The Courier Week 51

Edition 51

www.thecourier.es

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Costa’s most popular newspaper - 100,000 readers can’t be wrong

EARTHWAKE But the Sunday shakes are no reason to panic

Got plenty of time to spare?

By AMANDA BLACK THE brief earthquake which rocked the Torrevieja area early on Sunday morning is highly unlikely to be a prelude to a major tremor.

It is a well-known fact of local history that the original town was destroyed by a terremoto that killed 400 people back in 1829.

Sunday’s quake, which was downgraded from 3.4 to 3.0 on the Richter Scale, was the latest confirmation of the susceptibility of the region to earth tremors of various strengths.

Spain is said to suffer around 2,500 quakes each year, though most of them are too small to be either felt or cause damage. And while a major disaster is unlikely in the near future, Luis Suárez, president of the Colegio Oficial de Geólogos (ICOG), says that predicting earthquakes is far from an exact science.

“We still do not have the tools to know exactly when an earthquake will happen, which is why we can only resort to historical statistics,” he explained.

Using historical data, Suárez warned last year that a big earthquake in Spain was long overdue. They normally occur every 70 years yet the last was in 1884.

On that occasion, a 6.7 magnitude quake in Arenas del Rey, Granada killed 900, injured 2,000 and destroyed

What is this?

See Page 3

FLASHBACK: The terror of Lorca...but Spain only suffers a major earthquake every 70 years more than 1,000 homes.

Suárez issued this warning BEFORE the 5.2 tremor hit Lorca, killing ten and injuring many more. They were the first direct fatalities of a quake in Spain for 128 years.

However, he was later quick to point out that the Lorca disaster was not intense enough to seriously affect buildings unless they had previous damage.

Sunday’s tremor, centred five kilometres off the Torrevieja coast and 11 kilometres deep, occurred at 5.43 am and woke thou-

sands of people. It was felt in 11 municipalities and according to the register of the National Geographic Institute, was one of the most intense felt in the region in recent years.

People reported objects falling from shelves and pictures from walls. Phone lines to the local police and Guardia Civil in Torrevieja temporarily crashed as worried residents bombarded the stations with calls.

Police patrol cars were quickly dispatched to check the area.

Fortunately,

nobody was injured and no damage reported - but residents were inevitably asking about the risk of another big quake in the Torrevieja area.

In 1829, the town was near the centre of Spain’s worst recorded earthquake a 6.9 TERRORmoto which destroyed the town and left almost 400 dead.

But whether such a quake will be repeated – or when – remains speculation.

Suarez says that if another major quake were to hit Torrevieja, it should not pro-

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SIT down, relax - and make sure you have no pressing engagements.

Because you’ll need some time to absorb the Courier action today.

As ever, this issue is full of interesting news and features - including a good look not only at what’s going on here in Spain, but also back in Britain. (Well, the interesting stuff, anyway).

And it’s all free, including the chance to quiz top dog psychologist Peter Singh about the behaviour of your pets. On P24-25, Peter also reveals the truth about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

And it will come as a surprise to some...

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Friday, February 10, 2012

I’m not barking...I’m as sane as the rest of you 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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Further no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by an error, inaccuracy or non-appearance of any advertisement, although all advertisements produced are checked prior to insertion. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than ONE incorrect insertion and that no re-publication will be granted in the case of typographical or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement. E&OE. NO PART OF THIS NEWSPAPER MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHERS.

Picture of the Week

96 692 1003

TERROR 9 JAILED NINE men who plotted to bomb the London Stock Exchange and build a terrorist training camp have been jailed.

Three of the men - all members of an al-Qaeda inspired terror group - received indeterminate sentences for public protection at London's Woolwich Crown Court.

The court heard they had planned to raise funds for a terrorist camp in Pakistan and recruit Britons to From Page One attend. The nine come scale seen in 1829.It would from Stoke-on-Trent, inevitably cause damage, Cardiff and London. but he stresses that it In sentencing, the judge would be lessened by the described all the plotters rigorous application of anti- who are British nationals of seismic measures in Bangladeshi and Pakistani columns, beams, walls and origin - as Islamic fundareinforcements in building mentalists. foundations in recent The three to receive years. indeterminate sentences Spain, he says, “has for the terror camp plan placed particular emphasis were Mohammed Shahon applying earthquake jahan, 27, of Stoke-onresistant standards in new Trent, who was jailed for a construction”. minimum of eight years l It recently emerged that and 10 months. despite being on a fault line Usman Khan, 20, and and at risk of earthquakes, Nazam Hussain, 26, also Torrevieja has no earthfrom Stoke, must serve at quake emergency plan. least eight years.

The town hall is working to Judge Mr Justice Wilkie rectify this and has now said these three were “the created a working group more serious jihadists’’ and responsible for the prepashould not be released until ration of the Municipal they were no longer Action Plan against Cont’d on Page 3 Earthquake Risk.

Earthwake

WHAT a lotta bottle tops! These 11 large boxes full of plastic tapones were collected by Seur from the Courier offices yesterday (Thursday) for delivery to the plastics factory at Ibi. The tops were collected by readers who have leapt to support the campaign to save the life of Aitana Garcia Doiz. They were due to be weighed and the proceeds deposited into Aitana’s account. The campaign to raise €200,000 to send the 10-year-old to America for heart and lung surgery has already raked in threequarters of the money required, much of it from the proceeds of bottle-top collections all over Spain. Call 966923963 or 617935721 for details of collections.

Friday Sunny High 13° Low 2° Chance of rain 6% Monday Sunny High 10° Low -2° Chance of rain 0%

Tuesday Sunny High 14° Low 3° Chance of rain 0%

Saturday Showers High 11° Low -2° Chance of rain 60% Wednesday Sunny High 15° Low 5° Chance of rain 0%

Sunday Sunny High 9° Lo -3° Chance of rain 0% Thursday Sunny High 15° Lo 6° Chance of rain 0%

Friday, February 10, 2012

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‘A serious, long-term venture in terrorism’ - Judge From Page Two a threat to the public. The court heard they planned to establish the terrorist camp on land in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir owned by Khan's family and encourage a "significant" number of British Muslims to undergo training there.

Khan and Hussain planned to travel to the camp and receive military instruction themselves before "obtaining first-hand terrorist experience in Kashmir", the hearing was told.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Wilkie said this was a "serious, long-term venture in terrorism" that could also have resulted in atrocities in the UK. "It was envisaged by them all that ultimately they and the other recruits may return to the UK as trained and experienced terrorists available to perform terrorist attacks in this country, on one possibility contemplated in the context of the return of British troops from Afghanistan."

Four others, who all pleaded guilty to engaging

in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism by planning to plant a bomb in the toilets of the London Stock Exchange, included: Gurukanth Desai, 30, from Cardiff: 12 years; Abdul Miah, 25, from Cardiff: 16 years, 10 months Mohammed Chowdhury, 22, from London: 13 years, 8 months Shah Rahman, 28, from London: 12 years. Omar Latif, 28, from Cardiff, was given a sentence of 10 years and 4 months.

COVER UP

Authorities knew of hotel Legionnaires threat weeks before British deaths

By AMANDA BLACK

AN outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease that killed three British holidaymakers and put 13 in hospital was detected more than a month earlier, it has emerged.

The presence of Legionnnaires at the four-star Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe only became public after three British pensioners died within a week of each other.

But health authorities knew about it as much as six weeks earlier when a Spanish guest contracted the illness in mid-December.

Two weeks later a waitress was struck down by the bug - yet the hotel only closed last Friday, two days after third British pensioner died.

Luis Toro, an Esquerra Unida party member of the Valencia parliament, accused the ruling government of playing down the threat in order to protect tourism.

“The Ministry of Health has, with the excuse of not wanting to alarm the population, hidden relevant information when they should have taken the necessary preventative measures,” he said.

Local reports have claimed that staff at the hotel were made aware of the outbreak and told to take precautions but not to alarm guests.

Tour operator Saga, whose clients were among those affected, were said to be furious they had not been warned of the threat and insisted they

would have taken action to ensure their clients’ safety.

"We do not hesitate when it comes to potential health issues for our customers," said a spokesman, Paul Green. "I am shocked to learn that there may have been earlier incidents about which we were unaware."

The tour company transferred its guests to the nearby Ifach Hotel and warned all those who had stayed at the Diamante Beach in the previous six weeks to seek medical attention if they showed flu-like symptoms.

Luis Rosado, the Minister of Health for the region, defended his handling of the crisis, even though it took more than six weeks to warn the public and close the hotel.

“We did what we had to do until we had definitive confirmation of the epidemic,” he said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, Calpe mayor Cesar Sanchez Perez said: “There is absolutely no need for alarm.

“I can assure that we have acted with speed and carried out all safety measures according to strict European protocol to deal with this health issue, to stop contagion and clean the installation.

“The very last thing Calpe needs at this moment is a panic in these difficult economic times when tourism is so important and provides so many jobs. The message I want to give is this problem is dealt with and it’s business as usual.”

It’s called a QR Code - but what does it do?

WHAT IS A QR CODE? QR Codes are set to become the 'next big thing' but what are they?

QR or Quick Response Codes are a type of twodimensional barcode that can be read using smart phones and dedicated QR reading devices that link directly to text, emails, websites, phone numbers and more.

WHO INVENTED IT? Denso-Wave - a subsidiary of the Toyota Group - are attributed with the creation of the QR Code as far back as 1994. It was designed to be used to track parts in the vehicle manufacturing industry, but its use has since grown tremendously.

HOW DO I SCAN A QR CODE? If you have a smartphone like an iPhone, Android or Blackberry, then there a number of different barcode scanner applications such as Red Laser, Barcode Scanner and QR Scanner that can read and decode data from a QR code.

The majority of these are FREE; all you have to do once you install one is to use your phone's camera to scan the barcode, which will then automatically load the encoded data for you.

With as many as half of us now owning smartphones, and that number growing on a daily basis, QR Codes could have a major impact on society - particularly in advertising, marketing and customer service - with a wealth of product information just one scan away.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

CURSE OF THE MEN-HATERS A BUS driver in Brighton has had a rap over the knuckles after a woman complained to the bus company that he had called her "babe."

The company has sent a notice to all employees telling them that some passengers might take offence if they are called "babe", "love" or "darling".

What on earth is the matter with some women? They seem to be looking for any excuse to make a complaint, especially if they can make it against men.

These obvious men-haters make life a misery for us men, who end up having to walk on eggshells because of them.

There really is one law for women and another for men.

Let me give you an example which really speaks volumes. My wife is a nurse and had her own clinic at the doctor's surgery.

She is a Northerner with a broad accent and when she calls her patients in, she might say things like "will you get a move on, I haven't got all day" if they have a stick or Zimmer frame. If they are a bit slow she might say "Do you want me to get you a skateboard" - and she calls them "flower" "darling" and "sweetheart" and everything else that comes into her head.

Did any of her patients ever complain? Not one. In fact, many would ask the receptionist to be on my wife's list, even if it meant a longer wait.

She would make her comments both to women and men, it made no difference.

She can get away with it, firstly because she's a Northerner and there's a general acceptance that Northerners address each other as 'love', 'dear', 'me ducks' and other terms of friendliness, regardless of whether they know one another.

She also can get away with it because she's a woman.

Women will accept familiarity from other women but so easily take exception if it comes from a man - sexist lot!

Just imagine the scenario if the roles were reversed and I was the nurse in the surgery talking to female patients with a Southern accent the same way as my wife. I wouldn't last the day.

Perhaps women should take a long hard look at themselves and stop making life difficult for men. Message to moaning women - grow up, get a life, stop being sexist and, perhaps, stop being conceited enough to think that a bit of friendliness means a man is coming on to them.

RUSSIA IN NO RUSH THE big freeze across Europe should have sent warning bells to every European country not to be dependent on Russia.

THE New York Times has branded the trial of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón “a disturbing echo of the Franco era’s totalitarian thinking”.

In an editorial last Saturday, the paper condemned the trial of the celebrated human rights judge for allegedly overstepping his authority by opening an inquiry into Spanish civil war crimes.

Just a week into the big freeze and the Russians were turning down the volume of gas supplies to many of the European countries signed up to receive supplies from Russia via Ukraine.

Russia responded that it was providing as much gas "as it could spare" in the current emergency.

This should prompt every country to be independent when it comes to vital supplies. Russia could turn off the taps at the drop of a hat - it will look after its own first.

Back on the subject of the big freeze, people should realise that global warming in fact translates to climate change. This means more droughts, more floods, and higher and sometimes lower temperatures. In other words, more extremes.

There are still doubters regarding the reality of global warming caused by humanity abusing the planet. The big freeze is yet another wake-up call.

WAKE UP, YOU WELSH! A FORTNIGHT ago I had a right go at the Scots over independence, saying if that's what they wanted, then good riddance.

I don't want to see the break-up of the UK, I believe it would be extremely damaging for everyone. I believe we are all one nation, Scots, Welsh, Irish and English, and although I'm sure it would never happen, it would be good to see southern Ireland back into a united fold.

But my attitude is, if there's no alternative because of their

pig-headedness, then let the Scots get on with it. But if they get into a financial mess, then the rest of the UK should tell them exactly what they can do.

The Welsh are now reaping the "benefits" of having a say in their own affairs. Yes, they have free prescriptions and the Welsh Assembly has manipulated things to give the Welsh the impression that they are better off than the English with some degree of self determination.

But it’s all coming home to roost because the Assembly has allocated less money to education and the consequence is that the current generation of Welsh schoolchildren have a lower understanding of maths, English, etc, and a consequence of this is that they are beaten hands down by others in the jobs market.

Perhaps the Welsh need this as a wake-up call - pack in the nationalism which gets nowhere, stop teaching a dead-end language in schools which few understand when everyone speaks English anyway, and get into the real world.

A MATTER OF DISHONOUR POLITICALLY, the last seven days have been interesting, Fred Goodwin, boss of the failed Royal Bank of Scotland, is stripped of his peerage, and Chris Huhne has to resign his Cabinet post to defend himself against a charge of perverting the course of justice by getting his wife to accept three penalty points on her driving licence for a speeding offence.

I hope that in future those who make the decision stop awarding honours and titles to those who build business empires. It should go to people who really do something for the rest of society, not those who are principally making money to benefit themselves.

Had Goodwin donated 90 per cent of his huge wealth to a worthwhile cause, then that would have been a good reason for an honour.

Also, anyone who has "dishonoured" the House of Lords in any way should be stripped of their title and ability to sit in the House any longer - and that includes those who have fiddled their expenses.

As for Huhne, I hope that if he is found guilty, the book is thrown at him for committing a serious offence while being in a position of trust. I also hope the book is thrown at his wife, for protecting him while a dutiful wife and doing what she did as a woman scorned (if, of course, that is how the court reads the situation).

Trial is echo of Franco past

He is accused of breaching a 1977 amnesty law with his exploration into the fate of the more than 114,000 victims who disappeared during the 1936-39 civil war and ensuing 36-year dictatorship, and whose bodies lie in unmarked graves across Spain.

The charges against Garzón were brought by farright groups, which claimed any enquiry into alleged Franco-era crimes was off limits due to the amnesty.

Calling for the judge’s acquittal, the NYT noted “criminal prosecution of magistrates for their rulings

is rare”.

Garzón has been simultaneously hit with two other cases.

“His powerful enemies now see a chance to end his career. Judge Garzón is undeniably flamboyant and at times overreaches, but prosecuting him for digging

into Franco-era crimes is an offence against justice and history,” the editorial concluded.

Despite the trial being an attempt to stop unpalatable civil war truths coming to light, last week Garzón’s defence called victims of Franco-era crimes to the

witness stand to tell their stories.

They hoped that by letting just some of the people who had petitioned the judge to open “a truth commission” into the era tell their stories, his motives would become clear.

In emotional scenes one witness after another told of missing relatives, beatings, killings and mass graves.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

An adventure in Madrid THE massive Royal Palace sits majestically in front of the green oasis of the Plaza Oriente. Statues of the kings of Spain line the pathways. The Palace forecourt throbs with life. Excited tourists queue at the entrance which leads to the rooms and courtyards used for centuries by Kings and Queens. Later to be inhabited by Spain’s notorious dictator, General Franco who ruled the country with an iron fist for nearly 40 years. Now used as an occasional Royal residence and for state occasions, but mostly open to the public .

Plaza Oriente spills out into some of the older narrow streets of the city, which in turn spill out on to the Gran Via. This part of Madrid, is almost reminiscent of “New York” Tall stately buildings tower over the broad avenue which is the Gran Via. It is here that the people of Madrid seek out the best entertainment to be found in the country. A range of large theatres and cinemas offer the latest blockbuster shows and films.

Elegant, classy, wine bars and eating places rub shoulders with basic bars and cafes.

Not far from Gran Via you can see in Plaza España the classic statues of the fictional creations of Miguel Cervantes, Don Quijote his faithful partner Sancho Panza, complete with mule and donkey.

Incredibly, quite near to here you can actually see an authentic Egyptian temple.

Called temple Debod this

was given as a gift to the people of Madrid at the time of the flooding of the Aswan valley. Another stroll past the Royal Palace brings you to a quite modern but very important cathedral: The Alameda was the venue of the most recent Royal wedding. The cathedral sits at the end of

Calle Mayor. Here you will find some of the most notable attractions in Madrid. Plaza de La Villa, the square which formed the original village, the buzzing social centre of the city, which is Plaza Mayor, the gate of the sun (Puerta del Sol). Where you find the clock featured on Spanish

television to usher in each new year. Across the road from the Puerta del Sol clock the streets throng with shoppers who happily drift from one major shop to another seeking the most fashion-

able items for that special night out in the Gran Via. Beyond here is the botanic gardens the lush green acres of the delightful Buen Retiro park where old people meet to chat on park benches, young couples kiss and cuddle, families picnic, sportsmen and women exercise, and students read under the shade of a myriad of broad leafed trees.

There is even an enormous boating lake surrounded by the most magnificent statues of both man and beast. A five minute walk and you are in what is probably the most famous art museum in the world. “The Prado”. A must for all art lovers. But it doesn’t finish there. Cross the road and you can view the fabulous Thyessen collection. Go round the corner and you will find the Reina Sofia museum where Picasso’ s “Guernica” takes pride of place amongst a most impressive collection of paintings. A few more yards up the road and you are in the N a t i o n a l Archaeological museum. If by that time you are cultured out, how about a different type of culture. With two of the biggest names in Spanish football – Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid based in the city you have two stadiums to consider visiting. Now the really exciting bit.

David’s Coachtrips SL are offering all the delights of the capital city at stunningly low price. Based in a 3* city centre hotel which sits right beside the Royal Palace and at a real bargain price of 155€ including coach travel from in and around Torrevieja This 4 day excursion leaves on the 27th February. and can be reserved by calling 966785910. For details of this and a range of low cost quality excursions visit www.coachtripsonline.com

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Flowers fail for Valentine’s There is normally no excuse to overlook the flowers on Valentine’s Day, but forgetful lovers this year can blame it on the weather.

Temperatures of minus 2 have left Pilar de la Horadada flower growers’ cooperative, Flomar, with 40 per cent fewer blooms to sell on one of their busiest days of the year.

The unusually cold weather has delayed picking times.

LA MANGA PADS UP FOR MABS MURCIA

Dress best for a prize

GET your gladrags on – there’s a prize for the bestdressed guest at the upcoming 70s Charity Night in aid of the Davila Grewar Family Fund.

The event, at the Lounge Bar in Aquas Nuevas on Saturday February 25, features the fantastic 7 Tease Band plus the spectacular Torrevieja Pipes & Drums.

There’s a disco and raffle, and the €5 entry ticket also offers a chance to win a prize. Call 96 692 2134 for further details.

MABS Cancer Support Group has been selected by La Manga Cricket Club as their charity for 2012. The Club will hold several events during the year, the main one being their 20/20 cricket, held in September.

This annual competition will be hosted at La Manga Club and features teams from the UK, Spain, Ireland and Belgium, accompanied by a number of sporting celebrities and is sponsored by the UK based Ideal Group.

“We’re over the moon that La Manga Cricket Club has nominated our charity for 2012” commented MABS Murcia Director, Lyn Baines. “They are particularly keen on the fact that we are a local charity and that all funds raised in Murcia remain here to help those affected by cancer.”

La Manga Cricket Club plays their home games at the La Manga Club resort in the Costa Calida area of South East Spain. Their first team is Spanish Costa League Champions and holders of the La Manga 20/20 Trophy and they now have a 2nd eleven who play in the Costa Blanca Development League. The Club’s patrons are Baroness Rachael Heyhoe Flint OBE and Mike Gatting OBE. They are always keen to welcome touring sides looking for pre-season training games or winter sunshine and hosted teams from Belgium, Norway, Australia, France and the UK as well as hosting The Lady Taverners 20/20 and Spain v MCC.

Hot potato A CUSTOMER was hit by a real bombshell at a greengrocer’s in Cadiz - an unexploded hand grenade in a sack of potatoes!

The petrified Second World War grenade made it all the way from the Belgian frontier into the bag of spuds in the shop in Chiclana de la Frontera.

Luckily, the customer spotted the grenade while still in the greengrocer’s.

Guardia Civil officers were called and, appropriately, identified the device as a pineapple grenade.

The greengrocer could be forgiven for mixing his pineapples with his potatoes as the petrified grenade did look remarkably like a potato.

Naval bomb experts took the grenade back to their base.

It’s the second time a petrified grenade has been mistaken for a potato in Spain. In 2007 a similar device was found in a sack of spuds in Oviedo.

FOR YOUR DIARY MABS Every Wednesday ART WORKSHOP - Café Golf, San Javier 11.00 am - 1.00 pm. Informal workshop to get you started on water colours. Donation of 2 € per head for MABS. For further information call Geoff on 968 192 768.

Friday Feb 10: CHARITY FUN RACE NIGHT - Lui’s Lounge, San Javier Mobile Home Park. 6.30 pm. Own a horse, be a jockey, have a flutter all in a good cause! Chicken, Chips & Peas on arrival. Tickets 6 € (meal included) available from MABS Centre, San Javier or call 634 362 826 Friday Feb 17: SHARE & CARE GROUP - MABS Cancer Centre, San Javier - 11.00 am An informal get together for anyone affected by cancer. Come along for a coffee and a chat. For more information call Anne on 693 795 247 Tuesday Feb 21 - EBONY & IVORY LADIES LUNCH CLUB, Diamantes Restaurant, El Mojón - 1.30pm for 2pm. Three course lunch with glass of wine 10 €. Raffle in aid of MABS. Meet and make new friends. Book on 965 352 947 Saturday March 3 – CAR TREASURE HUNT, Time Out, San Javier, 2pm. 5€ per car which is donated to MABS. Contact Gary at Time Out for more information: 968 192 418 Wed March 7 – VOLUNTEERS’ MEETING - Las Claras, Los Alcázares - 11.00 am If you’d like to find out more about how

you can help MABS come along to our meeting. For further information please ring Bev on 693 362 823 Friday March 16 - SHARE & CARE GROUP - MABS Cancer Centre, San Javier - 11.00 am. An informal get together for anyone affected by cancer. Come along for a coffee and a chat. For more information call Anne on 693 795 247 Tuesday March 20 - EBONY & IVORY LADIES LUNCH CLUB, Diamantes Restaurant, El Mojón - 1.30pm for 2pm.

Book your place with Diamantes on 965 352 947 Thursday March 22 – ChariTEA, San Javier Language school 4-8pm. An opportunity to meet and talk (in English) to Spanish students. English Tea with homemade scone or cake 2.50€ or with scone 2.00€ provided by Cafe Golf.

EVERY SATURDAY – BOOK SALE - The Arches Restaurant, Los Alcázares 10.00 am - 1.00 pm (weather permitting): The MABS Book Stall is a regular feature at The Arches Restaurant on a Saturday and is popular with book-lovers from Los Alcázares and the surrounding areas. Enjoy a coffee or bargain breakfast while you choose your books.

Watch the press or visit www.mabsmurcia.com for more events. For further details, please call 634 362 826

Outside the Trevol Bar/Cafe on Urb. Tierra del Sol, Calasparra.

For further information on Calasparra events, please contact mabsmurcianw@gmail.com

HELP MURCIA MAR MENOR 2012 is Help MMM’s 10th anniversary and there will be many events to celebrate our ten years of giving help and assistance to countless people in the Murcia region.

February Tuesday 14th: HELP MMM general meeting at Las Claras, Los Alcazares, 12 noon.

Friday 17th: Friendship Group meet at Cafe Golf at noon.

There will be a cookery demonstration. Open to all.

Friday 24th:- HELP MMM will be holding a dinner dance at the Roblemar Restaurant, Los Alcazares. Tickets cost €30 to include a 3-course dinner with wine. There will be a grand raffle, many of the prizes being worth more than €50, and the grand draw for the reclining chair worth €950. Don’t delay, dig out your dancing shoes and join in the fun. Tickets now available.

March

Thursday 1st: 40’s Night at The Lodosol, San Pedro del Pinatar, 7pm for 7.30. Tickets €9 which includes 2-course MABS EVENTS IN FORTUNA (Murcia North East) Every Other Monday: Sew'n'So's - Sewing Group with Jan meal. Come dressed up if you like, but you don’t have to!

Tuesday 13th: HELP MMM Annual General meeting at Las Gough, 2.00 pm. Urb. Las Kalendas, Fortuna Claras, noon.

1st Tuesday of month: Auction at Bob`s Bar, 2.00 pm. Saturday 24th: Variety Night at Roda Community Hall.

Carretera Pinoso, Fortuna Several acts have been booked already.

Tuesdays & Thursdays: “Pick, Try, Choose, Buy & Donate” Friday 30th: Friendship Group meeting (venue to be consecond hand store, 10.30 - 12 noon. Apartamentos Maruja, firmed) across the cycle path, opposite Las Palmeras, Baños de The HELP MMM Car Boot is at the Sunday Market at the Fortuna.

Autocine (LOOP), Los Narejos 2nd Wednesday of month: Fortuna Ladies’ Luncheon Club, Tickets for most events are available from Joan Mitchell on 1pm. Las Palmeras Restaurant, Baños de Fortuna 868 185685 or 678 135457, or Janice Clarke on 968 134355.

Last Wednesday of month: MABS Fortuna Meeting, Details of these events, plus directions, can be found on the website on the Event Calendar helpmurciamarmenor.org 11.30am. La Carcelera, Urb Las Kalendas, Fortuna.

For further information on Fortuna events, please contact: mabsmurciane@gmail.com MABS EVENTS IN CALASPARRA (Murcia North West) First and third Friday of month: MABS Market Stall in Calasparra Market, 9am - 1pm. Situated opposite Gran Via café.

Second Wednesday of month - MABS Murcia NW Volunteer Monthly Meeting, 5pm. New venue: Hotel Argos (between Calasparra & Cehegin) – new volunteers welcome. Call 650 103 095 for further details.

Last Friday of every month: MABS Book Stall,11am – 2pm.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Porn star? Error entry, my dear Holmes NO ONE has said anything yet, but my limited knowledge of Information Technology dropped me in it big time last week. I managed to inform the world that my daughter Hayley’s partner Steve Holmes (that’s them pictured here) is a famous PORN ACTOR! It all stemmed from the article in last week’s Courier about my baby grandson Buddy coming out of hospital after his first few traumatic weeks of life. I still can’t read the piece without getting weepy, soppy old thing that I am. And I wrote the damn stuff myself!

I figured that if those words reduce me to tears, they might also touch the hearts of

grannies all over the world. So I decided to add it to the blog sites I set up when I was a lady of leisure back in 2010 BC (Before Courier).

I called up www.grumpyoldgran.com - a Wordpress site which I actually paid to set up but rarely look at these days – and published the story, complete with the headline ‘Buddy Golly! The miracle baby with no heartbeat goes home’.

So far, so good. Under the article on the Grumpy website, a list of ‘Recommended Links’ enabled me to direct readers to Wikipedia’s take on ‘Caesarean Section’, ‘Umbilical Cord’ , Intensive Care’ and other specific subjects mentioned in the article.

Rather than wade through all the links, I clicked ‘Apply all’ and thought no more of it...until I checked the site a couple of days later.

The name ‘Steve Holmes’ in the article was hyperlinked. Curious, I clicked on the link and, horror of horrors, was greeted by the full Wiki lowdown on …’’Steve Holmes , Pornographic Actor’’.

The name may be the same, but our Steve is no dirty movie man. He’s a respectable dad, as our Buddy would confirm if he could talk.

Still, there’s one porn every day.

CRUSH STROKE Why I’m not running for insurance cover

I WAS told this week about a local expat whose treatment/admissible to my insurers’ trawl when a loved one insurance company refused to pay out after he is, for all they know, on death’s doorstep.

The whole scenario smacks of my own experience with was rushed to hospital following a stroke.

The suffering victim was taken to a hospital acceptable to this particular company - but moved elsewhere when they were unable to treat him.

And, you’ve guessed it, the second hospital was not on the insurance company’s permitted list.

Of course, they refused to pay out, leaving the unhappy victim with a 1,300 euro bill to add to his headaches.

All of which highlights the question of whether travel and health insurance is worth bothering with. Many insurance companies give policyholders more stress and hassle than any claim is worth. Because the reality is that they DON’T want to cough up unless they absolutely have no option.

This guy’s experience was an easy cop-out for his insurers. Here was a patient who unquestionably was treated at a hospital the company did not sanction. No valid claim. You pay, pal, you’re not covered. End of.

No compassion, no humanity…no looking at the actual events that led to the claim. The victim did nothing to invalidate his cover. He was taken to a hospital on his insurance company’s list – in no condition after his stroke to direct subsequent events.

Not that it would have made any difference because the listed hospital lacked the facilities to treat him. How convenient for the claim assessors. He was hardly in a condition to leaf through the terms and conditions and issue instructions to take him to Tonto Loco Hospital 73 miles away, was he?

Neither, I am sure, were his family. In a life and death situation, the last thing they are going to do is go on a ‘stroke

The Broadband and Telephone Company

966 784 532

insurance companies. Experiences which led me to give them the widest berth.

I have made perhaps 10 insurance claims in my entire life – covering motor, home buildings and contents, and travel.

I am ruling out BUPA and PPP health claims because I was part of all-embracing company plans.

I doubt if half of those 10 have been honoured, mainly for trivial amounts after bloated excesses had been written off.

The exception has been motor claims, which have generally been very generously handled.

The best rejection was for failure of one party member to disclose a pre-existing illness when a holiday abroad had to be cancelled two weeks before the date of departure. It wasn’t so much that the insurance company rejected the claim – but that they refused to return even part the premium when there was nothing to insure.

On another occasion, I tried to claim for a carpet damaged twice in a few weeks – first by red wine spilt by a friend – and then stained elsewhere by coffee. The insurance company said that amounted to two separate claims, and I would have to pay £50 for each mark to be checked in addition to my excess. Since that would have totalled to more than the value of the carpet, I didn’t bother.

Which is why I am considering cancelling my contents insurance here in Spain. No self-respecting ladron would want my ageing computers – and since bland furniture is never a target, the only thing worth taking is my telly.

Cost of a new telly…marginally more than my insurance premium. Decision…you guess.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES seen any lHAVE you signs recently written in fluent Gibberish?

You know, those weird and wonderful words daubed on shops and vans written by foreigners who think they have mastered English to native level?

And which make no sense whatsoever?

Well, I was given a Loyalty Card at a Chinese restaurant last week, the message on which I am still trying to figure out.

It reads (sic): “Any consumer in the restaurant 10 times a customer presented a 30% discount on Thank you to patronize.’’

It mystifies me why the management went it alone rather than asking their customers, the vast majority of whom are Brits.

l l l

And it sounds a note of l caution to anyone planning a bit of signwriting - that it helps if you do it in your own language.

If you chuckle over a sign or come across a bizarre situation like the one above, email a snap of it to donna@thecourier.es I’ll publish the best ones

l

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Friday, February 10, 2012

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Friday, February 10, 2012

MY NIGHTMARE OF A NIGHT

'TAKE a drink,' said my best pal Eric in the pub the other night.

Never one to turn down that type of invitation, I took a sip of my cider.

'Now spit it out,' said Eric.

'Whaaat?' I said.

'Sorry, force of habit,' said Eric, who is a dedicated dentist.

'You seriously worry me, old friend,' I said. 'You really must take up a hobby.'

'I'm not that bad,' said Eric, surreptitiously emptying a vial of neat fluoride into my glass.

'It's true, mate,' I countered. 'You're totally fixated with your job. Look what happened the other night when we left the pub.

'I said I'd see you tomorrow and you told me to make an appointment in six months. Your attitude is not healthy, I tell you.'

'You're exaggerating,' argued Eric, tipping me backwards on my bar stool and wedging my mouth open with a folded beer mat.

'Knock it off!' I gurgled, spitting out bits of masticated cardboard.

'Cavity in upper five,' said Eric, peering into my astounded gob . . .

'Wake up!' shouted Mrs S who was leaning over me in our bed and shaking me by my pyjama lapels. 'You're having a nightmare.'

'Blimey,' I groaned. 'That was one horrifying dream.'

'Yes,' snapped Mrs S. 'Nightmares usually are.'

I groaned again. 'What do you think it meant?'

Mrs S said: 'It's 3.30 in the morning so I don't care what it meant. Now go back to sleep.'

So I did. And I dreamt again.

I was back in the pub with Eric the dentist when the saloon bar door burst open and in swept my other close mate, Ziggy.

At least Ziggy is not a dentist so I anticipated no trouble with his behaviour.

'Sorry I'm late, fellas,' said Ziggy. 'I had some paperwork to attend to at home -- which has full central heating and is close to the shops.'

'You're another one, Zig!' I cried. 'Totally caught up in your estate agent job.'

'Nonsense,' said Ziggy. 'By the way, is our Monopoly game still on for tomorrow night? It's at my house with its integral brick garage and extensive gardens front and rear.'

'Ouch!' I yelled in exasperation.

'Toothache?' asked Eric, suddenly interested.

I shook my head with the hopelessness of it all.

'I'd go home,' I sighed, 'But I figure I'm already at home. In bed and dreaming this nonsense.'

Ziggy looked at his watch. 'Well, unless either of you need a 90 per cent mortgage, I'm off home, too.

'I'll see you both tomorrow night for our Monopoly session.

And don't be late. There's another couple interested.'

At that point I woke up again.

'I think I know what the nightmare means,' I said, nudging Mrs S in the ribs. 'Would you like me to explain it to you?'

'Shurrup,' snarled Mrs S. 'Tell me in the morning. If we're still married.'

'It's like this,' I explained. 'I'm into middle-age and my subconscious is telling me to find a new purpose in life.'

Mrs S switched on her bedside lamp and stared at me.

'You can't be serious. Middle-age has long left you behind and, let's face it, you never even had an OLD purpose in life!'

I clenched what were left of my teeth (don't tell Eric), got up and vacated the house. So I'm old and going nowhere, am I? Well, I'd show 'em all -- by going somewhere.

I climbed into my car and considered a journey to the ferry terminal to set sail for a new life abroad.

Or should I just drive around the corner to the pub and wait there until Dave the barman opened up?

'You really should try to remember to lock your car at night,' advised the vagrant stretched out on the back seat.

'Anyway,' he added, clambering from my vehicle, 'Thanks for your hospitality but I have things to do and places to go.'

I trudged back to the house and called through the letterbox: 'Er, would you hand me my car keys, please’. But Mrs S had obviously gone back to sleep. And, what was worse, I couldn't get back into the house because my house keys were on the same ring as my car keys.

So here I was, locked out of my home with an unstartable car and still in my pyjamas.

What on earth was I to do now? And then I had an idea.

I would contact the motoring organisation I belonged to and get one of their mechanics to sort me out.

I'd had them round only 16 times in the past few weeks so I was surely due a home visit.

Me and my pyjamas crept through the shadows to the nearest phone box, looked up the number and made a reverse-charge call.

'Hello,' I said. 'I wonder if you could hotwire a car for me.'

'Hmm,' was the dubious response at the other end.

'Don't you want to know the make, colour, registration and location of the vehicle?' I asked.

'If it makes you feel better,' came the reply. 'But we're more interested in when you had your last drink.'

'Whoops, wrong AA,' I gulped and slammed down the phone . . . And then I felt the comforting arms of Mrs S as she grabbed me by the pyjama lapels again.

'If you don't stop with the nightmares, you're a dead man,' she hissed into my ear.

And with those soothing words of reassurance I turned over in our bed and sank into a dreamless sleep.

My final conscious thought was that my nightmare of a night could have been far, far worse.

I might have dreamt that the pub had burned down.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

SAY IT IN SPANISH Learn the lingo - with a little help from JEANETTE ERATH THIS week we are going to do a bit of revision of the past five weeks’ words. I hope you are using your Spanish when you can; there is no reason why you can´t be practising at home on your own and making the most of your new words when you are out and about.

Below is a word search with ten Spanish words that we have learnt over this course so far. See how many you can find and we’ll publish the answers next week.

The words come from day one, but even if you missed it, there is no reason why you can´t have a look and see which words you can pick out.

A bit of information about the Spanish language to impress your friends: In 1999 there were around 360 million people speaking Spanish as a native language, and around 415 mil-

lion speakers worldwide. Currently those figures stand at 400 and 500 million respectively. Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world after Mandarin Chinese. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

Also, Spanish is the third most commonly used language on the internet after English and Mandarin. It is also the second most studied second language in international communication after English.

So, if you can speak English and Spanish, you can be understood in most parts of the world, and just think of the possibilities for travel that a second language can give you?

Learning a language also helps keep your mind active, in the same way as chess and other brain games.

Think of learning Spanish as an exercise for your brain and a way for you to keep your mind young. It will also help you integrate into this great country, make you less reliant on others when you go out - and give you a new confidence. Speaking even basic Spanish can open doors and opportunities, including making new friends and meeting people.

You may find your new best friend is Spanish. Above all, learning Spanish should be fun as well as taken seriously. If you can enjoy what you do, you are far more likely to learn more and it will be easier.

There is no reason why everyone cannot speak Spanish, from a few basic words to speaking confidently. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time and lots of effort, but in the end, when you are talking in a different language, expanding your vocabulary and meeting new people, you will agree that all the work will have been worthwhile.

Don´t forget the golden rule of learning a new language is REPETITION; keep saying the same thing over and over again, learn word by word, grow your vocabulary day by day.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you are serious about speaking Spanish or just want to learn enough to have a basic conversation, the rule is the same. One day you will find what you want to say comes naturally and all your work will have paid off.

Have a great week, enjoy your Spanish. Next week we will be looking at where to stress the words. Hopefully you will have been practising the letter sounds so that when we move onto stress, it will come easy.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Lady Gaga: My secret bulimia battle LADY Gaga has revealed she battled bulimia as a child.

The pop star says she was so obsessed with being a "skinny little ballerina", she used to make herself vomit after meals in high school.

According to The Sun, Gaga confessed to her eating disorder during her surprise appearance at a young women's conference hosted by a Los Angeles school.

The You And I singer spoke candidly at the open forum, led

by Arnold Schwarzenegger's estranged wife Maria Shriver.

Addressing Gaga, one teen student said: "I struggle with

body issues, and I know you're so confident in the way you dress.

"And I am wondering how you deal with such issues."

After a short silence, the New York eccentric replied: "I used to throw up all the time in high school. So I'm not that confident.

"And maybe it's easier for me to talk about it now because I don't do it any more.

"I wanted to be a skinny little ballerina but I was a voluptuous little Italian girl whose dad had meatballs on the table every night.

"I used to come home and

say, 'Dad, why do you always give us this food? I need to be thin.' And he'd say, 'Eat your spaghetti.'"

Maria then asked Gaga how she eventually conquered her eating disorder.

The star answered: "It made my voice bad, so I had to stop.

The acid on your vocal chords... it's very bad.

"But for those of you who don't sing, you maybe don't have that excuse until it's too late. It's very dangerous."

She also reassured students that not all female celebrities are as stick-thin as they appear in magazines.

Gaga said: "Every video I'm in, every magazine cover, they stretch you; they make you perfect. It's not real life."

Ending her guest stint at Brentwood School, the singer urged her female audience to seek help if they suffer body issues.

She said: "It's really hard, but you've got to talk to somebody about it.

"I'm gonna say this about girls: The dieting wars have got to stop. Everyone just knock it off. Because at the end of the day, it's affecting kids your age. And it's making girls sick."

DOG SAVAGES MUM TO DEATH A BRAVE mum was savaged to death by the family dog in front of her five children on Tuesday as she tried to stop it attacking them.

Petite Cassandra Smith, 49, leapt in to fight off the frenzied Alsatian when it went for daughters Charlotte, 28, and Annette, 26.

But the snarling animal flew at her and sank its jaws into her face and throat.

Accrding to The Sun, her five terrified kids — including Shelley, 25, Kayleigh, 21, and Jayson, 30 — looked on screaming in horror.

As their mum lay in a pool of blood in the living room of their flat, the children managed to escape and knock on a neighbour's door for help. But despite attempts to revive her, popular TOP dog psychologist Peter Singh comments: “This is a tragic story. I do not know the full facts, but our aim as humans should always be to nurture a balanced dog.

This is accomplished by practising dog psychology techniques

Cassandra — known as Cassie — died at the scene.

Neighbour and pal William Brown, 49, told on Wednesday how he found the three-year-old dog she got only six months ago "chewing her face".

He sobbed: "Cassie's kids came here screaming 'Mum's dead, Mum's dead'. I ran to her flat and she was on the living room floor covered in blood. The Alsatian was chewing her face.

"It was a horrible thing to see. We think the dog went for her and she had a heart attack through blood loss or as a result of the shock.

"I tried to revive her with CPR but it was no good, she was already dead when the ambulance turned up. It's an awful thing — Cassie was Swonderful."

(which are simple to follow) and not dog training. Training will give you a dog that can follow commands, but does not make your dog balanced.

One of Cassandra Smith's friends was quoted as saying:: "Cassie lived for her kids and

would do anything for them. She was trying to defend them by stroking the dog and calming it down."

If you are stroking a dog showing signs of aggression, you are nurturing that state of mind.

Unfortunately this tragic incident

Cassandra Smith... frenzied attack

may have been caused by a number of factors.

I know of a case a few years ago, when a lady came home and her faithful dog attacked her.

This was due to medical reasons. At the time of the attack the dog had an aneurysm.

Tickets at Alicante FNAC? No problem!

I just had to write to you after reading your front page piece on buying Olympic tickets (Issue 50) .

I went into Alicante to the Fnac shop, on Monday (January 30) at 11 30 am, and bought four tickets for the Olympics, with no problem. Tthe staff were very helpful. So I found it very strange that Mr Pindred was unable to buy any.

P A BUCK

q

WILD Pictures are making a 2x60 minute series for ITV1 about British people who have moved abroad to Spain, France and Australia.

We will be looking at whether the dream has lived up to their expectations, the reasons for leav-

ing the UK and exploring the challenges of moving to a new country. In Spain we are also looking at how ex-pats are surviving the economic downturn and whether they are heading home or finding ways to adapt and stay.

Our creative director Paul Hamann is a former head of BBC documentaries and an award winning film maker. We make a variety of documentaries and documentary series from our recent series Holloway and Wormwood Scrubs (inside British prisons) on ITV1, and The Zoo,

a documentary series following life at London Zoo and Smugglers.

Contacts: UK London 0044 0203 2274903; Deborah@wildpictures.co. uk (Deborah Lovett) Lucy@wildpictures.co.uk (Lucy Hinson)

q

I WOULD like, through your paper, to thank all my friends who attended my recent 70th birthday party at the Lodosol restaurant, San Pedro del Pinatar for their good wishes and lovely gifts.

It is much appreciated.

Many thanks also to Tony and Jan Morgan, proprietors of the Lodosol for the superb buffet and entertainment.

JOAN MITCHELL, Fundraiser for HELP MMM

Franco From Page 4 Maria Martin, 81, told how, when she was six, her mother was taken and shot and her body dumped in a mass grave at the side of the road with two other women and 27 men.

Pino Sosa Sosa, 75, told the court how her father had been taken from their home in the Canary Islands in the middle of the night

by Franco’s guards and never seen again.

Martin, Sosa and others had waited a long time to tell their stories in court.

They had thought they would speak up for their relatives at an investigation presided over by Judge Garzón; instead they had to make do with speaking at his trial.

The trial has highlighted deep divisions in Spain.

While the judge has received huge support, there are also many people who feel the past is best left buried and that there is nothing to be gained by opening old wounds and delving into Spain’s Sdarkest era.

Friday, February 10, 2012

LÍNEA DIRECTA LAUNCHES AN ON LINE SERVICE OFFERING LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN ENGLISH • The service, offered by practising registered lawyers, will advise the company’s customers on Spanish legislation in areas such as housing, consumption, family law, labour law, motoring queries and penal law.

• The service will provide 24 hour assistance in the case of urgent enquiries, the checking and editing of documents and discounts of up to 50% on lawyers’ fees if further action is required.

Línea Directa, market leader in the sale of direct insurance in Spain, has launched an online service offering legal assistance to its customers, which will advise those policyholders purchasing this cover on areas such as housing, consumption, family law, labour law and penal law.

Línea Directa’s new cover, the price of which will be up to 40% more economical than the market average, will answer queries on buying and selling, renting and house renovations.

24-hour assistance for urgent enquiries The service of Legal Assistance for Motorists operates from Monday to Friday from 8am to 10pm. In the case of urgent enquiries, such as emergencies in the home, incidents occurring at night affecting families – including spouses or children – such as theft, credit cards being blocked or unreturned, or damage caused by pets, Línea Directa will offer a service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In both cases, the customer must call 902 400 613 or email atencionjuridica@lineadirecta.es.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Love’s letters lost I GUESS I´m a bit of an old fashioned romantic. When I go out, I like guys to open the door for me.

I don´t mind if they want to order the wine or pay for the meal. I like to be taken out and be treated like a lady, and I like snuggling up on the sofa deep in the chest of the man of my dreams.

I was listening to a song the other day and it stirred a memory. The line in the song

by Keith Urban is: ´Or maybe unfold some old yellow lost love letters´ - and as I was listening, it made me think how much today’s younger generation will miss with the advent of the internet.

It made me think back to my youth, when I was a teenager and everything was easier and carefree.

I had the occasional boyfriend who, in order to keep in touch, and before the invention of mobile phones

and when land lines weren´t used that often, had no other option than to write.

And I remember so fondly those letters that I used to keep and re-read over and over.

There is nothing like the

feeling of paper in your hands, the personality of the writing coming through on the page, the time that was taken to write those words, knowing that any mistakes couldn´t just be erased.

All that is now seemingly

lost with the internet generation. No more unfolding old yellow lost love letters, no more biscuit tins filled with cards and trinkets of past loves.

All one has to do nowadays is open a file on a com-

puter and it is there in black and white. Maybe the font is slightly different or another colour has been chosen but the message is still the same.

I can´t be bothered to write down how I feel, it´s easier to type, erase if I make a mistake and click ‘send’ than get up, go and fetch some paper and an envelope, write down how I feel, buy a stamp, go to a postbox and mail it.

I wonder if some of the younger generation know what a stamp looks like, when for me as a teenager it was a lifeline. I don´t want to sound like an old woman, I only turned 41 a short while ago, but I feel there are some traditions that should not be consigned to the history books.

Some pastimes should remain a pivotal part of our lives, and there is no comparison, in my opinion as someone who has experi-

ence of both, between opening a file on a computer entitled ‘love letters’ and opening an old tin full of paper.

No more ribbons will be kept from birthday cakes to wrap around perfume scented envelopes, no more lipstick kisses, no more SWALK. It seems such a shame to me, as I am looking forward to a new relationship, that this will not happen to me again, that I will not be wooed as I once was. With my history I´ll be lucky to get a text!

But it needn´t be like this. I urge all you single and dating guys and girls and even those in long term marriages/relationships to get out the notebook and pen, find the envelopes and write your loved one a note.

An old fashioned, heartfelt letter about how much that special person in your life means to you.

Friday, February 10, 2012

15

Russia-China veto cannot be Syria’s!

LAST WEEKEND was like the good old-fashioned days of the Cold War, with shouts of “NO” from the Russians at the United Nations, backed by a Chinese delegate dancing around like a Gerry Anderson puppet from the era of Fireball XL5.

Both these large countries used classical political self-interest, whilst large massacres were going on in Syria. But what do they care?

Personal political considerations must come first, and to hell with decent human beings wanting to be heard!

Russia and China decided to veto a UN motion supporting strong action against a wicked regime that’s almost certainly going to disappear sooner than later, and which is using vicious violent tactics against largely unarmed protesters.

To add to the nonsense of all of this, the motion was being sponsored by the Arab nations, who have had enough of President Assad and his strong-arm tactics, which are totally against the wind of change blowing through the Middle East.

And of course, that’s political poison for a country like Russia, and the dirty tricks that Vladimir Putin and his cronies have been indulging in for the last dozen years or so.

Democracy in Russia is being continually threatened by the ex-KGB boss -and his mates in Beijing haven’t even heard of the word.

Funny that the idiots who put the Olympics in China four years ago, claiming a new dawn would appear there, have had nothing to say about the situation as Chinese dissidents and free speech continue to be trampled on. Russia and China indeed make for excellent and wellsuited bedfellows, as their dinosaur-like political philosophy continues to destroy lives both inside and outside their borders.

So, it will come as no surprise to you that Russia supplies most of the arms to the Syrian regime, with a few extras coming their way from China. It’s now just about the only Middle Eastern country that they can claim to have some kind of connection with these two, which shows how out of touch the leaders in Moscow and Beijing are.

At least they have some similarity with Assad, in not being scared to use brute force and ignorance when they lose all the logical and intelligent arguments before them. It’s also

another sad example of why I think the United Nations is a complete waste of space, because there have also been many occasions when the Americans as well the British have waved vetoes around in pure self-interest.

Can anybody tell me any war or conflict the UN prevented

from breaking out since it was formed the best part of 70 years ago??

I’ve been impressed with the no-nonsense approach from Mariano Rajoy and the new PP Government in Madrid. They’ve recently toughened controls on the banks, and they’ve got a big agenda for pushing labour reforms through, which is bound to get the unions leaping up and down.

But as unemployment continues to rise to its highest figure in more than 16 years, caused by the policies of the previous government, union leaders might find little appetite for action from their members.

If the PP are going to make big changes, then now is the time to do so, as their honeymoon period continues, and the opposition PSOE are still licking their wounds over November’s electoral drubbing.

At least they had the sense to make sure, that Alfredo Rubalcaba stays as their leader, albeit with a very narrow margin. And, of course, it was hardly his fault that the party lost, as Jose Zapatero had run away from facing the wrath of the voters.

ONE of my crystal balls seems to have been working very nicely when I chose to write about the now ex-UK Energy Secretary Chris Huhne in my column last Friday. Let’s just say a little birdie tweeted in my direction that something was going to happen, and I think Huhne handled it well and quickly, which was the only way to do it.

I loved David Cameron’s tribute, his teeth clenched together, as inside his heart must have been pounding with delight that he’ll be able to have a Cabinet meeting without Huhne sticking the boot into him.

By the way, I saw the youngish Liberal Democrat President, Tim Farron being interviewed about it all on TV, and was extremely impressed with his honesty and articulate comments.

A friend of mine, who lives in Farron’s Westmorland constituency and is by no means a Lib Dem, has been singing his praises to me over the last few years, saying Farron might be a future leader. Based on that interview, I can see why.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

THE UK NEWS

ICE Freezing BREAKER rain adds to the A “PERFECT storm’’ of freezing rain falling on icy roads caused chaos on the roads yesterday (Thursday).

The treacherous conditions led to a string of accidents as forecasters warned that more snow was on the way, with some areas of the UK facing up to three inches.

Nearly 100 road accidents were reported across Cumbria yesterday morning as police warned motorists to take extra care.

Six vehicles collided in freezing conditions on the Felling bypass in Gateshead, Tyneside, and drivers were trapped after a crash at the junction of the A194 and the A1 southbound.

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “A 'perfect storm' of rain falling on freezing ground has caused extremely hazardous road conditions in Cumbria this morning.

The council's gritting crews have been operating at full capacity.’’

The UK was expected to be battered by freak ice storms with fears that lashings of freezing rain could bring down power lines and trees.

agony for suffering Brits

A blizzard will sweep in immediately afterwards — dumping four inches of snow across many areas.

Ice storms happen when water from clouds is ‘super-cooled’. It freezes into sleet or snow as it falls then turns back to rain when it hits warm air.

Met Office expert Dan Williams said: "It then freezes again as it hits the ground and can cause a 'glaze' on power lines. It will make roads treacherous and can cause an instant glaze over cars.’’

Aircraft are particularly vulnerable to build-ups of ice.

The ice storm is likely to hit Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and other parts of northern England and North Wales.

the A66 trouble for Stobart on ine nn pe ns Tra : die Unsteady Ed

PUT BABY IN CHARGE OF DIET

BABIES who are spoon-fed purees are more likely to become fat children, a study has found.

Allowing them to choose from a selection of finger foods, such as bread, means they learn to regulate the amount they eat and are less likely to become overweight.

The study found babies who self-feed with solids are also more likely to opt for

healthier options than spoon-fed babies, who tend to favour sweet things.

The authors, writing in the journal BMJ Open, said: “Our results suggest infants weaned through the baby-led approach learn to regulate their food intake in a manner which leads to a lower body mass index and a preference for healthy foods like carbohydrates.”

Hammer horror killer guilty of murder A SCHOOLBOY who attacked a woman with a hammer before setting her body on fire has been found guilty of murder.

The teenager admitted killing the woman but denied murder at Nottingham Crown Court. He said he had been provoked during a row.

The court heard the woman's body was padded with paper, covered in petrol and set on fire at her Nottingham home in 2011.

Neither the schoolboy nor the woman can be identified for legal reasons. The prosecution said the killing was well researched and a story mapping out the details was found to have been deleted from the boy's computer.

A montage of soap opera clips about fires and a murder involving a hammer were also found on his computer.

The teenager told the court he was obsessed with how to get away with violent crimes and had written a story that mapped out what happened that night.

Hospital locked to labour mum

A PREGNANT woman gave birth on a hospital pavement in temperatures of minus 4C as her family waited for maternity unit nurses to let them in.

Lisa McNeil, 25, called the hospital before setting off to let staff know she was in labour and on the way.

She arrived just after midnight on Sunday but had to sit outside while her

Daily Mirror mum Karen Barnes, 48, tried to get attention by pressing a security buzzer. They also banged on the door and shouted, and Karen tried to prise open the doors with her fingers but was forced to deliver her 8lb 4oz grandson Jackson six minutes later,

using Lisa’s cardigan as a safety net.

Nurses at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, arrived when Lisa’s partner Ryan, 27, called the hospital on his mobile phone.

Lisa, from nearby Glenrothes, said: “I think it’s awful a woman in labour is left to have her child on the pavement in the freezing cold.”

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Friday, February 10, 2012

THE UK NEWS

£45M? THAT’S ALL WHITE! Euro winners hit wedding jackpot

THE winners of the latest bumper £45m Euromillions jackpot have been revealed as a 22-year-old couple due to be married this September.

Cassey Carrington, a supervisor at Iceland, and Matt Topham, a painter and decorator, are both from Stapleford, Nottingham.

They described their shock after scooping their huge prize, saying that they intend to share the wealth.

“We will be looking after the people close to us,’’ said Cassey. “It is amazing to be able to tell my Mum and Dad that I would pay off their mortgage. My Dad is a big Porsche fan and when I was a little girl I always said to him that I would buy him one, one day. He will now get his dream car.

“We can help friends get a house, it is so difficult these days to get a deposit and mortgage so it’s great we can help them. Also Dad can finally hang up his paint brushes and relax."

The couple can now afford their dream wedding, after

Cowell’s gamble looks like a loser SIMON Cowell’s problem-hit ITV game show Red or Black is in hot water again after the gambling watchdog demanded changes to its format to stop it “glamorising” betting.

The show’s presenters, Ant and Dec have said it may be axed.

The Gambling Commission met with ITV bosses on Friday over concerns the show encourages gambling by making it look “easy” to win at roulette.

Four people each won the £1million top prize over seven shows that aired in September, just by picking red or black.

Sources close to the talks claim the watchdog wants assurances that contestants will have to demonstrate some degree it.” The first series had disappoinof skill to win the cash if the show ting ratings and ITV has admitted that if it returns, it will be with twereturns for a new series.

It is unclear what rules the regula- aks — which may satisfy the regutor could use to block the show if it lator. A source said: “The idea is to is not appeased. But a source said: inject a bit more jeopardy.”

“Put it this way, if the Gambling The show was also hit by scandal Commission kicks up a big fuss when it emerged that £1million winabout your show publicly, it is unli- ner Nathan Hageman had been jaikely that you would go ahead with led for beating up a woman.

The Sun

describing a previously modest lifestyle.

“I had made the invitations and was starting to work on the centre pieces, all to save money,’’ Cassey admitted.

“We can now get a big firework display and some entertainment in the evening. It will be our dream day’’.

Cassey said she plans to buy an Aston Martin and pursue her ambition to become an architect. “I think I am going to build my own house intead of buying one,’’ she said.

The couple struck gold

after matching up the five main numbers and two Lucky Star numbers on February 7.

The sum is the seventh largest jackpot to ever be won in the UK. The announcement comes three weeks after Gareth and Catherine Bull scooped £41m in the Euromillions and said they planned to buy a new carpet with the winnings.

The total puts Cassey and Matt ahead of Wayne Rooney (£37m) on the rich list, also eclipsing Kylie Minogue, Mick Hucknall and Pete Townshend (all £40m).

Weirdo stalks Kylie on Twitter POP princess Kylie Minogue has called in police after being threatened by a “weirdo” stalker on Twitter.

The Australian singer, 43, posted a jibe at the creep on the micro-blogging site, alerting more than a million followers to the harassment she was suffering.

The star reported the “deluded weirdo” to cops after receiving sick messages.

The Sun Kylie, who refers to fans on the site as “lovers”, went public with news of her stalker today by posting: “I love 1,033,861 of you LOVERS, but 1 is not a lover, just a deluded weirdo making threats and that does not make you special So...police alerted.”

Cassey and Matt cheque in with their £45m jackpot

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Valentine's Day recipes THE MENU • Drinks and cocktails Cosmopolitan • Main course Chargrilled steak with beer, mustard and watercress salad • Desserts Pistachio and chocolate soufflé

COSMOPOLITAN Make like a Manhattan socialite with this classy cocktail.

Chill the glasses in the freezer beforehand for an ice-cold tipple à la Sex and the City.

INGREDIENTS • 35ml/1½fl oz vodka • 15ml/½fl oz orange liqueur • squeeze fresh lime juice • 25ml/1fl oz cranberry juice • twist orange peel, to garnish

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Place the vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake hard and then strain into a coupe glass or small Martini glass.

2. Hold the piece of orange peel over the glass and carefully flame with a match. Garnish the cocktail with the flamed orange peel and serve.

CHARGRILLED STEAK WITH BEER, MUSTARD AND WATERCRESS SALAD The mustard and croûtons can be made in advance, while the steaks will be sizzlingly succulent in minutes.

INGREDIENTS For the beer mustard • 150ml/5f loz cider vinegar • 5 tbsp caster sugar • 60g/2½oz yellow mustard seeds • 25g/1oz brown mustard seeds • 2 tbsp English mustard powder • 110ml/4fl oz beer For the steak • 2 x 250g/9oz ribeye steaks • 2 tbsp olive oil • salt and freshly ground black pepper For the salad • ½ small wholegrain loaf, cut into 1.5cm/3in cubes • 2 tsp cider vinegar • 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 bunch watercress, leaves only

PREPARATION METHOD 1. For the homemade beer mustard, place the vinegar and sugar into a non-reactive pan and bring to a simmer. Add the yellow and brown mustard seeds and the mustard powder and stir well. Simmer over a high heat for three minutes, until the volume of liquid has reduced by half and the seeds have softened slightly.

2. Pour the mustard mixture into the bowl of a food processor and blend to a purée. It will take a few minutes for the seeds to break down and the mustard to become creamy.

3. Add the beer to the mustard mixture and blend once more. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use immediately or spoon into jars, seal and store in the refrigerator. (NB This recipe makes more mustard than required for the dish.)

4. For the steak, heat a griddle pan until hot. Rub the steaks with one tablespoon of the olive oil, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Place the steaks onto the hot griddle and cook without moving for 1-2 minutes, then turn 90 degrees with tongs and cook for a further minute, to give the steaks a lattice pattern of griddle marks. Turn the steaks over and repeat the process on the other side. Remove the steaks from the pan and place onto a plate to rest; keep warm.

6. Meanwhile, for the salad, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the bread cubes and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden-brown. Remove the croûtons with a slotted spoon, drain onto kitchen paper and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7. Place one teaspoon of the homemade mustard into a large bowl. Add the cider vinegar, whisk in the rapeseed oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pep-

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Friday, February 10, 2012

per. Add the croutons and watercress and mix well.

8. To serve, cut the steaks into thick slices and spoon the mustard into 2 small pots. Pile the salad onto the centre of each plate. Lay the steak over the salad and serve with a mustard pot on the side.

PISTACHIO AND CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ This individual chocolate and pistachio soufflés are simple to make and rise to the occasion quickly.

INGREDIENTS

• butter, for greasing • 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out • 100ml/3½fl oz double cream • 50ml/1¾fl oz milk • 1 free-range egg yolks • 30g/1oz caster sugar • ½ tbsp cornflour • 15g/½oz milk chocolate, melted • ½ tbsp cocoa powder • 2 free-range egg whites • 30g/1oz pistachios, finely chopped • icing sugar, to dust

PREPARATION METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.

2. Grease two glass ramekins and set aside.

3. Heat the vanilla, cream and milk in a pan until boiling.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

5. Whisk the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Pour the custard back into the saucepan and return to a low heat.

Gently whisk in the cornflour and continue to cook, whisking continuously, until the custard has thickened.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and cocoa.

7. In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the sugar and whisk until glossy.

8. Carefully fold the egg whites into the custard.

9. Fold half of the chopped pistachios into the soufflé mixture. Spoon the mixture into the 2 ramekins.

10. Place each ramekin onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until well risen and golden-brown.

11. To serve, dust with icing sugar and sprinkle over the pistachios as quickly as possible before the soufflé deflates.

The Perla of Los Montesinos

"TELL us how you want it cooked and we'll do it." This is the mantra of Sven and Sharon, owners of La Perla Negra restaurant in Los Montesinos. It applies to everything on their extensive menu. If you are having meat - any cut of meat - let them know if you want it rare, medium or well done. If you like your food spicy - let them know and they will oblige. If you like lots of garlic don't keep it to yourself explain and the chef can add some in.

Amicable owner Sven explains that this prevents the diner being disappointed and improves their eating experience. Along with wife Sharon, Sven opened the Perla Negra in October.

Their plan was to create an international restaurant and to welcome people of all nationalities.

As such, they have the menu in Spanish, English and German. In the short time they have been open, they have built up a clientele which includes local Spaniards from the village, but also international residents from around the south Costa Blanca.

The varied menu contains 11 starters, including several salads, soup of the day and prawn cocktail. However, my eye was drawn to the garlic prawn skewer on a bed of lettuce, served with bread.

Sven explained that the Marie Rose sauce is homemade, with a special touch

provided by whiskey and dill.

This gave the dish a unique taste and, along with a side of salad of tomato and cucumber, made for a very tasty starter. For a drink, I'd chosen the house wine, not the one you can find in any supermarket but one with the label of the restaurant on it.

Each main course at the Perla Negra comes with a small house salad, which diners usually decide to take between their starter and main meal; or as a starter.

This proved to be a good palate cleanser between courses, with lettuce, carrot and home-made coleslaw.

There is an extensive choice for main course. I was tempted by the three steaks on offer - particularly the Scottish Angus fillet mignon.

The goulash also sounded very good, as did the grilled salmon brushed with dill sauce. However, I was very glad that I settled on the lamb chop. Sven explained that he sources his meat

from a local butcher - and the quality is immediately apparent. The lamb chops were not the skinny bony strips which are served up in many restaurants. This was a plate with two large succulent pieces of lamb, with plenty of tender meat which had been cooked to perfection not overdone.

Combined with the mint sauce and mashed potato, this was a magnificent meal.

And add to that, a serving of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, washed down with another glass of beer. It's no

exaggeration to say that this was one of the best cuts of lamb I have tasted. I didn't have much room for dessert, but the mousse medley (chocolate, strawberry and vanilla) had my name on it, and it was a pleasant and light way to finish a great meal. Sven and Sharon cater for vegetarians serving past with creamy-mushroom sauce and a "garden delight" baked potato with sour cream, vegetables and melted cheese. They also have special menus available for group bookings. On a normal week they are open from Monday to Saturday from 18.30 - 22.30.

However, for a special group booking of more than 20 they will open at lunch time or on Sunday, with advance warning. For more information, call them on 966 292 392 or go to the website www.la-perla-negra.es. The restaurant is at Calle Mediterraneo 2, Los Montesinos.

See the website for directions.

DIAMANTE’S - THE BEST PLACE TO BE! DIAMANTE’S restaurant are kicking off their new season of Friday night entertainment with a special offer.

They are including a hot buffet with their shows for only €6.

What an amazing price for the top-quality food served at Diamante’s! This Friday’s menu is pork chasseur or chicken & vegetable curry, both mouth-wateringly tasty. And every Tuesday night there’s a free fun quiz.

Also on offer is fish & chips for only €4-95, plus every Wednesday a poker night starting at 8pm. And don't forget Diamante’s serve the best Sunday roast on the coast from 1pm till 8pm. So please pick up the phone and call 965352947 to reserve your table now.

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Friday, February 10, 2012

PUT YOUR HEALTH IN NATURE’S HANDS Lotus La Marina Centre for Natural Healing In Lotus La Marina we work from the belief that our lifestyle, what we eat and drink, our environment, our thoughts and emotions have a great influence on our body and mind - and a large part of our work in Lotus La Marina is creating awareness of this.

The awareness that you don´t feel as well as you think you should is a first step in returning to better health.

The second step is the growing desire to do something about it. In Lotus La Marina we hold consultations to help people unravel the cycle that has led to feeling less well. During a consultation we look at lifestyle patterns and the problematic symptoms you may have.

We give advice on what to change and how to change it.

We offer a wide variety of holistic treatments ranging from detox programmes, colon hydrotherapy, stress management and various types of massage (Thai, lymphatic drainage, Ayurvedic, Quiromassage). We also offer acupuncture and energy based treatments such as Reiki, Chakra balancing and Cranio sacral Therapy. For those who need help with hand and feet care we have Manicure and Chiropody to complete the total mind, body and spirit package.

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CATARACTS: CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND PREVENTION Cataracts result from the clouding of the natural lens, the part of the eye responsible for focusing light and producing clear sharp images. The lens which is contained in a sealed bag or capsule focuses light that passes into the eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina. However as old cells in the lens die, they become trapped within the capsule and over time accumulate, causing the crystalline lens to become cloudy. This clouding scatters light as it passes through the lens, preventing a sharply defined image from reaching the retina. Cataracts usually affect both eyes, but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other.

Several factors can promote the formation of cataracts, including aging, long-term exposure to ultraviolet light, exposure to ionising radiation, as well as the secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Cataracts may also be produced by eye injury or physical trauma. One scientific study showed that commercial airline pilots are three times more likely to develop cataracts than people with nonflying jobs. This is thought to be caused by excessive exposure at high altitudes to radiation coming from outer space. Other risk factors include a family history, free radicals, medications, smoking and excessive alcohol use.

WHY NOT TRY OUR WINTER OFFERS? Mini Detox with Colon HydroTherapy for 45€ Hot Oil Massage – pay for 5 sessions, receive the 6th free.

Valentine surprise which would make even the greatest romantic melt!! His & Hers Foot massage with a glass of bubbly and a plate of yummy chocolates 55€ for 2 or 30€ for 1.

Be beautiful – join the Elite!

Elite Hair and Beauty Academy (formerly the Skills Centre) is celebrating 10 years of helping young

men and women obtain the skills needed to enter the beauty industry. With our students travelling on cruise

ships, winning awards and working in salons both here in Spain and in the UK, we are helping to ensure that our students find employment after leaving school.

It’s a fact that during hard economic times the "red lipstick" theory comes to the fore. During periods of recession, buying yourself a treat can really help make you feel a little happier as witnessed by the rise in sales of cosmetics in the UK. This is where we can help.

During the months of February and March, we are offering all models who come to the school, FREE beauty and hair treatments.

So now is the time to get that waxing done!

Believe it or not, we will be getting out those sleeveless tops sooner than you think!

Facials, manicures, pedicures and full sets of acrylic and gel nails (with just a 10 euros supplement). Our hair students will offer FREE wash and blow dries plus a cut, why not try out a new style? If it’s a colour you need, there’s a small charge of just 10 euros.

All these can help keep your morale up and help balance the budget.

It’s easy to book, call us on 965703643 or visit our website www.theskillscentre.info

Cataracts usually develop slowing causing no pain.

When symptoms are present, they can include: cloudy or foggy vision, blurry vision, double vision and changes in colour vision. There may also be frequent changes in eyeglass/ contact prescription strength as well as a progressive loss of vision.

Cataracts are diagnosed by a complete ophthalmological exam, including a visual acuity test, a slit lamp examination, and a retinal exam. Treatment involves surgery to remove the cloudy natural lens and replace it with a clear artificial lens. There are several variations in both the removal and replacement portions of the surgery. Extracapsular surgery removes the lens of the eye but leaves the capsule intact. Intracapsular surgery removes the entire lens and capsule. The lens is then replaced with either an intraocular lens implant (IOL), contact lens, or glasses. The type of procedure performed is decided by the physician and the patient.

Interestingly, only 3.3% of people with cataract meet the current guideline of 20/50 or worse visual acuity for recommending cataract surgery. A healthy 91.7% even retain vision of 20/25 (Impaired vision begins at 20/30) or better and have the highest likelihood of success with preventive measures. While the exact cause of cataracts is unknown, experts believe that oxidative stress damages certain enzymes and proteins in the eye's natural lens, which causes the lens to become cloudy. Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and certain vitamins has been shown in several studies to be associated with a reduced risk of cataracts or their progression. Antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables that may reduce the risk of cataracts include vitamins A, C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin. Consumption of salmon or mackerel which is high in omega-3 fatty acids has also been linked to potentially reduced risk of cataracts or their progression.

Dr Machi Mannu is a Neuro-repatterning Specialist.

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

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Friday, February 10, 2012

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Friday, February 10, 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!

Steve had a question about his AVG antivirus running out ADVICE: Denise wanted help with Microsoft Office and what he could do.

Toolbars.

Q A

Hi Richard, my AVG anti virus tells me that it needs to be updated, but every time I click on the link it tries to sell me the full version, is the free version not available any more?

Hi Richard, how do I get back a toolbar which I have inadvertently deleted it is the one in Office, the ones that contain the alignments, right, left, centre and justify?

Q

Hi Denise, I understand that you are using Microsoft Office 2003 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.), in this case you simply move you mouse pointer up into the area where the toolbar would usually be and press the right hand mouse button, you will be offered a list of toolbars, the “usual” ones are ‘standard’ and ‘formatting’

Hi Steve, AVG do this from time to time, when they release a new version of their excellent antivirus product they promote the 'paid for' new alternative - I assume that it's their way of making extra sales. You're right though, the free edition is still available and you can download it from this link - http://free.avg.com/us-en/download. You don't need to remove your old version as the new one will automatically detect what is missing and upgrade it where necessary. One of the bad things about the new version is its sheer size, it's a download of over 100Mb, so if you fancy a change or your Internet connection isn't that good you should consider swapping to Microsoft Security Essentials, it a much smaller download, it's also free and its doing pretty well in critical review as well - it can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_essentials

A

Dave was having difficulty typing emails because he kept accidentally pressing the caps-lock key

Hi. I can't access Ryanair's website to make a booking as I used to. The new security system requires you to type letters into a box from a jumbled list. The list doesn't appear on my screen; instead I get a message saying I don't have permission to access this as I'm using an automated programme. How do I get rid of the automated programme? I'm using windows XP, my husband is using windows 7 and he is able to access the website typing in the jumbled letters. Many thanks Carol

Hi Richard, love the column, thought I would write to ask you about my new laptop, I have had it only 3 weeks and it's driving me mad! I keep accidentally pressing the caps-lock key and I dont notice until I have been typing for ages. I'm not great with a computer and the problem is that whilst I have been concentrating on the keyboard I look up and find a whole paragraph of text, half of which is in capitals, I then have to delete it and start again - you won't believe how long it takes me to write an email! Is there anything I can do?

Q A

Hi Dave, well my gut reaction was no, there is nothing you can do, other than stop pressing the caps-lock key, however following a bit of research and talking to my partners in the UK, it seems that you can disable the key that is causing you problems in Windows 7 and given that you mention you have had your computer for only 3 weeks I am going to assume that is what you are using? To disable the caps-lock key you will need to edit the registry, this is something that is really well "under the bonnet" stuff and should only be considered by an experienced engineer so I would advise you don't do it yourself. What you need to do is to edit the registry key "Scancode map" which can be located at..

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout ...what you need to do is change the value to 00000000 00000000 02000000 00003A00 00000000 after that you should restart your computer and your caps-lock key should be disabled.

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.

ADVICE: Carol was having trouble with Ryan Air’s website

Q

Hi Carol, you don’t mention which browser you are using so I am going to assume its Internet Explorer. The first thing that you should try is to use an alternative browser, something like Google Chrome that can be freely and easily downloaded from the Google website, I imagine that this will resolve the problem. If you are particularly wedded to Internet Explorer then you can try resetting its settings, you can do this by doing the following whilst in Internet Explorer...

A

1. Click Tools, Internet Options 2. Click the Advanced Tab 3. Click Reset ...this will put Internet Explorer back to its original settings, it will not remove any favourites that you have set up but it will delete any saved passwords for websites, so make sure you know what they are first.

Let me know how you get on.

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

Office: 902 906 200

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Friday, February 10, 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

THE SNARL OF Dangerous?

This dog only wants its master’s love

q

HI PETER, I know you will be inundated with e-mails, but if you could respond to this one I would appreciate it very much.

I have a Spanish dog (Podenco cross, I think) that I got from a rescue centre eight months ago. She is difficult walking on the lead, wanting to go for other dogs. Apart from a halter, can you suggest any way to keep her under control as she is very strong.

She has also very recently started urinating on the carpet during the night, which she did not do before. What can be the reason for this?

She is walked for three quarters of an hour, morning and evening. I hope you can help me with these problems.

ELIZABETH PETER replies: Before you start the walk, you need to make sure your dog is calm. She should be relaxed before you put her lead on and before she walks out of the house.

In many cases where

RACISM! Itʼs an ugly word. With uglier thoughts.

It brings together feelings of them and us.

It also carries with it little empathy.

Itʼs ignorance of the highest order. We all have feelings and we all bleed the same blood, regardless of colour or nationality.

Racism causes misery for millions of people around the world and unless we treat other people how we would like to be treated ourselves, it will continue.

This ugly emotion is not just aimed at humans, it is also very much alive and kicking in the dog world.

Racism towards dogs has been happening for decades and is now at boiling point in the UK. Since the seventies the German Shepherd, Rottweiler and Doberman have all been subject to this disease; but that was tame compared to the hate shown to the current victim, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

I was recently interviewed by a newspaper in the UK on the subject of dog aggression.

The paper in question had been running a campaign for weeks entitled Shop a Dog. This campaign was mostly aimed at Staffordshire Bull Terriers and the paper wanted it to be law for this breed to wear muzzles in public.

LED TO DESPAIR BY LIVELY PONDENCO

people find it difficult to control their dogs on walks, excitement has been rewarded.

If you put the lead on and walk out of your house with your dog in this state of mind, the whole walk will then represent excitement, rather than calm.

Make sure that you use a slip lead that will stay at

the top of her neck. This will give you more control.

The further the lead is down the neck, the less control you will have.

Also try changing direction during the walk and not walking the same route.

Regarding urinating in the house, if this is something she has not done

Hated bree for owners’

They also asked readers to send in photos of what they thought were banned breeds in their area. In return the sender would win a free mug!

They wanted to know my opinion about dog aggression as I rehabilitate aggressive dogs on a regular basis. I mentioned to them during the interview that they were tackling the problem from the wrong angle. Itʼs not about the breed of dog, itʼs about the human behind the dog.

The paper also stated this on their website (and before you read it make sure you are sitting down). “Whether your dog is a banned type depends on what your dog actually looks like, rather than the breed.”

Until people actually wake up and realise that it is about how the human raises the dog, nothing will change. You can go and buy or rescue a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and if you do the wrong things, as with any dog, the dog will become aggressive and may attack.

leg (but never actually does) and he won’t shut up even though my wife is still in the house. He does this also when I kiss my wife goodbye.

PUD PETER replies: I am guessing from your question that your dog gets a lot of love and no rules.

Otherwise he would not be displaying this behaviour.

As long as a dog has been adequately exercised and then fed, their natural state is then to do one thing only and that is to rest.

They won't rest if they have been elevated to number one position in the house, which has happened on this occasion.

You need to bring rules into the relationship and before, it would be worth- stick to them daily. while to take her to your When correcting him, vet as she may have an when he next starts to infection. bark, you need to use your I HAVE a French Bull energy and body language Terrier. Recently he has only and no sound. been playing up, especially Walk into his space and when I try to leave the house. be patient.

If he hears me picking up the When he stops and keys he goes mad and barks. shows calm, then walk He makes out to bite my away.

q

I have witness Yorkshire Terriers att people stand there were a Staffordshire Shepherd, there wou right.

In the United Kin need more paperwor do to own a dog!

This leads to youn know the first thing a erly owning power Staffordshire Bull Te dogs as weapons an credibility.

Why not start tackl lem, which is making dogs are committed ly. And no, that does more love. Somewh there must be discip there should be with

Scruff to be a

q

Hi Peter, lovely to read your column in the Courier and wondered if you could help us with a small problem we have with our little dog called Scruff that we picked up from a rescue centre about 18 months ago.

He is the most lovable little creature and is really well behaved, no problem of the barking kind, as most of your queries seem to be about, as he doesn't normally bark. He is lovable and friendly to everyone. He is walked twice a day at least so lack of exercise is not an issue.

Our problem is he hates to be left alone in the house and that is the only time he does bark. We have bought an anti-barking collar, which I know you don't recommend and I don't like using anyway but it does seem to have the effect of stopping him barking, but I am worried he may get distressed wearing it.

So we try to leave him to wander around, we have left the radio on for sound but to no effect. When we return home he goes back to being his

Peter will be in the Alicante/Murcia area from March 1-9

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Friday, February 10, 2012

Book a personal consultation with the top man PETER SINGH provides one-to-one consultations with dog owners who experience problem behaviour with their pets.

Peter, who himself owns five dogs and three cats, also runs monthly dog psychology courses for clients.

He joined The Courier to help our readers solve all those problems that irritate

dog and cat owners.

And, following the enormous response over the past few weeks, he’ll be here in the Alicante/Murcia region early next month to take on personal consultations and hopefully stage an open seminar.

is here from March 1 to March 9, or attend his planned seminar, just email him at peter@thedogyouneed.com.

Peter’s philosophy regarding dog behaviour is uncomplicated and easy to understand - you can check it out at www.thedogyouneed.com He has had a 100% success rate with

clients in both Spain and the UK. Also, if you need to transport your pet between Spain and the UK, Peter provides a relaxing and peaceful mode of travelling with his pet transport business. Check the service out at www.europeanpettransport. com

F DOG RACISM If you would like to see Peter while he

eds blamed ’ ignorance

I was walking along Londonʼs Piccadilly a ed Chihuahuas and tacking other dogs while few months ago and was moved to tears by and laugh. If the dog a scene I witnessed.

There was a homeless person sleeping in Bull Terrier or a German uld be uproar. Thatʼs not a doorway. He looked as though he had been drinking heavily. A few feet away from ngdom at present, you him lay his faithful dog - a Staffordshire Bull rk to own a TV than you Terrier. The dog just lay there, waiting for his owner to wake. This scene epitomises the g delinquents who donʼt nature of dogs - loyalty to the highest bout raising a dog prop- degree, without judgement.

I had my camera with me that day. I ponrful breeds, including erriers. They use these dered whether it would be right or wrong of nd to improve their street me to photograph this moving scene. My final conclusion was that I had to. After all, a ling the root of the prob- picture can tell a thousand words. g sure people who own Here in the metropolis, lay a dog. A dog to raising a dog correct- that many say should be muzzled. And as snʼt mean love, love and people tried their best to avoid him, he just here in the relationship lay there, showing loyalty, respect, trust and pline and rules, just as love. That shouldnʼt be muzzled, that should delinquents. be embraced.

hates alone lovable little self. Is there any advice you could give me please how to deal with this one small problem. It would make Scruff's life a lot happier.

BARBARA PETER replies: Thank you for your question, Barbara. Scruff has separation anxiety, which is something that affects many insecure dogs.

The key to dissolving it is to not make a fuss of Scruff when you are leaving the house and when you return.

Also, when you are leaving the house, don't let him follow you to the front door. Redirect him back to his bed and wait until he is calm and settled, then walk away.

If he follows you again, repeat this procedure. Stay calm and try to refrain from talking to him and using any comforting gestures, as you will then just be nurturing an insecure state of mind.

Practise this exercise by leaving the house at first for one minute and then increase the time.

q

MY little mongrel Carrie, who sadly is no longer with us, did something uncanny one evening that I have never been able to understand.

My husband and I occasionally used to go to a local casino in Manchester for an hour or so to break up the evening. Rather than leave her at home, we would take Carrie and leave her in the car, supervised by the parking attendant.

There was lots of activity in the car park so she didn't get bored while she was on her own.

One evening, we went out for dinner (not to the casino) and left Carrie at home with our two cats. When we got back, she was missing but as she was able to squeeze through the cat flap and never went far, we weren’t concerned.

Then the phone rang.

“Madam, this is the Salford Albion casino,” said the man at the other end. “Do you have a dog called Carrie?”

“Yes, we do. Why?” “Well, she’s here with us.

Your number is on her collar.”

Obviously Carrie had thought we were in the casino and decided to seek us out. In doing so, she had walked at

This loyal dog doesn’t need a muzzle...he should be embraced

GAMBLE OF A HAIRY GAMBOL TO CASINO

least four miles, crossing several main roads in the process. But the freakiest thing was that although she had NEVER been to the casino other than in the back of my car, she knew the route.

How do you explain that, Peter?

LYNN GREEN, El Raso

dogs have found their way back home from many miles away.

A sixth sense is a sense beyond the five accepted physiological senses of sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell.

Dogs are much more in tune with this mysterious PETER replies: There have sense than humans are. been lots of cases where That, in my opinion is

how Carrie found her way to the Casino that night.

Even though she used to travel in the car, she, like other dogs, could probably still sense where the destination was.

As to why, dogs always have a passion to be reunited with us and this is what led Carrie to perform this remarkable exercise.

T h e r e have also lasses for my dog been many an eye gested sung MY dog suffers from ’t good for him. s t u d i e s isn ht lig in seeps as UV lan me the ere wh t fec de est where to buy that prove has to Can you sugg that we are into the cornea and he . ase these, ple y. a l w a y s da ry eve ps dro uld have : First I wo connected re the PETER replies cu t no l wil y ps an dro ve ha ese Th your vet if they ask to our r de un it p kee recomproblem but will suppliers that they dogs, no try not control.

If . m a t t e r spotted mend ec on ce pts .co .uk where we The vet said that we nin ca w. ww he so e the problem just in tim are in the can deliver worldwide. vet sug- They won’t go blind. The world.

Doggie sunglasses

This is known as morphic fields.

In times when a family member has died, the remaining family members have often reported that before they knew of the death, the dog knew first.

I have read of cases where at say 3pm the dog started to act in a way he had never done before, only for it to later turn out that time of death was 3pm!

.To book a consultation, email peter@thedogyouneed.com

26

Friday, February 10, 2012

THE SPANISH PRESS

END IS NEAR FOR BOUNTY ODYSSEY

A FLORIDA firm that salvaged $500 million in gold and silver coins from the bottom of the Atlantic is to be forced to hand over the treasure to Spain unless the US Supreme Court intervenes.

The firm, Odyssey, on Monday asked the highest court in the US to issue an emergency stay against an appeal court order compelling the hand-over.

It is the latest - and last - stage in an ongoing dispute over ownership of treasure salvaged from Spanish navy frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes off the Portuguese coast.

The frigate was destroyed in battle in 1804.

Within days of recovering the treasure in May 2007, Odyssey took it to Gibraltar and loaded it onto a chartered Boeing-757 for transport back to Florida.

Madrid says the vessel and its contents rightfully belong to Spain under the principle of sovereign immunity.

Odyssey, however, contends that contemporaneous Spanish diplomatic communications show the Mercedes was on a commercial mission at the time of her sinking, invalidating Madrid’s sovereign immunity claim. The US courts ruled in favour of Spain both at the original hearing and at appeal.

The attorney representing the Spanish government, James Goold, said that based on the brief filed on Monday with the Supreme Court, Odyssey continues to rely on arguments “that have been rejected at every stage of the case”.

Northern light

RYANAIR has announced a new route between Murcia and Edinburgh. Twice-weekly flights, on Thursdays and Sundays, will begin on April 5, the start of the summer season.

Luis Fernández-Mellado, head of marketing and sales for Ryanair Spain, said that the airline was delighted to announce the new route to Edinburgh, the second most popular tourist destination in the UK, after London.

“This new route will boost the tourist industry in Murcia, which can offer sun, sand and low prices,” he said.

To celebrate, Ryanair is offering a million €9.99 seats across all routes from the end of February to the middle of March.

A coin or a button?

It’s worth a mint

El Pais

THE US State Department has contradicted an announcement by Spain’s foreign minister that the US government had agreed to clean up land contaminated by US hydrogen bombs 46 years ago.

José Manuel García-Margallo announced an imminent clean-up, saying the US government was going to deal with radioactive land in Palomares “as soon as possible”.

But US officials were quick to deny any agreement, with a US State Department spokesperson stating: “No final decision has been reached regarding a clean-up of the site.”

The land in Almería was contaminated by radioactivity after four US hydrogen bombs were dumped following a mid-air collision in 1966.

The bombs were released when a routine refuelling operation went disastrously wrong. A B-52 bomber and a refuelling plane crashed into each other, raining 100 tons of flaming wreckage over 15square miles (38 square-kilometres) around the village of Palomares, population around 600.

The 1.5 megaton bombs, each 75 times more powerful than the one that devastated Hiroshima, didn’t explode, but the plutonium-filled detonators on two went off, strewing 3 kilograms of radioactive plutonium across Almería.

Although the US Army removed much of the contaminated land years ago, there is still a lot of radiation in the area. Spain has made repeated efforts to get the US to complete the clean-up.

The most the US State Department will say about the matter for now is that “the governments of Spain and the United States continue to discuss remaining concerns Gerardo Díaz Ferrán at the highest levels.”

Holiday misery boss faces money charge El Pais WHEN Marsans travel agency went bust two years ago, leaving holidaymakers stranded and out of pocket, its demise was blamed on the financial crisis.

But a High Court judge last Friday indicted the president of the former businessmen’s confederation (CEOE), Gerardo Díaz Ferrán, and partner Gonzalo Pascual, on charges of embezzling 4.4 million euros from the agency.

Some 4,700 workers lost their jobs when the business suddenly closed in 2010 having accumulating around 400 million euros in debts.

If convicted the pair face up to six years in prison.

s w ro g r e g n a g n li a e st y b a b co n Fra

A MOVEMENT calling for answers over the alleged Franco-era baby m. stealing policy is gaining momentu s niard Spa of s sand thou of Tens a have taken to the streets to demand rfull investigation into the disappea ance of newborns.

A former government decree

USA denies it agreed to mop up 46-year-old nuclear mess

if allowed the state to take children The their ‘moral education’ was at risk. .

1980 in d ende y polic More than a thousand cases of babies reportedly taken have been afiled in the past year, and a full parli

l mentary inquiry as well as a lega investigation is being called for.

Action groups believe as many as 300,000 children may have been y taken from Franco opponents. Man or rs orde olic Cath by ted adop were of approved families to purge Spain Marxist influences.

27

Friday, February 10, 2012

THE SPANISH PRESS

Spain is causing the increase in GM crops in Europe The cultivation of GM crops is growing in Spain while it is falling in most other European countries.

In 2011 the area of hectares dedicated to genetically modified maize rose from 67,700 hectares to 97,300 hectares.

The increase is in sharp contrast to countries such as Germany where GM maize has been banned since 2009.

The data comes from Friends of the Earth, which says across the EU a total of 110,000 hectares was planted with GM crops in 2011.

Planted The only GM maize to continue being planted in Europe in 2012 is the variety MON810, developed by the multinational Monsanto.

The Amflora potato developed by the German chemical company BASF is also permitted.

Greenpeace noted that the fall in GM crops across Europe as a whole is due the opposition of the citizens, and their concern for the environmental impact.

Greenpeace blamed Spain for the ‘small increase’ in GM crops across Europe last year.

How record lottery win saved Sodeto WHEN an impoverished rural village in northern Spain won €950 million on the lottery, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Many of the 70 households that make up the small farming village of Sodeto could no longer make ends meet as the economic crisis and a lack of rainfall hit them hard.

Some were so broke they thought twice before buying a lottery ticket. But it is a tradition in the village to buy tickets to help the homemakers’ association pay for fiestas - it gets a small percentage from every ticket sold.

Now there’s sure to be a big fiesta as all but one household in Sodeto won a share of the record-breaking draw.

Some of Sodeto’s residents, mostly farmers and unemployed construction workers, won millions. The least fortunate winners came away with €130,000 — and the giddy feeling that life was giving them another chance.

Alberto RuizGallardón

It was one of the rare bits of happy news in the doom and gloom that has dominated the last few years, but the village, until now just a dot on the map about three hours northwest of Barcelona, has been inundated with salespeople and fortune seekers ever since.

Like many other local farmers, José Manuel Penella Cambra, who had recently invested in more efficient irrigation techniques, worried about how he would meet his

payments. But his wife bought two tickets, worth €260,000, and his son found two more she had bought earlier and forgotten about, bringing the total to €520,000.

“I kept saying, look for some more, look for some more,” he joked in the village cafe, a shabby establishment with a few Formica tables and a ripped black leatherette sofa. “But this money means that now we can breathe. And the best

part is that it isn’t just me.

Everybody won.”

The day of the lottery announcement was collective madness, the residents said, as they realised how many of their neighbours had won, too.

As news spread, the farmers raced into town on their tractors. The mayor, Rosa Pons, used a megaphone to congratulate everyone. Anica Bordei, the cafe manager, ran into the street with her socks on, even though they had holes in the toes.

The local news media soon showed up. “Some of the ladies talked about going to the hairdresser,” Mayor Pons said. “But the hairdresser won, too. And she said, ‘I’m not working today’.

So that ended that.”

Sodeto residents giggle when they retell the stories of where they were when they heard, and how they almost did not buy any tickets, or how someone’s grandmother had a secret stash of tickets tucked away in her purse.

‘Victim’ is arrested after claims of intruder fire attack AN Alicante woman at the centre of a dramatic rescue from a burning building with her two young children has been arrested on suspicion of starting the fire herself.

The woman alleged a hooded intruder entered her home and bound her hands and feet before setting fire to the building.

She claimed she struggled to reach the bedroom where her two youngest children – aged 18 and four months – lay sleeping before shouting for help through the window.

Her screams alerted neighbours who called emergency services. The woman and her children were pulled to safety through the window.

But on Tuesday, during a police reconstruction, the mother of five – her three eldest children were at school at the time of the fire – was arrested by the National Police on suspicion of staging the attack.

GAY MARRIAGE STILL ON TRIAL DESPITE SUPPORT THE debate over the future of gay marriage in Spain is continuing despite Minister for Justice Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón’s recent declaration that he does not believe legislation allowing same-sex marriages is unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court has been investigating the legality of same-sex marriage laws since 2005 at the request of the PP. But now, with the PP in government and the justice minister

declaring he has no problem with the legislation on gay marriage, socialists have called on Gallardón to withdraw the appeal against same-sex marriage laws.

But Gallardon said Wednesday that the case could only be withdrawn with the agreement of the 50 PP MPs who signed the original request to the Constitutional Court.

He added that it is the policy of the PP to abide by whatever ruling the Constitutional Court makes.

28

Friday, February 10, 2012

Top 10 nightmare celebrity co-drivers There are some people that we'd all run a mile to avoid being stuck in a car with but which celebrity would be your absolute worst nightmare as a driving partner?

That was the question posed by a poll of 2,000 motorists carried out by Continental Tyres. The survey was dreamt up to promote the company's Conti 4x4 Trophy in which contestants vie for the chance to drive a Hummer across the Sahara desert.

The results pinpoint the top 10 worst celebrity driving partners in the eyes of the public. While you consider which stars of stage or screen you'd least like to take a road trip with, you should find this gallery packed with inspiration.

Members of the Conservative party might say they'd quite like the deputy prime minister as a co-driver because he's intelligent, polite and they'd be able to get him to go wherever they want. We don't know about that but fact is that this poll hasn't been kind to our Nick.

CHRISTINE BLEAKLEY

LEWIS HAMILTON

SIMON COWELL

Kicking us off is one of the best drivers around but you can see how McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton might be a tricky in-car companion. He'd either be watching your driving disdainfully from the passenger seat or taking the wheel himself and scaring you witless with his skills.

Mr X Factor is a confirmed car nut who's swimming in cash so he's unlikely to be impressed with any road-trip car without a Bugatti or Rolls-Royce badge. Simon is also known for his mean streak when voting people off his TV shows. You might find yourself being consoled at the roadside by Ant and

Dec while Cowell drives off into the sunset without you.

MADONNA

On the surface, Christine Bleakley might seem a likable sort but the motorists polled clearly don't fancy the idea of her as a driving partner. Could it have been the thought that she'd probably bring fiancĂŠ Frank Lampard along?

CAROL VORDERMAN Madonna is a formidable woman and not one you'd want to get on the wrong side of.

With the insides of cars well-known as breeding grounds for arguments, it might be better to leave the queen of pop at home.

There may also be safety implications around some of her pointy underwear.

NICK CLEGG

Nobody likes a clever-cloggs and it seems that the idea of Carol Vorderman thrusting brain teasers and conundrums across the car at you is a big turn off. At least the former Countdown co-host would be able to read a map.

29

Friday, February 10, 2012

KATE MOSS

KATIE PRICE

Lots of people would jump at the chance of a road trip with supermodel Kate Moss but she's the fourth worst driving partner in this pole. Could it be that she's just a bad judge of cars as this photo of her endorsing the Rover 45 confirms?

The reason why nobody wants Katie Price as a driving partner couldn't be clearer. She only drives pink cars.

LUBExpress ¨Rapid Service at the Right Price¨

JEREMY CLARKSON DAVID CAMERON In theory, the man who runs the country should be more than capable as a driving partner but he's close to the top of this list.

Why? It's hard to say. Maybe the respondents were worried about all his police outriders getting in the way.

You probably saw this one coming. The worst celebrity driving partner is the man everyone loves to hate, Jeremy Clarkson.

The thought of him either power-sliding the car around like a lunatic or conducting an indepth car review from the passenger seat out-weighted his considerable road-trip experience and fired Jeremy to the top of the list.

The Stig to drive for James Bond

Former Top Gear ‘Stig’ Ben Collins has been spotted on the set of the latest James Bond film, indicating he is once again to take on driving duties for Bond star Daniel Craig.

Collins was caught driving a black Jaguar XJ on the set for the new Bond film, Skyfall, in London this week. The Daily Mail reports ‘the Stig’ was wearing a suit identical to that worn by Daniel Craig elsewhere on the new Bond film’s set.

Police reportedly kept the public at bay as Collins drove the Jaguar XJ in what appeared to be a car chase scene.

It is not yet clear which model of Jaguar XJ Bond will be driving, but it seems likely the range-topping Supercharged could be used. This 5.0-litre V8 motor produces 510hp and can hit 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds.

The range-topping Jaguar XJ Supercharged LWB costs £94,050.

Collins is no stranger to being a stunt double for Craig, though. He has been a James Bond stunt driver twice before, filming scenes in both Casino Royale and Quantam of Solace.

His recruitment in the latest Bond film suggests the producers are very pleased with the driving talents of the second Top Gear Stig, still the show’s longest-running ‘tame racing driver’. Collins became the ‘white’ Stig in 2003 after the original ‘black’ Stig was ousted as fellow racing driver Perry McCarthy.

Collins himself famously revealed he was the Stig in his 2010 autobiography.

Skyfall, the 23rd James Bond film, is due to be released in October this year.

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30

Friday,December February 10, Friday, 16,2012 2011

Cheque it out - HAH gets help HELP at Home (HAH) was once again amazed by the support its work gets when volunteers visited La Manga Club International Ladies coffee morning last week.

As the club handed over a cheque for €500, HAH founder Lesley Eburne said: “The amount of help we are being given is unbelievable.”

The money, presented by club treasurer Val Ashton and past president Breega Gregory, had been collected for HAH as a thank you for the help the charity had given

Take up the challenge!

From left, Lynda Christopher, Val, Lesley Eburne, Breega Gregory, Carole Duff and Celia Ryan to club members. Lesley and Lynda Christopher (Clinical lead), gave a short talk on how HAH help people in their homes, and how important it is to raise funds to provide this free service.

Lynda added: “We are

delighted to be able to help so many people who are struggling to cope, need some help or advice, or just to provide a friendly face to help the family.

“And we are so grateful to the ladies for choosing to

support us.”

The volunteers then spent a very enjoyable hour chatting with the ladies and discussing the many and varied ways that funds are raised, and how these are put to such good use within HAH.

THERE’S still time to sign up for the Paul Cunningham Nurses Charity Lake Challenge.

The walk, run or cycle around the beautiful La Pedrera Lake, Torremendo, on February 26 will raise valuable funds for the nurses.

Urging people to get involved, a charity spokesperson said: “Please think about joining us. Just two hours of your time could ease life for a patient in pain.”

The more gentle 5km walk starts at 2pm, with longer walks and cycle rides from mid-morning.

The walk is open to individuals as well as groups from local bars, clubs and businesses.

The event is sponsored by Licor 43 Cuarenta Y Tres and many local businesses are sending teams to take part.

You can also help by sponsoring participants. Full details of the Charity Lake Challenge can be found at www.paulcunninghamnurses.com, email sueinthesun@hotmail.co.uk, or call 639 318 526.

JOHN BOOKS A RAF REUNION

JOHN McGREGOR’s memoirs are unlikely to make the best sellers’ list - but they’ll give plenty of people a chuckle or six.

The former sales manager’s adventures during five years as a young recruit at RAF Thorney Island have also shunted him into a few hairy situations, writes DONNA GEE. Like the time a former lady love he had ribbed in print turned up at a book signing with a face like thunder.

You’ll have to read Fairy Tales of an SAC (Senior Aircraftman) for the rest of the story - but she’s not the only person to have come back into his life as a result of the book.

Says John, 62, who lives at La Marina with wife Anne: “It has put me back in touch with old mates I lost touch with 40 years ago!

“I met up with five of them (and an old girlfriend!) during a UK week and we unanimously agreed to mount a full reunion for May 12 this year’’. Likely venue is the RAF station near Portsmouth where most of John’s japes took place.

Another ex-RAF friend he has met up is ‘Bradley’, who is portrayed in the book as clumsy and accident-prone. He’d just arrived in Spain after being asked at the departure gate at Bounemouth Airport if he was missing anything. He said ‘no’ - and staff promptly reunited him with his passport, which he had unknowingly left in security.

John, a father of four and granddad of eight, added: “As he was talking to me, he attempted to open a shiny laptop to show me pictures of his boat. It wouldn’t open and he started to ‘muscle’ it open.

“I could see the wires stretching and snapping where they went through the hinge mechanism.

“He ruined it. He hadn’t changed one iota from the huge, awkward but gentle giant I wrote about.’’ l ’Fairy Tales of an SAC’ is available in Bookworld and Bargain Books in Torrevieja at €9.95, or directly from the publishers. Full details are on John’s website, which is http://johnmcgregor.110mb.com

Shades of Windsor Velvet...

THE Velvetones Ladies Harmony Chorus is rehearsing until further notice at the Windsor Bar, San Luis, Torrevieja on Wednesdays from 10am until 1pm. All are welcome to go along and see them in action or join them for a coffee and a chat.

The chorus has a wide repertoire and performs at various venues in and around Torrevieja in support of local charities. New members are always welcome.

For more information, contact the musical director, Jan Ryder on 966 785 313 or chairwoman, June Brady on 965 327 446.

THE Royal Naval Association, Torrevieja branch, meet 5pm first Wednesday of the month at La Rustika Restaurante, Avenida Baleares, Torrevieja.

Contact Mike Wright on 966 188 701 or Margaret REUNITED: John McGregor (right) with his Forshaw, 966 921 996.

l

clumsy ex-RAF pal ‘Bradley’ (real name Bentley)

Faces behind ladies

JANINE Williams and Maddie Pinfold (pictured), are the ladies behind the very successful monthly lunches for the group Ladies Who Lunch.

The popular lunch group raises money for Paul Cunningham Nurses while its members enjoy time with friends old and new and taste some of the best food the area has to offer.

The February lunch was held at Antonio’s in Rojales, where the ladies saw just how calm and efficient Antonio and his staff could be serving a delicious three-course lunch to 48 ladies. The afternoon raised €280 for Paul Cunningham Nurses.

Membership of the group is full for the moment but to join the waiting list call Janine on 966 261 359 or Maddie on 966 078 646.

31

Friday, February 10, 2012

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

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Let’s see if you can win yourself a meal for two and a bottle of wine at Quesada Fish & Chips POP QUIZ February 10th 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.Who had a Brand New Key in 1974.

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12.What was swinging for Roger Miller in 1966.

32

Friday, February 10, 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, 9 represents R and 24 represents J, 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 Saltwater fish (3,4) 5 Nocturnal insectivore (5) 8 One more (7) 9 Cook with dry heat (5) 10 Perhaps (5) 11 Wear off (7) 12 Procedural method (6) 14 Coral creatures (6) 17 Run playfully (7) 19 Not flexible (5) 22 Privileged (5) 23 Frighten greatly (7) 24 Ensnares (5) 25 Be uncomfortably hot (7)

Down 1 Moving crowd (5) 2 Deep distress (5) 3 Runner (7) 4 Accentuate (6) 5 Low woody perennial plant (5) 6 Solid truth (7) 7 Testifier (7) 12 Have doubts about (7) 13 Staying power (7) 15 Watch (7) 16 On the house (6) 18 Printing machine (5) 20 Imbecile (5) 21 Lobby (5)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Hogmanay, 7 Somme, 8 Avalanche, 9 Tee, 10 Tail, 11 Snatch, 13 Shriek, 14 Morass, 17 Bitter, 18 Saga, 20 Ewe, 22 Rendition, 23 Lanky, 24 Adultery.

Down: 1 Heart, 2 Glacier, 3/5 Adam Smith, 4 Accent, 6 Genesis, 7 Section, 12 Rectory, 13 Steeple, 15 Avarice, 16 Pernod, 17/21 Benny Hill, 19 Annoy.

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 Odd hare carelessly stashed away (7) 5 Upstanding characters from Crete (5) 8 Recall past experiences with the nice miser, strange (9) 9 Obviously he is Caledonian in the end (3) 10 Old fashioned American lawyer Lawrence Duke (5) 12 Result derived from a quick exit and entrance (7) 13 Action entails the arrangement for a means of punishment (31-4-5) 15 Bum monarch becoming more unyielding (7) 17 Only nitrogen can be a man-made fibre (5) 19 Even poodles give you a poem (3) 20 Think of the internet about to break down (9) 22 Fame and glory for taking turf back to Britain (5) 23 Shopkeepers, we hear, are profiting from wine storage areas (7)

Down 1 An idol to many was a mass murderer (5) 2 An ambition to be a director? (3) 3 Sand-hill row in New Zealand (7) 4 It's undercoats are misapplied in accordance with these scales of price reduction (8,5) 5 Function in the midseventies (5) 6 Real idiot unsettled leader (9) 7 Offers made for ship's boats? (7) 11 A legal document produced by a champion effort (5,4) 13 Cavorting Cossack's vestment (7) 14 Look after Rhode Island legislative leader's ivy feature (7) 16 Takes in one Ed Sullivan Show (5) 18 No points on afternoon prayers (5) 21 Had tea out (3)

STANDARD CLUES

Down 1 Infamous Biblical king (5) 2 Direct (3) 3 Large city in New Zealand (7) 4 Bank deductions (8,5) 5 Affair (5) 6 Newspaper column (9) 7 Bids (7) 11 Legal document (5,4) 13 Priest's vestment (7) 14 Plant part (7) 16 Required things (5) 18 Religious service (5) 21 Consumed (3)

Across 1 Saved up (7) 5 Set up (5) 8 Recall the past (9) 9 James Bond creator's first name (3) 10 Went out with (5) 12 Consequence (7) 13 Whip with knotted cords (3-1-4-5) 15 Less forgiving (7) 17 Man-made fibre (5) 19 Lyric poem (3) 20 Think about (9) 22 Praise (5) 23 Vendors (7)

Last weeks Solution Across: 1 Absent, 4 Budge, 8 Crime, 9 Realist, 10 Nannies, 11 Glee, 12 Sum, 14 News, 15 Auto, 18 Tot, 21 Ajar, 23 Red tape, 25 Riotous, 26 Ruler, 27 Stall, 28 Snares.

Down: 1 Ascend, 2 Science, 3 Neediest, 4 Bias, 5 Drill, 6 Entree, 7 Crass, 13 Mandarin, 16 Trailer, 17 Walrus, 19 Tryst, 20 Debris, 22 Aroma, 24 Foil.

FILL IT IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

Elevon Dales Dots 3 letter words Ironic Lists Epic Apt Macron Logic Lens Ban Recess Loose Less Dan Scrape Lopes Loss Hen Septet Means Mete Its Sitcom Panel Plot Nun Sneers Plane Post Opt Terror Ranee Sari Pep Waiter Santa Spam Roc 7 letter words Saute Spry Roe Aileron 6 letter words Tail Rue Alcohol Actual 5 letter words Vie General Artery Appal 4 letter words Renewal Astral Bares Aids Atonal Basin Beam

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

Across 1 Fashion (4) 3 Campana (de iglesia, puerta) (4) 9 To suck in (air or dust) (7) 10 Wagon (horse-drawn) (5) 11 Efectivo (dinero) (4) 12 Surname (family name) (8) 14 Caracoles (6) 16 Strawberries (6) 18 Criados (sirvientes, hombres) (8) 20 Amanecer (4) 23 Roast (culinary) (5) 24 Mayor (7) 25 Cobertizo (para animales, útiles) (4) 26 Muy (mucho) (4)

Down 1 Maps (of world, countries) (5) 2 Hard (object, substance, cheese, skin) (4) 4 Ladder (8) 5 Camiones (7) 6 Salsas (culinario) (6) 7 Gota (de líquido) (4) 8 Well (for water) (4) 13 Next to (2,4,2) 15 Atrasos (comercio) (7) 17 Puesta del sol (6) 18 Jabón (para lavar) (4) 19 Trampa (para cazar) (4) 21 Callejón (5) 22 Dolor (4)

33

Friday, February 10, 2012 Across 7 Which machine converts mechanical energy into electrical energy by means of rotating coils of copper wire in a magnetic field? (6) 8 Which single-celled animal catches food and moves about by extending finger-like projections of protoplasm?

(6) 9/15 Which political manifesto written by Adolf Hitler became the bible of Nazism? (4,5) 10 Which is the highest mountain in the British Isles? (3,5) 11 What was the surname of the actor who starred in the title role of the television police series Madigan? (7) 13 What was the nickname of the WWII field marshal Bernard Law Montgomery? (5) 15 See 9 17 What name is given to cushioned footstools or low seats with no backs? (7) 20 What name is given to a person who changes for periods of time into a wolf, typically when there is a full moon?

(8) 21 What was the surname of the US Army scout, and Indian fighter known as Buffalo Bill? (4) 23 Which skiing competition involves racing down a winding course marked out by poles? (6)

SUDOKU

Quiz Word

24 The bitter leaves of which edible Mediterranean plant may be blanched and used in salads? (6) Down 1 What was the name of the harp used by ancient Greeks

for accompaniment? (4) 2 Which Hawaii based detective was played by Tom Selleck on television from 1980 to 1988? (6) 3 What was the title of Procol Harum's second British hit single? (7) 4 Augusta is the the capital of which state of the USA? (5) 5 Which Spanish city is famous for the production of sword blades? (6) 6 Which strong green liqueur is flavoured with wormwood and anise?

(8) 12 Which queen of Castile married Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469? (8) 14 What is the nickname of Everton FC? (7) 16 Which Spanish dish of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood, etc., is cooked and served in a large shallow pan?

(6) 18 What name is given to the face of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street? (6) 19 During which major battle in northern France (July-Nov 1916) were more than a million men on both sides were killed or wounded? (5) 22 What name is given to a famous female opera singer or an admired or distinguished woman? (4)

SALLY’S SIMPLE SPANISH AMBIENTE - ENVIRONMENT Match these words with their Spanish translations then find them in the wordsearch.

(Answers below)

sports QUIZ 1. Diane Leather was the first woman to do what?

2. How Many Gold Medals Did Mark Spitz Win In His 1st Olympics?

3. What is the name of Gavin Hastings brother who also played rugby Union for Scotland?

4. In which sport would you compete for the Waterloo Cup? 5. Which racehorse houses the burial site of Red Rum? 6. What weight category is the lightest in Amateur Boxing?

7. In A Decathlon What Is The Total Number Of Metres A Competitor Has To Run? 8. How Many Events Are There In A Heptathlon?

9. Which baseball side has won the World Series the most times?

10. Who was the 1st gymnast to score a perfect 10 At The 1976 Olympics?

11. With Which Sport Would You Associate A Lonsdale Belt?

12. In Billiards, How Many Points Are Awarded For Potting The Red? 1. run a mile in less than five minutes 2. 2 3. Scott Hastings 4. Crown Green Bowls 5. Aintree 6. Light Flyweight 7. 2110 (100,110,400,1500) 8. Seven 9. The New York Yankees 10. Nadia Comaneci 11. Boxing 12. Three

ANSWERS

Last Week’s Solutions Code Cracker Last weeks Quiz Wordsolution Across: 1 Mistress, 7 Torso, 8/11 Charlotte Bronte, 9/17 Mel Brooks, 10 Wine, 13 Surtax, 14 Searle, 18 Dada, 20 Tea, 22 New Mexico, 23 Eliza, 24 Triangle.

Down: 1 Macaw, 2 Spanner, 3 Rill, 4 Saturn, 5 Frame, 6 Rob Lowe, 7 Tenniel, 12 Madonna, 13 Southey, 15 Reading, 16 Skewer, 17 Basil, 19 Anode, 21 Leda.

16.efecto-invernadero, 17.contaminacion, 18.terremoto.

j.grasslands, k.snow, l.frost, m.greenhouse effect, n.dessert, o.rain, a.cyclone, b.mist, c.fog, p.dew, q.savanna, d.rainbow, e.forest, r.sleet. f.earthquake, g.ice, h.lightning, i.pollution,

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

1.bosque, 2.desierto, 3.sabana, 4.pradera, 5.hielo, 6.ciclon, 7.lluvia, 8.agua-nieve, 9.nieve, 10.rayo, 11.arco-iris, 12.rocio, 13.escarcha, 14.neblina, 15.niebla,

N I E K N N D M O K K N Q U E R O E U I I P E P Y O F S H S V U I E Q R E W S LA I M I C X C V CAS N B C I R R C EA S E T D A L O I L I E U N L R E I E D E N C B OAT R U O C N R P M V T I C K Q L U T V H AH ZAE X R M U R SAN OA R J B F I A B AA O I C O R C M J Y Y N K Q F P T K E R HA F I T W A F H F P Z N I F M N VTQ N UTE R R E M OTOA Y U N F GAN I L B E N C H B S V D J A F M A I U S W L S A K M R D L L U V I A B B P I S Soduko

Span - Eng

AGUA-NIEVE

LLUVIA

ARCO-IRIS

NEBLINA

BOSQUE

NIEBLA

CICLON

NIEVE

CONTAMINA-

PRADERA

CION

RAYO

DESIERTO

ROCIO

ESCARCHA

SABANA

HIELO

TERREMOTO

Quizword

Fill It In

34

Friday, February 10, 2012

Horoscopes

By Pandora

Aries March 21 - April 19 People older than you often ask your opinion because you are a trend setter and a marvellous role model for society in general.

If you're terrified by the thought of someone being able to look into your mind...are you sure you should be here, because that's what I'm doing right now.

She does not love her child HELLO Rose. A family member has had a child at a young age (I think 16) with no home, no job and no partner. Her partner is part of the child’s life but won’t get custody. (Long story) She doesn’t love the kid, which is awful enough because he is an amazing kid, and she neglects him.

She hops from house to house, staying with friends, and when she does get a council flat she ends up getting kicked out.

She gives the kid to her mum (who works full time) and just disappears for days without any way to contact her.

Her mum has tried to get custody but she refused because she wouldn’t get her benefits.

Child welfare has been called on her several times (at one point she didn’t even have a cot or a pram for the kid) but when they come to check her she finds the minimal things she needs.

The child is a bright, lovely kid but he needs to go to somebody that can give him some structure and some love. She takes him to the pub and sits outside with him and her friends without putting a jumper or coat on him. She just doesn’t care.

Basically, is there anything I can do? She doesn’t love him, or care for him, and though child services have been involved nothing has been done. It's just so frustrating!

ANNE Torrevieja Hi Anne, How old is this child? Is he school age? If so, tell the school. Then there is another group/agency putting pressure on child services.

Have you called child services? The more people who call, they will have to act.

You could do things like buy a cheap coat for the boy, if you can. Then say to his Mum, that you thought of the boy when you saw it.

Good luck.

His kids are so rude MY current partner has kids from a previous relationship and they live with us for a couple of days a week. The problem is, I think they're really spoilt and rude. How do I live with them, without hurting my partner?

SOPHIE Villamartin Hello Sophie. There's nothing worse than other people's rude and spoilt kids! But as

Taurus April 20 - May 20 The randomness of the universe may affect you today as you search for meaning in a cornflake that looks like your nose. You like to think that you're finally gettings your financial affairs into good order. May the tax be with you.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 You may become a danger to yourself this week, especially if you plan to surgically implant spikes on the ends of your fingers.

You will feel an overwhelming desire to kiss everyone in sight today. You must decide how to continue.

Cancer June 21 - July 22

If you have a problem Romany Rose can help you with, email her at office@thecourier.es these are the children of the man you love, it's crucial you sort this out. If you don't, you could risk things going from bad to worse and your relationship falling apart. Here are my top tips to making this work: Choose a calm moment and make sure none of his children are in earshot. The key is to begin talking about something positive to do with his children. You might find them rude but he will adore them! Once you've sung their praises, ask him how you two together can bring out more of their good behaviour.

Now highlight how hurt you are when they're rude, but say it in clear and not overemotional language. If you sound hysterical about his children he'll tune you right out. Be prepared with a specific example of their behaviour, because that's what he will ask for.

Ask how he sees your role in disciplining them. If you two can agree the ground rules for when he's not around, it'll be much easier for you to set your boundaries with them.

When you're around the children always make a big deal when they've done something nice or been considerate. All children love praise - even those who may feel resentful towards a stepparent.

Never try to be their friend, and never undermine their mother. But if they behave badly point it out to them in clear, firm tones. They'll respect you more for it!

As with any developing relationship, 'love' doesn't happen overnight. Be patient and hopefully you'll all get along eventually.

Always arguing

I love my husband dearly, but we always end up arguing about the same old things, money and how to discipline our kids. Surely it won't always be like this?

Dear Rose. I think my MEG Aguas Nuevas husband is having an I have news for you, Meg, affair. He's started staying late at work and has it could well "always be like become more secretive this" unless you change the than normal. I don't know way you argue! Here are some tips for emotionally what to do next.

AMY La Siesta healthy arguing?

Hello Amy. Your intuition tells Agree to tape record or you he's having an affair and video yourselves when arguintuition is a powerful tool, ing and play it back afterbut it's important to remember it's not always right. Keep wards. Have a tape-recorder, listening to it though, while dictaphone or camcorder ready and hit "record" when you do the following: Be relaxed when he's you feel tensions rising. It behaving normally - if he's may sound odd, but believe innocent of any affair you me, it's the quickest way to don't want to stress out the realise how awful you both rest of your life worrying. look and sound when you get When he acts 'secretive', into full flow! that's the time to say someUse an egg timer and thing like, "you are acting a bit worried - what's up?" Use agree each of you has three this straightforward tech- minutes to put your case fornique every time you feel ward. Interruptions aren't he's behaving secretively. allowed!

You’ll begin to get a sense of Never shout things to each what his answers reveal - an other that you can't take back innocent person or a guilty and that won't be forgotten. conscience.

Never shout the D-word Suggest that when he has during an argument. Once to work late that you pop over for a late dinner with him. the idea of divorce is on the Stress how much you'd love table, you're on a slippery to do this, you know, share slope that could easily have his load, etc. If he welcomes been prevented. If you plant the idea that's the behaviour that idea, it's hard to get it out of an innocent man, but if he of each other's heads. gets stressed and makes Don't drink and argue excuses that looks suspialcohol-fuelled rows are far cious.

Try to enhance all the good worse than sober ones.

Really try to see each in your relationship and make sure his long working other's point of view. No hours don't kill off your sex one's ever 100% right. Slow life. If he's innocent this will things down, and say somehave great pay-offs anyway thing like, "so you really feel and if he's guilty it may make X, Y, or Z when I do A, B, or him think twice about contin- C?" uing an affair.

Finally, know when to let Once you've done all these things, if you still have suspi- go of something. Is being cions you'll have to be honest "right" more important than with him and tell him you forgetting about it and being happy? want honesty in return.

Husband's affair

You don't have the right to tell anyone what to do, no matter how much you've lived through or how much you earn. Spreading lies about colleagues or friends may see dwindling relationships with those around you. And, yes, of course I know that's obvious - but you're the one who's going to do it!

Leo July 23 - August 22 Night terrors will plague you throughout this month and you may feel that people, both living and dead, are out to get you. Today will be fraught with exciting wonderment and thrills for at least somebody you know. All of your aims are achievable, although many of them would involve bionic implants and a lot of theft.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 Armchair politicians will affect your life today as they rise from their dank pits and begin to conquer the known world. There might not be a tomorrow, but all indications point to yes The thought of you losing your mind is making you lose your mind

Libra September 23 - October 22 A film will set you straight about a number of things today and will also serve to kill between one and a half and two and a half hours of the day. Probably. Sorry, it's a slow day for you, there's nothing much I can say that will make it any more interesting.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Your mind is filled with thoughts of sexual inadequacy and hey, maybe you're right.

Hopefulness can be a virtue, but naivity can bring you trouble. Put your mental abilities to the test today and try to figure out how best to spend the money you have in a non-frivolous way.

Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Holiday, it would be so nice...to be on holiday.

So why not go for it? A hairy back may trouble you this week, especially if it's not your hairy back that's in question. Now is the time for a new resolution. You think you're so advanced, but when was the last time monkeys had to worry about their finances?

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 This week, Microsoft Word may define your grammar as "poorly constructed" and full of "run on sentences". You're doing really well, keep it up! The future holds much joy and happiness for someone close to you. But not you. Oh no, you're screwed.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 And this was what was written in a sandwich in Mexico. Strangeness, huh? Gloomy times lay ahead. In biscuits one can find sweet, sweet redemption. Especially when soaked in Rum. You may find yourself contemplating destroying the universe this week.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 Show a loved one you care. You're generally hopeless with money, so this week should come as a shock to you. Any jamborees you attend today are likely to be fun-filled as well as informative. One man cannot make himself into an army of super-strength midgets.

No matter what his budget.

35

Friday, February 10, 2012

TRELI ON THE TELLY

BALDY BRENDAN IS BROWN BLISS

IF you had told me a year ago that I would be in hysterics watching a bald Irishman wearing a wig and women’s clothes, telling old jokes mixed with filth, accompanied by a supporting cast including many of his actual family members, I’d have thought you were crazy.

But I’ll let you off, as I did wave a sad farewell to Mrs. Brown’s Boys on BBC1 last Saturday night, with the consolation of knowing that there will be a third series.

Yes, the storylines are predictable and have been pinched from all over the place. Yes, it’s not in the best possible taste for some, but it all makes for great fun.

After years of boring, politically correct humour, it’s a blessed relief to have something that’s naughty, but funny.

Brendan O’Carroll and his team seem to be having a great time, and the trick is that they let us in on it. And of course, I love the fact that they keep the mistakes and ad-libs in.

with ALEX TRELINSKI

Mrs Brown, alias Brendan O’Carroll, will be back for a third series

After his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) confesses to infidelities and asks for a divorce, Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is left hopelessly adrift in a world he doesn’t understand. Whilst rambling incoherently at a bar one evening, he draws the attention of Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a handsome lounge lizard with a gift for seducing women.

Jacob takes pity on Cal and begins to teach him the tricks of the trade, helping the middle-aged loser to update his wardrobe and understand the fundamentals of scoring with attractive girls. Eventually Cal gets the knack of it, a parade of meaningless

Most pompous UK TV critics hate it, but so what? The show won’t win any awards, as opposed to some unwatched late-night Channel 4 programme, but it’s the O’Carroll clan and the viewers that are the big winners here.

There are only two funny programmes on ITV1. One is Benidorm, which is back very soon, and the other is TV Burp with the hilarious Harry Hill. The hairless doctor started his final series on Saturday before calling it a day, and he’s given the network a nightmare as they have absolutely nothing to touch the show in terms of laughter. It’s clear why Harry wants to move on, since a hell of a lot of work goes into it, as it’s a topical programme. What is getting me worried is rather than finish TV Burp with Harry’s exit, ITV bosses are thinking of trying another host.

Not a wise move and, mark my words, if it does happen it’ll be an absolute disaster. Meanwhile, Harry is set to sign for the network that first discovered him, Channel 4, and for considerably less than he was getting from ITV, which proves that it isn’t always about the money.

Are the TV soap bosses getting desperate? Sharon Watts and Terry Duckworth are making returns to Walford and Weatherfield soon but I’m far more interested in who we’ll see at Betty Williams’ funeral in Coronation Street in the spring.

What price a quick cameo return for Jean Alexander as the acid-tongued Hilda Ogden? It just might happen. Meanwhile, don’t think that evil Frank Foster has got away with Carla’s rape. He’ll be bumped off soon in a JR-style whodunnit!

The mark of a good new TV drama series is the fact that you are not playing with your remote control within minutes.

I only used mine to watch again some scenes of the opening two episodes of Prisoners’ Wives on BBC1.

The second part on Tuesday saw Polly Walker’s character, Francesca, getting a real jolt as the ill-gotten gains of her husband have been seized.

Polly is a real-scene stealer, and I remember her vamping it up brilliantly in the much-missed series Rome a few years ago. Your heart also goes out to Gemma, played by Emma Rigby, who is finding out a lot that she didn’t know about her murdering hubby.

It’s a drama that grabs your attention straight away, and there are some really good long-term possibilities for Prisoners’ Wives, should the BBC keep it going. Birds of a Feather it certainly isn’t!

CRAZY STUPID LOVE 12 CAST: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone. DIRECTOR: John Requa, Glenn Ficarra GENRE: Comedy, Romance RATING: 5/5 RUNNING TIME: 107 min. flings (including one with a his old life, their two worlds lively Marisa Tomei) ensu- become intertwined, leading. Yet no matter how pas- ing to some interesting sionate the sex is Cal can’t domestic dynamics. seem to fill the void that Steve Carell is sympathetic Emily once so effortlessly and subtly distraught as occupied.

Meanwhile Cal, the actor sidelining his Jacob is after feisty red- sharp comedy intuition for head Hannah (Emma most of the film, only Stone), his usual moves breaking it out when the not having much of an effect on the spirited young woman. As he falls slowly in love and Cal pines for

script demands a moment of stellar delivery. Julianne Moore starts the film as a villain of sorts, but the actress quickly turns Emily into a complex victim of mundane living, deeply regretful concerning her actions and protective of her family “Crazy, Stupid, Love” is an adorable motion picture.

It’s mature, nuanced yet incredibly accessible,

This dvd review was brought to you by MOVING MOVIES - OVER 7000 DVDS IN STOCK. Delivering all over Spain and the UK Visit www.movingmovies.biz Tel 650 751 072 or email movingmoviesdvds@gmail.com

The Good Wife gets Treli’s thumbs up

A quick thumbs-up for More 4’s The Good Wife, which is now four episodes into series three on a Thursday night. It mixes legal drama with a bit of romance, intrigue and humour in a way only the American networks can do. British TV can still hold its own in producing quality over half a dozen to ten episodes a year of a show, but the Yanks can deliver 20-odd episodes of a hit over a season. All we have, barring the soaps, are Casualty and Holby City. I rest my case.

In this Diamond Jubilee year, we have yet another series on the nation’s leading lady. This time it’s called The Diamond Queen, with the ever-enthusiastic Andrew Marr doing the hosting honours on BBC1.

Marr is fun, as always, with lots of pithy anecdotes, and with the exception of the Queen herself, he’s spoken to virtually everybody, short of getting in a dog whisperer to have a chat with the corgis.

It was a highly watchable hour on Monday evening, though I didn’t really learn anything new. But then I didn’t expect to!

Miracles do occasionally happen and, like Professor Higgins teaching Eliza Doolittle to speak proper in the musical My Fair Lady, the same thing seems to have happened to David Beckham. When he popped up as a guest on ITV 1’s Jonathan Ross Show, the football star was totally charming and articulate, and engaged in some great banter with Ross.

All totally in contrast to a dozen years ago when he could barely recite a page from a basic Janet and John schoolbook.

I’d love to meet the person who helped Beckham achieve his personality change, so that I can persuade him to do the same for Keith Lemon. boasting a roster of characters and arcs that most viewers should have no trouble identifying with. After this and “I Love You Phillip Morris”, Requa and Ficarra have become filmmakers to watch. I would recommend “Crazy, Stupid, Love” in a heartbeat, and can only hope that future generations come to respect it as the genre masterpiece it so clearly is.

36

The Courier Friday TV

February 10

00:35 This Week 01:20 Skiing Weatherview 01:25 Panorama 01:55 Countryfile 02:55 Britain's Killer Roads 03:40 Rip Off Britain 04:10 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 04:55 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 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 School for Stars 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Deadly Art 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 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 04:25 05:00 07:00

Toughest Place to Be An Island Parish Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close On Top of the Digital World 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 Bear Behaving Badly 09:20 Shaun the Sheep 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Harry and Toto's World of Opposites 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Animal Park 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 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 Britain's Heritage Heroes 20:00 The Culture Show 21:00 Mastermind 22:00 Wild About Pandas 23:00 QI 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Take Me Out 01:40 ITV News Headlines 01:40 The Zone 03:40 Tonight 04:05 ITV Nightscreen 05:35 The Jeremy Kyle Show 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 the Revenge

00:05 Coppers 01:05 Random Acts 01:10 Party Paramedics 02:10 Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth 03:05 What's Fufu?

03:10 Confessions from the Underground 04:05 Love Tube 04:10 Last Train 04:15 My Dream Farm 05:10 The Herd 05:15 Time Team 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 Relocation: Phil Down Under 12:00 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Country House Rescue 14:05 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 14:25 The Master of Ballantrae 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 20:30 Channel 4 Presents 20:35 Come Dine with Me 21:30 New Girl 22:00 The Million Pound Drop Live 23:30 Rude Tube

THE LAST SUMURAI Period action drama, starring Tom Cruise. In 1876, after witnessing the US military brutality against native Americans, Captain Nathan Algren turns to drink to escape his battle nightmares. Hired by the young Japanese emperor to train the country's first modern, conscript army, Algren is forced to lead an inadequate campaign against the ancient line of Japanese warriors, the Samurai. But when he is captured by these alleged national enemies, he begins to doubt his mission.

01:25 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 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 Milkshake! Monkey 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Castle Farm 08:00 Little Princess 08:10 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Fifi and the Flowertots 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:25 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 Build a New Life in the Country 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 Dead Lines 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News at 6.30 20:00 Royal Navy: Caribbean Patrol 21:00 World's Toughest Trucker 22:00 The Last Samurai

Market spreads the love for Valentine’s Day

Pick up an unusual gift for Valentine’s Day at the Moncayo market craft fair this weekend and let your loved one know you care.

The popular international market at Procomobel Home Centre, Alto Moncayo, Guardamar, is holding a special craft fair ahead of Valentine’s Day alongside its usual stalls this Saturday.

An array of handmade gifts will be on offer, including household goods, cards, clothes and cakes, so you’re sure to find that perfect Valentine’s present or card.

To spread the love even further, the day

will include entertainment, fun activities and fundraising events in aid of The Royal British Legion, which helps ex members of the UK Armed Forces and their families, and Animal Aid, a charity helping abused and abandoned dogs and cats to find a new home.

Both charities will be at the market to explain the valuable work they do.

Animal Aid has a regular pitch on Tuesdays and Saturdays at the market where volunteers sell goods to raise money to help animals.

The market is open from 10am to 4pm.

37

The Courier Saturday TV

February 11

00:20 The National Lottery Friday Night Draws 00:30 Rescue Dawn 02:30 Weatherview 02:35 Question Time 03:35 Great Barrier Reef 04:35 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 05:20 BBC News 05:30 On the Road With 06:00 BBC News 06:30 Our World 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:35 Rachel Allen: Home Cooking 13:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 13:15 Football Focus 14:00 British Olympic Dreams 14:30 Homes Under the Hammer 15:30 Bargain Hunt 16:30 Live Six Nations Rugby Union 19:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 19:15 Winter Wipeout 20:15 The Magicians 21:30 The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins 22:20 Casualty 23:10 BBC News; Weather 23:30 National Lottery Update 23:30 Match of the Day

00:00 00:45 00:50 02:30 03:30 04:00

The Review Show Weather Night and the City The Culture Show Nicole's Legacy BBC News

04:30 04:45 05:00 05:20 07:00 07:10 08:10 Lab 08:35 08:50 09:10 09:40 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:25 12:40 13:00 14:40 16:30 17:30 18:15 19:00 20:00 20:30 23:00 23:40

Click Newswatch BBC News Close Little Robots Bob the Builder Richard Hammond's Blast

01:15 ITV News Headlines 03:20 Outbreak 05:25 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 10:25 ITV News 10:30 The Jeremy Kyle Show Dennis and Gnasher USA The Scooby-Doo Show 11:25 May the Best House Win Pixelface 12:25 This Morning: Saturday Prank Patrol Down Under 13:30 Murder, She Wrote Ultimate Sports Day 14:30 ITV News and Weather Blue Peter 14:39 Meridian Weather My Life: Toy Soldiers 14:40 Johnny English Trapped Ever After 16:15 You've Got Mail Hacker Time 18:30 Meridian News and OOglies Weather MOTD Kickabout 18:45 ITV News and Weather The War Lover 19:00 All Star Family Fortunes Two Rode Together 20:00 New You've Been Framed!

Birds Britannia 20:30 Harry Hill's TV Burp Final Score 21:00 Take Me Out Escape to the Country 22:15 The Jonathan Ross Show Flog It! 23:15 ITV News and Weather Dad's Army Live Six Nations Rugby Union 23:29 Meridian Weather 23:30 Bridget Jones: the Edge Pan Am of Reason Pan Am

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON Romantic comedy sequel starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. When Bridget discovers that seemingly perfect barrister boyfriend Mark Darcy has unattractive qualities that she'd previously overlooked, she finds herself drawn once again to the dastardly Daniel Cleaver

Iron-clad business goes from strength to strength Iron Art has been bringing topquality ironwork to hundreds of satisfied customers via its factory outlets for years.

And, as its reputation has grown, so too has demand for its products.

This family-run business is now the first stop for people on the Costa Blanca seeking just about anything made from iron. Iron Art crafts everything from security grills to beautifully designed furniture and decorative items.

But as many people find it difficult to get to Iron Art’s factory outlets at Gato de Gorgos, Guardamar and Antas, the company also displays its fabulous products at many local markets and exhibitions.

Following a successful exhibition last year in Camposol, Iron Art returns to the area today (Friday) by popular demand.

You will find Iron Art outside Euronics, Dental Care and the Steak Out at Local 21, Centro

Commercial Sector B, Urbanisation Camposol, Mazarron between 10am and 5pm.

Visit them to find out why this company continues to go from strength to strength – last year was one of its most successful yet – even at a time of economic crisis.

To find out more call Iron Art on 966 726 891.

00:30 01:25 03:15 03:20 03:25 03:30 04:20 05:20 05:25 06:10 07:00 07:10 08:00 08:55 09:55 10:25 11:25 12:25 12:55 13:50 14:20 14:55 17:00 17:05 19:40 20:10 20:15 22:20 23:55

10 O'Clock Live Mona Lisa Random Acts Enough I Hate That Smile My Name Is Earl Hung Home Country Brothers & Sisters Countdown The Treacle People The Hoobs Volleyball The Morning Line Everyone's Talking About New Girl Playing It Straight New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Channel 4 Racing Channel 4 Presents Come Dine with Me Channel 4 News 4thought.tv Crocodile Dundee II The Million Pound Drop Live AVP: Alien vs Predator

01:10 SuperCasino 04:55 Motorsport Mundial 05:20 Wildlife SOS 05:45 Wildlife SOS 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 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:25 Family!

08:35 Make Way for Noddy 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:55 Little Princess 09:10 The Adventures of Bottle Top Bill and His Best Friend Corky 09:30 Angelina Ballerina 09:45 Rupert Bear 10:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:15 The Mr Men Show 10:30 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 11:00 Meerkat Manor 11:30 Winter Road Rescue 12:30 Royal Navy: Caribbean Patrol 13:30 Police Interceptors 14:25 Private Benjamin 16:30 The Return of the Musketeers 18:30 The Princess Bride 20:15 5 News Weekend 20:20 NCIS 21:15 NCIS 22:10 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 23:10 CSI: NY

38

The Courier Sunday TV

February 12

02:20 03:55 07:00 The Football League Show 07:10 Weatherview 07:35 BBC News 07:45 The Bottom Line 08:00 BBC News 08:30 Dateline London 08:40 BBC News 08:40 Our World 09:05 BBC News 09:30 Click 09:30 BBC News 10:00 The Record Europe 11:00 Breakfast 12:30 Match of the Day 14:00 The Andrew Marr Show 16:00 The Big Questions 17:45 Country Tracks 18:15 Sunday Politics 19:00 Bargain Hunt 20:00 The Royal Bodyguard Live Six Nations Rugby Union 21:00 22:00 Songs of Praise 23:00 Antiques Roadshow

00:55 02:10 02:15 02:30 03:00 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 18:00 18:35 19:35 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 20:00 Countryfile 21:00 Call the Midwife 22:00 The British Academy Film Awards

00:20 TOTP2 00:50 The Assassination of Richard Nixon

The Delta Factor Close Little Robots Bob the Builder Octonauts Everything's Rosie Richard Hammond's Blast Lab Dennis and Gnasher The Owl The Scooby-Doo Show Paradise Cafe Diddy Dick & Dom Wingin' It Friday Download Something for the Weekend East of Sudan EastEnders Summer Magic Flog It! Ski Sunday The Last Explorers Queens of British Pop Top Gear Toughest Place to Be Match of the Day 2

01:30 The Zone 04:00 In Plain Sight 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Mini CITV 08:25 CITV 10:25 ITV News 10:30 Ade in Britain 11:30 Dinner Date 12:30 Dickinson's Real Deal 13:25 ITV News and Weather 13:34 Meridian Weather 13:35 Murder, She Wrote 14:40 Columbo: Sex and the Married Detective 16:30 Midsomer Murders 18:30 Meridian News and Weather 18:45 ITV News and Weather 19:00 Harry Hill's TV Burp 19:30 Dancing on Ice 21:30 Wild at Heart 22:30 Dancing on Ice: The Skate Off 23:00 That Sunday Night Show 23:30 ITV News and Weather 23:44 Meridian Weather 23:45 Whitechapel

THE WEDDING PROPOSAL Documentary following four people looking to make a big impression with their marriage proposal as they plan to pop the question in memorable and original ways. Former naval officer Joe Brown wants to marry a girl he recently met on holiday, court usher David Markwick hopes to propose in front of thousands of people, and ski instructor Steve Angus is ready to take the plunge - quite literally.

Meanwhile, Jade Johnston plans to use the leap year to progress to the next step with her boyfriend.

01:40 Get Rich or Die Tryin' 03:40 Atlantic 03:45 Stagnate 03:50 Shapes 03:55 90210 04:40 Brothers & Sisters 05:25 Time Team 06:15 Countdown 07:00 The Treacle People 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 That Paralympic Show 08:25 Sailing 08:55 Channel 4 Presents 09:00 One Tree Hill 09:50 Countdown to the NME Awards 2012 10:05 Hollyoaks 12:40 The Big Bang Theory 13:15 The Big Bang Theory 13:50 The Simpsons 14:25 The Simpsons 15:00 UK Indoor Athletics Trials & Championships 16:55 Jamie's 30 Minute Meals 17:25 Time Team 18:25 Deal or No Deal 19:25 Channel 4 News 19:55 The Political Slot 20:00 Home of the Future 21:00 The Hotel 22:00 The Wedding Proposal 23:00 PS I Love You

00:05 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 01:05 SuperCasino 05:05 Nick's Quest 05:25 Divine Designs 05:50 Rough Guide to Cities 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 07:35 Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs 07:50 Castle Farm 07:55 Igam Ogam 08:05 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:15 Bananas in Pyjamas 08:25 Family!

08:35 Make Way for Noddy 08:50 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 08:55 Little Princess 09:05 Olivia 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 10:15 The Mr Men Show 10:30 Roary the Racing Car 10:40 Mist: Sheepdog Tales 11:00 Grey's Anatomy 11:55 Cowboy Builders 12:55 Pete's Dragon 15:00 Muppets from Space 16:45 That Darn Cat 18:30 X2 21:00 The True Story 21:50 5 News Weekend 22:00 Ghost Rider

39

The Courier Monday TV

February 13

00:00 BBC News; Regional News and Weather 00:25 Room 101 - Extra Storage 01:05 The Sky at Night 01:25 Weatherview 01:30 Film 2012 with Claudia Winkleman 02:10 Holby City 03:10 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 04:10 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 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 16:05 School for Stars 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Diddy Dick & Dom 17:15 OOglies 17:30 Blue Peter 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 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 The Diamond Queen 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 A Question of Sport

00:00 Frank Skinner's Opinionated 00:30 Rugby Union: Six Nations Highlights 01:15 Ski Sunday 02:00 Under the Mud 03:25 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 Newsday

04:10 Close 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Garth and Bev 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Deadly Top 10 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Bear Behaving Badly 09:20 Shaun the Sheep 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Harry and Toto's World of Opposites 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 I Can Cook 11:25 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:30 64 Zoo Lane 11:40 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies 11:55 Waybuloo 12:15 In the Night Garden 12:45 Blackbeard's Ghost 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Britain's Heritage Heroes 20:00 Operation Hospital Food with James Martin 21:00 University Challenge 21:30 An Island Parish 22:00 Protecting Our Children 23:00 Mock the Week - Again 23:30 Newsnight

00:45 Premiership Rugby Union 01:35 ITV News Headlines 03:10 Ladette to Lady: Australia 03:55 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 Midsomer Murders 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

OPERTATION FOOD WITH JAMES MARTIN

The chef tries to improve the standard of food being served to patients at Scarborough General Hospital in North Yorkshire, formulating a plan to provide healthy, appetising meals. In the first edition, he meets catering manager Pat Bell and her team of chefs to find out where the problems lie. It becomes apparent packaged, processed and frozen foods are being used extensively - and for any change to be implemented, he must first educate the staff in the virtues of freshly cooked food.

01:25 4thought.tv 01:30 Amelia 03:25 Brick 05:15 Mesh: The Wrong Turn 05:20 Mesh 05:25 Mesh: Daddy 05:30 Brothers & Sisters 06:10 Channel 4 Presents 06:15 Countdown 07:00 Sali Mali 07:05 Channel 4 Presents 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 The Secret Millionaire USA 10:55 Relocation: Phil Down Under 12:00 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Channel 4 Presents 13:10 Country House Rescue 14:10 The Time Machine 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 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Dispatches 22:00 Coppers 23:00 America's Serial Killer: True Stories

00:10 Best of the Best 02:05 Inside Hollywood 02:15 SuperCasino 04:55 Rough Guide to Eco Escapes 05:10 How Not to Decorate 05:50 Rough Guide to Weekend Breaks 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 07:50 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 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Milkshake! Monkey 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Build a New Life in the Country 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 Hostile Makeover 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 The Longest Yard

40

The Courier Tuesday TV

February 14

00:05 Late Kick Off 00:35 The Graham Norton Show 01:20 Weatherview 01:25 Who Do You Think You Are? 02:25 Natural World 03:25 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 04:25 Newsday 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 Newsday 05:30 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 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 School for Stars 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 Regional News Programmes 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 Prisoners' Wives 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Death Unexplained

00:20 01:00 01:40 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:15

Pan Am Pan Am HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday The Super League Show

05:00 Mi Vida Loca 06:00 Spain Inside Out 06:30 Spain Inside Out 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Garth and Bev 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Deadly Top 10 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Bear Behaving Badly 09:20 Shaun the Sheep 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 Bob's Mini Projects 10:40 Guess with Jess 10:50 Louie 11:00 Same Smile 11:15 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:20 64 Zoo Lane 11:35 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies 11:45 Waybuloo 12:05 In the Night Garden 12:35 That Darn Cat! 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Britain's Heritage Heroes 20:00 Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman 21:00 Alex Polizzi: The Fixer 22:00 How to Grow a Planet 23:00 Have I Got Old News for You 23:30 Newsnight

00:05 Law & Order: UK 01:05 River Monsters 01:35 The Zone 03:35 Champions League Weekly 04:05 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 Midsomer Murders 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

BIG FAT GYPSY WEDDINGS New series. The series exploring the world of modern British gypsies and travellers returns with an exploration of the importance of fashion to members of the community, and the lengths they go to in order to perfect their appearance. Pineapple and palm tree-themed dresses feature at Dolores Quilligan's flamboyant wedding in Co Limerick, 16-year-old Sammy Jo takes part in a traveller-only beauty pageant and four cousins compete to have the most memorable outfit at their first Holy Communion.

00:25 Random Acts 00:30 Shameless 01:30 Music on 4: The 54th Grammy Awards 03:00 Dispatches 03:55 90210 04:35 Brothers & Sisters 05:15 Home of the Future 06:10 Time Team 07:05 Sali Mali 07:10 The Hoobs 07:35 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire USA 10:55 Relocation: Phil Down Under 12:00 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 13:10 Country House Rescue 14:10 Doctor in Clover 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 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Gok's Teens: The Naked Truth 22:00 Big Fat Gypsy Weddings 23:00 Shameless

01:20 Soho Blues 02:15 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 05:20 Wildlife SOS 05:45 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 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Milkshake! Monkey 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Build a New Life in the Country 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:10 The Family Recipe 16:15 Earthstorm 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 Saving Private Ryan: The True Story 22:00 Body of Proof 22:55 CSI: NY 23:55 CSI: Miami

41

The Courier Wednesday TV

February 15

00:20 Neighbourhood Watched 01:05 Titanic Town 02:40 Weatherview 02:45 Horizon 03:45 Inside Men 04:45 Nature's Miracle Babies 05:45 HARDtalk 06:00 BBC News 06:30 World Business Report 06:45 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Wanted Down Under Revisited 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 11:58 BBC News; Weather 12:00 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 School for Stars 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Deadly Art 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 Britain's Favourite Supermarket Foods 22:00 MasterChef 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 The National Lottery Wednesday Night Draws 23:45 Kevin Bridges What's the Story?

00:20 01:05 01:50 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:05 05:00

Rubicon Rubicon HARDtalk Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Asia Business Report Sport Today Newsday Close Languages & Travel: Spanish

Journey - Part One 06:00 Languages & Travel: Spanish Journey - Part Two 07:00 Little Robots 07:10 Zigby 07:25 Garth and Bev 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Deadly Top 10 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Bear Behaving Badly 09:20 Shaun the Sheep 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Harry and Toto's World of Opposites 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 Russkies 14:00 See Hear 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Britain's Heritage Heroes 20:00 Escape to the Country 21:00 Bees, Butterflies and Blooms 22:00 Versailles 22:50 Coast 23:00 Roger & Val Have Just Got In 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 The Cube 01:30 The Zone 04:05 Crossing Jordan 04:50 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 Midsomer Murders 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Live UEFA Champions League 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:35 UEFA Champions League: Extra Time

DADDY DAYCARE New series. Nine men with limited childcare experience, who are either fathers or hope to have children soon, try to improve their skills by working in nurseries, taking on a variety of tasks such as nappy changing and supervising playtime. The first edition follows the efforts of three participants at a south London nursery - Garry, a workaholic whose wife thinks he does not have the patience to look after children, ex-military man Stefan, who takes a tough-love approach, and reluctant father-

00:05 01:05 01:10 02:10 02:35 03:00 03:55 04:55 05:50 06:15 07:10 07:35 08:00 08:30 08:55 09:30 10:00 10:55 12:00 13:00 13:05 14:05 16:05 16:10 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:55 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:55

Desperate Housewives Random Acts Poker Sailing KOTV Boxing Weekly Volleyball Late Night Poker Best of British That Paralympic Show Full Metal Challenge The Hoobs The Hoobs Freshly Squeezed According to Jim Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier The Secret Millionaire USA Relocation: Phil Down Under A Place in the Sun Channel 4 News Summary Country House Rescue Ladies in Lavender Channel 4 Presents Countdown Deal or No Deal Come Dine with Me Coach Trip The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News 4thought.tv Daddy Daycare One Born Every Minute 10 O'Clock Live Random Acts

00:50 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 01:45 Forensic Files 02:10 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 05:25 Wildlife SOS 05:45 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 07:50 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 09:10 Peppa Pig 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:20 Milkshake! Monkey 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:30 Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Hana's Helpline 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 LIVE with Gabby 13:05 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Build a New Life in the Country 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 The Reading Room 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 NCIS 23:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 23:55 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

42

The Courier Thursday TV

February 16

00:15 National Lottery Update 00:55 Frozen River 02:25 Weatherview 02:30 See Hear 03:00 The Night Watch 04:30 Hairy Bikers' Best of British 05:15 Rip Off Britain 05:45 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 School for Stars 16:35 Wingin' It 16:55 Diddy Dick & Dom 17:15 OOglies 17:30 Leonardo 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 The Great British Countryside 22:00 Inside Men 23:00 BBC News 23:25 Regional News and Weather 23:35 Question Time

00:20 Out of the Ashes 01:45 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 Languages & Travel: La Mappa Misteriosa 06:25 Italy Inside Out 1 07:00 Little Robots

07:10 Zigby 07:25 Garth and Bev 07:35 Octonauts 07:45 Dipdap 07:50 Everything's Rosie 08:00 Deadly Top 10 08:30 League of Super Evil 08:40 Eliot Kid 08:55 Newsround 09:00 Bear Behaving Badly 09:20 Shaun the Sheep 09:25 LazyTown 09:50 Lulu Zipadoo 10:05 Tinga Tinga Tales 10:20 The Large Family 10:35 Guess with Jess 10:45 Harry and Toto's World of Opposites 10:50 Louie 10:55 Same Smile 11:10 Chuggington: Badge Quest 11:15 64 Zoo Lane 11:30 Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies 11:40 Waybuloo 12:00 In the Night Garden 12:30 The Pink Panther Show 12:50 The Pink Panther Show 13:10 Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella 14:30 To Buy or Not to Buy 15:15 Weakest Link 16:00 Helicopter Heroes 16:45 Flog It! 17:30 Perfection 18:15 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Britain's Heritage Heroes 20:00 Top Gear 21:00 Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman 22:00 Wonderland 23:00 James May's Things You Need to Know 23:30 Newsnight

00:35 Kidnap and Ransom 01:30 ITV News Headlines 03:35 The Alamo 06:00 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 Midsomer Murders 18:00 The Chase 19:00 Meridian Tonight 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 21:00 Live UEFA Europa League Football 23:15 ITV News and Weather 23:45 Meridian Tonight and Weather 23:50 The Jonathan Ross Show

PEARL HARBOR Second World War romantic drama starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale. Offered the chance to fly with the Royal Air Force, Rafe McCawley leaves his home in the United States behind. When news reaches his best friend, Danny, and sweetheart, Evelyn, that Rafe has been killed, the two embark on an affair. But their romance is soon disrupted by the events of 7 December 1941.

00:05 The Inbetweeners 01:05 Mark Ronson: The Beat 01:40 Countdown to the NME Awards 2012 01:55 Album Chart Show 02:05 Album Chart Show Spotlight 02:20 4Play: Lanterns on the Lake 02:35 Professor Green Unseen: After Hours 03:00 Matt Cardle: The Album Chart Show Special 03:25 Live from Abbey Road 04:10 90210 04:50 Brothers & Sisters 05:30 Time Team 06:25 Countdown 07:10 The Hoobs 08:00 Freshly Squeezed 08:30 According to Jim 08:55 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:25 Frasier 10:00 The Secret Millionaire USA 10:55 Relocation, Relocation 12:00 A Place in the Sun 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Quick Bakes with Eric Lanlard 13:15 Country House Rescue 14:20 Courage of Lassie 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 20:00 Channel 4 News 20:55 4thought.tv 21:00 Location, Location, Location 22:00 The Restoration Man 23:00 Big Fat Gypsy Weddings

00:50 Poker: The Big Game 01:50 Inside Hollywood 02:05 SuperCasino 05:00 House Doctor 05:25 Wildlife SOS 05:45 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 09:25 Peppa Pig 09:35 Roary the Racing Car 09:50 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 Build a New Life in the Country 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 CSI: NY 16:15 Animal Rescue Squad 16:25 Hush 18:15 Live UEFA Europa League Football 21:05 Pearl Harbor

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Friday, February 10, 2012 Peugeot 806, 5/8 seater mpv 1.9 STDI Diesel, fully serviced, air con, CD, tow bar, rear privacy glass, twin side sliding doors, 2800 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com

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 for reservations.

INSURANCE

ACCOUNTANTS 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.

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-denominational church. Sunday services 11am. Children's church 11am. House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier.

Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am.

Craft club, Tuesdays, 2pm. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo.

All nationalities welcome. Call 966 799 273 or 660 127 276.

Pilar Christian Community Church Calle Canalejas 3.

Pilar de la Horadada.

Sunday Service at 11am, and Thursday at 5pm for Bible study and Prayer.

Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information contact Pilar ChristianCommunity Church@gmail.com or contact Reverend Eddie on 966 7693 00 or 650 509 606. Reg No:2009-SG/A

CARS FOR SALE Try Professional Business Support for your quick quote for car insurance.

Excellent prices for expats,

AIR CONDITIONING

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

all policies available in English or German. We will call you back with a price. 966 923 963 Going home good selection of RHD vehicles for sale or exchange Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Ford Fusion 1.6+ 5 door hatch, 1 owner, 39,000 kms, FSH, air con, rear park sensor, rear privacy glass,auto, fold mirrors, CD player, met silver, beautiful condition 6450 euros Tel 600 726 221 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Ford KA 1.3 Collection, 2 owners, 53,000 kms, FSH, air con, cd, electric windows, rear head restraints, light metallic blue, stunning condition, 4250 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Ford Fiesta 1.3 Steel, 5 dr hatch, 2003, 2 owners, 71,000 kms, fully serviced, air con, CD, front fogs, electric windows, remote locking, met turquoise superb condition only 3950 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com Nissan Primera 1.8 5 dr, 3 owners, 76,000 kms, FSH, air con, rear sunblind's, electric windows, isofix, central locking, white, nice condition 3250 euros Tel 600 726 221 - 965 687 976 www.fwreurocars.com

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.

MEDICAL 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

PROPERTY FOR RENT Ref. 91, This lovely one

HEARING AIDS

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 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 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

COMPUTERS

BLINDS / AWNINGS

CCTV

CARPENTER

CAR HIRE

AUCTION

CAR MECHANIC

44

Friday, February 10, 2012

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, 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

PROPERTY FOR SALE 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

CREATIVE CONCRETE

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 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 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.

EXPAT SERVICES

DAMP PROOFING

FURNITURE

HEATING

FAST BROADBAND

ELECTRICIAN

NEWS AGENTS

FISHING

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,

DOMESTIC SHUTTERS

HOUSE CLEARANCES

GARDENING

PLUMBERS

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.

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 stunning views, Private Parking. A/Con Central heating, UK TV. Only 229.000 euros By appointment only call 966 699 136

MASSAGE

PETS

SECURITY

SEWING

LOCKSMITH

Advertise here for only a fiver!

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Friday, February 10, 2012 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

PAINTER

PERSONAL

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 appointment 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 commu-

nal 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, outside 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

SIGN WRITING

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

SOLICITORS Need English Speaking Solicitors in Torrevieja?

Let us help to solve your problems with debt recovery, divorce, property, accident claims, legalise land.

Call us on 966 923 963, give us brief details and get in touch with your specialist solicitor. (48)

WIG SPECIALIST SALON MARGARETHAS, 23 years in Torrevieja Hair/Wig specialist for Medical illness and Hair Loss problems. We offer different Hair Replacements, top fillers, Hair prostheses, Toupees and Wigs, Natural and Artificial hair and much more. Also fashion/festival accessories TV/TS are welcome to our service.

Please call our salon reception for an appointment with Margaretha on Tel no 966 921 846 Torrevieja (61)

WATER FILTERS

PLASTERER

WANTED REMOVALS

SWIMMING POOL MAINTENANCE

Recovery & Breakdown Services

46

Friday, February 10, 2012

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

IT’S TEE TIME, MIND YOUR MANNERS!

THERE’S nothing worse than having to share the course with a bumbling idiot who doesn't practise good golf etiquette.

Unfortunately, most of the time it's not done intentionally - people just doesn’t know the right and wrong way to behave on the course.

There are many instances when you'll encounter someone with bad golf etiquette - and you may even be guilty yourself. I was lucky – a club Pro taught me golf, and along with my lessons on which club to use when I was 100 yards from the hole, he also taught me not to walk in the line of someone's putt, always to repair my divots, and to rake the bunkers when I landed in them.

I've seen so many people violate basic golf etiquette, and it's sad because you want to tell them, but don't want to risk offending or embarrassing them at the same time.

I'm going to provide tips on how to practise good golf manners - from the time you place your tee to the moment you walk back to your car and drive home for the day.

Put the tips to use and impress the players who may have been eyeballing you else is lining up to hit. If you with disdain for years now. simply MUST speak, do it in ARE YOU A a whisper where they can't hear you. Golf is a mental LOUDMOUTH? Shut up and play, will you? game, and it requires conHow many times have you centration. A distraction can been sitting around by the cause someone to fluff their tee box waiting for your four- shot. As soon as they're some's turn, and you start approaching the ball, shut laughing and joking with your your mouth until they're done. mates?

You don't want to be Don't talk while someone

TAKE A TIP THERE is nothing more frustrating in golf than when we seem to have a good swing at the ball and the ball does not get off the ground. Today we continue the theme of thinning or topping. Last week we focused on the grip - now we concentrate on the swing.

TOPPING When the ball is truck above centre and fails to get airborne.

WAIT FOR THE REST OF YOUR FOURSOME

humiliated when someone puts you in your place for being a loudmouth. You need to keep your voice down at all times on the course. Since your fairway may intersect with another group's, they'll hear you if you and your group are being too noisy and they may get the course staff to inform you about it.

Hold on there, Cowboy!

You're on the green (finally) and everyone is lining up their putts...knees bending, one eye shut, putter hanging by a thumb and index finger.

Bad Manners putts out first and before the next person has lined up to beat the break, he's on the next tee box impatiently awaiting your arrival.

If you're the guy who's on the tee box, you need to know that it's rude to walk off before everyone putts out.

Stand still, watch the other putters, and walk with the group off the green and on to the next tee box.

What irritates YOU on the golf course? Email me at golfdavies@gmail.com

After the disaster, cold comfort VEGA BAJA PREMIER GOLF LEAGUE Font Del Llop, Feb 3. Kameeleon Premier Division FOLLOWING a disastrous January when a pre-booked course failed in it commitment to provide the required facilities, only one match was completed during the month. La Manga North G S beat Don Cayo G S 3-1 and the new League table includes the result. The remaining matches will be played at Las Ramblas Golf Club in February and March So it was on to Font del Llop who always provide the League with full facilities and a warm welcome -but could not do anything about the bitterly cold weather on the day.

Although the sun shone with a wind chill factor, it was something like minus 3 degrees. It was arranged by Font del Llop

to provide the players with hot soup out on the course.

Thank you, Vanesa.

RESULTS: La Zenia G S 3 (40 holes) vs Don Cayo GS 1 (32 holes), La Manga NGS 2.5 (34 holes) vs Eurogolf GS 1.5 (38 holes), Las Ramblas GS 1 (34.5 holes) vs Club 25 Serena 3 (37.5 holes), Team Torre GS 0.5 (32 holes) vs Rocajuna GS 3.5 (40 holes).

Next month its back to the Costa Calida and Mar Menor Golf Village, venue of the PGA EuroPro Tour Champion Final. Updated Vega Baja Premier Golf League fixtures, tables and news will appear on the website www.vegabajapremiergolfleague.com and on Facebook throughout the season For more information on the League, contact secretary Ivie Davies on 669 211 410 or golfdavies@gmail.com

THE SWING FAULT • Head coming up too quickly.

• Too much weight on the left side at the top of the back swing.

•Too much weight on the right side at impact.

•Snatching the club away at the start of the back swing.

•Hands taking the club back too much on the inside.

CURE • Focus your eyes on the back of the ball, not the top.

• Keep your head as still as possible throughout the swing.

• Turn your shoulders, don’t tilt them, in the backswing.

• Make a conscious effort to pull the club down with the left hand in the downswing.

• Don’t rush, swing slowly.

• Start your downswing by moving your weight back to the left side.

47

Friday, February 10, 2012

HAPPY EVRA AFTER BATTLE resumes between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford tomorrow - with everyone waiting to see how Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra greet each other at the commencement of hostilities.

"Good afternoon. How spiffing to see you!" might be the most amusing and stunning declaration of intent from either party. I don't think much will happen unless it’s vital during the course of the game to help their team to success.

Suarez back in the race but don’t expect fireworks Say Evra is standing in Suarez's way as he runs down the right touchline. I would simply boot the coffee -

skinned Frenchman into the stands and carry on down the line before crossing for Andy Carroll to head past a startled Anders Lindegaard.

And I am a Manchester United fan!

Anyway, it promises to be a fascinating tussle all round - but it will be close as usual.

There do tend to be rather more goals in the affairs at Old Trafford as opposed to those at Anfield, so I will go for 3-1 to United with Evra putting through his own goal under pressure from Suarez and Wayne Rooney scoring a hat-trick with goals from his head, right foot and the penalty spot.

Chelsea and

Manchester City should really be happy with a point from their encounters with Aston Villa and Everton, although they will want a win to stop United beginning their assault in earnest on another Premier League title.

City just hold the upper hand at the moment, but one or two more Balotelli moments should see them fade away to concentrate on making sure they gain Champions League qualification again. And Chelsea are struggling to hold onto their tag of serious honours chasers as one or two players pass their sell-by date and the manager tries to establish himself as a true

winner in every sense. He seems far too busy crossing swords with crafty, sharptongued journalists at present so it would be fair to say one or two folk, and not just the Chelsea fans, would like to see him and his team best the rest come May. Martin O'Neill will be looking to put another nail in Arsenal and Arsene Wenger's coffin as he attempts to add to his phenomenal run of success since taking over Sunderland. He has transformed them from potential relegation candidates to potential European qualifiers and it warms the cockles of the heart to see how much he enjoys it on the touchline, too. More power to your elbow Martin!

So let battle commence all round and if I hear one more argument about was it a dive or did he go in fairly, I will put on a pinny and go and help the wife in the kitchen!

ITV Orihuela RFC entertain Lorca tomorrow (Saturday, 5pm) hoping to extend their winning streak after two victories on the trot.

The weekend off has given injured players more time to recover from the last game against Novelda – and enabled others to watch

a great weekend of Six Nations and LV Cup action at the new rugby bar and supporters club in Rojales.

The TV action proved to be a big success, with supporters from all Six Nations teams flocking in to cheer on their teams - and boosting supporters club membership. For more info, call Garry on 692 767 242.

The rugby bar, at the Steakhouse in Rojales, screens all televised games on Sky Sports and free-to-

view channels. This weekend sees the second round of Six Nations action along with league matches and fans are urged to support the bar since, as one committed fan put it “there is nowhere else around this area where you can solely watch live rugby’’.

ITV Orihuela train on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Miguel Hernandez University. Juveniles and start at 20.30, preceded by the juniors at 18.15.

Orihuela out for hat-trick of wins

MACAN’S COLD COMFORT AS MONTE SLIP OFF TOP CD Montesinos 1 Benejuzar 1

DESPITE driving rain and Arctic temperatures, a decent crowd of over 170 turned out to see league leaders Montesinos take on Benejuzar.

Monte came into the game missing Dimitry and Vazquinho, who failed a fitness test before the match. And with an already threadbare squad, manager Juanpe could only name two outfield players plus the reserve keeper on the bench.

Worse was to come as, almost straight from the kick off, Ruben picked up an injury and had to come off, as did Macan later. Andres (2) was also forced to play the whole of the second half carrying an injury which

made him a virtual passenger.

In the event, Monte did well to take anything from the game, although the dropped points does knock them off the top of the table for the first time this year.

Macan, after 24 minutes, opened the scoring after some good work from top scorer Edu, but Benejuzar equalised in the second half when Andres (1) was unfortunate to head past his own keeper.

The match official, who had been having a decent game up to that point, started dishing out yellow cards, and a straight red to Montesinos player Becker after he had been kicked by an

opponent right in front of the referee!

In the end, Montesinos manager Juanpe was also “shown to the stand” by the match official after remonstrating another dubious decision.

This Sunday (February 12), CD Montesinos travel to Sporting Orihuela for a 12 noon kick off.

For additional information about CD Montesinos and their Internacional Supporters’ Club, The Full Monte, visit their website www.cdmontesinos.com email thefullmonte2011@hotmail.com or telephone 637 86 96 02 In association with CajaMurcia Vamos Monte!

48

Friday, February 10, 2012

TAKE IT AS RED

Capello’s Terry stand was right – now let’s play Harry’s game STEP down Fabio Capello - and step in innocent man Happy Harry Redknapp!

Capello was right to back John Terry and the Chelsea skipper should NOT have been stripped of the England captaincy. But the PC brigade have forced the Italian to quit the England manager's job as the racism brigade seemingly now dictate what should happen to all and sundry!

Stuart Pearce takes temporary charge for the friendly against Holland on February 29.

Then the way seems clear for Redknapp to take up the reins - if he dares - after being cleared of avoiding paying tax on his dog's earnings.

As well as picking the team, Harry will have to deal with the flak flying amid that race row. As former England international Chris Waddle said at the week-

STEVE BOTT reports

end, the FA are once again acting like the buffoons they are and undermining England's chances as they approach a major competition.

It's bad enough that England have not won such a prize in 46 years of half-hearted trying since winning the World Cup back in the summer of 66. Now the FA are pandering to PC pressure, as is PFA chairman Gordon Taylor - and they appear to want Terry not just stripped of the captaincy, but banned for life and hung, drawn and quartered. And this before he is even tried in this silly, stupid race row.

Trust me, I have lived and worked in the West Indies and the people there would laugh their heads off at what we are doing right now in the supposed fight against racism.

Terry is alleged to have racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand. Now his brother, Manchester United's Rio, who has partnered Terry at the heart of the England defence for years, has suddenly decided Terry makes his blood boil.

If Terry has done what he has been accused of, are you trying to tell me that Rio has not heard him or others doing the same or similar millions of times before?

Right, well I will ask that everyone who has called me an ugly, homophobic honky be removed from their jobs too shall I? No, I won't because sticks and stones may break my bones but words are just those....words.

And they won't hurt me. Trust me. I have been earning my living using millions of them for 40 years now!

Scott Parker has made a smooth transition from nearly man to fully-fledged first choice with both Tottenham and England after years on the fringes with West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea. Let's hope we can find a couple of centre halves who can do the same eventually.

For now and till after the European Championships in the summer, I would stick with Terry and Ferdinand.

And the only colour I am interested in is the silver of the trophy the England skipper hoists at the end of Euro 2012!