totally convinced – no one else looks like that. She had glasses and big earrings and she used to wear a dress with a bow at the front," he said.

"She used to stand in that room for hours on the phone – it was the guesthouse reception and she took bookings from there.”

Mr Grimshaw, 59, a managing director, who now lives in Bedford, said: "She would have been horrified if she had known the house was being demolished because it was beautiful, so maybe that is why she's turned up."

Demolition supervisor Robert Johnson, 38, of Heysham, took the photograph of the house short-

ly before it was knocked down, earlier this week but it was only later that he noticed the ghostly figure.

"It wasn't until I got home and showed my wife that we spotted the woman," he said.

"You can see the jewellery on her and everything. I've always been a sceptic but I'll have to believe in ghosts now."

Colleague Stuart Shan, 34, from Blackburn, Lancashire, said: "The day before we took the photo we were stripping the building inside and I noticed the chandelier swinging on its own.

"We said at the time the place felt strange. My hairs were standing on end when I saw the photo.

I believe it is a ghost."

Dave Armstrong, of Kendal contractors Cox and Allen, said the five-gabled building, which was originally a dentist's in the early 1900s, has been taken down to be replaced with a new commercial property.

He said he could not explain the image of the woman. "There was only a black wall behind the window, we had taken everything out – there were no visible features or anything with a skin colour."

Diver sticks camera in You’re mouth of Tiger shark Knicked

A diver gets a close-up he did not bargain for as a tiger shark tries to make a meal of him.

Russell Easton was snapping the shark in the Bahamas when it took a snap at him. “I was looking through the viewfinder of the camera when I suddenly saw this huge mouth and teeth,” said the 42year-old conservationist.

“Sharks bite because that is how they find out what something is.

“It had its mouth wide open and was about to bite me, but bit the camera instead. That gave me a few vital seconds to swim away.”

Despite his lucky escape Russell, from Newcastle upon Tyne, is aiming to return to Cat Island to photograph more sharks.

The picture Russell took

Billion-Euro Home

An unemployed Irish artist has built a home from the shredded remains of 1.4 billion euros, a monument to the "madness" he says has been wrought on Ireland by the single currency, from a spectacular construction boom to a wrenching bust.

Frank Buckley built the apartment in the lobby of a Dublin office building that has lain vacant since its completion four years ago at the peak of an ill-fated construction boom, using bricks of shredded euro notes he borrowed from Ireland's national mint.

"It's a reflection of the whole madness that gripped us," Buckley said of what he calls his "billion-euro home."

"People were pouring billions into buildings now worth nothing," he said. "I wanted to create something from nothing."

A wave of cheap credit flowed into Ireland in the early 2000s after Ireland joined the currency zone fuelling a huge property bubble that transformed the country.

The bubble's collapse since 2007 plunged Ireland into the deepest recession in the industrialized world, forcing the former "Celtic Tiger" to accept a humiliating bailout from the EU and the IMF.

Buckley was given a 100 percent mortgage at the peak of the boom to buy a 365,000 euro home on the far reaches of Dublin's commuter belt, despite the fact he had no steady income.

He has separated from his wife who lives in the home, which has since lost at least one-third of its value.

Living in his "billion euro home" since the start of December, Buckley is working on adding a kitchen to the living room and hall.

The walls and floor are covered in euro shreddings and the house is so warm Buckley sleeps without a blanket.

Pictures made from notes and coins decorate the walls, including one of a house, made from Irish 5 pence pieces.

"There are houses in Ireland worth less than that," Buckley quips.

Buckley said he wants Europe's politicians to solve the eurozone debt crisis without destroying its currency. But if the currency ultimately fails, he will happily use the euro zone's defunct notes as fodder for future projects.

"Whatever you say about the euro, it's a great insulator."

POLICE in Thailand said Wednesday that they had apprehended a thief with more than a thousand pairs of women's underwear in the trunk of his car.

Police also found more than ten thousand pairs at the house of the 48year-old Thai suspect, who was arrested late Tuesday with an accomplice after breaking into a building in Bangkok's Chinatown.

They said the man admitted to stealing and collecting women's underwear since the age of 18.

"He smelled them all the time even while driving," said police Major General Saroj Promcharoen.

The suspect will be charged with stealing property, though not the underwear for now because there is no plaintiff, police said.

Re - Cycled ALTHOUGH the novel idea has been popular among cycling enthusiasts and the environmentally friendly, Rev Sinclair and his wife Marian are just not up to long bike rides anymore and have struggled to find locals willing to take up their job.

'We're simply not fit enough to ride it,' he said.

'It's seen some lovely funerals but we're always wrecked afterwards.

'We beg people who book it not to go too far - we even have to ask if the cemetery is at the top or bottom of a hill.'

The tandem was developed by a sidecar racing engineer and cost £2,250 to build, according to reports.

It is being sold as a going concern and the reverend is inviting offers in excess of its cost price.

The tandem hearse will go on view as part of the Return to Sender display at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Exeter, Devon.

The quirky funeral company also offer motorcycle enthusiasts a Harley Davidson, Suzuki Hayabusa and Triumph - all with hearse sidecars.

Bank robber shoots himself in the foot

northern Paraná, CCTV from a bank in ion when three act the ed Brazil record building on the armed men stormed Monday. ning smoothly for All appeared to be run security guards the as ves the trio of thie bank tellers the quickly capitulated and 0 Brazilian ,00 30 d un aro handed over m. reais (£11,000) to the ck-shirted man Unfortunately the che lookout at the front who was acting as the pistols and an two h wit ed door was arm er. fing apparent itchy-trigger of the weapons Idly fumbling with one

ntally shoot himself he managed to accide in his right hand. in the foot with the gun CCTV limping the on He is last seen his two accomfrom the bank behind plices. bungling robber The following day the a short distance l pita was arrested at a hos ording to Brazilian from the bank, acc media. e six men particiIn total, police believ pite only three of des t, pated in the assaul era. As well as the them appearing on cam to shot himself, ed criminal who manag far been arrested. one other man has so

20

Friday, January 27, 2012

Chill or boogie with best swingers in town THE ever-popular Swingtet-Plus Big Band is back to get you into the groove this February, with two important diary dates for jazz and big band fans to note.

On February 4, Swingtet-Plus Big Band will fill Casa Ventura, San Luis with the sounds of big band favourites such as Perdido, Love for Sale, Autumn Leaves, and Night in Tunisia, along with numbers by Benny Golson, Miles Davis and some of the lesser-known jazz composers.

At Casa Ventura it is all about the music so there will be no dancing; just a chance to chill-out, relax and absorb all the great music performed by this talented band.

Tickets for the Casa Ventura show are €5 on the door. For details call 968 432 630.

If you’re one of those people who just can’t keep your feet still when the sounds of Glen Miller, Buddy Rich and Count Basie burst into life, get along to La Rustika, Avenida Los Baleares, Torrevieja on

February 17 for a lively night of music and dancing.

Swingtet-Plus Big Band promise another of those special nights with fabulous toe-tapping sounds and a packed dance floor.

The nine-piece band, formed and led by Gil Monks on alto sax, features the best jazz musicians in the area.

Joining Gil are Barry Bretton on keyboard, Arthur Buck, drums, Geoff Hull, bass, Andy Briant, trombone, John Atkins and Inge

Sunde, trumpets, Mike Hutchins, tenor sax and Mike Cox, baritone sax.

Their self-proclaimed mission is to keep music alive - and along the Costa Blanca they are certainly succeeding. The band delivers a bright, punchy sound that you cannot fail to love.

Tickets for La Rustika cost €7 and are available from the venue or call 965 703 685 or 622 760 340. There will be a raffle, with the proceeds going to HELP Vega Baja.

Olympic dream job for Showgroup star THE Olympic dream is set to come true for two Costa Blanca locals.

Jo Rich and husband David won’t be competing in any events, but they will have a key role looking after athletes and helping ensure that all runs smoothly at the world’s most prestigious sporting event.

Jo (pictured left) and David waited more than a year after their interviews at Canary Wharf, to finally learn they had been accepted into the 70,000-strong volunteer support team.

Jo explains that at the interview she had to answer questions such as: Have you ever gone the extra mile?

What are your hobbies and IF you’re looking for something a little different from the usual interests?

The second question was round of pub quizzes, crooners and karaoke, writing group easy for Jo to answer as she WordPlay could have just the thing.

The group is staging a new series of Open Mic nights for is an enthusiastic member of Showgroup Torrevieja.

2012 at Chadwick’s in Villamartin.

Clearly her answers Hosted by WordPlay member, John Edwards, the Open Mic nights give local writers a chance to air their words and impressed as Jo is now set to lovers of all-things literary to listen to the Costa Blanca’s writ- join the Families Team. She will look after athletes, make ing talent.

WordPlay will sponsor two competitions as part of the sure they receive important evening – one for poetry and one for prose. Each session messages and information leads to a Grand Final held at the last Open Mic night of the and ensure they get to and year. from their events smoothly Anyone can enter the Open Mic night. Just write a poem or and on time. prose piece on the night’s theme and email to wordplayDavid will be based at the competitions@mail.com a week before the event.

East London stadium as a The first Open Mic night, on February 7, has the theme driver. He will drive to and ‘The 29th Day’. from different venues, with So get writing, or if you just want to listen you only have to special responsibility for turn up on the night at around 7.30 pm. javelin and hammer events.

Fancy a write good night out?

l

January 26 - Apicoco, Playa Honda.

Demonstrations (new Wingz as seen on Dragons Den) €3 tea/coffee/cake, raffle, jewellery. 3-.5pm. Call Celia on 968 574 576.

January 31 - special three-course meal with wine at La Diva Restaurant, Rio Nalon, Los Alcazares, €10. Call 968 134 978.

February 7 - volunteers meet upstairs at The Arches, Los Narejos, 11.45.

February 11 - Hoedown at Crooked Spoon, Los Narejos. Food, raffle, pig racing, live music and more. Call Celia on 968 574 576.

February 14 - charity table-top sale at La Zona Bar, Los Narejos 10am to 2pm.

Contact bar for details.

February 15 - Chatters social group meet at the Garden (El Jardin) at 11am. All welcome.

l l l l l

Showgroup Torrevieja are rehearsing for Paella & Chips Jo and David, who have lived in Spain for four years, are now counting the days to their Olympic adventure.

In the meantime, Jo is keeping busy rehearsing for her role in the Showgroup Torrevieja’s upcoming production of Paella & Chips, which will be performed on February 8, 9 and 10.

Tickets can be reserved from Jenny on 608 129 983 or 966 181 951 and cost €8.

Group discounts available.

Open auditions

CALLING all actors - now is your chance to show off your acting skills!

After much deliberation, Adhoc Theatre Company has chosen its next exciting play, and casting and rehearsals are about to begin, ready for a performance in the spring.

The cast will be chosen at an open casting on February 1 at Bar Catorce in Benijofar from 7.30pm.

Acting experience is not essential, many of the company’s members were new to acting when they joined Adhoc, but a willingness to learn, enthusiasm and dedication are a must.

Anyone wishing to be considered for a role will need to be available for most of February then May 24 - 26, Golf weekend and dinner through until the end of dance with Mary Leishman foundation.

April.

June 3 - Rocking In Roda, barbecue and All age groups are welconcert at Roda. Further details from Celia come, from teens upward. on 968 574 576.

Men especially are in short Second hand book sale, Wednesdays at La Zona Bar, Los Narejos, weather permitting. supply - so get your hubby Buy or sell clothes, bric-a-brac, books, furnioff the sofa and out of the ture - 10am to 1pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, house!

Fridays and Saturdays at Brenda’s Boutique, To learn more email Estrella De Mar. 648 735 540. adhocspain@hotmail.com, www.helpathome.es, email helpathomescall 677 600 809 or join the pain@gmail.com. HAH is sponsored for company’s Facebook page 2012 by Coachtrips SL (David’s).

– Adhoc Theatre Company

HELP AT HOME EVENTS 2012 l l l l l l l l l

February 29 - Fun Quiz night at The Arches, Los Narejos. Teams up to six people.

Chicken and Chips or Spag Bol. €7.50.

Bookings, call Celia on 968 574 576 March 6 - Volunteers meet upstairs at The Arches, Los Narejos 11.45am.

March 8 - Race Night at Si Bar, La Manga Club. Fun night. Leave message with Steve on 968 178 416 and he will get back to you with more details.

March 27 - Auction at La Zona. Turn your unwanted goods into cash. No furniture, but all household and useful items. Call 968 173 842.

Friday, January 27, 2012

21

King and Country tours again FOLLOWING the huge success of last year’s King and Country tour, Jukebox Promotions has added new venues and set up a tour of the show for February.

The all-new show, featuring Peter Day, Fiona McLean and Elvis 2000, will also star Red Strokes and his fabulous Garth Brooks tribute. This unique combination will be a must for all lovers of Country music so, if you missed it last year, make sure you get tickets for the 2012 shows UNMISSABLE: Elvis 2000 and Garth Brooks now.

Peter Day, of Jukebox Promotions says: “We were very excited about the success of King and Country last year and now, with new songs, the combination of Country & Western, Country rock, Garth Brooks and Elvis it will be on tour again over seven venues in February.

“We are very pleased to be working with some fabulous new venues and expect tickets for these shows to sell very fast.”

The tour starts on February 16 at Punta

Prima and will visit La Marina, Gran Alacant, Quesada, Los Balcones, San Luis and La Florida. Show dates are: Thursday 16 - Rocajuna, Punta Prima, €10 including pre show buffet. Sunday 19 - AREA, The Filton Centre, Los Balcones, €7.50 from Cyber Cafe. Monday 20, - La Marina Sport Complex, €7.50. Tuesday 21, Santa Pola Life Resort, Gran Alacant, €8.50.

Wednesday 22, The Club, Quesada, €7.50.

Friday 24, Casa Ventura, San Luis, €7.50.

Sunday 26, Emerald Isle, La Florida, €7.50.

DRESSED TO IMPRESS International show success

THE first International Dressage competition at Finca Montana, Rafal, took place last Sunday.

Spanish, English, German, Dutch and Austrian competitors made up the 34 participants, and around 100 spectators turned out to watch.

Riders were aged from six to sixty.

Dressage is a very strict form of horsemanship, in which the rider is judged on everything from the way they dress to the way they handle the horse.

As a competitive sport, dressage is represented at all levels, from amateur to the World Equestrian Games.

Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardised progressive training methods, a horse’s natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse.

At the peak of a dressage horse’s gymnastic development, the horse will respond smoothly to a skilled rider’s minimal aids. The rider will be relaxed and appear effort-free while the horse willingly performs the

requested movement.

Dressage is occasionally referred to as Horse Ballet.

Although the discipline has ancient roots in Europe, dressage was first recognised as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance. The great European riding masters of that period developed a training system that has changed little since.

Classical dressage is still considered the basis of modern dressage. The basics of dressage should be the foundation of all schooling for horse and rider, whatever discipline each ultimately follows.

Each rider was judged by two very experienced judges.

WHITE HOT: Chloe Victoria Wayte in dressage action Finca Montana, says: “Our philosophy is to work with the nature of the horse. Understanding what makes him the horse he is, reading body language and intent, controlling our emotions for his comfort and guidance, giving us natural leadership as a partner in the art of riding and horsemanship.”

For details of stabling or lessons at Finca Montana call Denise on 672 806 098.

Finca Montana’s next show will be a two-day event on April 7 and 8.

Dressage will take place on day one, with show jumping, gymkhana games and an Easter bonnet parade on day two.

Jessica and Victoria celebrate their sucess!

H A H t r o p p u Golfers s

Rio y last week in A VERY wet da dy An w sa s re caza Nalon, Los Al s ur to lf sta Calida Go Walsh from Co ul Pa to 83 €2 ue for present a cheq lp at ent of HAH He id es pr , ne ur Eb Home. g benefited durin Lots of charities n ow kn , ial golf days 2011 from spec ity rn te fra ng lfi e go throughout th ge, lida Golf Challen as the Costa Ca e th by d ganise which are or company. in sees golfers jo This Challenge s se ur co us rio at va one another area. throughout the rafe had a special “W : id sa Andy Andy Walsh t at La en ev on as se HAH fle at our end of it with d an , no ta n Caye ent d i s e r Rosa bar in Sa p ld ou at HAH sh th d de ne ci ur de Eb Paul was n of ey in appreciatio are so receive the mon r ou urne said: “We rk they do for pants, Paul Eb anks to th all the hard wo n, tio na do for the community. y for grateful golfers who lf Challenge da his team, all the Go d a an d dy ha An e “W ill st ing forward ey ok th lo d e an e year, t us, and we ar or pp su BAR Imanyo, a tra- them earlier in th Calida y pp with the Costa d are always ha to our next day ditional Spanish Bar keep us informed an ” Golf Challenge.” in Daya Nueva, has to work alongside us all the particid an dy An g raised €265 for Paul Thankin Cunningham Nurses. hunt, poker competition, Cycle on February 26 you put on your own But, not satisfied with fun nights, karaoke, live around La Pedrera Lake walk, run or cycle, organthis, bar staff and regu- music, quizzes and much in Torremendo. ise an event with your lars have decided they more.

For further details of the darts team, golf, dance or will raise much more for Throughout the month events at Bar Imanyo call keep fit club, or stage just the charity in 2012. there will be food and Dave G on 665 984 196. about any other event So, from February 1, drink offers and even the Paul Cunningham you can think of. they have a month of chance to win a free bar Nurses is urging other For full details of the fundraising events for 15 minutes. bars, groups and clubs to Charity Challenge Lake planned.

Bar Imanyo will also be follow Bar Imanyo’s fan- Walk, Run or Cycle visit Join them for their dog taking part in The Charity tastic example. www.paulcunninghamBar Imanyo boss, back left, and his February fundraisers racing night, treasure Challenge Walk, Run or The charity suggests nurses.com

Bar to nurse more than a hangover

22

Friday, January 27, 2012

CREATIVE CONCRETE

Creative Concrete offers many ideas that are guaranteed to enhance your property and give it a fresh appeal. The company has hundreds of unique designs to choose from for use on patios, driveways, terraces and pool surrounds, which are guaranteed to set your property apart from the rest.

Carl Yates, the company owner, worked in the trade in the UK for over 15 years, and brought his expertise to Spain 5 years ago. Based in Guardamar, Creative Concrete remains the only British owned company of its kind operating on the coast.

Carl and his team of four highly skilled craftsman will visit clients in their homes to discuss preferences and offer advice.

They conduct a survey of the desired area and take into account technical

Brain – Less

US man Dante Autullo made headlines after accidentally shooting his head with a nail gun, leaving a 9cm-long object lodged in the centre of his brain for almost two days before going to hospital.

Mr Autullo, from Orland Park, Illinois, who later showed off his amazing X-ray photos on his Facebook page, went to hospital 36 hours after he shot himself.

However, he had not realised the severity of the situation because the nail had left only a tiny scratch when it entered his brain making him think it had almost completely missed him.

The father of four was forced to seek treatment after complaining of nausea and headaches after taking a nap, and went for a aspects including drainage, manhole covcheck-up. ers and expansion and contraction joints Doctors hailed him as something of a before calculating an all-inclusive quote for medical miracle as he was 'walking and talkthe work required to be done. ing' - and later revealed the nail had lodged Creative Concrete boasts a glowing repitself just millimetres from the section that utation for providing a reliable and profescontrols motor functions. sional service, and all work is completed Mr Autullo's fiancée Gail Glaenzer said swiftly and efficiently with the least possible she thought it was 'a miracle' he had surinconvenience to the client. Creative Concrete is 100 per cent weed free and requires little maintenance.

If you would like Carl and his team to work their magic on your concrete, ring Carl today on 966 725 149 or 647 124 172. You can also email enquiries to creativeconcretedesign@hotmail.es, we guarantee you will be impressed!

vived, after undergoing successful surgery at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, to remove the nail and install a titanium plate in his skull.

'Un-freaking-believable,' she exclaimed, when asked her thoughts on it by local paper the Naperville Sun. Mr Autullo is said to be recovering well from the ordeal.

Never liked it anyway

A new website, neverlikeditanyway.com, has been set up to dispose of unwanted gifts from relationships that have gone sour.

Annabel Acton, 28, from New York, created the website after her own romance fell apart days before Christmas.

Miss Acton, originally from Australia, had two tickets to London, as well as

artwork and jewellery she did not want to wear anymore, so decided to set up the website to sell it on.

One of the prize items on the site at the moment is a Size 6 never been worn wedding dress. Sellers list the "real world price", in this case $700 (£450), the break-up price of $400 and then they blog about it.

In the case of the wedding dress, the user, bec-

cey0609, wrote: "I tried on this dress and fell in love!

Unfortunately my relationship ended due to the fact that he was a cheater. yea .."

Other items on the site at the moment include a threeday weekend wedding package to upstate New York, a Tiffany silver heart necklace, and a Brown Teddy Bear described as "My First Valentine Gift!!!"

23

Friday, January 27, 2012

RICHARD CAVENDER

Bluemoon Solutions www.bluemoonsolutions.es

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

Richard moved to Spain 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!

Booking appointments online – follow up…

Well there were quite a few emails relating to the article last week about booking appointments for your doctor online – if you have not yet seen the article you can access a copy of it at www.bluemoonsolutions.es/booking-a-spanish-medicalappointment-online A great number of you managed to successfully navigate the maze of menus and questions to book your appointments, thank you for all of you that have emailed in with your appreciation and positive comments.

There were also a few people that had difficulties and this week I hope to help those of you that have had trouble using the website to book your appointments. There are too many emails to answer each of them individually so I shall try to take the more common problems that you have had and answer them here.

Most of the problems are related to the fact that the website uses a security certificate (a way of making your interaction with the site more secure) that is issued to a different website address – you are visiting the website www.san.gva.es and the certificate is issued to the main Spanish Health Service website www.tramita.gva.es. It doesn’t make the site, or your interaction with it, any less secure but it does confuse most web browsers – hence the problems that some of you have been experiencing.

If your Spanish is up to it, there is a help section on the website at www.san.gva.es/val/ciud/estadisticas.html however I can totally understand people having trouble reading it, not least as its in technical Spanish speak!

Here are the answers to the most common problems…

Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter @bluemoonspain Alternatively 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.

1. Content is blocked after clicking on “Cita Por Internet” with Internet Explorer A number of you received the above message but were unable to locate the button on your browser for unblocking the content. If you are using Internet Explorer then the message should either appear at the top of the screen (if you are using Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8) or at the bottom of the screen if you are using Internet Explorer 9, you should click the message and accept that you want to view the blocked content. The help page on the website, which is VERY out of date and doesn’t even have help for Internet Explorer 8 or 9 suggests reducing your Internet Security level, however I would be nervous about suggesting for anyone to do that as long as the “content is blocked” message can be seen and accepted.

Another reason for this error message appearing could simply be because the date and/or time on your computer is wrong, so check that it is set correctly.

2. Error 501 in Google Chrome after clicking on “Cita Por Internet” A good deal of people are unable to use the website at all in Google Chrome, after

some research it seems that the website is simply not designed to work with this browser so those of you that have Chrome as your main browser will either need to use Internet Explorer, which you should be able to find easy enough in your program files (click on the Windows start button and have a look for it) or you can go to www.mozilla.org and download Firefox which is another alternative website browser – it doesn’t have the same problem as Chrome with this website.

3.This Connection is Untrusted after clicking on “Cita Por Internet” with Mozilla Firefox Although it looks very different, this is exactly the same error as that described in point 1, but this is the way that Firefox interprets the error. It’s a bit easier to resolve than Internet Explorer and the best bit is that Firefox will remember for the next time you visit the website. You simply have to click on the “I Understand the Risks” link and then click on the “Add Exception” button, you will be presented with a box allowing you to add the security exception, just click on the “Confirm Security Exception” button and you will be able to access the website.

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

Office: 902 906 200

24

Friday, January 27, 2012

WHY DO THEY DO THAT?

Top dog psychologist PETER SINGH answers questions on the behaviour of pets. If YOUR dog or cat is giving you problems, email peter@thedogyouneed.com

MAKE YO CO

PUPPY LOVE: Peter with Sanchez, rescued from a Spanish sanctuary

I GUARANTEE that rescuing a dog from one of Spain’s many rescue centres is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do.

As I write this, Pedro and Sanchez, two of my dogs from such a sanctuary, are sleeping snuggly in their beds. I still have to pinch myself to realise how blessed and lucky I am to have these two wonderful creations in my life.

And to think that they were in a centre belief.

When choosing a dog from a rescue centre, it is important to follow a few simple rules and use common sense.

Be honest and ask yourself what are YOUR energy levels.

Are you a very active type who goes for a run twice a day, or a ‘couch potato’ who enjoys the slower things in life?

This is such an important factor and I can’t stress it enough.

I have known people who are less active than a ‘couch potato’ go into a rescue centre and walk out smiling with a Husky next to them! This is a complete recipe for disaster.

Huskies are the Olympian athletes of the dog world and if you are not prepared to give them two strenuous workouts each day, it will end in tears. Yes, they are good looking - but It’s not l about looks alone. Look at how many marriages have fallen by the wayside because the whole relationship was based on how the couple looked!

q

SINCE he was a puppy, my telly addict dog Jake has leapt at the TV, barking like crazy every time an animal, bird, cartoon animal, and even science fiction monsters come on the screen!

I have had two dog behaviourists down to see him and we have tried an aboistop collar, putting him in another room, putting him on a lead and making him sit in front of me facing away from the TV, aversion therapy with a water spray, telling him no, making particular noises at him when he does it and of course shouting when all else fails as it always does.

The latter, of course, is no use at all and totally the opposite of what I should be doing but sometimes desperation sets in, especially if I've tried to watch the same bit again and again. (I tend to tape everything now so I can rewind!)

Jake is 11 now and my other dog, Toby, is 9½. Both are rescue dogs who I absolutely love to bits and

MY JAKE HOUNDS ANIMALS ON TELLY

they are pretty well behaved and do as they are told, except for this. Toby never bothered for a long time but Jake has taught him well and now they both do it, and although Toby stops when we tell him to, Jake has selective deafness!

Jake is quite intelligent and remembers the theme music

to any advert with an animal in it. So even if he is in another room, when the advert comes on, in he shoots to leap at the TV. There are times when he starts and we don't know why, and then an animal will appear, maybe at the end.

Even when an advert is

with no home to go beggars

It’s about energy and whether your energy matches that of the dog you would like to rescue.

If you are a less active person, then rescue a dog that isn’t going to need the exercise of a Premiership footballer in pre-season training. Another very important aspect is your energy when you visit the centre to choose a dog.

When you do finally select one of these amazing animals, don’t feel sorry for the past they have lived.

The reason for this is that dogs pick up our sorrow as a weak energy - and a weak energy cannot help any species, it only keeps them trapped in their past.

Think about it. If you have been through a traumatic life experience, people feeling sorry for you can’t help you.

They just keep you in that ‘victim’ state of mind. Only calm, balanced people can help you.

When you do meet a dog you think may be your new best friend, take that dog out

enough exercise.

Dogs that don't get the right amount of physical activity tend to gain obsessions over different things, as this is a way for them to release their energy.

When Jake barks at the shortened and the animal TV, you need to correct him no longer appears, he still as mother nature intended, starts barking at the music not the way humans intended! or at the beginning.

First, make a sound to I taped several for one of the animal behaviourists so get his attention. he could see for himself and Then move into his he was very impressed at space and back him away Jake's ability and even wrote from an article about my boys in the TV. This can be done the newspaper, although that by walking towards him didn't help me of course. and claiming the space.

I haven't been able to When he has backed a few properly watch a Western, feet from the TV, you must vets programme, wildlife doc- then wait until he shows umentary, or even period you calm. The key to this is drama etc for years now. to stay calm and mean the And I'd give anything to correction. just sit down and see a whole There is no touching or programme, including the talking to him during the adverts in peace without hav- correction, just silence. ing to leave the country!

When he is calm, his eyes Any suggestions would be especially will go from a gratefully received, dilated state to a softer ANGIE NICHOLLS, state with normal blinking.

Ciudad Quesada Once he is showing PETER replies: Hi Angie, calm, you then walk away.

First of all, it would appear That is the way his Mother that Jake is not getting would have corrected him.

of the kennel, but d Most humans find it for long, but this is o when you must. To c dog you just need to gy and body langua Remember, first im your new dog will fe you using this appro Once you have ta kennel, go for a ca your new pet gets a If after all of this you matched, then cong be a relationship ba species, i.e. silent e normal high pitche people speak to a d

Why they do tha You are speaking t detect cancer qui can write out a pre otics!

All lov no disc q

I HAVE a five-year-old King Charles Spaniel who, as you can appreciate, is adorable and usually well behaved, and easily trained.

Since he was a puppy, he has been allowed in the bedroom (I have had dogs in the past and they have never ever been allowed upstairs, never mind the bedroom).

Recently, when my husband comes to bed and the light is off, the dog growls at him and makes it difficult for him to get into bed. Not good.

He also licks us when we show affection to each other or not – don’t mind the licking but he does not stop unless we move away.

We are going away for a few days and my neighbour has a dog as well.

How do I introduce them, and how will I know that they will get on?

JANE Villamartin PETER replies: It would appear that you are giving your dog love, love and more love.

Somewhere along the line discipline has to be a part of the relationship,

25

Friday, January 27, 2012

Our dog won’t let us go swimming!

HAVING seen your new column in The Courier, I though I would contact you regarding our dog. We have a lovely 10-year-old German Shepherd cross (with what, we can’t be sure!), a rescue dog we have owned since she was eight weeks old.

We have a swimming pool in our garden and she is not very keen on us using it. If we so much as put a toe into the water she gets very distressed and starts whining/crying/barking and running all around the perimeter of the pool itself.

She stops when we get out, but unless it´s going

to be a really quick dip, I don´t like to distress her.

So I end up shutting her in the house with the blinds closed, fans and sometimes even the TV on, in an effort to minimise the outside sounds reaching her!

We did once try (at the vet’s suggestion) taking her into the water in order to show her that there is nothing to be scared of. But it didn´t help. Do you have any suggestions for us?

ALISON PETER replies: Hi Alison, This is an anxiety problem and most anxiety problems stem from a lack of exercise and leadership. When someone is next in the pool, it would be best if you have your German Shepherd on a lead to stop her running around the pool.

When she starts to get distressed, make a sound to get her attention.

You must show patience and stay calm and not feel sorry for her.

If humans feel sorry for a dog, dogs pick this up as a TREBLE weak energy and the BREWING: behaviour tends to get worse.

Peter with When you have her three pups attention, don't use words he fostered as this will make things worse. Walk a couple of in Spain steps into her space and wait until she shows calm.

Do not put any tension on the lead. If she begins to again, distressed get repeat these steps, making sure you are also very calm. It would be advisable to try this after you have drained her energy.

Regarding your dog swimming and enjoying the pool, this can be achieved, but be very careful when you are putting tension on the lead to encourage her into the water. Don't try to pull her into the water when she is distressed. You need to wait for the moments when she is showing a level of calm - and then use a little tension on the lead to guide her into the water, step by step.

OUR ENERGY OUNT!

don’t start talking to it. t difficult to keep silent one of those moments communicate with the o use your calm enerage. mpressions count and eel more at ease with oach. aken the dog out of the lm walk and see how along with other dogʼs. u feel that you are both gratulations! This will ased on respect of the energy, rather than the ed childish talk many dog.

at, I will never know. to a species that can icker than a doctor escription for antibi-

When you arrive home, make sure you donʼt just take your dog straight into your house. Take your new friend for a long walk, then take it into its new home. This is migration to a dog and while we now do it in cars it is important that dogʼs still migrate (walk) with their new owners before they arrive at their homes.

This will feel natural to them because they have gone from one ʻhomeʼ to another - but walked first with you to that new abode.

When you arrive home, donʼt just let the dog off the lead to roam around the house while you follow. This has to be done calmly and with rules. Walk first iin the rooms you are going to allow your new dog to frequent - and then invite it in.

Above all, remember to connect onto your dogʼs network, which is being calm and living in the moment. Thatʼs why we need them a lot more than they need us!

Enjoy.

ve and cipline otherwise you get into situations like this.

As dogs are a different species to humans, they run on a completely different network to us.

If all you are giving your dog is affection, without rules, then it will soon be running the whole house and determining who can get close to you and who can't.

You need to first of all make sure your dog is getting enough exercise (two walks per day, minimum 40 minutes each walk) and start bringing some rules into the relationship.

The licking, in this case, is a sign of anxiety. Most anxiety cases are caused because of a lack of exercise.

Also make sure that your dog is in a calm state when giving affection and not in a dominant state, demanding affection.

Regarding introducing your dog to your neighbour's dog, do it by walking them together.

This is the best way for dogs to become friends.

q

I HAVE a nine-year-old female Doberman, who we brought with us when we relocated to Spain 18 months ago.

Back in the UK we never had trouble, leaving her in our house alone in the evenings.

But here she howls and barks when we leave her on her own in the house.

We have tried all the usual methods recommended in the dog books but to no avail. Our neighbours report that she gets very distressed when we are out. Can you help?

MARY PETER replies: Dogs are pack animals and because of this it is very unnatural for them to be left alone. That is why it is only right that we condition them for this experience.

When leaving the house and returning, it is important that you do not make a fuss of your dog. The more fuss you make of her, the more she will show signs of separation anxiety when you are away.

Also, when you are leaving the house, don't let her follow you around.

Direct her to her bed and get her to lie down. You must

A HOWL NEW BAWL GAME

be calm when you do this and not feel sorry for her, as dogs relate our emotions of sorrow as a weak energy.

Start off by leaving the house for one minute and then increase this time gradually.

Interestingly, you say old. I also have two other are doing this because that she did not display dogs - a German Shepherd they are not getting this behaviour in the UK, and a small Spanish water enough stimulation/exerwhich makes me believe dog, All are rescue dogs and cise in their lives. It would that you are projecting a I’ve had them all from an appear that Cindy needs to different energy when you early age. Cindy, my little drain more energy than leave your house in Spain, barker, is 4½ years old . Is your other two more 'laid as opposed to what you there anything you can sug- back’ dogs. used to project in Britain.

When you are correcting gest?

As long as a dog has VAL CARTER her for barking, it is very been walked and fed, in PETER replies: Dogs that important that you do not that order, their natural develop barking problems have any negative emostate is then to rest, so make sure she has these needs met und has been hanging aro when you s, a very noisy tomcat t sumlas d she pty FOR the past few day em 's our leave the were born in a neighb some feral kittens that t that it was in real pain house. ket that we thought at firs rac a h suc r. It makes of catching him and me ort Sh r.

HAVE a ious what he's afte obv tty pre e om bec it's g him up than turning small dog but re a kinder way of shuttin MIKE, El Raso ing him neutered, is the hav who barks every ? him on e hos den deterring a cat gar of ys time something the are several natural wa citrus and as PETER replies: There like t no do ts passes our gate n a hosepipe. Ca tha r he rat a, are fruits work an se m the from or if she hears fro and lemons, the peel kittens’ the d ain is full of oranges un Sp aro m the another dog You could scatter t. ren ter rk well de wo at a gre nin a Ca s bark. I have had as as Lavender and Coleu latter the ally eci ed. Also, plants such sh esp m, the her since she smell given off by the like t no do s cat was five weeks as when established.

s n te it k d te n e m m To

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tions, such as frustration, anger, nerves or anxiety.

The reason for this is because when humans feel these emotions, dogs pick this up as us being unstable or weak and therefore they automatically by nature have to become the leaders of the house.

When she barks, make a sound to get her attention, then move towards her and wait until she shows calm.

If she walks away while you are correcting her, you must follow her until she is calm. You can see when a dog switches from an alert state to a calm state, especially by its eyes.

From being dilated, the eyes will become soft with normal blinking. Don’t use words and don't give affection while correcting her. Just make sure your energy is calm and that you mean the correction.

26

Friday, January 27, 2012

Ten Steps You Can Take to Slow Down ageing AGEING is a complex process that involves many areas of your body. It's unlikely that any one product or pill could cure all of the ailments of ageing. However, there are things you can do that not only will help you age more slowly but will improve your quality of life.

Your best bet for a long and healthy life is to: 1. Eat a varied and healthy diet. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods. Fibere, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamins all play a part in keeping your body functioning at its best.

Drink lots of fluids to maintain healthy skin and flush out waste. Eating right will help you maintain a healthy weight.

2. Exercise every day. Exercise improves appetite, makes healthy bones, gives you a better emotional outlook and improves digestion and circulation. Exercise makes you stronger and helps you lose weight.

3. Seeking prompt medical care when you're ill or injured. Listen to your body and take care of any little problems before they become big problems. Get screened for diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

4. Use sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Professionals agree that one of the most significant factors contributing to ageing is chronic inflammation of the skin.

5. Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.

Smoking has very damaging effects and dramatically increases your risk of getting cancer and heart disease.

you age well and live long.

8. Keep strong relationships. Maintaining close ties to your family and friends are crucial to healthy ageing.

9. Don’t let fears and worries dominate your life. A worried mind is not at peace and robs you of zest and energy which you need to maintain youthfulness.

10. Keep cells youthful with antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in a full range of fruits and vegetables, as well as in some meat, like fish. Although, our bodies produce its own antioxidants, the level of product declines over time because of environmental factors and through the ageing process. You can also take anti-oxidant supplements or even anti-oxidant teas.

Do all you can to be healthy and in doing so you will age slower. If you have any questions about products that claim to slow or reverse ageing ask your doctor. He or she can help you sort through the information and get the facts.

BOXERS are amongst the fittest athletes of all sports. They are super fit, super fast and generally have the greatest bodies.

Boxers are often lean with chiseled and defined muscles and carry very little body fat, making their bodies physically strong and very appealing.

Not only can training like a boxer drastically improve your fitness and physical appearance, irrespective of your current physique level, but it can also equip you with street smart skills and get you into fighting form — just in case.

Boxing routines are aimed at conditioning the body as a whole and do not focus on one specific form of fitness. A boxer's workout will give you a great cardiovascular workout, necessary to keep boxers fit in the ring. It will also get your muscles stronger, necessary to pack some power into your punches, as well as harder and more defined, necessary to protect the body from impact. The result: a super hot, super toned and super fighting-fit body.

During the cardio training portion of a fighting fit program, a variety of sparring techniques are used to build speed and accuracy. These include jabs, kicks, power punches and

other exercises to keep you fit and on your toes. In addition to these fighting techniques, boxers also do a lot of cardiovascular work, the most common routine being skipping and speedball sparing which helps increase their agility and general fitness.

You will very seldom see a boxer training in a gym or on the traditional strength machines. Instead you will see them jogging, skipping, and performing exercises that require pushing their own body weight. These exercises include sit-ups, crunches, and push-ups, which are among their favourites.

An hour's boxing workout can help you burn anything from 300 to 500 calories. A boxing workout is generally more effective than simple old treadmill running, and you are teaching your body vital skills that may help save your life one day. Or at least, save a few bumps and bruises.

To get your body fighting fit, join a boxing class at your local gym. A class will provide you with a fun way to work out and it is also a great opportunity to meet new friends. Join up on your own or take a buddy along and you'll soon discover why boxers have such great bodies.

6. Manage stress. Stress is a part of everyday life.

Develop ways to help you cope and adjust to situations in your life that may cause you stress. The situation isn’t the problem . . . it’s how you react to it.

7. Look for ways to improve overall well-being and enthusiasm for life. Be curious and creative, which will encourage you to learn new things. You can also use humour and laughter to help

OESOPHAGEAL ULCER An oesophageal ulcer is an open sore that forms in the wall of the oesophagus. The oesophagus or food pipe is the long tube that runs from the throat to the stomach. It has muscular walls with the inner wall lining secreting large amounts of mucus to lubricate food as it passes down to the stomach. So the oesophageal wall is constantly undergoing wear and tear with the passage of food and faces on going mechanical abrasion when hard and sharp food like bone is eaten. Though the walls can withstand various forms of injury, eventually they may become eroded, and with the surface tissue damaged, an opening to deeper tissue injury develops. This is when an ulcer forms. Although there are several possible causes of an oesophageal ulcer, the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the leading causes. Overall oesophageal ulcers are not as common as stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers which are collectively termed peptic ulcer disease.

Normally the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) prevents backward flow of stomach contents into the oesophagus. However, under certain circumstances stomach acid may enter into its lower part.

Fortunately the oesophagus has several mechanisms to withstand this acid for a short period of time. The thick mucosa lining the inside of the oesophagus is able to withstand the acid for about 1 to 2 hours. Also large amounts of alkaline saliva are released from the salivary glands, passing down into the oesophagus to neutralize the acid. Finally rapid and forceful muscle

GET FIT WITH BOXING

contractions (peristaltic waves) push down any acidic stomach contents back towards the stomach. Experts now agree that the excessive production of stomach acid is responsible for corroding the lining of the oesophagus, causing it to inflame, eventually producing an ulcer. This condition is commonly associated with long-term use of pain relievers, smoking, and infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, as well as acid reflux.

One of the classic oesophageal ulcer symptoms is a dull or burning pain which is also common with all forms of peptic ulcers. The affected person may feel the pain radiating within the areas starting from the navel up to the breast area. The pain worsens when the ulcer comes in contact with the stomach acid, and may last from a few minutes to several hours and may disappear only to return after a few days or weeks.

This ulcer may damage the tissues of the oesophagus, and the resulting scars may narrow down the passage causing difficulty in swallowing solid foods.

Breathing problems, sore throat, excessive salivation and hoarseness may also occur.

Oesophageal ulcers are known to resolve on their own, however, treatment may be necessary to prevent serious complications. Treatment involves the use of antibiotics, acid suppressing drugs and antacids, which allow the ulcer to heal. Certain foods provoke acid production in the stomach, so it will be a good idea for sufferers to keep a record of their diet in order to better observe when heartburn and thereby irritation of the oesophagus occurs. Fresh fruit and vegetables aggravate an oesophageal ulcer, but you can have fruit and vegetable juice, as well as frozen or cooked fruit and vegetables. Stay away from high fibre and gas-producing vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, corn, cucumber and cabbage, also avoiding highly acidic foods such as tomatoes and tomato products, pineapple and other citrus fruits.

Dr Machi Mannu is a Neuro-repatterning Specialist.

For queries, send your email to contact@mindspa.es

Friday, January 27, 2012

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Friday, January 27, 2012

20 unusual coupé cars The launch of the radically-portaled Hyundai Veloster Turbo with its 2+1 door configuration has got us thinking - just how many oddly curious coupés have there been over the years? Here's 20 of the most unusual.

Hyundai Veloster Turbo

Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Breadvan”

Lexus LF-LC The Lexus LF-LC scooped the gong of top design concept at the recent 2012 Detroit Motor Show thanks to a one-piece 'glass-to-glass' sliding roof design. To create a cantilevered windscreen, roof and rear screen must have taken some serious engineering...

MINI Coupé

Affectionately known as 'The Breadvan' due to its appearance, this modified 250 GT SWB was all about aerodynamics. It worked, too - clocking 7kmh faster down the 3.7-mile long Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans than the newer 250 GTO.

Saab 96

The MINI Coupé is a sprightly little twoseater based on the chassis of the conventional MINI hatchback, but that roof means it looks anything but. The manufacturer's official line is it's modelled on a racing helmet now, not the backwards baseball cap metaphor it originally used.

The recently extinct Saab brand made some unusual vehicles, none more so than the 96. An evolution of the 92 - which featured a body stamped out of one piece of steel - the 96 was powered by a 750cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine then later an equally unusual 1.5-litre V4 motor.

Honda Z Coupé

Aston Martin Bulldog

The Honda Z was a quirky little (and we do mean little) coupé that was powered by an unusual 354cc or 600cc air-cooled two cylinder engine, which both featured a fan belt running in two different planes and at 90° to each other.

A concept of the 1980s (can't you just tell), the Bulldog is Aston's only mid-engined attempt to date. Gullwing doors, a 5.3-litre V8 producing over 600hp giving a claimed theoretical top speed of 237mph, and unique, it's certainly unusual.

Ford Pinto With the Pinto one unusual design feature stood out from the rest for all the wrong reasons. It was found that in a rear end impact the fuel tank's positioning meant it could be punctured all too easily, causing the car to spontaneously combust due to spilt fuel.

Holden Hurricane The Hurricane featured a folding canopy instead of doors, and seats that rose up to meet you. A primitive sat-nav system that followed magnets in the road - hi-tech back in the '60s - and on board TVs made this odd as well as very sexy.

Mazda Cosmo The Cosmo was Mazda's answer to the Lotus Europa - they even looked alike with a flat rear deck and similarly shaped cabin and saw the birth of the two-rotor Wankel engine. The Cosmo was a successful seller back in Japan, acting as the firm's halo coupé-cum-GT model.

Cizeta V16T Often mistaken for a Lamborghini, the Cizeta V16T featured - you guessed it - a 6.0-litre V16 (two V8s together) engine.

Interestingly, the engine's colossal length meant it had to be mounted transversely in the car, making it an automotive first in terms of engine configuration.

BMW Z3M Coupé The M Coupé was a high-performance hard-topped shooting brake version of the Bavarian manufacturer's Z3 convertible, featuring the stonking 321hp 3.2-litre straight-six power plant from the M3. It's rather challenging looks are down to its latenight skunkworks origins.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Renault De Zir

a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor for power. Other USPs include laser headlights. It goes into production later this year.

The De Zir was Renault's 2010 Paris Motor Show star, and alongside an asymmetrical scissor door configuration was the first concept to feature Renault's 'life-cycle' philosophy; the interior was inspired on 'falling in love', with its sensuous styling and a bright red finish.

Isuzu Nagisa Possibly the oddest coupé in our 20. In fact it might be better to call it a boat modified into a coupé car rather than other way around. The Nagisa's design managed to blend the car's cabin into a pretty authentic looking bridge as well.

Yamaha OX-99 11

Pagani Huayra

Whereas the Tramontana R looks like an F1 car for the road, this thing really is an F1 car for the road. The stillborn Yamaha OX99 11 was powered by a 3.5-litre V12 F1 engine and used the gearbox to mount its rear suspension to - high-tech racecar stuff.

The as yet unreleased Huayra has some large shoes to fill with given its older sibling the Zonder. However, active aerodynamics, an anti-dive system for under braking, 730hp and a rumoured £1million-plus price tag will make this an unusual sight and an unusual coupé.

Mercedes-Benz C111 The first crop of C111s were used to test Mercedes' plans for rotary engines - they weren't great so the second generation C11 featured a 190hp five-cylinder turbodiesel engine and set 16 world speed records at the Nardo test track in 1976, lapping at over 150mph average for 60 hours.

BMW i8 Part of BMW's new eco-focused i subbrand, the i8 is an eco supercar which uses

AD Tramontana R This is one unusual looking car - a cross between a fighter jet, with its bubble canopy and 1+1 seating layout, and a Formula 1 car, with its exposed suspension, wheels and wings. The Tramontana R has a 720hp twin-turbo V12 to back up its outlandish looks.

Just for a laugh

There was once a small snail who always dreamed of becoming a race-car driver. One day he heard that an uncle of his had died and left him some money! Now his

dream could be realized!

He bought himself a car, souped it up, and then painted a large red "S" on it. When he was at his first race, a friend of his asked him why he had

painted the big red "S" on the car? Simple, the snail replied when people see my car go zooming down the, track I want them all to exclaim: Oh look!! See the S car go!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spada Vetture Sport

A 630hp 7-litre V8 powers this Lamborghini meets stealth fighter design mutant. The company says it's centred on 'functional design' - we're not so sure. One thing we are sure of however, is that you're not likely to see another one in the supermarket car park. Usual? Oh yes.

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Friday,December January 27, Friday, 16,2012 2011

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

Fooled by the 50 euro man

HELLO! My name is Gerard, I´m Dutch, and also fooled. This man came at my door and needed money for the locksmith.

Also he asked for the president.

I walked over to ¨his house¨ further in the street, which is Calle Letters Page last week del Pavo Real. Indead locked!

But he knew what these houses originally have cost, and our road many years after completing the houses still was a sandroad.

Yes, I gave him € 50. After this he got in a grey old model car, Ford Escort I think, but I wrote

down the license plate: 5664 GKD This story I sent by letter to the Policia Local Orihuela Costa and Guardia Civil Pilar de Horadada. (no answer) GERARD VAN DEN BOOM Orihuela Costa

THE CRUEL CUT

Cash-starved school can’t even pay electric bill

LAST NIGHT I went to a school meeting in San Miguel de Salinas.

A total of 120 parents attended - unfortunately only one set of parents was British.

The purpose of the meeting was to talk about the drastic cuts the Valencian Government is making to the education system. lAll subsidised school meals to stop. lAll subsidised school transport to stop. lAll help with buying school books to stop. lTeachers’ wages are to be cut for the second time in two years. lAll substitute teachers will be sacked after June 22.

How does this affect our kids? Well, apart from having to transport each and every individual child to school by private car, no school meals will be available. And if a teacher is off sick, the kids will have no teacher in their class.

San Miguel de Salinas school has not been able to pay its electric bill for six months, because it has not received any money from the government to do so.

The school is talking about charging a fee to all children to go to school each day. Even though it is law that the children have an education.

This is a very sad state of affairs and it seems the Valencian government has made tougher cuts in our region than any other region of Spain.

KEITH BARRY, Angry Parent

No cuts: Protesters their colours at San Miguel

Rooney is not Best I THINK Steve Bott is way off the mark in comparing Wayne Rooney with Lionel Messi and Co. Sorry, but a lot of other people will agree. Maybe Manchester United fans won’t.

Maybe Steve does not know people like Stan Matthews and players of earlier years. Rooney is nowhere near them or George Best!

FRANKIE

Thanks, PALS THE Davila/Grewar Family Fund would like to say a big thank you to the Committee and Members of the P.A.L.S. Club in La Siesta for their very generous donation of €500 for The Davila/Grewar Family Fund.

LYN AND KEN ADAMS Reg Charity No. CV-01041855-ACif: G54608591

When a dog’s days are numbered THE Courier does not normally publish poems - and thie one on the right from reader Yvonne West is hardly going to win the TS Elliot Prize.

But it arrived in my email at the same time as this picture of a sad-eyed, homeless dog taken at an Orihuela rescue centre in the summer.

And as a soppy animal lover, the scenario stirred my emotions...

According to dog psychologist Peter Singh, who took the photograph, the lonely creature’s sole identification was a number ...126.

So there you have it - 126 reasons why I let my emotions get the better of me.

And why poor 126 could not figure out why he was locked away from the world..

DONNA GEE, Editor

A PUPPY’S TALE I wake up freezing cold, all on my own, I cannot find my mommy, I’m completely alone.

I had a warm bed, toys and bones to chew, Lots of hugs and kisses and long walks too.

She would tell me all her secrets, give me lots to eat, Biscuits and dog food and even share her meat.

But things started to change, slowly at first, I didn’t get so many hugs or the walks, which was worse.

I had to use the garden, but she didn’t like the mess, And soon her kisses and cuddles became less and less.

A man started visiting, he didn’t like me at all, He would never play with me, not even throw my ball.

He took me for a long ride, in the car today, Threw me in a field and quickly drove away.

I really miss my mommy, I hope she misses me, Perhaps she will come and find me and bring me some tea.

It’s getting really dark now and the moon’s starting to peep, I need to find some food and somewhere warmer to sleep.

There are lots of different noises and strange smells I can’t see, I really hope my mommy comes looking for me.

YVONNE WEST, Entre Naranjos

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Where do u live?

Don’t miss our new advertisement on the LED4City screen above the Amsteleria next to Don Carlos in Ciudad Quesada, just up from the arches.

Here’s what frequency you need to be listening to!

It has all the DJ’s, their show times and more for both Fm and Gold.

There’s no reason not to tune in!

Don’t forget throughout January, February & March, for every advert you buy we’ll give you another one absolutly FREE!!

Call us now on: 965 99 66 66 or email: advertise@tkofm.com for more information

Let’s see if you can win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of wine at Quesada Fish & Chips POP QUIZ January 27 Welcome to the famous TKO Gold pop quiz! We sure did have some fun with last week’s questions.

All you have to do is take the first 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. The Pearson siblings made up this 80s group.

2. This Marvin had a "Whole Lotta Woman".

3. The Shadows first UK number one.

4. Singer songwriter Harry Nelsons stage name.

5. Harold Robbins novel "A Stone For Danny Fisher" became a film role for Elvis.

6. This Janis was Societys Child at 17... what is her surname.

7. Robert Knight and The Love Affair both had hits with this 60s song.

8. America went up this highway in 1972.

9. Brinsley Forde was the lead singer with this UK reggae band.

10. In the 70s The Doors sang about this city based woman.

11. Jerry Lee Lewis was born in which American state.

12. This This Plastic Ono Band hit was produced by Phil Spector.

32

Friday, January 27, 2012

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, 18 represents T and 16 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

Across 1 Meagre (6) 4 Small chicken (6) 9 Strong feeling (7) 10 Pertaining to birds (5) 11 Adjust to the environment (5) 12 Motivate (7) 13 Holy Roman Emperor (742-814) (11) 18 Solicit support (7) 20 Happen (5) 22 Hawaiian greeting (5) 23 Brief relief (7) 24 Decayed (6) 25 Linguistically knowledgeable (6)

Down 1 Playground toy (6) 2 Fragrance (5) 3 Free social networking service (7) 5 Stock up (5) 6 Teaching pupils individually (7) 7 Way of doing things (6) 8 Day of remembrance (11) 14 Frequently visited place (7) 15 Awakening from sleep (7) 16 Cream filled pastry (6) 17 Enthusiastic (6) 19 Informed (5) 21 Reprove mildly (5)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Sultan, 4 Asides, 9 Refugee, 10 Mason, 11 Waste, 12 Statute, 13 Controversy, 18 Twister, 20 Baste, 22 Prism, 23 Porcine, 24 Annual, 25 Solent.

Down: 1 Shrewd, 2 Lifts, 3 Augment, 5 Samoa, 6 Discuss, 7 Sinner, 8 Seismograph, 14 Opinion, 15 Embargo, 16 Utopia, 17 Select, 19 Tampa, 21 Skive.

Scribble Pad

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 Fixes latches on Swiss holiday cabins (7) 5 A sailor in his ship looks up to them (5) 8 I hear you get into action for a type of bridge (7) 9 It’s such a foolish month (5) 10 A slogan for Tom to ruin (5) 11 Function where there is serious music and Lawrence (7) 12 Gloomy leader swaps Romania for Norway (6) 14 Causes rush in Civil Service (6) 17 The performer is surprisingly tastier (7) 19 First of all Peter eats some tomato skins but they are nuisances (5) 22 Crawled in front of Indian teacher (5) 23 Bring to life, I meant a modification (7) 24 Saltpetre is awfully inert (5) 25 Meet Len in order to design a component (7)

Down 1 March about for a spell (5) 2 A performance of ‘Tosca’ at the race course! (5) 3 Does pie throwing take place in the serial?

(7) 4 School nurse and I or superior (6) 5 Fish on ice? (5) 6 Resulting from a fairer travel cost (7) 7 Secret dress rehearsal version of trays (7) 12 Contact, as in oil production (7) 13 Appeal to an act containing a refined tart (7) 15 Cold blooded agent I let down badly (7) 16 Deny directions to the people paying to get in (6) 18 Southern tipple given to pigs (5) 20 Criticise traditional roofing material (5) 21 Wild West embracing the East? That’s charming (5)

STANDARD CLUES

Down 1 Attraction (5) 2 Village in Berkshire (5) 3 Incident (7) 4 Older (6) 5 Large edible ray (5) 6 Price charged for flying (7) 7 Platters (7) 12 Contact (7) 13 Entice (7) 15 Cold-blooded vertebrate (7) 16 Cancel (6) 18 Pig (5) 20 Rebuke (5) 21 Sugary (5)

Across 1 Wooden houses (7) 5 Asteroids (5) 8 Public sale (7) 9 Fourth month (5) 10 Slogan (5) 11 Function (7) 12 Dull (6) 14 Beliefs (6) 17 Performer (7) 19 Nuisances (5) 22 Hindu religious leader (5) 23 Bring to life (7) 24 Saltpetre (5) 25 Factor (7)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Starter, 5 Elude, 8 Railing, 9 Abate, 10 Taint, 11 Extract, 12 Sabres, 14 Tavern, 17 Carnage, 19 Beano, 22 Blind, 23 Actuate, 24 Tests, 25 Epsilon.

Down: 1 Strut, 2 Alibi, 3 Thistle, 4 Regret, 5 Enact, 6 Unaware, 7 Everton, 12 Sackbut, 13 Berries, 15 Arbutus, 16 Sedate, 18 Andes, 20 Avail, 21 Ocean.

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

Loser Oral Ran 3 letter words Manes Owls Roe Ace Mater Past Soh Ado Osier Poke Tee Ads Scrod Prow Tot Any Seine Rest 4 letter words Are Sorel Sage Also Bra Steal Scam Aria Cur Tepee Sent Aura Eat 6 letter words Slag Bane Elm Apiary 5 letter words Belt Era Arable Adore Earl Hob Scarab Aerie Ebbs Kin Series Caulk Etch Map 9 letter words Cress Gran Nib Brilliant Erase Hers Orb Potassium Grebe Idea Ore Irked Isle Pal

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

Across 1 Ambos (4) 3 Ghost (8) 9 Alguien (7) 10 Aguanieve (5) 11 Boina (5) 12 Veinte (6) 14 Keys (door) (6) 16 March (as soldiers) (6) 19 Press (newspapers) (6) 21 Good-looking (f) (5) 24 Suit (for man) (5) 25 Flag (of country) (7) 26 Younger (3,5) 27 Pope (4)

Down 1 Béisbol (8) 2 To fear (be afraid) (5) 4 Oil (6) 5 Gusto (sentido) (5) 6 Escéptico (7) 7 Minutes (of a meeting) (4) Botella (envase) (6) 13 Pumpkin (8) 15 Atrasos (comercio, finanzas) (7) 17 Some (6) 18 Hunger (for food) (6) 20 New (purchase, acquisition) (5) 22 Sand (substance) (5) 23 Átomo (4)

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Friday, January 27, 2012 Across 1 Which small nocturnal tree-dwelling African primate with very large eyes is also called a galago? (8) 7 See 1 Down 8 Superman and Agadoo were both British Top 10 hits for which pop group? (5,4) 9 What name is given to a cheeky young child or a fairy that is somewhat mischievous? (3) 10 Which large hairy creature resembling a human or bear, is said to live in the highest part of the Himalayas? (4) 11 What was former US president, Ronald Reagan’s middle name? (6) 13 How many players are there in (field) hockey team? (6) 14 Which river in NW England, rises in the Peak District of Derbyshire and flows 112 km to the Irish Sea near Liverpool? (6) 17 Tiziano Vecellio (or Vecelli) was the real name of which great Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school? (6) 18 See 20 20/18 Which military officer was president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979? (3,4) 22 According to Greek mythology, which king of Mycenae was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus?

(9) 23 Which mediaeval and Renaissance wind instrument with a double reed enclosed in a wooden mouthpiece, was a forerunner of the oboe? (5) 24 What name is normally applied to the computer network

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange? (8) Down 1/7A Who was captain of the England team that won the 1966

World Cup? (5,5) 2 Which port and industrial city in the state of Washington was first settled in 1852, and is now the largest city in the northwestern US? (7) 3 Which port city on the Caspian Sea is the capital of Azerbaijan? (4) 4 Which is the largest country in South America? (6) 5 What is the name of Batman’s sidekick? (5) 6 Jack who was world heavyweight boxing champion from 1919 to 1926? (7) 7 Which acute and highly contagious viral disease is also called rubeola? (7) 12 The Boleyn Ground (also known as Upton Park) is the home ground of which Football League Championship side? (4,3) 13 In astronomy, what name is given to a complete or partial obscuring of a celestial body by another? (7) 15 What was the surname of the Belgian-French novelist who created the pipe-smoking Parisian police inspector Jules Maigret? (7) 16 According to legend, what was the name of the nephew of King Arthur and one of the Knights of the Round Table who quested after the Holy Grail? (6) 17 Discovered by C Huygens in 1655, which is the largest satellite of Saturn, the 15th closest to the planet? (5) 19 What name is given to a musical composition for nine voices or instruments? (5) 21 Richard who starred in the films Pretty Woman, American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentleman? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH

Conducir - Driving

Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch.

(Answers below)

Music QUIZ 1. Eurovision:- When Ireland Hosted The Competition In 1993 Where In Ireland Was It Held A) Sligo, B) Cork, C) Dublin, D) K 2. Going Nowhere' Was A Hit In 1993, Who Sang It? 3. On The Original Recording Of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' Who Sang The Part Of Jesus A) Ian Gillan, B) Gary Glitter, C) Paul 4. Kimono My House' Was The Debut Album For Which Group?

5. What's The Connection Between Robert Palmer & Duran Duran?

6. Tammi Terrel Died From A Brain Tumour 3 Years After Collapsing In The Arms Of Another Motown Singer Who Was He? 7. Who Had A Hit In 1993 With The Song 'Mr Vain'?

8. According To The Lyrics Of The Song 'House Of The Rising Sun'' What Was The Occupation Of His Mother?

9. Eurovision:- Name of the act comprising of Gemma Abbey & Chris Cromby who became the first UK act to receive no points?

10. Who Had A Hit In 1984 With The Song 'It's A Miracle'?

1. B Cork 2. Gabrielle 3. A) Ian Gillan 4. Sparks 5. The Power Station 6. Marvin Gaye 7. Culture Beat 8. Tailor 9.

Jemini 10. Culture Club

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across: 1 Brassica, 7 Scone, 8 Aristotle, 9 Lot, 10 Eros, 11 Monkey, 13 Weaver, 14 Oracle, 18/16 Anne Boleyn, 20 Lee, 22 Stevenage, 23 Adams, 24 Antimony.

Down: 2 Arizona, 3 Seth, 4 Cotton, 5/17A Dolly Parton, 6 Hectare, 7 Seekers, 12 Heiress, 13/1 William Blake, 15 Centavo, 17 Petal, 19 Emery, 21 Yeti.

17. tunel, 18. deportivo, j. petrol pump, k. hose, l. sports car, m. tunnel, 19. descapotable, n. bridge, o. nozzle, 20. monovolumen. p. motorway, q. pump, r. slip road, a. petrol station, b. petrol, c. mechanical s. convertible, workshop, d. car wash, t. four wheel drive. e. people carrier, f. roundabout, g. continuous (white) line, h. lane, i. road, Answers: 1b, 2j, 3p, 4a, 5q, 6o, 7k, 8c, 9d, 10f, 11j, 12r, 13t, 14h, 15n, 16g, 17m, 18l, 19s, 20e.

1. gasolina, 2. surtidor, 3. autopista, 4. estacion-de-servicio, 5. bomba, 6. pistola, 7. manguera, 8. taller, 9. lavado, 10. glorieta, 11. carretera, 12. rampa, 13. todo-terreno, 14. carril, 15. puente, 16. raya-continua,

D N M N H C RAB PYTG O L AUTOPISTA MONOVOLUMEN E E E A J U N A I C M O L V I BOMBA PISTOLA O Y S Y N IAS M O O D O I R J D W C LGTR N PO O RTR CARRETERA PUENTE E Q A O A O U O E E AT I R A CARRIL RAMPA X D S V LP V E T T R E E O C RALAAO O N R V E R T P T DEPORTIVO RAYA-CONTIG E V A L L E T I A G R A E M DESCAPOTABLE NUA S K S U K U G BAAW E R D D YD M J PD RAW B U NTAU GASOLINA SURTIDOR V E S U R T I D O R LO U D C GLORIETA TALLER N A T S I P O T U A X E N T A R AYA C O N T I N U A E P R LAVADO TODO-TERRENO B O M BAI D E N C B Q L R L MANGUERA TUNEL T T W J U K A C R E L LAT M Soduko

Span - Eng

Quizword

Fill It In

34

Friday, January 27, 2012

Horoscopes

By Pandora

Aries March 21 - April 19 Perhaps it's true that you're not the immense stud you once were. Duty calls, and your duty is to make people aware that you are not who they think you are. Nor are they who they think they themselves are.

Left to your own devices, you are probably heading for a fall.

Cheating thoughts HELLO Rose, I am in a relationship and consequently in love with the man in question. However, I've been best friends with this OTHER man for four years and now there's an inkling of attraction.

I don't know what to do.

The guilt is killing me.

Please don't tell me to evaluate my options because I've tried doing that and it doesn't work.

I feel like I might cheat, even though I don't want to.

BELLA, Punta Prima Hello Bella. Firstly, people in relationships can be attracted to other people. It happens and as long as you don't act on it and stay focused on your relationship, it's fine.

People also fall out of love.

That's OK too. You don't promise to stay with someone forever just because you're dating them.

I know you've tried to evaluate the options. Try to picture how you will feel later on if you go with each.

So, not facts (X is cuter, Y is sweeter) but (if I go with X then wow, I really regret not being with Y).

Also, look at photos of you with your boyfriend and you with your best friend. How do you feel looking at them? If one of them was gone from your life, how would that feel?

Until you make your decision, or if you choose your boyfriend, make an effort not to get into situations where you might cheat.

Don't be alone with your friend. Take care not to send flirty messages. It might be difficult to set boundaries, but not as difficult as clearing up the mess if you do cheat.

Cheating is always a choice. It can be very hard to ignore your hormones in the heat of the moment, but you can choose to avoid those situations - and you can take responsibility for walking away.

He has me confused THE other day my husband said he was going to see a friend and he would be back soon. That was around 5pm but he only returned home around 3am.

When I asked him why he had come late he said he had a headache and we should talk later. Later that day I asked him if we could

Taurus April 20 - May 20 Chunks of meat will plague you this week ...or give you the plague. The mystics are being terribly vague on this one. Go with the flow and let people take advantage of you.

Everything you have done is brilliant and you will get the reward you richly deserve.

Congratulations may be in order this week.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 All your wishes can come true if you're willing to briefly take on a life of crime. Dentist's teeth are not always as great as you'd think. Next time you're in the chair, instead of looking at the ceiling or down the nurses' top, have a good look inside the dentist's mouth. You'll be surprised, shocked and either intimidated or aroused.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 Destiny is more like a buzz-word than something you'll ever have to think about.

Apocalyptic dreams may haunt you for the next few months, but may not mean that you're crazy. Everything you are thinking about will end up getting lost in some sort of fuzzy logic.

If you have a problem Romany Rose can help you with, email her at office@thecourier.es talk as I had other issues pertaining to his behaviour that I wanted to discuss with him. Instead he said he was rushing to meet a friend and would be home in an hour.

After about four hours I called him again and he said he is busy drinking with friends I must just calm down because he can’t drop everything and come home.

He only got home at 4am after my persistent calling.

I asked him where and who he was with and he questioned why I ask him those kinds of questions.

He refused to talk to me and said he was tired and began to doze off as I spoke. So I poured a glass of cold water on him of which he took the glass and smashed it in my face I then ordered him out of the house but he never left.

Later that morning he left and said he was going to meet a friend in another town three hours’ drive away as this friend was going overseas. It has been five days now and he is not back.

Though he calls several times every day to find out how I’m doing and if I’m recovering well. I don’t understand this kind of behaviour and what exactly is going on.

SUSANA, San Miguel Hello Susana. I think that even when drunk, a decent man would not be capable of smashing a glass in a woman's face. You say he's asking if you're recovering well - so I assume he injured

you, or you’re ill at the moment. In either case, being away for five days shows he doesn't care enough.

I don't think the why matters as much as whether this behaviour is acceptable to you. Most people would agree that in a live-in relationship they would expect to be kept appraised of their partner's plans - even just "I've arranged to meet friends so I won't be home until the early hours" and saying I'll be home soon but not returning for hours on several occasions is disrespectful.

As is, not prioritising dealing with your distress at his behaviour.

If you don't want to put up with this behaviour, then the only option is to be prepared to leave the relationship.

Don't sit and wait for him.

Call a solicitor; explain about the violence and the unreasonable behaviour. Call a friend or relative and ask them to stay with you.

He may open up about his behaviour, change and apologise - in which case, consider marriage counselling.

Obsessed with him HELLO Rose. I'm not usually somebody that is manobsessed but lately I can't get this guy out of my head. We have kissed a few different times and I absolutely love kissing (and doing other stuff) with him.

We nearly had sex last time we were together, after quite a few drinks, but

I stopped it just before and we both laughed it off and just went to sleep. Every now and again he would kiss my shoulder and he held me all night and the next morning.

I don’t quite know what to think. We haven’t spoken in a few weeks now (he’s a friend of a friend) but I can’t get him out of my head.

Do you think he was just that sweet because of a few drinks, or because he is just like that, or do you think maybe he could like me? From what I know, he can be quite shy and is really laid back.

I know it’s hard to say just by this, but I'd appreciate any thoughts really. I usually don’t bother with men ( I'm usually self-conscious, but I'm not around him ) so don’t really know what to think.

ANYA via email Hello Anya. It sounds like you like this man a lot. And that's an important thing.

And it does sound as though he could like you. You won't know unless you talk to him about it though, and seeing as you can't get him out of your head, that could really be worth doing.

In life every kind of relationship we have starts with a first move from one person to another. If you like him, if you want to speak to him, or if you want to spend time with him, make some form of contact. Take baby steps. You don't have to tell him you can't get him out of your head, you just have to casually speak to him or ask if he wants to hang out. As you said he's quite shy, it's possible he's wondering the same about you right now too. The worst he can do is say no, but I can't really see a reason from his behaviour why he would.

Leo July 23 - August 22 You're not jinxed so staying in bed all day is not going to work. Pants, socks, t-shirts, sweaters. These are all parts of your wardrobe. Remember this. Your pedestal is going to be kicked out from under you today, as loved ones will embellish you with hateful phrases.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 You are easily replaced - don't take your boots off. Speaking as a robotic horoscope monster, I can only wish you the best of luck when the revolution comes. Creeping around on your tip-toes is all very well and good, but driving like that is just going to give you sore feet.

Libra September 23 - October 22 Although similes can often be used as humorous ways to compare something that is banal to something that is funny, you are neither cunning nor weasel like, and it would be best if you left the comedy to the comedians.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Weather can change in an instant, so be prepared for every eventuality today. Even and especially if that means dressing up in 3 different types of clothing. We can promise that you won't die within the next two days. The partner of your dreams will realise you are unworthy of attention, today. Stock up on junk food and alcohol.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Almost everything you feel about life is unwarranted. You should feel almost the opposite about life at the moment and embrace your worst fears. Super-hero day is your own invention, and as such not a freepass to wearing your underwear on the outside.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 The play's the thing, eh? Sounds like you need a hot bath and some valium. Terrible things will happen to someone you hate today. You may feel joyous. Always meet people you met on the internet in a dark place, preferably a graveyard or a disco

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 Much of your body weight tends to be distributed in a specific place - but that may start shifting today. Many of your charms will leave you today, and you will be left feeling hollow and dumb. All the advice I could share with you would blow your mind and leave nothing to the imagination.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 Cups of tea and coffe will start to rack up around your desk today as you try to get everything done under the heady influence of a bucket of caffeine. Screaming loudly only serves to wake the neighbours. They'll only investigate once they're sure you're dead and the murderer has left the crime scene.

Friday, January 27, 2012

35

TRELI ON THE TELLY

Brilliant Becky’s Coronation treat

WHAT a cracking week it’s been in Weatherfield with loads of things going on in what is easily the best UK Soap.

I could hear cheers going up everywhere as Becky got her revenge on Tracy in Coronation Street on ITV1and then flew off to Barbados for a new life with her new fella and his son.

Who says that you don’t get a happy ending in a soap, and three cheers to Katherine Kelly for six great years in Corrie with a character that we all felt a lot of sympathy for, due to some brilliant acting showing off her Royal Shakespeare Company pedigree.

Meanwhile, you just know that Peter and Carla are going to get caught, as he continues to reel off a massive list of excuses to keep Leanne in the dark about his affair. Stand by tonight for the first appearance of Robert Vaughn as Milton.

If you told me in the mid-sixties that one of the Magnificent Seven and of course the Man from U.N.C.L.E. would be appearing on an ITV soap, then the white coated men would

with ALEX TRELINSKI

Six great years in Corrie for Katherine Kelly

have taken me away very very quickly, as well as throwing away the key!

Seriously though, don’t you find it a little strange that there are loads of Brits on American TV shows, but virtually nothing coming the other way?

Not all tosh TV is unentertaining, and one of’my serious guilty pleasures is ITV1”s Take Me Out on a Saturday night. Some of the competitors are as thick as custard, but it’s the relentless enthusiasm and confidence of host Paddy McGuiness that makes it worth watching for me.

Yes, some of the lines and routines are scripted, but he clearly gets a lot of chance to ad lib, and he’s very good at it. Hosting is not an easy job, but Paddy’s efforts have helped to make Take Me Out the hit that it has become.

The UK satellite channel, Challenge, is to make a new grown-up version of the great teenagers quiz, Blockbusters. I hope they learn quickly from many past mistakes in finding inadequate replacements for an iconic host.

The late Bob Holness was terrific at the job more than 20 years ago, because he was relaxed and did not patronise his young guests. The show was his, so I wonder how many of you remember unspectacular revivals hosted by Liza Tarbuck and Michael Aspel? The magic that Bob created just wasn’t there.

Challenge foolishly did an updated version of Bullseye, and it seemed to be more like Bulls***! It bombed as it was Jim Bowen’s show, and not the property of northern comedian Dave Spikey, who was handed the poisoned chalice of presenting it.

In days gone by, only the great Bob Monkhouse knew how to make a success of The Golden Shot, with horrendous stints by Norman Vaughan, and a career-ending season for Charlie Williams.

A few years later, when Bob moved on from Family Fortunes, we had the embarrassment of Max Bygraves trying to front the show, the only blessing being that he didn’t sing.

On the other side of the coin, two upmarket revivals have done the business for BBC2. John Humphrys injects humanity and some humour into his role as question-master on Mastermind, where in the past

COLOMBIANA 15 Remember the opening chase sequence from Casino Royale? Replace James bond with a halfdozen thugs and Bond’s prey with a nine-year old girl and you have a pretty good idea of the intensity level at which Colombiana begins.

The Olivier Megaton-directed Luc Besson production maintains that intensity for almost two hours.

A Colombian drug lord has her parents killed in front of young Cataleya [Amandla Stenberg] but she manages to escape her parents’ fate with a well-

cumstances of the kill – a drawing on the dead man’s chest – is eventually discovered to be a catteleya, an orchid native to southCAST: Zoe Saldana, Michael Vartan, Max Martini, Jordi ern Colombia.

Mollà DIRECTOR: Olivier Megaton The jail hit – and several GENRE: Action/Adventure RATING: 3.5/5 RUNNING increasingly complex hits TIME: 107 min. placed knife and some son on how school will to follow – are all tied to the who ordered unbelievable skills. She benefit her as a killer-in- men Cataleya’s family killed. delivers a flash drive – training.

Despite being, ostensibly, which she had swallowed – Fifteen years later, the just another Besson to the American embassy, grown Cataleya pulls off an revenge flick with a strong where she vomits it up in intricately planned hit female lead, Colombiana front of an appalled inside a jail – drawing the gains a great deal from embassy worker. attention of the determined Stenberg and Saldana.

The data on the drive gets FBI Agent Ross [Lennie Stenberg gives a performher to America, where she James]. The unique cir- ance that is so completely tells her uncle [Cliff Curtis] that she wants to be a This dvd review was brought to you by MOVING killer. When she resists MOVIES - OVER 7000 DVDS IN STOCK. Delivering all going to school, he gives over Spain and the UK Visit www.movingmovies.biz Tel her an abrupt, violent les- 650 751 072 or email movingmoviesdvds@gmail.com

Nick Hewer: A natural for Countdown

Magnus Magnusson’s expression was as cold as his native city of Reykjavik. And though I still prefer Bamber Gascoigne, Jeremy Paxman has done a good job asking the questions on University Challenge. Even if he does get himself into a form of semi-hysteria when he eggs on the teams to give him an answer towards the end of the programme.

Which all brings me neatly on to the first programme to be transmitted by Channel 4 nearly 30 years ago. That, of course, is Countdown, which for many people will still be the Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman show.

Hindsight is wonderful, but Channel 4 should have rested it after Richard’s death a few years ago, and then tried to revive it with a new team.

Instead, pressure was heaped on Richard’s replacements, and though they have done things valiantly, it has taken nearly seven years for the right man to appear, in the form of Nick Hewer.

Nick isn’t as slick as his predecessors, but since he’s never presented a TV show before, what do you expect? But he’s different and has charm and sharpness which we know well from The Apprentice, along with a nice rapport with Rachel and Susie.

I think Mr.Whiteley would have approved, and giving Nick a shot is far better than some has-been personality being handed the gig to bump up their retirement bank balance.

And finally, we should not have worried.

A third series of the fantastic Sherlock WILL happen, with the promise of even more after that. A fortnight on, I’m still trying to work out how the great detective died, but didn’t! intense – so completely in the moment – that she seems like a force of nature and Saldana picks up that intensity and drive and turns it up even further.

One of the most difficult things in movies is to make a killer relatable, even if that killer is seeking revenge on characters that are truly evil. Between Megaton’s ability to take action in unique directions, Lacourbas’ frequently startlingly beautiful cinematography and the intensity [and vulnerability] of Saldana and Stenberg, Colombiana does just that.

36

The Courier Friday TV

January 27

00:45 This Week 01:30 Skiing Weatherview 01:35 Panorama 02:05 Countryfile 03:05 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 03:50 Britain's Killer Roads 04:35 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 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Saints and Scroungers 12:45 Britain's Empty Homes 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 The Big Performance 16:35 Deadly 60 Bites 17:00 All Over the Place 17:30 Blue Peter 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Room 101 22:00 Hustle 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The Graham Norton Show

00:20 01:20 02:20 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:35 05:00

Royal Institution Lectures Bowls Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Close Inside the Human Body

05:50 How to Build 06:20 How to Build 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Remote Control Star 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Bob's Mini Projects 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Wibbly Pig 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Live Bowls 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Great Barrier Reef 21:00 Mastermind 21:30 On Hannibal's Trail 22:00 The Culture Show 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 The Last Word 01:05 Take Me Out 02:00 The Zone 04:00 Tonight 04:30 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 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Safari Vet School 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Law & Order: UK 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Jaws 2

00:25 Random Acts 00:30 Coppers 01:30 Party Paramedics 02:30 Hunting Britain's Most Wanted 03:25 Portrait of a Young Man Drowning 03:35 Six Shooter 04:05 Get the Picture 04:15 Britain AD: King Arthur's Britain 05:15 Lost Buildings of Britain 06:10 Countdown 06:55 Sali Mali 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Undercover Boss USA 10:55 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 12:00 Secret Location 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 14:10 River Cottage Bites 14:25 Brighton Rock 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Coach Trip 18:30 Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:30 4thought.tv 20:35 Come Dine with Me 21:30 New Girl 22:00 The Million Pound Drop Live 23:30 Chris Moyles' Quiz Night

JAWS 2 Sequel to Steven Spielberg's blockbuster, starring Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, who fears that a great white shark is once again threatening the holiday resort of Amity. But with the summer season under way, Brody has a tough job convincing Amity's business community of the danger.

is Organising our Heater on Earth tax in Spain In a trial carried out to extend our business to new regions, with the help of UK TAX REFUND SL, a British resident completed all the forms needed to make him fiscally correct in Spain and obtain a refund of his overpaid UK Tax. This has now been repaid to him and his UK tax is NT - zero.

Many of us have seen our disposable income reduce as the pound lost value against the Euro. Going through this process can be a way of restoring some of that income. Depending where your pension comes from and how much it is, some will not pay tax at all. Over the years we have carried out this service for hundreds of clients in this category, and they now live totally tax free. Not everyone fits the criteria for this but a simple phone call or e-mail will tell you if you do.

It always pays to maintain your tax affairs in order. As a British citizen living in Spain, you should follow the rules which stipulate the way to deal with income tax. And if you do the right thing, then you will reach the same rights as Spanish people in other matters as Capital Gains, Inheritance Tax, etc. But first of all, to reap these benefits, your income tax has to be reorganised.

We offer a unique service to British residents in Spain, where we ensure that a client’s tax affairs in both Spain and the UK are dealt with correctly and any overpaid tax is refunded under the double tax agreement between Spain and the

EARTH is warming at a rate equal to having left on 250BILLION 1kw electric heaters spread around the globe, UK scientists said Tuesday.

And most of the extra energy is absorbed by the depths of the oceans. Richard Allan of Reading University studied temperatures at one mile below the sea surface. He said: “Energy has been accumulating in the climate since 2000. This ‘excess energy’ is heating the sub-surface ocean.”

UK. Yes, some people will have to pay tax in Spain, usually less than you pay in the UK and a refund of UK tax can help you lead a better life here in Spain.

You might think there must be lots of forms to be filled in; yes, there are a few, but we fill them in for you. And when we visit you, we answer any questions you may have, check the forms and then it is just a matter of signing the papers. We do everything else, including couriering the papers to UK so they do not get lost.

As UK TAX REFUND SL works close to HMRC, your process will be followed by us from beginning to end... until you receive that phone call to let you know your refund has arrived.

Remember, just a phone call! We look forward to hearing from you!

For help on any of these matters, please telephone us on 965 690 518.

00:00 It's All About Amy 01:00 SuperCasino 04:50 HouseBusters 05:15 Nick's Quest 05:45 Nick's Quest 06:10 House Doctor 06:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Celebrity Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 See Jane Date 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers 21:00 World's Toughest Trucker 22:00 Celebrity Big Brother 23:30 Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side

37

The Courier Saturday TV

January 28

00:20 The National Lottery Friday Night Draws 00:30 Starship Troopers 02:25 Weatherview 02:30 Question Time 03:30 MasterChef: The Professionals 04:30 Click 04:45 Newswatch 05:00 BBC News 05:30 On the Road With 06:00 BBC News 06:30 Our World 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:15 Football Focus 14:00 British Olympic Dreams 14:30 Live Athletics 17:30 Final Score 18:15 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 18:35 Winter Wipeout 19:35 The Magicians 20:50 The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins 21:40 Casualty 22:30 BBC News; Weather 22:50 The Rock

00:00 The Review Show 00:45 Weather 00:50 The Notorious Bettie Page

02:20 03:20 03:30 04:00 04:30 07:00 07:10 07:25 07:35 07:45 08:00 Lab 08:30 08:45 08:55 09:25 12:30 13:00 14:45 15:30 17:35 19:10 20:10 20:40 21:30 23:10 23:50

Bowls BBC News Nicole's Legacy BBC News Close Little Robots Zigby Finley the Fire Engine Octonauts Everything's Rosie Richard Hammond's Blast Dennis and Gnasher Shaun the Sheep The Ministry of Curious Stuff Live Tennis: Australian Open Homes Under the Hammer Island in the Sky Escape to the Country Live Bowls Galaxy Quest Flog It! Dad's Army Timewatch The Duchess Pan Am Pan Am

01:45 The Zone 03:45 Ray 06:20 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 10:25 ITV News 10:30 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 11:25 May the Best House Win 12:25 This Morning: Saturday 12:55 ITV News and Weather 12:59 Meridian Weather 13:00 Live FA Cup Football 16:05 The Incredible Hulk 18:15 Meridian News and Weather 18:30 ITV News and Weather 18:45 All New You've Been Framed!

19:45 Harry Hill's TV Burp 20:15 Take Me Out 21:30 The Talent Show Story 22:30 The Jonathan Ross Show 23:30 ITV News and Weather 23:44 Meridian Weather 23:45 FA Cup Football Highlights

THE DUCHESS Historical drama starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Following a marriage arranged by her mother, 17-year-old Georgiana Spencer looks forward to a privileged existence as the wife of the much older Duke of Devonshire. She soon discovers, however, that her aloof husband is more interested in his dogs and sleeping with the maids than sharing her company, and that her only purpose in life is to provide him with a male heir.

00:20 Rude Tube 01:25 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 03:15 Random Acts 03:20 Swimming 03:40 Meeting Helen 03:50 The Fishmonger 03:55 My Name Is Earl 04:20 Hung 04:55 Hung 05:25 St Elsewhere 06:10 Countdown 06:55 Sali Mali 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 That Paralympic Show 08:00 Volleyball 08:55 The Morning Line 09:55 Everybody's Talking About 10:25 Live and Lost 10:55 The Big Bang Theory 11:25 Desperate Scousewives 12:25 The Simpsons 13:00 New Girl 13:30 Playing It Straight 14:25 The Big Bang Theory 14:55 Channel 4 Racing 16:55 Come Dine with Me Extra Portions 19:05 Channel 4 News 19:35 4thought.tv 19:40 Crocodile Dundee 21:30 The Million Pound Drop Live 23:05 Clear and Present Danger

00:30 Comedy Kings: Best of Just for Laughs 01:00 SuperCasino 04:50 Motorsport Mundial 05:15 Nick's Quest 05:40 Nick's Quest 06:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Roary the Racing Car 07:15 Fifi and the Flowertots 07:25 Fireman Sam 07:40 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Igam Ogam 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:15 The Milkshake! Show 08:35 Make Way for Noddy 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Little Princess 09:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:35 Angelina Ballerina 09:50 Rupert Bear 10:05 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:20 The Mr Men Show 10:30 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 11:00 Inside Hollywood 11:10 It's All About Amy 12:10 Celebrity Big Brother 13:40 Murder She Said 15:25 Black Horse Canyon 17:05 Man in the Wilderness 19:05 Police Academy 3: Back in Training 20:35 5 News Weekend 20:40 NCIS 21:30 NCIS 22:30 CSI: NY

38

The Courier Sunday TV

January 29

00:55 The Football League Show 01:35 The Cat and the Canary 03:10 Weatherview 03:15 BBC News 03:30 Dateline London 04:00 BBC News 04:30 From The Valley to Vegas 05:00 BBC News 05:30 Click 06:00 BBC News 06:30 The Record Europe 07:00 Breakfast 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Country Tracks 13:00 Sunday Politics 14:05 EastEnders 16:00 The Royal Bodyguard 16:30 Penguin Island 17:00 Earthflight 18:00 Songs of Praise 18:35 Antiques Roadshow

00:35 TOTP2 01:05 Bowls 02:05 Day of the Dead 03:40 Close 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Richard Hammond's Blast Lab 08:30 Dennis and Gnasher 08:45 Ultimate Sports Day 09:15 Live Tennis: Australian Open 13:00 Escape to the Country 14:00 Figure Skating 15:30 Live Bowls 18:15 Ski Sunday 19:00 The Last Explorers 20:00 Sir Jimmy Savile at the BBC: How's About That Then?

21:00 Top Gear 22:00 Toughest Place to Be 23:00 God Bless Ozzy Osbourne

01:15 01:50 04:00 04:45 06:30 07:00 08:25 10:25 10:30 12:00 13:00 13:55 13:59 14:00 17:00 19:00 19:25 19:35 19:45 21:30 22:30 23:00 23:30 23:44 23:45

Celebrity Juice ITV News Headlines In Plain Sight ITV Nightscreen ITV Morning News Mini CITV CITV ITV News FA Cup Football Highlights Dinner Date Dickinson's Real Deal ITV News and Weather Meridian Weather Live FA Cup Football Vera You've Been Framed!

Meridian News and Weather ITV News and Weather Dancing on Ice Wild at Heart Dancing on Ice: The Skate Off That Sunday Night Show ITV News and Weather Meridian Weather FA Cup Football Highlights

THE GHOST

19:35 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 20:00 Countryfile 21:00 Call the Midwife 22:00 Birdsong 23:25 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 23:50 The One

Mystery thriller directed by Roman Polanski, starring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan. A ghostwriter is hired to oversee the memoirs of a former British prime minister and travels to his employer's luxurious island retreat in America to begin work.

However, as a scandal linked to the politician begins to brew, the writer starts to uncover some dark secrets from the man's time in office.

01:50 Chris Moyles' Quiz Night 02:35 Friday Night In 02:45 The Warlords 04:40 This Is Me 04:45 St Elsewhere 05:35 90210 06:15 Countdown 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 Sailing 08:30 The Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge 09:25 One Tree Hill 10:15 Hollyoaks 12:45 The Big Bang Theory 13:15 Shipwrecked 14:20 The Simpsons 14:55 The Simpsons 15:30 Son of the Mask 17:20 Deal or No Deal 18:25 Channel 4 News 18:55 4thought.tv 19:00 Time Team 20:00 Hugh's Three Hungry Boys 21:00 The Hotel 22:00 The Ghost

00:30 CSI: NY 01:25 SuperCasino 05:00 Great Artists 05:25 Divine Designs 05:50 County Secrets 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 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Igam Ogam 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:15 The Milkshake! Show 08:35 Make Way for Noddy 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Little Princess 09:20 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:35 Angelina Ballerina 09:50 Rupert Bear 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:10 Milkshake! Monkey 10:15 The Mr Men Show 10:25 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 11:00 Animal Rescue Squad 11:15 Meerkat Manor 11:50 Grey's Anatomy 12:45 Cowboy Builders 13:45 A Ring of Endless Light 15:30 Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure 17:05 Fairy Tale: a True Story 18:55 Shanghai Noon 21:00 World's 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Bad Boys

39

The Courier Monday TV

January 30

00:30 Room 101 - Extra Storage 01:10 Weatherview 01:15 Film 2012 with Claudia Winkleman 01:55 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 02:40 Holby City 03:40 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 04:40 Rip Off Britain 05:10 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Britain's Empty Homes 12:30 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 The Big Performance 16:35 Wingin' It 17:00 All Over the Place 17:30 The Owl 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 The Royal Bodyguard 22:30 Mrs Brown's Boys 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 A Question of Sport

00:30 02:10 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:10

The Science of Sleep Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close

07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Remote Control Star 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Bob's Mini Projects 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Wibbly Pig 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 One Man and His Campervan 14:30 Animal 24:7 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Home Cooking Made Easy 20:30 A Question of Taste 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 An Island Parish 22:00 Protecting Our Children 23:00 Mock the Week 23:30 Newsnight

00:30 Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby Union 01:20 ITV News Headlines 03:00 Ladette to Lady: Australia 03:50 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Daybreak 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 Meridian News and Weather 15:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Cornwall with Caroline Quentin 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Whitechapel 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 That Sunday Night Show

PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN New series. Documentary following Bristol social workers specialising in child protection, focusing on newly qualified Susanne as she gives parenting advice to a couple with a three-year-old who has learning difficulties. However, the father's hostility toward Susanne means she cannot properly assist the family. Unexplained bruises are found on the youngster's body and more experienced staff are drafted in to provide support to their colleague.

00:35 02:35 03:05 03:50 04:35 05:30 06:25 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:30 08:55 09:25 09:55 10:55 12:00 13:00 13:05 14:05 14:10 16:10 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:55 21:00 22:00 23:00

Predator 2 Coming Up: Home St Elsewhere 90210 My Dream Farm Lost Buildings of Britain Countdown The Hoobs The Hoobs Freshly Squeezed According to Jim Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Living with the Amish Phil Spencer: Secret Agent Secret Location Channel 4 News Summary Country House Rescue River Cottage Bites The Shepherd of the Hills Countdown Deal or No Deal Come Dine with Me Coach Trip The Simpsons Hollyoaks 4thought.tv Channel 4 News Channel 4 Presents SuperScrimpers Coppers Party Paramedics

00:25 Storm Catcher 02:10 SuperCasino 05:00 County Secrets 05:10 Great Scientists 05:40 Divine Designs 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 WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:40 Mio Mao 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 Pregnancy Pact 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 World's Toughest Trucker 21:00 Police Interceptors 22:00 Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan 23:00 Striking Distance

40

The Courier Tuesday TV

January 31

00:05 Late Kick Off 00:35 The Graham Norton Show 01:25 Weatherview 01:30 Who Do You Think You Are? 02:30 Filthy Cities 03:30 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 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 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Britain's Empty Homes 12:30 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 The Big Performance 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Diddy Dick & Dom 17:15 OOglies 17:30 Pixelface 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Prisoners' Wives 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Match of the Day

00:20 01:00 01:40 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30

Pan Am Pan Am HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close

05:00 Primary Class Clips 06:55 Primary English 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Remote Control Star 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Bob's Mini Projects 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Wibbly Pig 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 One Man and His Campervan 14:30 Animal 24:7 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 21:00 Alex Polizzi - The Fixer 22:00 Wonderland 23:00 Have I Got Old News for You 23:30 Newsnight

00:10 Law & Order: UK 01:05 Cops with Cameras 02:00 The Zone 04:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show 04:55 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 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 River Monsters 21:00 The Exit List 22:00 The Biggest Loser 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Benidorm

WONDERLAND Interviews with parents of those who were involved in the riots that took place across England last August, revealing how their families' lives have been changed by the actions of their sons and daughters, and discussing how they felt when politicians and the media cited poor parenting as one of the major causes of the chaos

00:05 Random Acts 00:10 Shameless 01:15 The Joy of Teen Sex 02:10 Embarrassing Bodies 03:05 The Good German 04:50 St Elsewhere 05:35 90210 06:15 Lost Buildings of Britain 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Living with the Amish 11:00 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 12:00 Secret Location 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Country House Rescue 14:05 River Cottage 14:15 King Solomon's Mines 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 18:30 Coach Trip 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 19:55 4thought.tv 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 Channel 4 Presents 21:00 Terror at Sea: The Sinking of the Concordia 22:00 15 Kids and Counting 23:00 Shameless

01:05 Jodie Marsh - Bullied: My Secret Past 02:05 SuperCasino 04:55 Animal Rescue Squad 05:10 Grey's Anatomy 05:55 County Secrets 06:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:40 Mio Mao 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:10 Secrets of an Undercover Wife 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Police Interceptors 21:00 Cowboy Builders 22:00 Body of Proof 23:00 CSI: Miami

41

The Courier Wednesday TV

February 1

01:00 Deadly Pursuit 02:45 Weatherview 02:50 The Manor Reborn 03:50 Nature's Miracle Babies 04:50 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 05:35 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Britain's Empty Homes 12:30 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 The Big Performance 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Diddy Dick & Dom 17:15 OOglies 17:30 The Owl 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Weather 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Rip Off Britain 21:00 DIY SOS: The Big Build 22:00 MasterChef 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The National Lottery Wednesday Night Draws 23:45 Burglar in the House

00:20 Rubicon 01:05 Rubicon 01:50 HARDtalk 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Primary Schools: Primary iD&T - Puppets and Food, Toys and Games

05:30 Primary i-D&T: Making Things Move, Building Shelters 06:00 I Want to Design 06:30 Creative Arts 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Remote Control Star 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Bob's Mini Projects 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Wibbly Pig 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 See Hear 14:30 Animal 24:7 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Top Gear 21:00 Natural World 22:00 The Crusades 23:00 Never Mind the Buzzcocks 23:30 Weather

00:35 Homes from Hell 2009 01:30 The Zone 04:05 Crossing Jordan 04:50 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 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 The Unforgettable 21:00 Midsomer Murders 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

KISS KISS BANG BANG

Action comedy thriller starring Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. New York petty thief Harry Lockhart runs from the cops into a movie audition and is mistaken for an actor. Sent to Los Angeles to play a private detective in a movie, Lockhart is assigned to real-life PI and part-time acting adviser Perry Van Shrike to research the role and soon discovers that the line between fact and fiction is easily blurred.

00:10 Desperate Housewives 01:05 Random Acts 01:10 Poker 02:10 Sailing 02:40 KOTV Boxing Weekly 03:05 Volleyball 04:00 The Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge 04:55 Freesports on 4 05:20 That Paralympic Show 05:45 Brief Encounters of the Sporting Mind: Ma Bar 06:00 Scrapheap Challenge 06:55 Sali Mali 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:55 Living with the Amish 10:55 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 12:00 Secret Location 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Country House Rescue 14:10 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 14:25 All That Heaven Allows 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 18:30 Coach Trip 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 19:55 4thought.tv 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 Channel 4 Presents 21:00 How to Cook Like Heston 21:30 The Fabulous Baker Brothers 22:00 One Born Every Minute 23:00 Bouncers

00:00 CSI: NY 00:55 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 01:55 Inside Hollywood 02:05 SuperCasino 04:55 HouseBusters 05:20 Nick's Quest 05:45 Nick's Quest 06:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 08:55 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:40 Mio Mao 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 Stealing Paradise 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Cowboy Builders 21:00 Benidorm ER 22:00 Exit Wounds

42

The Courier Thusday TV

February 2

00:30 National Lottery Update 01:10 Man on the Moon 03:05 Weatherview 03:10 See Hear 03:40 Country Tracks 04:35 Filthy Cities 05:35 Panorama 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 Britain's Empty Homes 12:30 Cash in the Attic 13:13 BBC News; Weather 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:30 Regional News and Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Escape to the Country 16:00 BBC News; Weather; Regional News 16:05 The Big Performance 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Deadly Art 17:15 OOglies 17:30 Leonardo 18:00 Newsround 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 BBC News; Regional News 21:00 Motorway Cops 22:00 Inside Men 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Question Time

00:20 Storyville 01:35 HARDtalk 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Acting Around Words 05:30 Music, Mud and Making Money 06:00 How to Write 06:30 Making Media

07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Finley the Fire Engine 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Roar 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Remote Control Star 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Bob's Mini Projects 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Wibbly Pig 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 One Man and His Campervan 14:30 Animal 24:7 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Great British Railway Journeys 20:00 Escape to the Country 21:00 Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman 22:00 Putin, Russia & the West" 23:00 James May's Things You Need to Know 23:30 Weather

01:30 The Zone 03:35 Falling Down 05:30 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 Dickinson's Real Deal 16:00 The Alan Titchmarsh Show 16:59 Meridian Weather 17:00 The Hungry Sailors 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Eternal Law 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 The Jonathan Ross Show

HEAVEN ON EARTH

New series. Vacation ideas, including advice on hotels, eating out and off-the-beaten-track adventures. Emma Wilson takes advantage of the leisure facilities on offer at the Buccament Bay Resort on St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, Darren Kennedy experiences the sights and sounds of the Chinese island of Macau and Rav Wilding enjoys a snowboarding break at the ski resort of Arosa, Switzerland.

00:05 Random Acts 00:10 Terror at Sea 01:10 Maverick Sabre Live 01:45 Launched at Red Bull Studios 02:00 Countdown to the NME Awards 2012 02:10 The Album Chart Show: Spotlight 02:25 Professor Green Unseen 02:50 4Play: Josh Osho 03:05 Indiscreet 04:45 St Elsewhere 05:35 90210 06:15 Countdown 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 09:50 Living with the Amish 10:55 Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 12:00 Secret Location 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Country House Rescue 14:05 Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard 14:35 The Moonraker 16:10 Countdown 17:00 Deal or No Deal 18:00 Come Dine with Me 18:30 Coach Trip 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 19:55 4thought.tv 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 Channel 4 Presents 21:00 Location, Location, Location 22:00 The Restoration Man 23:00 Confessions from the Underground

00:00 Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan 01:00 Poker: The Big Game 01:55 SuperCasino 05:00 HouseBusters 05:25 Wildlife SOS 05:50 Wildlife SOS 06:10 Michaela's Wild Challenge 06:35 Michaela's Wild Challenge 07:00 Thomas & Friends 07:10 The WotWots 07:20 City of Friends 07:35 Jelly Jamm 07:45 Peppa Pig 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Peppa Pig 09:30 Roary the Racing Car 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Superior Interiors with Kelly Hoppen 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:10 Nowhere to Land 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Holiday: Heaven on Earth 20:30 How Do They Do It? 20:30 5 News Update 21:00 World's 22:00 Winter Road Rescue 23:00 The Shepherd

43

Friday, January 27, 2012

MEDICAL

AWNINGS

ACCOMODATION Small, economic family run hotel, situated on the CV951, San Miguel de Salinas. Modern air-conditioned and ensuite rooms available, 35 € per room, per night. Call 966 842 070

ACCOUNTANTS for reservations. (48) Are you running a business?

Let us simplify things for you – accountancy, taxes, payroll services and more. We cater for companies and individuals. Established in 1984 on the Costa Blanca. Call us on 966 923 963 for your first consultation free of charge. (48)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES EXCELLENT RECESSION PROOF BUSINESS WITH NO OVERHEADS AND ALL CASH. 5 COLD DRINK VENDING MACHINES €24,900. 25 PRINGLE MACHINES €14,900, ALL WITH GUARANTEED SITES. 619 307 318. (52) Huge Bar Restaurant with 6 room Hotel FOR RENT Very popular place only 36,000 euro for the whole year - NO MONTHLY RENT TO PAY! Call 651 885 200

CHURCH SERVICES International Christian Assembly, Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja.

Evangelical non-denomi-

AIR CONDITIONING

national church. Sunday services 11am. Children's church 11am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier.

Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am.

Craft club, Tuesdays, 2pm. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo.

All nationalities welcome. Call 966 799 273 or 660 127 276.

Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3.

Pilar de la Horadada.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Bible study and Prayer.

Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information contact Pilar ChristianCommunity Church@gmail.com or contact Reverend Eddie on 966 7693 00 or 650 509 606. Reg No:2009-SG/A

Looking for a car we have a fantastic selection of LHD & RHD vehicles for sale or exchange, for example. Renault Clio LHD 1.2, 5 door for only 1950 euros. Ford Ka 1.3, Nov 2006, 53,000 kms, FSH, LHD only 4250 euros. Carens 7 Seater 2.0 crdi, FSH 57,000 kms, fully equipped, high spec 11,950 euros. Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com

FOR SALE Kymco Zing 125cc chopper style motorbike. Year 2000. 5768km. ITV July 2012. 400 euros. Tel 622 208 934. Two helmets included. (49)

INSURANCE For all your insurance needs, ie.home, car, health, funeral, travel, etc Excellent cover from Spain´s 5th biggest insurance company, “CASER”.

Policies available in English and German. Call Professional Business Support on 966 923 963 for a quick quote from a real person/our friendly staff.

Make the most of private health care and private hospitals, we have great cover and a two tier pricing system to suit your age and pocket. All policies in English, many English speaking doctors or free translators at your service.

Call us now on 966 923 963, and we will call you back with your quote.

Caser Health Care .

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Viva Villa and Vacation Services, For Short or Long Term Rentals visit: www.villaandvacation.com or Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 TipTop Villa Care, for all your property needs. Meet and Greets. Cleaning.

Holiday and Long Term Rentals. Advertising. Baby Equipment Hire. www.tiptopvillacare.com e-mail linda@tiptopvillacare.com Tel 667848582 (50) COSTA BLANCA SOUTH LONG TERM RENTALS ROLDAN LARGE DETACHED VILLA available furnished or UNFURNISHED Near to town centre and schools. Ideal for La Torre Golf Resort and Kings College. linda@tiptopvillacare.com or call Tel 667848582 www.tiptopvillacare.com (50) LONG TERM RENTALS (ALICANTE region) FORMENTERA de la SEGURA. NEAR ROJALES. Sunny and Bright 2 bed-

room apartment. Large Terrace with BBQ. Walking distance to Town Centre 350€/mth* Linda 667848582 (50) Ref. 91, This lovely one bedroom apartment is on the fifth (top) floor of block one of the Miramar development - but don't worry about climbing the stairs, as there is a lift! A parking space is included in the key operated underground garage. €450PCM 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 term only. 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. Short or long term rental available. €P.O.A 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.

Long term or Short term available. €795PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

PROPERTY FOR RENT Ref: 709, A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach. There is a terrace outside with views to the sea. Short or long term rental available. €300PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 708, A lovely two bedroom, one bathroom corner ground floor apartment in Algorfa, with a spacious patio & Residents off road parking. Communal pool near by. Short or long term rental available. €400PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 117, A Lovely 3 Bedroomed 1st floor apartment on the outskirts of Torrevieja (Mar Azul). The Apartment is in walking distance of the excellent beaches and a good selection of restaurants, shops and bars. €425PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 516, Well situated studio apartment in San Luis.

The property has a balcony which has been glazed to create another room. Close to all shops and amenities, on a local bus route & 10 minutes from the beach. €250PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 702, A lovely 2 bedroom apartment in a quiet area of Torrevieja yet within walking distance to local beaches and amenities.

It’s also less than an hour’s drive from both Alicante and Murcia San Javier Airports. €400PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

COMPUTERS

BLINDS / AWNINGS

CARS FOR SALE Try Professional Business Support for your quick quote for car insurance.

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

ALARMS

Architect

CARPENTER

CAR HIRE

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

FUNERAL SERVICES

AUCTION

CAR MECHANIC

44

Friday, January 27, 2012

Ref. 135, An outstanding two bedroom villa with one double and one twin room on the VillaMartin golf complex. There is a very pleasant terrace off the main bedroom and from the sun terrace on the roof the views are excellent. €400PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 04, A 2 bedroom apartment one street back from the famous Cabo Roig strip. There is a selection of local shops, restaurants and bars on the doorstep with the shopping strip only 400 metres away. €450PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 92, A lovely three bedroom apartment on the ground floor of

block one of the Miramar developments. A small balcony runs the width of the lounge area above the small private garden area at the front of the property. €450PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 104, Lovely 2 Bedroom Apartment in Torrevieja, within walking distance to the Friday Market, Town Centre and the beach. Close to the Habaneres Shopping Centre and Aquapark. €350PCM Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 151, Beautiful Family 3 Bedroom Villa. Well equipped American kitchen, double bedroom and bathroom. A further 2 bedrooms, bathroom,

CREATIVE CONCRETE

large terrace with sun loungers, table and chairs, bbq, and beautiful sea view. Short or long term rental available. €P.O.A.Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Luxury appartments, 2/3 bedrooms in San Miguel De Salinas. Floor heating, Elevator, Roof terrace with swimmingpool, from 385 euros/month Also holiday rentals and appartments in San Miguel de Salinas from 300 euros/month.

966 723 437 and 616 487 493 (48)

PROPERTY FOR SALE Excellent cover for your house and home, includes travel assistance for when you go away. Interesting prices for expats; policies available in English or German. Call 966 923 963 for a quote.

BEACH HOUSE 1 street from beach. LOS NAREJOS 3 bedroom 2 bathroom Townhouse HUGE BASEMENT, currently set out as GYM and DOUBLE bedroom. 175,000€. Linda 667848582 (50) BARGAIN 199,950 CEHE-

GIN 1 hour San Javier Airport. 40 mins. Corvera.

5 bedroom 2 bath FINCA with over 5,000m2 plot.

Stunning. Tel. 667848 582 (50) Detached villa with large oasis pool. Situated on first Urb. In Gran Alacant.

500m2 plot, electric gates, alarmed 3 beds, 3 baths, fully furnished. Recently reduced for a quick sale Now only 260.000 euros Call 680 333 242 quoting ref 33 Altomar II in Gran Alacant Investment opportunity…

82.000 euros. 2 bed, 1 bath, lounge diner, ind.

Kitchen, Glazed in Galleria, S/Facing, extra storage Fully furnished, Private parking, Com pools Ring 627 711 155 to view.

Duplex in Monte y Mar, GA

FURNITURE

DAMP PROOFING

HEATING

FISHING

ENERGY SAVER

FAST BROADBAND

ELECTRICIAN

NEWS AGENTS

2 Bed, 1 Bath, ground floor with views Fully furnished, A/Con, Heating, Ceiling Fans, English TV, garden, Communal pool, for apt please call 966 699 136 to view only 115.000 ono REDUCED Ground floor Duplex in Puerto Marino, Gran Alacant. Now only 99,500 euros. 2 bed, 1 bath, fully furnished Central heating, glazed galleria, grills, Mozzie nets, front garden, com pools, Private gated parking, walking distance to Shops bars restaurants etc. 627 711 155 Calling all serious Buyers.

I have a 5 bed, 4 bath, 2 kitchens, 2 lounges, detached Villa with self-filling pool in Gran Alacant.

Everything included in price, fantastic Alicante/sea views. As a starting price I am looking in the region of 265.000 euros Interested in making me an offer call me on 680 333 242 Mid Terraced Town house in Gran Alacant 2 Bed, 3 Bath, being sold fully furnished.

Electrical Appliances included, large

HOUSE CLEARANCES

GARDENING

PLUMBERS

front and rear garden, choice of communal pools, Private secure parking and walking distance to GA Center. 140.000 euros ono. Call 627 711 155 for viewing.

Lovely well maintained terraced property situated in Mediterranea III in Gran Alacant. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, everything included in price. Large communal pool, tennis courts, established gardens Walking distance to shops, bars restaurants.

Very quiet location, over looks nature reserve.

Private parking, call 680 333 242 for more details.

133.000 euros Beach Front property opposite Carabassi Beach 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge diner, roof top solarium under ground secure parking, walking distance to beach Situated on local tram and bus route. Being sold fully furnished. 4 communal pools, tennis courts, bar and restaurant with in urbanisation Please ring 966 699 136 after 6pm (english & spanish spoken) Now only 125.000 euros excellent value in Gran Alacant.

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Friday, January 27, 2012 Quick sale needed.

199.000 euros ono Detached property in Puerto Marina. 3 Bed, 3 Bath, Immaculately furnished Alarmed, Central heating, Log fire, Hot & Cold air con, open fields to the rear, Private parking, Communal pools.

966.699.478 after 5 pm.

Don Pueblo, Gran Alacant 209,000 euros 3 Double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes 2 bathrooms, spacious kitchen with galleria Lounge complete with chimney, large under build, top quality furniture and appliances inc. Com pools, underground garage, tennis courts To view call 627 711 155 Semi-detached villa in Gran Alacant 3 bed, 3 bath, lounge diner, independent kitchen, glazed in porch, large solarium with

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stunning views, Private Parking. A/Con Central heating, UK TV. Only 229.000 euros By appointment only call 966 699 136 Large detached villa, large pool with electronic solar cover, converted under build, roof top solarium with conservatory, panoramic views 545 m2 plot, part furnished, double glazed, A/con, alarmed, gas fire, est. irrigated gardens Call 680 333 242 for best price Ref 30 Close to Supavalue in Gran Alacant. Detached villa with pool on 640m2 plot. 3 bed, 2 bath, lounge diner, large roof top solarium, Porch, Outside WC, 2 built-in BBQ’s, Log Fire, Under build, Alarmed, Mature Gardens, Toldos blinds, Garage, Electronic Gates. 260.000 euros 627 711 155 English & Spanish spoken.

Walking distance to all local amenities in GA Detached Villa with large pool. Decoratively tiled Garden, complete with BBQ. Est. palm & fruit trees. 3 bed, 3 bath, Fully Furnished including all electrical appliances.

Quick sale needed, 270.000 euros, but very negotiable. For appoint-

ment to view call 966 699 478 after 5pm Top floor duplex in Puerto Marina, G/Alacant 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, lounge-diner, glazed-in porch, large roof-top solarium with views, Top quality furniture and appliances included. Secure private parking, communal pools, 108,000 euros. If you would like to view call 627 711 155 for an immediate appointment.

LIMITED EDITION One of only a few bungalows in Gran Alacant. Top of the range furniture and appliances included. 3 bed, 2 bath, lounge diner, large kitchen, leading to galleria, huge roof top solarium with fantastic views of Alicante and mountains. Electronic gates leading to garage, 500m2 plot, 10x5 pool with irrigated gardens By appointment only, ring 680333242 325.000 ono Large family Home in Izla de Izaro, G.A (bajo) 4 bed, 3 bath, stunning communal pool with Jacuzzi & water features. Children’s play area and fantastic communal gardens. Very high standard throughout, Large converted under build & garage, elec.

Gates Alarmed, A/con, out-

SIGN WRITING

side kitchen and bathroom, 399.000 ono. To view call 966699136 after 5pm.

Monte Y Mar - Gran Alacant Detached Villa with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, lounge-diner, front porch, Large solarium with views. 400m2 plot Low maintenance irrigated gardens, Private pool & Parking. Tastefully furnished throughout and everything included.

Recently Reduced to 239.000 euros. For more details call 627.711.155 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 680 333 242 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 195.000 Tel 680 333 242 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 680 333 242 Viva Villa and Vacation Services are pleased to offer property sales for the Torrevieja and Oriheula

areas of the Costa Blanca, Spain. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 or Visit : www.villaandvacation.com 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: 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 Ref: 78, €120,000. Three bedroom Quad in Jardin Del Mar VII. There is offroad parking and small storage shed in the enclosed garden area, communal pool nearby.

Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref: 709, €60,000 A lovely 1 bedroom apartment in

Aguas Nuevas, within a 5 minute walk of the beach.

There is a terrace outside with views to the sea.

Short or long term rental available. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397 Ref. 526, €49,900. A lovely bright 1 bedroom apartment in the area of Torreblanca.There is a large communal pool and well maintained gardens, with tennis courts and childrens play area. Call: 965 707 188 or 626 397 397

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Friday, January 27, 2012

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

FIND THE GOLF COURSE: A SIGN OF THE TIMES TAKE A TIP

I READ the other week that the numbers of visitors who specifically come here to the Costa Blanca to play golf are increasing.

Better than that, the number of people playing Alicante courses equates to around 600,000 rounds of golf.

Now, by my simple arithmetic that’s in the region of 30,400,000€ based on an average green fee of 50€. If that’s not enough, these golfing tourists apparently spend 80€ million per year.

And that’s not all, the average daily expenditure is 230€, of which only €39 is spent on other golf associated items. It is then said that 50 per cent is spent on car hire, shopping and eating out, which leaves 76€ a day for travel and accommodation.

My guess is that a big chunk of those 76 euros is spent on trying to find the golf course.

A few years ago I wrote about the inadequate signs that had been installed in a half-hearted effort to show us the way, Now in 2012, things have moved on.

The Costa Blanca Tourist Board signs have gone - and been replaced by, well...

NOTHING. The other day I decided to put my findings to the test as it is now. As most golfers living in the Torrevieja area know, there is a lovely coursecalled Vistabella Golf until you are at the entrance situated between Los to Entre Naranjos Montesinos and Jacarilla, Urbanisation (if you get that which opened in September far) which is where Vistabella 2009. is, some 18km away. There’s But if you live outside the Torrevieja area or you are on not even a sign off the AP7. * see photo a golfing holiday you would When the question was be hard pushed to find it.

If you travel from San asked as to why there are no Miguel, you do have a very signs, I was told they could slight advantage as there is a not get a licence unless they sign on the roundabout at the paid for them and they are start of the Los Montesinos not allowed within 20km from road out of San Miguel*. And the course without a licence. that’s it, nada, nothing else Heck! They should be

For a right handed player – reverse for a left handed player NOTHING is more frustrating in golf than when we seem to make a good swing - and the ball balloons higher in the air than it does along the fairway. Apart, that is, from “thinning” the ball and it does not get off the ground. Over the next few weeks we will try to provide some “tips” on how to minimise the times we do it.

SKYING This is when the club comes down steeply and hits the ball into the air, achieving no distance.

THE GRIP FAULT • Gripping the club too tightly.

• Holding the club too much in the palm of your hand.

• Grip too strong, with the “V’s” formed by the thumb and first finger of both hands pointing well outside the right shoulder.

The “V’s” should point The club should be gripped in the fingers, to a position between not the palm of the hand. chin and right shoulder.

doing somersaults to put up illuminated signs every 5km, knowing the revenue golf courses bring to the coffers.

Then perhaps the golfing tourists would spend more time and money on ‘apres golf’ instead of “hunt the golf course”.

OK, you may say there are Sat Navs, Smart phones with GPS and Google maps, and even some courses put GPS co-ordinates on their web page.

But would it not be sensible in this day and age of competitive tourism to give the holidaying golfer a little help and stick up road signs all the way to the course?

And for the money grabbing Town Halls to give more consideration to its money spending tourist?

It’s not just the Costa Blanca golfer that suffers this

ultimate test to get to whack that little white round ball - it’s as bad on the Costa del Sol (or Costa del Golf as they like to be called).

I was down there the other month and, boy, was it tough.

It should have been easy as they have a lot more golf courses in a smaller area, but no. they suffer from the same mentality.

When I actually came to a sign it was minuscule and only had on it “Campo de Golf”.

Assuming the visiting golfer knows what Campo de Golf means, he will still not know which course it referred to.

And he is none the wiser where to go.

Or perhaps it is a ploy by course owners to get new customers – who knows?

CURE • Hold the club firmly but not tightly, as this creates tension in the fingers and forearms.

• Make sure that you position the handle of the club correctly in the fingers of the right hand.

• When you take up your grip, check that the “V’s” formed by the thumb and first fingers point to a position between the chin and right shoulder.

If you have specific problems then email office@thecourier.es and we will ask our Golf Pro for a solution and publish his findings.

TITTER ON THE TEE ON hearing that her elderly grandfather had just passed away Sandra went straight round to visit her grandmother. When she asked how her grandfather had died, her gran explained “He had a heart attack when we were making love on Sunday morning” Horrified Sandra suggested having sex at the age of 94 was surely asking for trouble.

“Oh no” her gran replied, “We had sex every Sunday morning, in time to the church bells, in with the dings and out with the dongs”.

She paused, and wiped away the tears. “If it wasn’t for that damn ice cream van going past, he’d still be alive”.

RELATIONSHIPS Just think, if it weren’t for marriage, men could go through life thinking they had no faults at all.

SEE YOU ON THE TEE!

47

Friday, January 27, 2012

BE HAPPY, HARRY! Don’t throw him to the dogs - England need him

WHY should Harry Redknapp have to pay any more money out in tax? He pays enough to keep a Third World nation going as it is, so leave the lad alone. Let him bank as much as he wants offshore - and live a dog's life!

Harry seems to have an addiction to accumulating cash. Now there is nothing wrong with that and my brother-in-law's brother, a multi-millionaire importexporter, reckons the more you make the more you want to make.

I have heard that a certain football manager has FIVE houses on Sandbanks, the exclusive residential area off Poole on the South coast. The thing is, they were all allegedly paid for with funds other than straightforward salaries.

Now, again, I say good luck to the chap. Let him get on with it. I am more of a "spread the wealth" sort of guy myself.

If I have it, I spend it and if I had millions I would probably end up giving more than

half of it away or certainly enjoying myself to the max. OK, maybe I’d take the odd day off to rest up and recharge the batteries ready for another hedonistic extravaganza!

Harry has worked reasonably hard for his dosh over the years as a top-class player and manager. He came through major life-saving surgery as well, so it ain't all been a bed of roses. But the big problem now is that Harry is being tipped as the next England manager.

It ain't gonna look good if the FA go ahead and appoint him either side of a ten stretch in Wandsworth for failing to cough up those taxes, is it?

I have always said the rules of employment are if you are good enough you get the job no matter what. And I personally wouldn't give two hoots if Harry had done a little porridge before leading England to World Cup glory.

I'd rather he hadn't but you can't have everything - and as I would like to see

an ENGLISH manager of England next time around, there ain't too may other contenders at the moment.

Roy Hodgson and Stuart Pearce are the only ones with anywhere near the experience necessary for the job. Sam Allardyce has dropped down into the Championship and has no international experience, so let's stick with Harry for now and hope he doesn't get banged up for more than a month or two – or, better still, gets away with it altogether!

I'd risk a tenner on him coming up smelling of roses and taking us closer than anyone since Bobby Robson to football's ultimate prize or even a trophy since 1966.

Spot-on Monte stay on top CD Montesinos 2 Sporting Saladar 1

CDM side: Cubano, Chulo, Fernando, Becker, Sanchez (Capt), Rubio, M&A, Andres, Vazquinho, Macan, Edu. Subs: Ruben, Lopez (not used), Omar, Dimitry and Javi Goals: Edu and Andres (pen) A second-half penalty from Andres sealed victory for CD Montesinos in this top-of-the-table clash. But only after the league leaders had come from a goal behind.

After a goalless first half in which Monte centre forward,

Vazquinho, missed two close-range efforts, manager Joanne made two changes at half time adding more attacking players to his side in Ruben and Dimitry.

But five minutes into the second half Saladar took the lead from a good breakaway effort. After an hour, Ma made way for youth player Omar in another substitution and shortly after, top scorer Edu equalised after being put through by Macan.

As both sides went all out for victory, Vazquinho went past his marker and was brought down. The match

referee pointed directly to the spot and Andres stroked home the penalty - much to the delight of their 327strong following.

There was still time for yellow cards, as well as a red, being issued to the visitors, but the three points made sure that CD Montesinos stay top for at least another week.

Tomorrow (Saturday), CD Montesinos travel to Deportivo Orihuela with a 6pm kick-off. The supporters’ club are organising travel for this game. For more information about CD Montesinos and its Internacional Supporters’ Club, The Full Monte, visit www.cdmontesinos.com email thefullmonte2011 @hotmail.com or telephone 637 869 602.

In association with CajaMurcia.

Vamos Monte!!!

Didn’t Edu well?

Joy for Orihuela ITv Orihuela RFC needed a moralel boost after last weekend against UCAM Murcia - and that is just what they got with both the juveniles and seniors showing just what they are capable of.

The juveniles were first up, and only had 13 players with numerous injuries after last week’s hard fought win.

They started off well and eventually the pressure paid off when Gabi found a gap in the San Javier defence to go over for a try. Pablo followed suit ,driving over from close range with Victor convert-

ing. Before half time Gabi got second try and Victor converted for a 19-0 lead.

In the second half ITV Orihuela took full control, running in five unanswered tries to win 46-0.

Could the seniors follow suit and do the same against their San Javier counterparts - and get the bonus point as well?

The home side started off on the front foot, but the visitors, against the run of play, kicked a penalty in front of the posts to take the lead.

Some excellent defence kept San Javier at bay and then, after Orihuela won a turnover in their own 22, Edu found a gap in the San Javier defence to race away for a superb solo try.

ITV Orihuela RFC kept up the pressure and were rewarded with another excellent try by Edu to go in at half time 10-3 up.

In the second half the San Javier defence was

excellent, but again it was that man Edu who finally broke the defence with his third try.

ITV Orihuela RFC brought on fresh legsto push for the bonus point, which they deservedly got, Joaquin going over in the corner after an excellent 20-plus metre pass from second row Chima to set it up.

This Saturday (January 28), the seniors take on Novelda away, kicking off at 16.00 in Elche.

On 24-26 February ITV Orihuela RFC again have their usual stand at the “This is Spain’’ exhibition at La Zenia Hotel, supporting The Butterfly Children.

The rugby bar at the Steak House in Rojales is showing the LV Cup on Friday night and Saturday, also on Saturday the Saxons v Irish Wolfhounds. Further info on any of the above from Garry on 692 767 242.

Friday, January 27, 2012

BALOHELLI

ANTICS: Best

Mad Mario must start playing by the rules

SO Mario Balotelli's agent has threatened that the player will quit England if he continues to be treated, in their view, so badly.

Oh dear, how sad. But never mind. If I was a Manchester City fan I would not be too upset as the player, good and gifted as he is, is also a liability.

Not so much a loose cannon as an uncontrollable torpedo speeding towards self-destruction at a rate of knots.

Balotelli did stamp on Scott Parker and he did spit out in the referee's direction in a previous match. He

STEVE BOTT reports

also seemed set to decapitate Liverpool's Charlie Adam after the Scot did no more than give the volatile Italian a pat on the hand as they separated after a tussle.

The boy needs to grow up and adapt a bit. We all have to play by the rules most of the time. I don't like to conform myself, but I do now and again - especially when the people trying to tell me what to do are paying me!

Anyway, if City do part company with Balotelli it will be another sequel to their roller coaster story of attempting success by throwing as much money as possible at their objectives. It didn't work with Carlos Tevez and as I write they seem saddled with a player nobody wants or can afford.

48

ANTICS: Gazza

Balotelli is still affordable....just. But who wants to waste time going to visit him in prison or on some psychiatric ward, when they should be back training the rest of the players at Carrington?

Roberto Mancini must have been the Balotelli family’s milkman. He certainly stands by the lad, brought him in from Inter where he had experience of him, too - and loses his power of speech when asked to explain Mario's latest escapade.

If the player could be a little more laid back and take after his guardian, he would be much more acceptable.

We've had it all before with Gazza, George Best and others so Balotelli is nothing new... apart from his nasty violent streak which I find very worrying indeed.