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THIS WEEK’S VIEW....

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

THIS WEEK IN PAGE 3 & 4 – THE TRUTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES PAGE 5, 6 & 7– SPANISH NEWS PAGE 8 – THE END OF A DEB N ‘ERA PAGE 9 – LIKE IT OR GRUMP IT PAGE 10 – SPANISH NEWS PAGE 12 – THE VIEW FROM THE LION’S DEN PAGE 13, 14 & 15 – SPANISH NEWS PAGE 16 – READERS LETTERS & LOTTERY RESULTS PAGE 17 – DUNKIRK: ALMOST A BRITISH DISASTER PAGE 18 – UK RELATED NEWS PAGE 20 – WORLD NEWS PAGE 21 – SPANISH NEWS FEATURES PAGE 22 – ARE WE IMMIGRANT OR ARE WE EXPAT? PAGE 23 – THE VIEW THROUGH THE LENS PAGE 24 – JUST WHY DO I CARRY ON..?

PAGE 25 – OLLIE’S MOOD SPILLS PAGE 26 – THE VIEW ON NOSTALGIA – 5 JUNE 1958 PAGE 27 – FOR YOUR INFORMATION PAGE 28 – WHAT’S ON THE TELLY PAGES 28 TO 31 – CONCISE TV LISTINGS PAGES 32 & 33 – FASHION, HEALTH & BEAUTY PAGES 34 & 35 – FOOD & DRINK PAGE 36 – OVER 50s LIFESTYLE PAGE 37 – IT’S YOUR PAGE PAGES 38 & 39 – PUZZLE PAGES PAGE 40 – CAPTION COMPETITION PAGE 41 – MOTORING PAGE 42 – BUS JOURNEY – SAN JAVIER PAGE 43 – TRAVEL AROUND SPAIN ­ MAJORCA PAGES 44 & 45 – CLASSIFIED ADVERTS PAGES 46, 47 & 48 ­ SPORT

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EDITOR’S WEEKLY MESSAGE I

f the amount of people that turned out to one of my weekly quiz nights on La Marina is anything to go by, the tourist season has well and truly begun in our area. Packed full with many new faces, some old faces and some I haven’t seen for a while.

The summer of 2015 should be a very successful year for the wide variety of businesses up and down the Costa Blanca and beyond. Favourable exchange rates must have an impact on both the number of tourists and the amount they spend when they’re here, and with Spain in general enjoying record breaking levels of airport passenger traffic, then if something aimed at that demographic can’t do well in that climate, it’s time for a rethink.

We at THE VIEW are still relatively the “new kids on the block” when it comes to having our publication on the streets – we’re at Edition 4 – which makes your comments about what we’ve achieved already so highly valued. If this is the first time you’ve picked up a copy of THE VIEW, firstly, welcome along and you’ll soon realise that we’re more of a weekly newspaper in the form of a magazine. “The ‘paper that thinks it’s a mag.” Do you think it’ll catch on?

Can I also welcome all the new advertisers that are included for the first time and thank them on behalf of the team for their support.

To enable THE VIEW to remain free, the inclusion of advertising is very important but our policy is to bring a balanced level of editorial content too, giving the reader and the client alike what they’re looking for. Every time you turn a page in THE VIEW both now and in the future there will always be something to read.

By the way, our exceptionally colourful front

cover comes from one of the many tulip fields in Holland. Where will the view be next week?

In the world of news, I always think it’s sad when sport finds its way on the front pages and lead stories on TV news for all the wrong reasons, and I do fear this is the top of an enormous iceberg that is going to rock sport in general. It’s not just FIFA; it’s possibly the ICC (International Olympic Committee) too that will come under the spotlight, and it’s the consequence when a small group of people have access to vast amounts of money that isn’t their own. Did I just hear someone shout “politicians”?

When people realise, with the help of technology, they’re not going to get away with things so easily and that there isn’t a trail of e­ mails kept hidden on a computer somewhere that can come back and haunt someone, corruption might just slow down. Might. I’m not talking corruption here, but I bet we’ve all got that one piece of information saved in cyberspace that we’ve kept to be used in evidence at some point in the future.

The consequences of the Municipal Elections in some Ayumntamiento’s have yet to be concluded. As I write, there’s been no official announcement from Torrevieja as to any formal pact between the PP and the C’s and there’s still stalemate in Guardamar.

Sources earlier on the week suggested that the PSOE, EU and the Queremos Guardamar party had met and agreed to oust the sitting PP Mayoress and the deal was all­but in concrete. That is now in doubt as the PSOE and EU are allegedly miles apart in many policy areas and have yet to come to an agreement. By law, it must be sorted by next Saturday (13th) My missive ends with my weekly Michael Fish impression. Sunshine and clear skies all week apart from a few clouds around on Tuesday and chance of a drop of rain on Wednesday. Temperatures will reach a daytime maximum of 31c and a sticky minimum of 21c overnight.

Enjoy THE VIEW!

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

THE TRUTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES Will any future EU referendum be a waste of time and money?

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By Darren James

ince the UK General Election, the name of UKIP has virtually disappeared from the screens and the newspapers, and because of that the almost daily campaign from Nigel Farage and others urging Britain to pull out of Europe has equally moved to the back of the mind.

Europe was leading the news programmes again last week when David Cameron undertook his whistle­stop tour of Europe, pressing the flesh and kissing the cheeks of fellow prime ministers and presidents. His reception wasn’t the warmest, particularly from Poland, although it was believed that the previously unaccommodating Angela Merkel from Germany might just relax her stance to the more confident Cameron, fresh from his unexpected victory at the polls.

Cameron has promised his electorate a referendum “sometime in 2017” and the measure was firstly included in the Queen’s Speech last week and was one of the first Bill’s laid before the Commons. But what are the consequences of such a referendum if the vote is to leave the EU? The problem with the Europe in / out issue is that people, including myself, possibly have never previously known enough of the facts. Depending on your political views and what you may have been fed in your choice of national newspapers, you may have already made up your own opinion by now as to the value of Britain’s position in the EU. Like any other subject, there are plenty of untruths, falsehoods, scaremongering and malicious rumours going around on the subject of Britain remaining in Europe or otherwise. Let’s be honest. For those of us happily living in

Spain (and I probably speak for many) we simply want to know what’s going to happen to us if Britain votes NO. I always like to get to the truth, or should perhaps the phrase “get to the facts” be more appropriate? One person’s truth is often someone else’s lie. Don’t I know it!

My research took me to the Bruges Group. Although the group is often associated with the Conservative Party and has its fair share of Eurosceptics, it is independent of it and remains an all­party organisation. Its honorary president was the late Baroness Thatcher, and its chairman is Barry Legg, who was chief executive of the Conservative Party and a former Member of Parliament, but many senior Labour politicians have addressed their meetings, including the much respected Labour MP Frank Field.

Set up in February 1989, its original aim was to promote the idea of a less centralised European structure than that emerging in Brussels. Its inspiration was Margaret Thatcher's Bruges speech in September 1988, in which she remarked that, "We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re­imposed at a European level". The Bruges Group's research now includes looking into alternative international relationships for the UK and a complete restructuring of Britain’s relationship with other European countries.

I wrote to the director of the Bruges Group, Robert Oulds, and THE VIEW reproduces the exchange of correspondence.

29 May 2015 Dear Mr Oulds, Could I pose a question to you that I hope to be able to incorporate into an article I’m planning for a future edition of THE VIEW – the new local free weekly newspaper aimed at English speaking residents and visitors to the Costa Blanca area of Spain?

The question is: IF there is an OUT vote at the 2017 referendum, at what point in the future would the consequences of such a vote take effect once it’s gone through all the necessary channels? Six weeks, six months, six years? There are many people, I’m sure, that think if they vote OUT on Thursday, the UK would be out of Europe on the Monday!

I’m like many people in this part of Spain that have lived here for many years (26 in my case) and would also like to know how such an outcome would affect us on a day­to­day basis. Would we really be forced to return to the UK and apply for Spanish citizenship via the Spanish

Embassy as suggested on some social media sites?

Any answer to my main question and any official information you could supply me to help my readers would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in anticipation, Darren James NEWS EDITOR 30 May 2015 Dear Darren, Thanks for your email.

Though there is much discussion about migration from the rest of the EU to the UK, 1.8 million UK citizens live in other EU states. They take advantage of the free movement of persons – a right enshrined in EU treaties. Those that have established a residency, which will include both living and owning property, in an EU member state will have their rights protected upon withdrawal. This entitlement is known as an ‘executed right’. Article 70 b. of the Vienna Convention states that the withdrawal from a treaty ‘Does not affect any right, obligation or legal situation of the parties created through the execution of the treaty prior to its termination.’

This view is supported by the constitutional expert Lord McNair. He concluded that such rights established by a treaty will remain in force even if the agreement is terminated by Britain’s exit. In law they are considered to be executed by the treaty and ‘have an existence independent of it; the termination cannot touch them.’

Their status will be guaranteed as a result of the ‘well­ recognised principle of respect for acquired [vested] rights’ (McNair 1961). Furthermore, it is a legal norm and the Oxford Journal in its year book on international law argues that Acquired Rights are Customary Law and therefore take precedence over national law at the international level. Furthermore, they will be regarded as such by the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Therefore Britain leaving the EU will have no impact on EU citizens already resident here or for British citizens living abroad.

Continued freedom of movement, beyond those that have already moved is not dependent upon EU membership, it is part of the larger European Economic Area which the UK should remain a part of.

With regards to your question about leaving, this is dependent not upon the referendum but on the government notifying the EU that it the UK wants to leave, This is known as an Article 50 notification. Following that the UK will leave two years after that notification is given.

ROBERT OULDS Director of Bruges Group

Continued on Page 4

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE TRUTH AND THE CONSEQUENCES Continued from Page 3 So, what does that mean in basic terms? If Britain votes to leave the EU but remains part of the European Economic Area, which is not the issue at a future referendum, Article 70 (b) of the Vienna Convention means that the Spanish will not be able to force us to sell our properties or throw British residents out of Spain.

As for the time scale referred to in the final paragraph of Robert Oulds reply, this simply means that if a NO vote (to leave) is the result of a referendum in 2017, then Britain will leave the EU two years from the date of the notification of the intention to leave from the British government – not from the date of the referendum. This assumes that there would firstly be many stages of legislation to get through the UK parliament, and assumes, of course that the Bill would get through all its stages.

Referendums on any subject are simply an expression of opinion of the electorate and as such are not legally binding, so legally the Government can ignore the results.

Let’s look at a potential scenario...

An IN / OUT referendum is held in 2017 and Britain does indeed vote to leave the EU. It’s not as simple as David Cameron or HM The Queen signing a resignation letter and waiting 2 years to leave. The result of the referendum would have to be reflected in a formal Bill for debate in the House of Commons and, although it’s not been confirmed as yet, the outcome of which with so much at stake would be subject to a free vote. There are more pro­Europeans in the Conservatives than the famous Eurosceptics and the Tories couldn’t rely on all 330 MPs voting in favour. ALL members of the opposition parties (with the exception of the sole UKIP MP Douglas Carswell and a few closet Labour Eurosceptics) would vote against the Bill at the first stage, and thus it would fall at the first hurdle.

Don’t forget that none of the parties in the House of Commons, except UKIP, wish to leave the EU. It’s not part

of any policy document nor was it part of any manifesto at the election. The Conservative’s have simply said there would be a referendum to give people that choice, and it’s a policy that has been supported by some of the leading Labour party leadership candidates.

It makes for some fascinating political consequences.

The people have voted to leave the EU but their MPs vote down the Bill. What would happen at the subsequent 2020 General Election? I would predict a UKIP landslide.

Nigel Farage as prime minister wouldn’t need a referendum as it would be part of his mandate to govern and his first act would indeed be to sign that resignation letter, get the measures through the House of Commons with a massive majority and leave the EU sometime in 2022. Now you know why UKIP have said they have their sights set on the next General Election. It’s not as stupid as it sounds. Think about it...

PENSION RIGHTS

One of the main concerns following any leaving of the EU is the issue of pensions. Many in Spain are already worried whether they would still be able to receive their UK state pension or otherwise. Unless special provisions are negotiated between the UK and Spain, British state pensioners here would fall into the same category as people that have moved to countries like Australia and Canada where the rate will be frozen at the rate it was first paid. This means that you won’t receive any annual pension increments.

We explain the basic rules...

There are 150 countries where pensions are frozen. Of the 540,000 pensioners living in those countries, almost 90% of them ­ 485,000 ­ live in Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Bizarrely, when these people return to the UK or if they travel to a country that gets up­ rated, they temporarily receive a higher pension over this period of time, if they notify the UK pension authorities.

So, for example, a UK pensioner living in Canada and

CHARLES KENNEDY 1959 – 2015 T he House of Commons showed a completely united stance on Wednesday when they paid their heartfelt tributes on the passing of their late colleague Charles Kennedy who died suddenly on Tuesday at the age of 55.

Party loyalties were put aside as political friend and foe spoke of one of the best known politicians of his generation. Speaker John Bercow set the scene with a very emotional introduction and tribute of his own ending with visible tears. There’s nothing wrong with a grown man crying, and there were many in the chamber that afternoon.

When I heard from my bedside companion tuned in to Radio 4 on Tuesday morning that he’d died, my first thought was that it must’ve been connected with his well­ documented and admitted alcoholism, and he’d probably been ill for sometime without it making the tabloids. The suddenness of his death makes it even all the more shocking for his family and friends.

I can’t pretend to know and understand what Charles Kennedy had to endure during the last few months of his life. The loss of his beloved father in April, was followed by the ultimate kick to the system. After 32 years as an MP, the electorate voted him out and removed him from the only career he’d ever known. Like his Liberal Democrat colleague Simon Hughes – another well­respected and excellent constituency MP – he suffered from a combined national tide of pro SNP and anti Coalition feeling which took precedence over

a personal and local impact. Politics can be so cruel and nasty.

It became clear during the past few days that he was totally devoted to his son, Donald, who has been robbed of his father at the age of 10. He was in the Strangers Gallery on Wednesday when the tributes were being paid and while probably being too young to completely take in what’s being said, he’ll be able to watch and read them when he’s growing up to realise the great esteem that he was held in.

I’ll leave the final words to Labour MP Diane Abbot.

“Sometimes the people who pay the price for the personal ambitions of MPs are our families and our children. I would like the message to go out to his son that he should never cease to be proud of his father—the best of the political class and the best of men.”

DJ

going on holiday to Jamaica for two weeks, can get a higher pension for that fortnight.

Similarly, two people who came to the UK from the Caribbean to work could find themselves in very different positions if they returned home. Those in Jamaica would get a full pension, those from Trinidad would not!

CONCLUSION

So, you have the FACTS, probably for some of you for the first time. Living here in Spain, our day­to­day lives don’t appear to be affected by being members of the European Union as they seem to be in the UK, although depends entirely on what you watch and what you read.

Spain has their problems with immigration but nowhere on the perceived levels of the UK. There is no equivalent of the camps in Calais on the border with the Pyrenees crammed with people trying to get into the country illegally.

IF I were living in the UK I would probably vote to leave the EU. I can sympathise with many of the problems caused by uncontrolled immigration into the UK and there comes a point when a country can simply become full up and not being able to afford take any more people from wherever they come and the pressures that are undoubtedly put on local services. I agree with the theory that the UK would still be able to trade and do business with the rest of the world without it affecting employment prospects of millions of workers in the country.

As I’ve been in Spain longer than the 15 year limit to vote in the upcoming referendum I’m prevented from voting, but living and working as I do in Spain I would vote to stay in the EU. My adopted country is a net beneficiary of membership so why would I wish to leave.

At the end of the day, it simply isn’t going to happen, Britain will remain as a member of the EU for the more than foreseeable future, although looking at that earlier scenario, Nigel Farage might just agree to disagree.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

THE LOCK OF LOVE

he famous love locks bridge in Paris, Pont des Arts, where couples go to secure a padlock with their names on it onto the bridge, before throwing the key into the Seine River as a sign of their love, has been an attraction for lovers around the world for years. But it looks like this romantic act needs to be undone once and for all.

With only a few days warning, the city council announced that they were tearing down the famous bridge and carried out the deed on Monday.

It's estimated that close to a million padlocks, weighing roughly 45 tons, were cut off because the bridge has become a safety hazard, after part of it collapsed into the river last year due to its heavy weight.

The city council said last week that, the several hundred thousand padlocks in places around Paris cause "long­term heritage degradation and a risk for visitors' security." The metal grills on the bridge's sides will be replaced by paintings over the summer, before plexi­glass panels are put in place later this year.

"We want Paris to remain the capital of love and romance," Bruno Julliard, Paris' deputy mayor said, adding that, there would be new initiatives encouraging people to express their love in other ways.

The city had already taken steps to slowly encourage tourists to find other ways to proclaim love, including a Twitter campaign, #lovewithoutlinks, where couples could post selfies of themselves on the bridge to promote their romance, but not a lot of people were a fan of this.

As far back as May 2010, the city of Paris expressed concern over the growing number of love­locks on the Pont des Arts, Passerelle Léopold­Sédar­Senghor and the Pont de l'Archevêché bridges, stating: "they raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage". The lovelocks of the Pont des Arts mysteriously disappeared during the night of 11 May 2010, but the Administration denied responsibility, until it was discovered that they had been removed by a student of the nearby École des Beaux­Arts to make a sculpture. Love locks immediately began appearing on the Pont de l'Archevêché and have since spread to at least

11 Seine bridges, the Canal Saint Martin footbridges and to parks and monuments all over the city.

Many tourists mistakenly believe this is a longstanding Parisian tradition, not realizing the practice only migrated into Paris in late 2008, after affecting cities in Italy and Asia.

In January 2014, a campaign and petition, No Love Locks, was founded by two Americans living in Paris, in an effort to save the city's historic bridges and monuments from the overwhelming number of locks. The international media attention the campaign received, has been credited with the actions begun in 2014, when the city began seeking alternatives to love locks and asking the public to stop placing locks on Parisian bridges and monuments. On 9 June 2014, the weight of the padlocks on the Pont Des Arts Bridge was blamed for the collapse of part of the parapet. The city began an experiment in September 2014 on the Pont des Arts, replacing three panels with a special type of glass that would prevent locks from being attached.

The history of love padlocks dates back at least 100 years to a melancholic Serbian tale of World War I, with an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi (lit. the Bridge of Love) inspa town of Vrnjačka Banja. A local schoolmistress

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named Nada, who was from Vrnjačka Banja, fell in love with a Serbian officer named Relja.

After they committed to each other, Relja went to war in Greece, where he fell in love with a local woman from Corfu. As a consequence, Relja and Nada broke off their engagement. Nada never recovered from that devastating blow, and after some time she died due to heartbreak from her unfortunate love.

As young women from Vrnjačka Banja wanted to protect their own loves, they started writing down their names, with the names of their loved ones, on padlocks and affixing them to the railings of the bridge where Nada and Relja used to meet.

In the rest of Europe, love padlocks started appearing in the early 2000s, although the reasons love padlocks started to appear vary between locations and in many instances are unclear. However, in Rome, the ritual of affixing love padlocks to the bridge Ponte Milvio can be attributed to the 2006 book I Want You by Italian author Federico Moccia, who made a film adaptation in 2007.

Love padlocks were also found closer to home, in Benidorm (pictured) but within months of this picture taken in March 2012, they too had disappeared.

On some locations the padlocks have been given almost legendary or superstitious character.

In Fengyuan, Taiwan, love padlocks fixed to an overpass at the city's train station, are often fixed in pairs. These locks are known as "wish locks" and local legend holds that the magnetic field generated by trains passing underneath, will cause energy to accumulate in the locks and fulfil the wishes.

On a fountain in Montevideo in Uruguay, a plaque is affixed to the front of the fountain that provides an explanation in both English and Spanish. The English version of the text reads, "The legend of this young fountain tells us that if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked."

Some will say that the policy of the Paris council is justified to protect the safety of the bridges. Others will say that it’s simply “in Seine”!

DARREN JAMES

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

CHEEKY MONKEYS

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woman from the United Kingdom claims she was sexually assaulted by monkeys while vacationing in Gibraltar.

Melissa Hart, 23, was on a day trip from Marbella to the Rock of Gibraltar to see the Barbary macaques (also known as Barbary apes).

The monkeys soon got too friendly for her liking.

“I felt totally helpless as these two monkeys grabbed and pawed me in my most intimate areas. Then, with a yank, one of them pulled my bikini top straight off.”

Hart said other tourists laughed as she panicked.

“I was being sexually assaulted and these people all thought it was a great joke,” Hart said.

Hart’s screams grabbed the attention of a warden and he came to her aid. She insisted on filing a police report, but when she told a policeman monkeys had attacked her, he failed to take her claim seriously.

According to a report in The Daily Mail, the police informed her that monkeys are wild animals and cannot be held criminally responsible.

“And if they could, do you think you could pick out your attacker in a line­up?” the officer allegedly said, trying not to laugh.

NINE DAYS OF TORREVIEJA FIESTAS

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he impression is often given that every day is a fiesta somewhere in Spain.

That’ll certainly be the case in Torrevieja for the next 9 days beginning tomorrow (Saturday).

The fiesta of the Sagrado Corazón in Torrevieja features a real mixture of fun and religious events from June 6th­14th, in the traditional neighbourhood of La Punta. This year's fiesta queen will be Eloisa Fernández.

The inaugural event will be a 25th anniversary gala, to pay homage to all the different queens there have been over these years. This is taking place at the Virgen del Carmen Culture Centre from 9pm tomorrow, (Saturday) and features a performance by the group Soul Dance. Entry is free, but you need to have a ticket with you and these can be collected at the venue from 2 hours before the show.

Both children and adults alike are catered for throughout the week of events. Thursday June 11th, there will be free children's games for 3­12 year olds from 6:30pm in the Plaza de Oriente. At 8pm there will be a children's magic show and card games for adults, followed by a raffle at 9.30pm.

Friday June 12th, features a mass in the Sagrado Corazón parish church at 7.30pm and at the same time activities for children in the Plaza de Oriente, including bouncy castles, face painting, 'big heads' and an exhibition of comet spinning tops by a world champion. At 8.30pm you can bring your own food and drink and join everyone for a giant picnic in the plaza, where you’ll be entertained by the Brisas de Sur choir from 9.30pm. There’s a raffle at 10pm and a disco at 11pm – all the entertainment is free.

The events next Saturday, 13th, get underway at 10.30am with an exhibition of classic cars, then children can dance with the

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A bloody hero

panish heartthrob singer Enrique Iglesias, has undergone reconstructive surgery in Los Angeles on his right hand, following the accident he suffered last Saturday during a concert in Tijuana, Mexico, when the drone he was trying to catch as part of his act cut him several times.

The singer's agents said on Monday in a statement that Enrique Iglesias, who decided to go on with the show for another half hour with his hand bandaged and bloody before boarding an ambulance, will resume his "Sex and Love" tour next July 3 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City.

"We will keep you posted and appreciate all your wishes and prayers," his reps said, who gave no details about the name of his 'big heads' at 12.30pm. The Spanish tortilla competition is at 1pm, followed by a giant paella with chicken and rabbit at 2pm. The evening programme begins at 7.30pm with mass in the church and children's activities in the plaza. There will be a raffle at 9pm, the Blanca y Verde choir at 10.30pm, followed by a concert. First on stage will be Chaskio at 11pm, then Lorena Fernández at 11:30pm, followed by the pop duo Alazan. This concert is also free and held in the Plaza de Oriente.

On the final day, Sunday June 14th, at 8pm there will be a mass with the Ricardo Lafuente choir, then at 9.15pm the Sagrado Corazón procession accompanied by Los Salerosos musical society, finishing with a grand firework display.

doctor or the clinic where the Spanish singer will undergo the operation.

After the concert, Enrique Iglesias's reps said that "something went wrong" when the singer was manipulating the drone that he uses to give his fans a "better visual experience."

Despite recommendations that he suspend the performance after the accident, Iglesias chose to go back onstage and wind up the concert.

He was then rushed by ambulance to Tijuana International Airport, where he took a plane to Los Angeles to be treated by a specialist.

Since the accident, vast numbers of the pop star's fans have expressed their devotion on social networks and have wished him a speedy recovery.

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

DON’T BE SOLD DOWN THE SCRAP HEAP

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EWARE! If you see a sign on a car parked up on its own somewhere, away from a sales forecourt and it has a notice on it that says “Me Venden” (For Sale) or something similar, please do not be tempted to call the number listed.

In most cases, these vehicles are owned by an illegal network of people buying and selling cars and there can be no guarantees that they fulfil all the safety requirements, which ultimately put your lives at risk.

rate that has been kept below double digits in recent years.

Sánchez Torres reported that sales of all types of used vehicles, legal or otherwise, stood at 1,730,000 in Spain, which will probably see an overall increase of 3% compared to 2014. More optimistic scenarios suggest it could see a 5% rise.

Other projections are that the ratio of used and new vehicles sold will be 1.7 to 1 in favour of used cars. That represents a slight decrease from 2 to 1 in 2014 and is reducing due to the government’s car scrapping initiative PIVE (Programa de Incentivos al Vehículo Eficiente), which has seen 890,000 vehicles go through the process since its introduction ten years ago.

WHAT IS THE PIVE?

According to a recently released report from the president of the Spanish National Association of Motor Vehicle Dealers and Repairers (GANVAM), Juan Antonio Sanchez Torres, stated that this figure reached 170,000 each year – 10% of the total sales of used cars on the domestic market. These underhand businesses are costing around €300million of losses to the legal car sales market. Sñr Torres said that this practice was “unfair competition for individuals and companies that meet their legal obligations” and also that “there was a negative effect on general road safety because there is no guarantee that the vehicles receive regular maintenance and mandatory inspections like the ITV.” However, although GANVAM has been working for the inclusion of new rules and regulations in law, it hasn’t proved possible. They’ve warned that in the first five months of 2015, the supply of these vehicles rose 13.1% totalling 741,000 vehicles sold. It’s a higher than expected percentage

The PIVE is the system set up by the Spanish government to encourage people to rid the roads of what, at the time, were an increasing number of old and very old cars. Of course, not everyone has the financial means to buy a new car and would keep their pride and joy on the road for as long as possible. Essentially, the government gives people a grant towards buying a new car for scrapping your old one.

The latest PIVE plan was approved in early May 2015 and the government has allocated €225million more than the previous schemes by sharing the grants around.

To qualify for one of the grants you must be resident in Spain and have an NIE number. Grants are only available when you scrap a car that must be at least 10 years old (7 for vans or similar), you must have owned it for at least a year and requires a valid ITV (MOT) certificate.

The Plan PIVE 8 grant is €1,500 (previously €2,000), which is reduced from the cost of the vehicle at source. This means you pay less when you buy, rather than having to pay full price and wait for the grant to arrive in your bank account. Families with three or more children that buy a vehicle with more than five seats will get an additional €750 (total €2,250 grant).

Half of the grant is a Government subsidy and must be included in your annual tax return; the other half is a discount applied by the manufacturer and is not subject to

tax. The amount of tax applicable will depend on your income in the year you purchase the vehicle.

If you want to take advantage of the grant – they aren’t means tested ­ you won’t need to worry about sorting out any paperwork yourself as the car dealer will do it for you.

Normally this will include the collection of your old car, transport to a scrap yard and getting the destruction certificate (necessary for the grant). However, if you decide to take care of scrapping your car yourself, depending on the vehicle, the scrap yard may give you between €200 and €300.

In this case all you need to supply to the car dealer is the destruction certificate.

There are various types of vehicles that are eligible for the Plan PIVE grants, although they must be fuel­efficient and cannot cost more than €25,000(net cost before sales tax).

Electric or hybrid cars are not subject to this maximum cost.

For large families the price of the vehicle is increased to €30,000 net. Category details for eligible vehicles can be found at the official IDAE website, but it’s probably easier to ask a car dealer specifically about the vehicles you’re interested in.

The news is that this will probably be the last Plan PIVE, however, in the future a similar system may be introduced. At the current rate of new car sales, it’s expected that the funds allocated to Plan PIVE 8 should last until the end of 2015, however it’s a good idea not to wait too long just in case.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE END OF A DEB N ‘ERA

A

ward winning duo leaves Benidorm for exciting challenges in the UK. Let’s look at the synonyms of the word unique. Distinctive; special; one and only; individual; quirky; eccentric. Yes, any of those words can perfectly describe the talent that is Deb N Her, who after entertaining tourists and residents alike for over 10 years in Benidorm, performed their final gig in the town last Friday.

I first stumbled across Deb N Her during one of my regular trips to what many regard, as my second home of Benidorm a couple of years ago. My Mum was with me and we wanted to see the home of the Benidorm TV series, the “Neptune Bar”, which in real life is the established and popular Morgan’s Tavern. The stage was empty in between acts and we sat down outside on the packed terrace – not a seat or a bar stool to be had inside – and waited for the next performer.

Deb N Her was introduced and I was shocked with what I heard; so was my Mum! Shocked in the sense we couldn’t believe the quality of the voices we were listening to. They were fantastic! In tune, pitch perfect, in harmony from the first notes and I had to go inside to see for myself who was making this sound. You were simply drawn in. The well­ deserved applause, cheers and whoops after the first number was followed by some great banter, which immediately showed their infectious humour, personality and their northern roots.

What struck me straight away, was the way they harmonised and yes, made their own, some of the modern popular songs. Their versions of "Titanium", a world–wide No1 hit for David Gueta, "Need You Now" from Lady Antebellum and "Dear Darlin’" by Olly Murs, were simply stunning and in the case of Titanium, made me appreciate the original song even more. They were different, they didn’t rely on the same old, same old sing­along tracks and most importantly, they were simply themselves and not a tribute act.

Deb N Her – known to many as Debbie & Emma, had very different early careers until their paths crossed for the first time.

Debbie was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, her love of music led her to become a successful DJ in Manchester.

Remarkably, she’d never sung professionally until she moved to Spain in 2005. She made her debut in the Old Town of Benidorm under the name of Deb On Air, earning the nickname of Triple D – Dame Debbie Deb On Air! She was an overnight success, word quickly spread and the venues she performed at such as, Tiara’s Bar, Queen’s Hotel, Cafe Klee and the established Vincent’s were packed out.

But it was a bar in La Cala, the area of Benidorm dominated by the impressive Hotel Bali, where her career as a solo artist went in another

direction.

Along came “Her”! Emma, also born in Yorkshire but from Sheffield, moved to Spain in 2006, having been a session singer for various recording studios and a lead singer and song writer for an original band called “Belief”. She went to work in her Godmother’s bar in La Cala, which is where she met her working partner and future wife Debbie. Deb N Her were born. With Debbie on the stage and Emma pulling the pints, they began harmonising and attracted full­houses three nights a week. At the time, Debbie was performing solo in other venues, but then decided to put an act together and picked the name of Deb N Her out of a hat of ten names.

Their debut as a duo was in the White Horse – part of the Vincent’s group – with whom they continued to work until last week, alongside some of the other major cabaret venues in the town. They’ve deservedly accumulated a very large following of Deb N Her fans, as well as the respect and the admiration of venue managers and their fellow artists and performers for their hard graft, determination and their undeniable talent. This was confirmed in 2013, when they won the Cool FM listeners award for “Benidorm’s Most Popular Act".

The year got even better for them,

in front of an audience of some 200 people who witnessed them make their vows and get married.

With the continuing success of Benidorm’s own “dynamic duo”, it came as a great shock to everyone, when they made the decision to leave and return to the UK, playing to their final audiences last Friday night in Morgan’s and The Western Saloon. Two clichés could probably be used. “All good things must come to an end” and “When one door closes, another one opens”. What will the future bring for Deb N Her? Debbie & Emma have told THE VIEW that they’ll be based in Wiltshire and are looking forward to the challenge of working as event managers for a pub and hotel chain, Country Inns. They won’t be lost to the performing stage altogether, as they’ll be undertaking a Deb N Her tour. We’ll keep you informed in THE VIEW of where they’ll be, just in case your trip to the UK coincides with where they are, or you can recommend your family and friends to witness a rare talent.

Emma has also been approached by a publishing company who want to use her songs for various recording artists; they’ve both, in fact, been working on some original material which they’ll be recording in the UK. Deb N Her has asked THE VIEW to place the following message: “We would like to thank everyone for being part of their success and crazy lives in Benidorm. It’s been amazing and we’ve loved every minute of it. Love and happiness to you all and hope to see you all in the near future” A trip to Benidorm, for me, won’t be the same without looking around and finding out where and when “the girls” are on stage, and sat on the bar stool in front of the famous fish tank “as seen on TV", anticipating a polished and professional performance and never being disappointed.

DARREN JAMES

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

LIKE IT OR GRUMP IT Donna Gee’s View

Wimbledon’s new Boris Becker is a kid from Torry...

I

don’t know about you, but the next few weeks are going to be a real pain in the neck for tennis fans.

It’s all down to catgut racketeers pinging shots from end to end as Wimbledon is transformed into a giant ball-room with Chubby Checker conducting the orchestra and every spectator’s head simultaneously doing the twist .

Try pivoting your neck with a prawn sandwich in one hand and a bowl of strawberries and cream in the other. I guarantee you won’t put on weight unless your mouth is on back to front.

I’m not normally a huge fan of tennis but am rapidly becoming hooked by a rising star who I am convinced has a great future.

His name is Nicola Kuhn, he was born in Austria, is the son of a German father and Russian mother – and is a local lad from Torrevieja.

To make the European flavour even stronger, 15-year-old Nico and his family have close ties with British neighbours whom he regards as his surrogate grandparents.

The blond Torry bombshell also happens to be one of only two players born in the year 2000 with an official Association of Tennis Professionals ranking.

And I reckon he's going to win Wimbledon by the time he's 21.

Nico’s rise and rise has been phenomenal. Hooked on tennis since the age of three, he eats, sleeps and breathes the game.

Last weekend, he was crowned Under-16 champion of Germany, the country he opted to play for when they offered to pay his massive travelling and equipment expenses. The cash-strapped Spanish tennis authorities had been unable to help but I suspect they already regret their decision.

Titles have come thick and fast for Nico, who led Germany to the Under-14 World Junior Championship last year, along with both European team titles, the Winter Cup and Copa Del Sol. Those successes came after he had emulated Rafa Nadal a decade earlier in reaching the final of the prestigious Les Petits As junior tournament in France.

Kuhn went on to win the 2014 European Junior Masters title and earlier this year won his first-ever ATP point after beng introduced to the professional scene via the $10,000 Futures circuit.

However, while hyped-up hacks like yours truly get carried away with the idea that Nico is the No.1 15-year-old on the planet, his coach Fran Martinez insists: “We don't want to transmit that he is the best in the world. We like to say that he is in the top group of best players in the world. It is more realistic.''

There is no chance of the young six-footer’s ego disappearing into the clouds, either. Martinez, a former doubles partner of Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt, tells me: “The main objective for the team has been to build a player for the future, not to become obsessed with results now but looking very much at Nico’s development both as a player and also as a human being.''

At the age of 12, Kuhn joined former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Equilite Tennis Academy at Villena, near Valencia, where he now lives and trains when he is not travelling between tournaments.

“They are doing a very good job,’’ says Nico, who has already attracted lucrative sponsorships from Nike and Yonex.

“Juan Carlos is on court with us most of the days, and that’s very helpful. Everybody at the academy supports everybody else.''

Meanwhile, coach Martinez muses: “Where are Nico's limits?

Nicola Kuhn on his way to a straight-sets victory in the final of last week’s German Under16 Championship INSET: With his mentor Juan Carlos Ferrero We don't know – he is a very young player with his whole life in front of him. At the moment he is working very hard with humility and we are focusing on the Junior (under 18) circuit and starting to play in ATP Futures events.

“We are very lucky that Juan Carlos Ferrero is very close to him, watching him improve day by day.

Next year we want Nico to play all the Junior Grand Slams and compete in more ATP tournaments. '' Perhaps the best guide to Kuhn's potential is the verdict of Boris Becker, Germany's greatest-ever player, who a couple of years ago labelled Nico ''a better player than I was at his age.''

Coming from Wimbledon's youngest-ever singles champion, that is some compliment.

Nico (left) with his German teammates after winning last year’s World Junior Championship in the Czeh Republic

AND WHILE I’VE GOT MY SPORTS HAT ON...

T

he youngster in the El Raso bar with his family was no more than 10 years old – but he had no hesitation in revealing his football colours.

“I'm a Manchester United fan,'' he boasted to anyone prepared to listen.

Of course it's anyone's prerogative to support the Red Devils ­ es­ pecially if you live in Dublin or Islington. In this case, however, some­ thing grated painfully on my ancient Welsh ears.

Two of my three grandsons are also keen Man U fans. Which is per­ fectly understandable because they were born within a couple of miles of Old Trafford and still live in the city.

However, this lad on holiday with his mum and dad had as Taffy an accent as the valleys in which I grew up. And as a lifelong Cardiff City fan, I found it irritating that he should identify more with a 'foreign'

WANT TO REPLY TO DONNA? Email your comments to DonnaGee1@aol.com

club than with the landof his fathers. When I was in junior school in the Welsh capital, anyone who followed the round­ball game would inevitably become a Bluebirds fan. And not just because they were then a better team than the likes of Liverpool. (Don't believe me? The record books will confirm my heady recollection of a 4­0 win at An­ field in Bill Shankly's first game as manager).

In those days, virtually every football fan supported his or her local club. Or if your town or village didn’t have a League side, the one nearest to you.

OK, United became many people's 'second' team in the wave of sympathy that followed the Munich air crash. But these days kids all seem to jump on the bandwagon of success for no other reason than to keep ahead of their schoolmates.

Anyway, I've a message for the young United fan from the valleys.

Listen, lovely boy, there's a better team in South Wales than Wayne Rooney's lot. They are called Swansea City... and they beat Manches­ ter United both home and away in the season just ended.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

Goodbye to Camelot T

he countdown to bid farewell to the last vestiges of the mythical Camelot Nightclub has begun.

Located at the entrance of Santa Pola just off the roundabout on the N332, the building will be demolished after 25 years; the land being used for a supermarket.

The Ayuntamiento of Santa Pola confirmed this week that the owners of the new facility have already applied for a demolition license to knock down the unusually shaped fortress. Now this step has been taken, the supermarket owners can now get the appropriate building licenses up and running. However, the Town Hall has confirmed that as yet they don’t know the identity of the company that will be opening the planned supermarket in a town that has increased, little by little, from being a small fishing village into a successful and thriving commercial and tourist area.

In February, the managers of the nightclub closed down the business, gave the keys back to the owners and removed the iconic decorations and symbols that had dominated the club for over a quarter of a century.

The offer of having a supermarket built on the land was seen as a better business option for the landowners, considering the economic crisis at the time that was preventing local people and those from further afield visiting Camelot.

THE BUZZ STOPS HERE

T

he Alicante Provincial Council has approved the distribution of €80,000 in grants to control insects in 35 municipalities around the province.

Amongst which are, Albatera, Algorfa, Almoradí, Benijófar, Catral, Daya Nueva, Dolores, Formentera del Segura, Granja de Rocamora, Guardamar del Segura, Jacarilla, Los Montesinos, Rojales, San Isidro and San Fulgencio.

The Deputy for the Environment, Javier Sendra explained that the amount of the grant ranges from €960 to €3,200 for Town Halls to get advice and treatments, mostly to kill insect larvae.

KILLED ON THE ROAD OF DUTY

I

n an incident that has shocked and stunned family, friends and colleagues, a traffic officer from the Guardia Civil was killed last Friday in Jumilla, after colliding with a van.

Jose Fernando Almagro, was riding his motorbike whilst on patrol close to Altiplano, on the road between Yecla and Jumilla in the Murcia region. Emergency services received a 112 call and attended the scene immediately, where the victim was reported to be unconscious and a weak pulse.

Paramedics tried all they could to save his life, but he later died at the scene.

He was 42 years old and left a wife and three children.

A special tribute page was set up on Facebook and included the poignant picture that we’ve reproduced in THE VIEW.

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE VIEW FROM THE LIONS DEN

I

AIN BENNETT has been a well­ known and highly respected name and face in the local community for a few years, thanks to his work with the Torrevieja Lions Club. Sadly, the local branch had to close a couple of months ago due to a lack of members. Iain has joined THE VIEW as one of our regular contributors and you’ll see him around and about at events in the future. In the final part of “THE VIEW FROM THE LIONS DEN”, he explains some of the history of this renowned world­wide organisation...

When I began this brief resume of The View from the Lions Den, I made reference to the fact that, despite the huge numbers of Lion members throughout the world, very little was known about Lions by the general population. There also appears to be a cloak of mystery attached to being a Lion.

One myth associated with Lion membership is, that you have to be

very wealthy and willing to share that wealth with others which, although the original concept of Lionism tends to support that, nowadays nothing could be further from the truth.

When a member is invited to become a Lion a formal induction process takes place, is introduced to the Code of Ethics and Purpose of Lionism and is then asked by the Club President to make a commitment to Lionism in the presence of all Club members. Once that commitment is made the new member is formally welcomed by the Club.

In the case of the Torrevieja Costa Lions some members, fortunately not many, quickly forgot that commitment and in one case one man lasted only six days, before resigning. In the main though, most members remained true Lions and any that left generally did so for reasons such as, relocation to UK, illness, or dare I say it, old age! A number who

STOP PRESS

THE VIEW is delighted to announce that there will be a further and final “post script” to this interesting and informa­ tive series of articles from Iain in next week’s edition.

returned to UK have continued their Lion lives by joining Clubs there.

The first Lions Club was formed in Chicago in 1917, by a successful American businessman by the name of Melvin Jones. He decided that to ease poverty and help those most in need in his community, he wanted to give something back to them. He decided he would get together a group of fellow like­ minded businessmen who could pull together their resources, skills, financial and business acumen for the betterment of the community.

This initiative worked well in Chicago and very quickly word spread throughout the United States and similar groups of business people began to copy the initiative and form Clubs in a similar vein. With a lot of hard work and networking with business colleagues, Lions Clubs International was born.

Clubs were formed in every corner of the world to the extent that just last month, the number of Lion members worldwide reached an incredible 1,400,000.

In this country Lions Clubs were not allowed until after the demise of General Franco. His perception was that Lionism was in a similar vein to Freemasonry and refused to allow the formation of such an organisation under his regime.

Consequently, Lionism here in Spain is still playing catch up with the rest of the World with around 98 Clubs. Many of the more successful Lions Clubs in Spain are based along the Mediterranean coast, from Barcelona in the North to Costa del Sol in the South and many of the Lion members in these Clubs are multi­national with the majority being British.

Over the ten years of the Torrevieja Costa Lions, members came from various countries including England, Scotland and Wales, although strangely, to my

knowledge and despite a huge settlement of Irish in the community, there were no Irish members. The Club also benefitted from having members from India, Norway and Netherlands, which over the years brought great diversity to the Club.

Our Club also benefitted from the many International visitors to the Club from places like Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Finland, Peru and Iceland, plus of course the many visitors from United Kingdom. The Club was also afforded the enormous privilege of being twinned with Engey Lions Club in Reykjavic. The Engey Lions are a Club with 100% female

membership and the Club was visited many times over the years by two past Presidents of Engey, who now have holiday homes here on the Costa Blanca.

Having been associated with Lions for many years, I can assure you that it is one of the finest non­ government organisations in the world. Lion members are among the finest people in any community and anywhere that you go in this world, you can be assured to meet fellow Lions and be made most welcome wherever in the world you travel.

This is my final account and trip down memory lane on the subject of the Torrevieja Costa Lions Club. I thank Darren James, the news editor of this fine periodical, for allowing me to indulge myself in this manner and I thank all my friends who have made numerous comments on my articles over the first three issues. I wish everyone associated with The View every success for many years to come.

To use the vernacular of the professional footballer, "hopefully" it will not be long until you hear from me again, on something completely different.

It has been a privilege to serve.

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

GOT ‘EM IN GUARDAMAR

T

he Guardia Civil have arrested nine people, 8 men and a woman aged between 22 and 24, at the end of last month on suspicion of having committed numerous robberies with violence and thefts.

The investigation started in April after a number of foreign tourists, especially women, were robbed after landing at Alicante­Elche and San Javier airports.

The robbers picked flights that arrived at nightfall and followed the victims in rented

cars, which they regularly changed to make the police's work difficult, then attacked them when they arrived at their holiday homes to steal their suitcases and handbags.

After searching two homes in Guardamar and Formentera, the Guardia Civil recovered various handbags, an expensive mobile phone and €1,150, presumably stolen in the robberies.

The people arrested and the items recovered have been put at the disposition of Court of Instruction Nº3 in Orihuela.

RECOVERY IS BUILDING

M

ore proof of a recovery in the Spanish property market is starting to have a positive impact on other areas of the economy, like rising employment and consumption of construction materials, but especially on demand for urban land, reports much of the Spanish press.

According to official figures released by the Spanish Ministry of Development, after crashing more than 45% since the peak, urban land prices rose 5.2% last year as a national average. During 2014, the number of building land sales rose to a total of 15,900 transactions (9.2% more than 2013).

Increases in demand for building land were most noticeable in Andalusia, Madrid, Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country – regions that have seen some of the best improvements in home sales.

Rising home sales are starting to filter through into building land demand, the key ingredient in the development of new homes.

Increased mortgage lending is one of the main drivers of growing demand for homes, explains the latest market report from BBVA Research, part of Spain’s second biggest bank.

Unbeatable fixed­interest rates, plus the expectation that Euribor base rates will continue to fall, are driving consumer optimism and encouraging Spaniards to take out new loans against real estate, as memories of the bust start to fade.

Mortgage approvals went up by 19% in February compared to the previous year.

Sentiments and activity in the construction sector are also starting to rise, albeit from a very low base. As reported in the last edition of THE VIEW, concrete consumption rose 8.2% year­on­year in March and new planning approvals rose for the first time in seven years last year.

The caring bank

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S

panish bank, La Caixa has donated a vehicle adapted for the Association of Relatives of Alzheimer in Bigastro ­ 'Remember Me'.

The car, with room for two wheelchairs and nine seats, will allow users to receive a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation at the centre. Likewise, family members will have more time respite.

The area manager for Orihuela, Miguel Angel Alvaro Olivan, head of 23 branches of La Caixa in the district of Vega Baja, made the necessary arrangements for this partnership to take a step towards "improving the quality of life" of those affected by alzheimer's, dementia and their families.

Mercadona joins big business names

P

opular supermarket chain Mercadona has made it into the top 50 biggest family­run businesses in the world, beating Spanish clothing empire Inditex by seven places.

A list of the 500 largest on the planet put together by the Centre for Excellence at Ernst & Young accountants, together with the Family­Run Business Centre at Switzerland's Saint Gallen University, features the Valencia­based company at number 48.

This means the supermarket network, which now has branches all over the country, founded by Juan Roig and family, has beaten the firm behind the Zara chain in terms of size.

As was to be expected, the largest family­ run company on Earth is Wal­Mart, in the USA, which has an annual turnover of €437 billion – and, in fact, the United States accounts for 20% of the total, or 101 out of the 500. But considering the size of Spain in comparison to that of the USA, the fact that the latter only has 10 times as many firms in the top 500 as the former is a massive achievement for the Mediterranean company.

Spain's 10 largest family firms include global department store El Corte Inglés, transport and infrastructure corporation Ferrovial, service and maintenance giant FCC, plus Acciona, Corporación Gestamp, OHL, Prisa, and Grupo Antolín.

This means Mercadona is bigger and more profitable than El Corte Inglés and the firm

behind Spain's railways, with its turnover of €22.3bn.

For Europe, Germany has the highest number of family firms in the list – 95, or 19%, of which three are in the top 10 – motor manufacturers Volkswagen and BMW are among just eight family­run businesses in the world with a turnover of more than €91.7bn.

Italy is third in Europe with 31 companies, including Exor – run by the Agnelli family – which is fourth out of the 500, and is followed by France with 28 firms, India (25), Canada (19), Switzerland (17), and The Netherlands and the UK with 16 each.

The USA tops the list with Wal­Mart as number one and Berkshire Hathaway, owned by tycoon Warren Buffet at number three with a €167.1bn turnover, and the multinational motor manufacturer Ford in fifth place with a turnover of €135bn.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE TRAIN FROM SPAIN RUNS ACROSS THE PLAIN

R

ussian Railways celebrated the maiden journey of the 'Strizh' ('Swift'), a brand new high speed train featuring Spanish­built passenger cars and a Russian­made high speed locomotive.

Departing on Monday from Moscow for its new Moscow­Nizhny Novgorod route, the Strizh will make the 425 kilometer trip in three hours and thirty­five minutes, accounting for several stops in cities along the way. This shaves over two­and­a­half hours off the time an ordinary train takes for the journey and the train will accelerate to up to 200 km an hour during the trip.

Russian Railways introduced four Strizh trains, feature first, second and VIP class cars, as well as buffet and restaurant cars. The rail cars are said to feature all the modern conveniences and safety features one might expect, including air conditioning, Wi­Fi and ecological toilets, as well as fire alarms, satellite monitoring and communications.

The rolling stock, purchased by Russian

Railways from Spanish company Talgo, is also equipped with passive tilt technology, which saves time through higher speed travel on wide curves in the road, and reduces the effects of centrifugal forces on the occupants on corners at high speed, greatly improving passenger comfort.

The train's locomotive is a Russian­made electric passenger locomotive EP­20­010, a Transmashholding design built by the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant in southern Russia. The train was designed in cooperation between Transmashholding and French rail transport firm Alstom.

Tickets for the train range from 900 rubles (€15) for a second class seat to 5,000 rubles (€84) for a two person coupe.

Another three Strizh trains equipped with mechanisms allowing for the automatic change of track gauge from the Russian standard of 1,520 mm to Europe's 1,435 mm are set to arrive in Russia in the near future, and will begin service on the Moscow­Berlin route in December.

Quieter over here, here, and there

A

ENA – the authority that runs Alicante­ Elche Airport has agreed to fund €562,000 to aid the soundproofing of homes in the vicinity. It’s also authorised the payment of more than €180,000 to cover the extra costs for buildings that have already had the work completed These and other developments in the Acoustic Insulation Plan (PAA) were discussed this week as part of the fifteenth session of the Commission on Environmental Monitoring of airports in the province in which representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, AENA, Generalitat Valenciana, and the municipalities of Alicante and Elche.

They reported that in addition to the approval of funding for 50 more homes, AENA has included another 22 that have provided the relevant documentation and will perform appropriate acoustic tests to determine what actions are necessary.

AENA has so far received a total of 3,123 applications for soundproofing and some 2,079 homes and schools in the area have had work carried out on their buildings, demonstrating the high degree of commitment of the company to minimise the noise pollution and improve the quality of life of the airport’s neighbours.

FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR FREE

G

ood news for people taking friends and family back to Alicante­ Elche Airport as from July.

Construction will be shortly under way of a new “express parking” area that will allow you to park right in front of the departures terminal and in doing so will speed up the movement of unaccompanied passengers arriving at the airport to catch their flights.

At present, the regulated area has become a first­class shambles as the overwhelming majority of people totally ignore the current five minutes maximum parking. The new parking area, the construction of which has been awarded to CHM at a cost of €117,000, will allow free parking for 15 minutes which is plenty of time for people to unload baggage and say their goodbyes. Anything after 15 minutes and AENA will make a charge to stop this special area being abused.

The start of the building work is imminent and there will be two access points that will alternate to always keep open one. We’ll let you know in THE VIEW when it’s due to officially open.

Five million people a year pass through the area of access to terminals prior to boarding a flight.

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

Could be an expensive Picasso

SURELY IT MUST BE MORE

S

T

he DGT Traffic Authority is to use 50 ‘invisible radars’ this summer The so called ‘invisible radars’ have been placed across the radiator grill on the front of 50 grey and green coloured Citroen C4 Picasso which will replace older patrol vehicles, and are practically invisible to drivers.

These new radars named ‘Multi­radar C’ are technologically advanced, manufactured by Tradesegur, and work at much higher frequency than the conventional traffic radar, which will make 95% of the now illegal live radar detectors inoperative.

They will be used as part of the DGT

campaign centred on secondary roads, but the new radar has attracted controversy after the DGT promised to not hide their mobile radars on secondary roads. The new radar can exactly measure the speed of vehicles across as many as six lanes. The photograph produced as evidence of a violation adds the hour and date and other relevant information, and will be then logged in an encrypted archive.

The radars also have a flash system, near one of the headlights, which will flash when the photograph is taken in dark or rainy conditions.

The same technology is already in force in some other European countries.

Not your ordinary Menu del Dia S

panish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca has returned to its spot at the top of the World's 50 Best Restaurants List.

The restaurant first took the top spot on the prestigious list, released by Restaurant magazine, in 2013, but was unseated by Copenhagen's Noma a year later. El Celler has been praised for its artistic parade of courses, superb wine selection, and mind­blowing desserts.

The Catalan, family­owned restaurant has been serving modern Spanish cuisine since it opened in 1986. The three Roca brothers, who run the critically acclaimed establishment, split their duties between the kitchen and front of house.

Flickr user Encantadisimo dined at El Celler in 2011 and 2013. Last time the restaurant won top honours, he shared

pictures of his meal with Business Insider, where he and a companion indulged in the "Menú Degustació de Classics," a seven­ course tasting menu with the restaurant's most beloved dishes.

With the wine pairing, the meal cost $248 per person at the time. Today, it's around €300 a head.

paniards spent an average €114 on spirits – which is to say distilled drinks such as rum, gin and whisky – in bars and restaurants last year, €6 less than in 2013, according to a study by consultant Kantar Worldpanel.

But beneath this average consumption figure lie many differences. For example, “men spend 60% more than women (€138 compared to €86) and consume more frequently (15 drinks a year compared to nine for women),” explains the company.

Geography also influences the type of alcohol bought outside the home. “The heaviest consumers of these types of drinks are men, aged over 50, and resident in the north of Spain. They make up three million of the Spanish population, and annually spend €358. At the other end, the group that consumes the smallest amount of alcohol (to which nine million people belong) consists of women aged between 18 and 34 years old, resident in the metropolitan areas of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, who consume an average three drinks a year,” the consultancy concludes.

The differences between men and women are many: men consume more gin, rum and whisky, and although rum remains the most popular drink among female drinkers, women also order more vermouth and cocktails.

The survey – which only examines hard liquor consumption, leaving out drinks such as beer, wine and cider – highlights that the time and the company significantly determine the amount spent and the product drunk. Edurne Uranga, director of Kantar Worldpanel’s out of home sector, says that “while there are marked differences between masculine and feminine consumption, as well as age, what really determines which drink we end up consuming is the occasion: when, and who we are with.”

Weekend evenings and when in the company of friends remain the main occasions for consuming drinks with a high alcohol content. Rum and Coke, gin and tonic, and whisky and Coke are the most popular tipples, but again, there are geographical variations. “There are different preferences according to the area: along the Mediterranean Arc the preferred drink on Saturday nights is gin and tonic, in Andalusia it is rum and Coke, and in Madrid it is whisky and Coke,” the survey explains. When people go out with their partners, rather than in a group, mojitos and caipirinhas also stand out.

At Sunday lunchtimes, vermouth leads the way when it comes to strong drinks, competing with beer and wine. And for after­ work drinks during the week, Kantar says it has detected widespread consumption of neat whisky – though it reiterates that the survey only examines drinks with high alcohol content. “These types of strong spirits are not that common in this kind of consumption, which is dominated by beer (which makes up 86% of all after­work consumption),” it says.

Editor’s Note: As a regular “social” drinker that has enjoyed many hours with Spanish friends, I’m a little surprised at the figures.

Does the survey really suggest that on average, a Spanish man consumes 15 strong spirit drinks in a year? I feel more Spanish than English on occasions, so I probably boost those averages when I have my five vodka and Fanta per night when I’m on holiday. However, the experience of staying in hotels that are dominated by the older Spaniard and witnessing them sitting at tables all night without in glass of any kind in front of them probably evens things out. Did you know what a “caipirinha” is? Nor did I, but it’s a national cocktail from Brazil, made with cachaça (a sweet brandy), sugar and lime. Cheers!

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The View

The Readers View on....

THE VIEW will feature a selection of your letters every week on this page. If you have anything to say about something you read in THE VIEW, or you have opinions or views on stories of the day, please contact us via e­mail at editor@theview.es or by post to Apartado De Correos 255, 03193 San Miguel de Salinas, Alicante.

We do our best to publish as many as we can and reserve the right to edit where necessary.

Dear Editor, Championship Cup Winners ­ Bournemouth A.F.C. (Not Watford!)

Bournemouth football team and their Manager, Eddie Howe, (Manager of the Year as voted by the League Managers Association) and club officials have worked hard over the last 6 years to pull the club back from relegation from the Football League.

They have earned their promotion and to be the Championship Cup Winners.

Congratulations to Watford on second place.

You have demoted Bournemouth before they have even played a match in the Premier League.

Sheila Hext (Mrs).

P.S. I was born and raised in Bournemouth, hence the pride in their achievement.

Editor’s Note: If you go to our sport section on Page 46 Sheila, I hope I’ve made amends for my unintentional demotion Dear Editor, Just taken my third issue, very good reading, and thank you.

Please may I make a request, would it be possible to print the dates of various Moors and Cristian Fiestas in the South as I have tried the individual web sites which are not up to date and difficult to get into individual tourist information areas.

I am sure many holiday makers and locals alike would welcome this information as family and friends come to stay and should not miss this most wonderful of fiestas.

Thank you in anticipation.

Marion

Editor’s Note: Thanks for your kind words about THE VIEW and your suggestion. You’ll see on Page 27 that we now have a dedicated FOR YOUR INFORMATION section which includes some of the Moors & Christian dates. We will add to them as and when we get the information in advance.

Dear Editor, Firstly, I'd like to congratulate you on your new free paper. What sets it apart from the other 'freebees' is the quality of the content.

My first thought was "do we really need another English free paper?" I've been delighted to find that you are giving us the information that we want and need, which the others are not. A good mix of global, national and local news, as well as really interesting and informative features. It's good to be able to read Donna Gee's column again. Well done, and please don't change.

Marlene Brown Hi Darren There we were wondering where you were, couldn't find you on any radio station and up pops The View.

Congratulations on an interesting and informative paper. The only one to publish all the local Spanish election results!

Keep up the good work Regards Judi and Montesinos)

Bill

Robertson

(Los

Editor’s Note: Nice to hear from some more old radio contributors and thanks for your comments.

Dear Editor, Firstly we must congratulate you on a refreshing and much appreciated new slant on a newspaper for this Costa. Sorry to hear that the congratulations you have already freely received from the general public have been so effusive also from your comments their good, sincere wishes seem to have been too much for you and far too OTT but you must realise that by setting up such a brilliant paper, you are setting yourself up for such praise. Just enjoy it enter into the spirit of their good wishes ­ and ours. So I won't add anything more, just a repeat of thanks for your and your team's efforts and success.

We received our voting cards in the post for the local elections on Sunday and hoping against hope that there was a possibility that out two votes MAY make a difference to the way our taxes are spent in the main not on the Costa but on Orihuela Town, we duly presented ourselves at the Voting Centre.

We had briefly glanced at the address 'Commercial Centre' on our cards and reported to where we had previously voted ­ the Social Centre opposite the back of Supercor in Playa Flamenca. As we live 5 mins from this Centre and had voted there previously, we didn't (stupidly now) check the address more carefully, never giving a thought that our voting centre would be changed. At the Centre we looked around for 'Mesa C'. There was total chaos and confusion all around us and eventually we asked a lady who told us there was no Mesa C and we had to report to another centre some 20 mins drive away between Cabo Roig and San Miguel!

We live in Playa Flamenca, as we have for the past six years, and had no idea that we

would be expected to go such a distance.

We have a car but there are many ex­pats and Spanish living in the area who have no transport ­ and what about those poor souls with mobility scooters: they couldn't possibly cover this distance.

From two, not happy bunnies Ann & Ron Radmore, Playa Flamenca Editor’s Note: Thank you for your kind words about THE VIEW, and as I explained in my message last week, I was overwhelmed by the amount of platitudes the team had received. Trust me; I well and truly entered into the spirit! You’re not the only people that had issues with voting at the recent Municipal Elections in your area and I know that the situation is being looked into. Little can probably be done until the Town Hall’s officially resume business from Monday 15 June.

Dear Editor, Can I thank you for giving me something that keeps my husband quiet! I’ve never known him read any paper from cover to cover before, and when he’d finished reading THE VIEW, I did the same thing. It’s so nice to have something to actually read.

Your paper also included the only reference I’ve seen anywhere to the popular Saturday market near the N332 in La Marina.

I enjoyed your coverage of the local elections and I’m not surprised at the lack of non­Spanish councillors in the area. In our case, we’re more than happy to have our daily lives run by the Spanish. We have nothing to complain about when you pay so little in council taxes each year.

Rita Williams, Guardamar

SPANISH & UK LOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS

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DUNKIRK – ALMOST A BRITISH DISASTER 1

940 was a pivotal year in World War Two and many significant events of that year are celebrating their 75th anniversary in 2015. We all witnessed the emotional events of the VE Concert and march­past to commemorate the end of hostilities in 1945. Happenings five years earlier in a small commune in northern France, just 10 kilometres from the border with Belgium, could have had a different effect on Europe and British history, if things had gone even more wrong than they did.

The Dunkirk evacuation, code­named Operation Dynamo, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 27 May and 4 June 1940. The operation was decided upon when large numbers of British, French and Belgian troops were cut off and surrounded by the German army during the Battle of France in the Second World War. In a speech to the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the events in France, "a colossal military disaster", saying that "the whole root and core and brain of the British Army had been stranded at Dunkirk and seemed about to perish or be captured". In his We shall fight on the beaches speech on 4 June, he hailed their rescue as a "miracle of deliverance".

After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, marking the beginning of the Second World War, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was sent to aid in the defence of France. Germany invaded Belgium and the Netherlands on 10 May 1940;three of their Panzer corps attacked France through the Ardennes and rapidly drove to the English Channel. By 21 May, the German forces had trapped the BEF, the remains of the Belgian forces and three French armies, in an area along the northern coast of France.

Commander of the BEF General John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, immediately saw that evacuation across the Channel was the best course of action and began planning a withdrawal to Dunkirk, the closest location with good port facilities. On 22 May 1940, a halt order was issued by the German High Command, with Adolf Hitler's approval. This gave the trapped Allied forces time to construct defensive works and pull back large numbers of troops toward Dunkirk, to fight the Battle of Dunkirk.

From 28–31 May 1940, in the Siege of Lille, the remaining 40,000 men of the once­formidable French First Army, fought a delaying action against seven German divisions, including three armoured divisions. On the first day of the evacuation, only 7,669 men were evacuated, but by the end of the eighth day, a total of 338,226 soldiers had been rescued by a hastily assembled fleet of over 800 boats.

Many of the troops were able to embark from the harbour's protective mole onto 39 British destroyers and other large ships, while others had to wade out from the beaches, waiting

for hours in the shoulder­deep water. Some were ferried from the beaches to the larger ships by the famous little ships of Dunkirk, a flotilla of hundreds of merchant marine boats, fishing boats, pleasure craft and lifeboats called into service for the emergency. The BEF lost 68,000 soldiers during the French campaign and had to abandon nearly all of their tanks, vehicles, and other equipment. In his speech to the House of Commons on 4 June, Churchill reminded the country that "we must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations."

BACKGROUND

Without telling the French, the British began planning on 20 May for Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the BEF. Dynamo, took its name from the dynamo room that provided electricity in the naval headquarters below Dover Castle. It was in this room that, British Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay planned the operation and briefed Churchill as it was under way. Under the direction of Ramsay, ships began gathering at Dover for the evacuation.

On 20 May, the BEF sent Brigadier Gerald Whitfield to Dunkirk to start evacuating unnecessary personnel.

Immediately overwhelmed by what he later described as "a somewhat alarming movement towards Dunkirk by both officers and men" due to a shortage of food and water, he had to send many along without thoroughly checking their credentials. Even officers ordered to stay behind to aid the evacuation disappeared onto the boats.

Two days later,

Churchill ordered that the BEF should attack southward in co­ordination with the French First Army under General Georges Blanchard to reconnect with the remainder of the French forces. This proposed action was dubbed the Weygand Plan after General Maxime Weygand, appointed Supreme Commander after Gamelin's dismissal on 18 May. On 25 May, Gort had to abandon any hope of achieving this objective and, on his own initiative, withdrew, along with Blanchard's forces, behind the Lys Canal, part of a canal system that reached the sea at Gravelines.

Sluice gates had already been opened all along the canal, to flood extra water into the system to create a barrier (the "Canal Line") against the German advance.

The retreat was undertaken amid chaotic conditions, with abandoned vehicles blocking the roads and a flood of refugees heading in the opposite direction.

Due to wartime censorship and the desire to keep up British morale, the full extent of the unfolding disaster at Dunkirk was not initially publicised. A special service attended by King George VI was held in Westminster Abbey on 26 May, which was declared a national day of prayer.

Throughout the country, people prayed for the safety of the troops. The Archbishop of Canterbury led prayers "for our soldiers in dire peril in France". Similar prayers were offered in synagogues and churches throughout the UK that day, confirming to the public their suspicion of the desperate plight of the troops.

Just before 7 pm on 26 May, Churchill ordered Dynamo to formally begin. By this point, some 28,000 men had already departed by sea. Initial plans called for the recovery of 45,000 men from the BEF within two days, at which time German troops were expected to block further evacuation.

Only 25,000 men escaped during this period, including 7,669 on the first day.

The 75th anniversary saw a flotilla of small boats again leave the shores of southern England, to re­enact that day and bring back a mixture of emotions from ex­servicemen from all around the world who, mathematically and legally (apart from those who faked their age) would be 93.

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CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK

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ritain's failure to tackle Spanish aggression over Gibraltar appears to have sparked the shock resignation of the governor of the Rock.

Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton took the unprecedented step of quitting the overseas territory after less than two years amid frustration he had been ‘sold a duff’.

Sir James, a decorated former soldier who fought the Taliban in Afghanistan, is understood to have announced he would step down following tensions with the Foreign Office over its response to Spanish aggression.

His took the role of Her Majesty’s Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar after leaving a lucrative career in the private sector, but his tenure has seen the ramping up of Spanish provocation towards the tiny territory with illegal border controls causing havoc and a rise in maritime incursions – at least 600 since 2013 alone.

His decision came just months after MPs warned that Gibraltar was being sacrificed as a ‘pawn’ by a Government intent on appeasing Spain to secure its EU reform agenda.

Sources close to Sir James, who as a Royal Marine became second­in­command of NATO forces in Afghanistan, told of his increasing friction with the Foreign Office after it was made clear the role would just be ceremonial. In his resignation speech, Sir James said the job was ‘more representational… than I had expected’. He said he had made the decision for ‘purely personal and professional reasons’.

One insider said: ‘When he was invited to become Governor, he assumed it was because of his military career. He was very much of a mind that the Royal Navy’s presence should be increased in Gibraltar, and that Gibraltar’s reaction to Spanish

incursions should be more robust. ‘In the event, bargaining chip with Spain over EU reforms.

He said last weekend: ‘I am deeply disturbed at what he was met with increasing frustration by the way the Foreign Office dealt with the Spanish question.’ increasingly looks like a policy by the FCO of appeasement to Sir James made the decision to leave after the Spain – they talk tough in public, but when it comes to it Conservative Party’s election victory earlier last actions are weak. The decision to keep David Lidington in month and the decision to keep Europe Minister place as Europe Minister seems to suggest this will continue.

‘I am not the only MP who feels Gibraltar is being sacrificed David Lidington in post.

His surprise announcement has left the Foreign over the Government desire for EU reform. But appeasing Office scrabbling to find a suitable replacement Spain has only added fuel to Spain’s fire. What’s needed is for the door to be shut firmly in before September, when he departs.

In 2013, Britain summoned Spain’s Ambassador to the Foreign Office in London for a dressing down after a Spanish ship entered waters off Gibraltar. Then Spanish s the recent General Election isn’t the only one, it seems, following officials sparked outrage by in the UK came to an end, a a statement from “MoveHob.com” – violating international law by opening a British diplomatic bag handful of celebrities from both an international relocations brand.

They reported that in the days at the border with Gibraltar. The ends of the political scale immediately following the result threatened to leave the country Foreign Office said the incident, in which which many hadn’t predicted, there Guardia Civil officers stopped a courier depending on the result.

Controversial Katie Hopkins had was a “staggering” 10% increase in travelling from the Rock into Spain was her bags packed ready believing Ed enquires to leave the UK, going on to ‘completely unacceptable’.

Miliband was about to enter No10, say that it’s a profound increase in And in December last year, Transport Minister Robert Goodwill stormed out of a and Paul O’Grady had many people requests and they would not top­level meeting after EU chiefs agreed with queuing up to buy him a ticket after normally see a surge at this time of Spain to exclude Gibraltar from an important addressing a rally for the Labour year, as generally people are focused leader: ‘I can’t live under this bloody on holidays. On the day the result air safety deal.

Britain and Spain have been embroiled in a government any more. I am going to was announced they saw a huge surge and this continued across the centuries­old row over the sovereignty of the get a house on the Lido in Venice.’ weekend.

He continued, to loud cheers, by Rock. Gibraltar is a British overseas territory Spain is reportedly the most saying: ‘What I am going to do in a with a naval base and a modest military garrison, but despite losing control of it in house on the Lido in Venice when I popular choice among would be can’t speak Italian and hate pasta, emigrants, with an apparent 40% 1713, Spain still wants to win it back.

In January Tory backbencher Andrew God only knows. But I can’t live under jump in searches. Even Ed Miliband Rosindell, former chair of the British overseas this Conservative Government, this and his wife Justine jetted away to Ibiza within 72 hours of the result of territories all­Parliamentary group, accused Coalition.’

The former alter­ego of Lily Savage the polls! the Government of using Gibraltar as a

New Tory government to increase migrants....to Spain!

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IT SHOULD’NT HAPPEN TO A PARENT T

he Vice­President of the United States tends to be held be someone who is hardly seen or even known on the world stage. Isn’t the phrase, “they’re only a heartbeat away from The White House”?

In the same week that US Secretary of State John Kerry has suffered quite serious leg injuries as a result of a bicycle accident when in Switzerland, Barack Obama’s second in command has suffered his own personal family tragedy.

Beau Biden, his 46 year old son, has died of brain cancer, and leaves a wife and two children. In a statement released by the vice president’s office, the family said it was “saddened beyond words”.

President Obama joined in the tributes: “Beau Biden believed the best of us all. For him, and for his family, we swing our lanterns higher.”

Beau’s own childhood was marked by the loss of his mother who died in a car accident in 1972 that also injured his brother and killed his infant sister. It happened just after Joe Biden won his first senate election and held his swearing­in at the hospital chapel with Beau in a bed just a few feet away.

The final words are from a speech by Joe Biden himself in 2012 addressing to those that had lost loved

or the second time this year, a British tank has been involved in a public crash while out on exercise in Germany.

This time a tank drove over the bonnet of Toyota which was being driven by an 18­year­old woman who was still a learner driver. The soldiers were able to rescue the woman from the car and no serious injuries were reported.

In a similar incident in February, blamed on a mechanical failure, a British tank drove into the garden of an elderly couple in Paderborn.

But a spokesman for the British Army was reluctant to take any blame for the crash.

“The German military police are suggesting it was the Toyota driver’s fault. They’re saying she did not err on

A possible coo

I

ones in conflict: "No parents should be pre­deceased by their sons or daughters. I, unfortunately, have that experience, too.

There will come a day, I promise you and your parents, as well, when the thought of your son or daughter or your husband or wife brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. It will happen. My prayer for you is that day will come sooner or later. But the only thing I have more experience than you in is this: I’m telling you it will come.”

TANKS FOR NOTHING...AGAIN

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the side of caution. Whether the German civil police agree is another matter,” he said.

The spokesperson could not confirm whether the tank was going forward or reversing at the time.

When asked whether the two crashes so far in 2015 suggest a pattern is developing, the spokesperson said: “It isn’t a pattern. They are two very different types of vehicle. Our tank crews go through a very rigorous training process,” said the spokesperson, adding that three men monitor the road “which is why they were able to stop soon enough.”

The view from the turret gave “ideal visibility” of the road, he said. “You can never rule out mechanical failure. But our vehicles are maintained to the highest of standards.

ndia has reportedly arrested a pigeon from Pakistan after suspecting it of espionage.

According to the Times of India, the 'avian intruder' made its way into Punjab, an Indian state bordering Pakistan, bearing a stamped message in Urdu ­ the language predominantly spoken in Pakistan. The pigeon was found by a 14­year­old boy who took the bird straight to the police station after discovering the Urdu markings.

Police did an X­ray check on the bird, which apparently confirmed that the pigeon was in fact an innocent who happened to have flown into an overtly paranoid Indian village.

Senior superintendent of police Rakesh Kaushal explained: "Nothing adverse has been found,

but we have kept the bird in our custody.

This is a rare instance of a bird from Pakistan being spotted here.

We have caught a few spies here.

The area is sensitive, given its proximity to Jammu, where infiltration is quite common."

Angela is officially powerful

F

or the fifth consecutive year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has topped the list in Forbes Magazine of the 100 most powerful women in the world. US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was the runner­up rising up from last year’s sixth place.

Bronze medal place went to Melinda Gates, co­founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve, is ranked fourth, and the chief executive of General Motors, Mary Barra, finished fifth.

The Forbes list brings together the most powerful women in eight categories: billionaire, business, celebrities, finance, media, philanthropy, intergovernmental organizations, and politics.

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, was in sixth place, followed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; operational president of Facebook Inc., Sheryl Sandberg; YouTube chief, Susan Wojcicki; and the US first lady, Michelle Obama.

Two other South American presidents made the list: the Argentine Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, in 16th place, and Michelle Bachelet in Chile 27.

Oprah Winfrey was the highest billionaire on the list, in 12th position and singer Beyonce led the entertainment category in 21st place. Actress Sofia Vergara was ranked at 57 and pop singer Taylor Swift at 64. The Colombian singer Shakira was a lowly 81st.

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THE FORGOTTEN SPANISH PRISONERS

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unday 31st May saw the inauguration of a monolith in memory of the Spaniards who were imprisoned during the Stalinist era in the "Gulag" forced­labour camps, of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, a region in the Central Asian nation's steppe heartland.

The event coincided with the May 31 Day of Victims, a remembrance that the Kazakhs have held annually since gaining independence from

the former Soviet Union in 1991.

The commemoration was held in the vast, desolate Kazakh steppes where 7,700 people from 40 nations were buried, according to the former Soviet Union's archives.

Of the 152 Spaniards detained in the various labour camps, 14 perished in Spassk and Kok­Uzek, according to historian Luiza Lordache.

Jose Maria Bañuelos, 84, one of the displaced so­called "children of (the 1936­1939 Spanish Civil) War," was the only camp survivor who attended the solemn ceremony on Sunday.

The others attending the ceremony were descendants of Spanish Republicans, children of Spanish "Blue Division" volunteers who fought with the German army on the Eastern Front during World War II and descendants of the "children of war."

Others who took part were historians and members of several foundations.

The national anthems of Estonia and Spain, the two countries that inaugurated monuments, were

heard across the steppe during the ceremony.

"It was an injustice that cut short the lives of many people. Today I want to remember all the Spaniards, without exception, who passed through these camps," Spain's ambassador to Kazakhstan, Manuel Larrotcha, said as he stood at the foot of the monolith.

Larrotcha described the moment as the "most important day" of his tenure as ambassador in Kazakhstan.

"Remembering these men's story fills me with emotion and comforts

me," he said.

Larrotcha cited the award­ winning documentary "The Forgotten of Karaganda," sponsored by the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and filmed by the Nexos Alliance partnership.

The documentary, he said, brought this episode to the attention of the international community.

Moscow supported the Republican side in Spain's 1936/1939 civil war and when Franco's side prevailed, a number of Republicans and their families fled to the Soviet Union.

Some of the Republicans' former adversaries also ended up in the Soviet Union, as some of the Francoist volunteers organized in the Blue Division were captured by the Russians while fighting alongside the Germans at the siege of Leningrad.

The documentary film itself won the Gold Award in the category of European Documentary at the Documentary & Short International Movie Award Jakarta and earlier won the Diamond Award in the Best Documentary nomination at the California Film Awards.

FOR YOUNG SPANISH, THE COMPUTER SAYS “NO” Y

ou only have to walk around any Spanish urbanisation, town or city to see almost every young person with an iPhone in hand tapping away at the screen. It comes as some surprise when reading a recently released report that this expertise isn’t translated to the workplace.

Computer skills are increasingly important when it comes to finding a job. But according to a survey published last week by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), young Spaniards and Italians are particularly disadvantaged in this field compared to youngsters from other advanced economies: almost 50% of Spaniards aged between 16 and 29 lack experience in the use of computers in their jobs, says the OECD. Among the 22 countries surveyed by the OECD – which include the majority of EU member states, along with South Korea, Norway, Australian, Japan, the United States and Canada – only Italy was ranked lower than Spain. At the other extreme is South Korea, where just 25% of under­30s are not sufficiently experienced in using computers in the workplace. But when the question is about experience of computers in daily life, and not in work, Spain’s score comes in closer to those from the rest of the developed world.

The data is compiled in the Skills Outlook 2015 report, which was presented in Berlin in May by Ángel Gurría, the secretary general of the OECD, an organization that represents the 34 most­developed economies on the planet.

The report looks at the situation of the more than 35 million young people within member states that neither work or

study, and proposes a series of measures to improve the transition from school to the workplace. Despite the figure having fallen compared to 2013, when 39 million young people were neither studying nor working, it is still higher than in 2008, before the current economic crisis began.

The figures from the report, contained in Spanish newspaper El Pais are particularly worrying for countries such as Spain and Greece, where, in 2013, more than 25% of young people weren’t in work or studying. And the OECD provides another worrying statistic: around half of all young people not in work or studying (20 million) are off the radar of their countries’ education systems or labour markets, and are marginalized in society. That is to say, they are people

under the age of 30 condemned to a kind of civil death before they have been able to contribute to society. The OECD points out that these figures are worrying not just from an individual point of view, but also represent a failure for society as a whole, as well as being an economic burden on the country, which receives no return on the investment spent on their education.

“Dealing with this matter is not just a moral imperative, but also one of economic necessity,” said Gurría at the presentation of the report.

Regarding the data on young Spanish people’s computer abilities, the secretary general of the organization said this was a fact that “is whispering in our ears,” and called for action to deal with it.

The report shows that young workers use their skills less than older employees. The survey reflects, for example, that 10% of recent university graduates have poor reading skills, and that 14% have difficulty in managing figures. Among those who leave school without any qualifications, more than 40% have problems with reading and arithmetic.

Young people from the OECD countries are twice as likely to be unemployed than the over­30s. The survey focuses on the problems of those between the ages of 16 and 29, and their difficulties in applying the skills they have learned at school at work. And even when they do make it into the labour market, they face serious difficulties: one in four young people have short­term employment contracts, which limit their ability to learn new skills or to take advantage of other long­term opportunities from staying in the same job.

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ARE WE IMMIGRANT....

OR ARE WE EXPAT?

o quote one of the more well­known songs from the evergreen “The Sound Of Music”, “Let’s start at the very be­ginning; a very good place to start”. What are the Oxford dictionary definitions of those two often confused words?

IMMIGRANT – A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.

EXPATRIATE ­ A person living in a country that is not their own.

So, in the case of those of us in Spain at least, it’s about as clear as mud. We’re both, I suppose, but taking the literal meaning of the definitions, I’m probably more immigrant than expatriate. In July 1989 I sold up, left the UK and came to live permanently in this foreign country that is Spain. I followed my parents who did the same in November 1988. But what is it that makes many people worried and scared about mass immigration to the UK? Yet I, as an immigrant in Spain I am warmly welcomed by my Spanish friends and business people wherever I go.

What have I, and the overwhelming majority of British immigrants to Spain brought to the country to justify this positive welcome we get, rather than the alleged hatred of the Brits so often portrayed in the UK press, biased British media so­called documentary programmes and among ill­informed and ignorant bar flies and gossips? I await to be corrected, but I would suggest that almost everyone living here and reading this would fall into at least one of the following categories.

Whenever we came to Spain since the start of a major influx in the early 1980s, we bought property up front without a

mortgage or signed long­term rental agreements. We opened and deposited significant amounts of money in bank accounts. We started a business with all the necessary expenses that entailed and in many cases took on local Spanish employees. We pay our SUMA taxes each year and make our tax returns – both as individuals and businesses. We support local Spanish businesses and in consequence help to boost the economy.

Those that have taken anything directly from the Spanish system are those that are working here and paid into the system.

Over the years that I’ve been here – 26 this year – certain requirements to be able to live and work in Spain have been relaxed, although being again tightened up in recent times. In those early days, and to be able to become a resident, you needed to have proof of income, regular pension, or a significant lump sum in your Spanish bank account to show that you weren’t going to be a burden on the State. You needed to get a “good conduct certificate” from the Madrid authorities, your fingerprints were taken for a much prized Residencia Card and, if you were under retirement age, you were required to have Spanish private medical insurance.

Yes, we all know people that have and are working in Spain illegally, but they’re not illegal immigrants. These people may be avoiding paying certain annual taxes (and actually not a significant amount if you look at the tax rates and thresholds), but the beauty in Spain of their illegality is that if they’re not working they can’t claim anything from the system. No pay in – no take out. It’s a system I approve of; but whilst that’s the case, the same people are still supporting the Spanish economy with their “black money”! It must be a win­win all the way for the Spanish.

What I do object to is this myth that us British immigrants (notice I’m no longer an expatriate?) are hated by the Spanish; that they don’t want us here, although I can understand and sympathise where some of that originates.

The disgusting BBC documentary “Costa Del Sol: Last Brits Standing” portrayed a 100% negative picture of Brits abroad and even suggested, according to “Big Dave” – awaiting his return to the UK to complete a prison sentence –

that “They [the Spanish] look at us like we’re their Polish.”

Apparently, the Spanish think that the British have taken all their jobs and are filling their hospitals. He even resorted to the “...without us the Spanish would still be riding around on donkeys” argument! How many British immigrants in our area of the southern Costa Blanca work in Spanish or non­ British businesses? As I wrote above, the opposite is closer to the truth. In fact, with the significant majority of British immigrants to Spain being retirees, the accusation that we’re taking all their jobs is exceptionally naive in the widest sense.

As for taking all the hospital beds, the UK NHS and Spain have reciprocal arrangements so the question of Spain having to foot the bill doesn’t arise, and anyone that has used the Spanish NHS knows only too well how excellent and efficient they generally are. As for the costs of treating tourists as often seen on programmes such as Benidorm A&E, recent Department of Health figures show that Spain and France, the most popular European holiday destinations for British tourists, had the largest bills, nearly £40m each, for their medical treatment. French tourists cost the NHS almost £5m, while those from Spain incurred costs of only £3m under the EHIC scheme.

IF there’s any justification for a small number of British immigrants being hated by Spaniards (although that is probably too strong a word to use) it may be due to the superior attitudes displayed, those who want to impose British ways and customs on the Spanish way of life, who speak not a single word of the language, don’t want to integrate with the locals, and engage in a type of loutish behaviour we’ve all experienced. This immigrant doesn’t have much time for those people either......

DARREN JAMES

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

THE VIEW THROUGH THE LENS

I

n his latest feature for THE VIEW, Guernsey­based photographer John­Ross Hainey from JR Photography gives some tips on using some of the very latest technology and shares some of his favourite work.

There has been a huge hype over the last few years with everyone taking selfies, and most of us have the technology at hand or in our pockets to just be able to grab hold of it and take a quick snap.

Believe it or not I'm one of the worst when it comes to selfies and in fact even using my phone as a camera!

At the beginning of last year I invested in a little camera that goes by the name of GoPro. Yes, I'm sure you’ve heard of them and no it wasn't just to take selfies with!

Although these cameras are built for extreme sports video recording with an incredible frame rate and 4k quality, they also have great photography capabilities, with a 12mp sensor, remote control and even an App where you can access all its features and modify them, or even use your phone as a display if the camera is not accessible.

We also invested in a DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter that we could attach a GoPro to and take our photography to new heights ­ literally! Having a camera up in the air gives us a totally different perspective and even at a couple of hundred feet it will totally transform the subject.

These machines can fly up to a 1000 feet before you start to lose connection to the controller but luckily enough they have GPS built in for it to just fly back to the location it took off from. Just make sure you don't take off from a boat!

I find the Gopro works great in harsh sunlight so I’d recommend them to anyone living in Spain. They also have a super wide­angle lens that literally captures anything in front of them. They come with a waterproof housing that enables you to take it to the beach without Taken on GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition and DJI Phantom 2, view of the worry of getting it wet.

Castle Cornet with the Island of Herm to the left and Sark to the right.

Pricewise, they retail between €140 and €530 depending on the model, www.johnrossphotography.co.uk and have hundreds of accessories for all kinds of use so worth www.facebook.com/JRPhotographyGSY looking in to; especially if you like a selfie ;) Leave us your feedback at Remember to check out our website and Facebook Page for www.johnrossphotography.co.uk/testimonials the latest updates and images.

Watch the birdie

T

he Department of Tourism for Valencia has organised a special tour aimed at UK tour operators for those that are interested in bird watching in particular and nature holidays in general.

As part of a four day trip the group visited the three provinces of the Valencia Community to boost this tourist activity related to bird watching realising it has a large following in European countries, but especially in the United Kingdom.

Specifically, the tour operator agents visited different parks and recommended the Natural Park of Elche, Hondo Natural Park, the salt flats of Santa Pola, Montnegre,

Many thanks to Bob Kennedy from Urb La Marina for his kind permission for THE VIEW to publish a selection of his photographs taken in the locality. Will travel have camera! Excellent images for someone who describes himself as “a novice”.

Sierra Mariola Natural Park, the Valley del Alforins, the wetlands Valle de Ayora, the Albufera, the Marjal del Moros and, Serra d'Espada.

Future trippers will be accompanied by expert bird watchers belonging to various companies specialising in organizing tours such as Actio Birding, Bird Watching Spain, Valencia Visit Nature and Birding.

There are already plenty of zones in the Valencian Community offering a wide variety of natural areas where it is possible to bird watch, such as wetlands, mountain ranges, and on the coastline and include more than 40 SPAs (Special Protection Areas) for birds.

The earliest interest in observing birds can be traced to the late 18th century in the works of Gilbert White, Thomas Bewick, George Montagu and John Clare.

The study of birds and natural history in general became increasingly prevalent in Britain during the Victorian Era, as wealthy collectors made use of their contacts in the colonies to obtain specimens from around the world.

It was only in the late 19th century that the call for bird protection began leading to the rising popularity of observations on living birds. The Audubon Society was started to protect birds from the growing trade in feathers in the United States while the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds began in Britain.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

JUST WHY DO I CARRY ON... ?

A

s Carry On... film veteran Jim Dale, begins his month long one­man show in London, DARREN JAMES reveals some the reasons he would probably pick this series of films as his Mastermind subject.

I’ve never ever considered applying for Mastermind simply because, if by any stroke of luck I managed to get through the first round in front of John Humphreys, I wouldn’t have a second specialist subject for round two, let alone a semi­final or final and a chance to win a valuable piece of hot blown melted sand.

The only time I’ve ever faced any form of a test of my love of Carry On... films, was during occasional special quiz nights I hosted in Spain – Christmas, Easter etc – and as a way of raising some money for local charities. I gave the quiz goers my four specialist subjects which they could pose questions to me. Cricket, Television Nostalgia, British Government and Politics, and Carry On... films. Problem was, that some of the smart ones among the regulars, began asking ridiculously detailed questions that required equally obscure answers, that not even Magnus would’ve considered starting so he could finish!

“What date did they begin filming Carry On Sergeant?” was one that comes to mind. My response of, “what a stupid question, how do you expect me to know that”, received a sarcastic smile accompanied by a, “now you know how we feel. Stick ‘yer 100 pesetas in the tin!” The year, 1958, I would’ve known, but the exact date?

I stopped the challenges after that night! There are tough questions, there are Mastermind standard ones and there’s plain stupid and ridiculous!

I recall being taken to see my first Carry On... film by my Mum, at the age of five, in 1966 and it was Carry On Constable at the Granada, East Ham. I can’t remember why I got so hooked on them at such a young age, but, I once attempted to recreate one of the famous Carry On... film posters (Doctor) in a primary school art class. Unintentionally, it was more Picasso than Constable! All I know is that, whenever a new film was released, and it was at least once a year in the late 60s, early 70s, I wanted to go and see it. My secondary school, in 1973, had a film club and the first feature on the list was Carry On Up The Khyber, probably the first time I’d known an elephant (or anything else for that matter), break wind on screen. Tiffin entered the language to, although many of us knew that word to mean a chocolate bar with biscuit and sultanas. I digress.

There is no doubt in my mind, that the origins of my sense of humour can be traced to the Carry On... films combined with holiday camps. I was brought up on both in my early and teenage years, with generous amounts of saucy postcard, bawdy, double entendre toilet humour and I make no apology for it.

Die­hard fans of the series of films will know already that you can draw a dividing line between the style and content of them. It’s all down to the screenplay writers.

Sergeant, Nurse, Teacher, Constable, Regardless and Cruising – the first 6 films ­ were written by Norman Hudis (still around at the age of 93), and the next 19 (beginning with Cabby and ending with Dick !) were penned by Talbot Rothwell. Even the most ardent fan like me would agree that

from then on, the quality of the films went downhill fast. Good comedy performers need great writers – just ask Morecambe & Wise and The Two Ronnie’s.

Veteran Dave Freeman and then a combination of Dave Pursall, Jack Seddon, Tony Church and Lance Peters, totally sucked the humour out of them as England, Emmanuelle and Columbus would confirm.

Coincidentally, Talbot Rothwell’s last screenplay, Dick, was also the last film to feature Sid James after his death in 1976 and also Hattie Jacques, who was suffering her own health issues at the time. One man doesn’t make a film series, but it never recovered from his untimely passing at the age of 62. Add these to Charles Hawtrey, whose appearance in Abroad was his last, and you’ve lost a major chunk of what made the films a success.

Those early films penned

by Norman Hudis were gentler, less saucy and certainly full of pathos.

Sergeant, Nurse and most certainlyTeacher , had very emotional and tear jerking endings. I still well­up when William Hartnell gets presented with a new Ronson lighter with a message “from the boys” on a card inside the box, and the tears are rolling down the face for the umpteenth time when Ted Ray, as the headmaster and in his only film, is being told the kids of Maudlin Street School have spent the entire term misbehaving in front of school inspectors, so he wouldn’t leave the school.

Ted Ray received such rave reviews for his part as Mr Wakefield, that he was being lined up to star in many more.

Inter studio rivalries between ABC and Anglo Amalgamated got in the way and he never featured again; his part especially written for him in Constable went to......Sid James! The rest is history.

Talbot Rothwell’s scripts brought the sauciness into the films, although it took a while for some of the real belly laughs and gems of naughtiness to appear. Here’s a selection that continue to bring a loud guffaw or two.

Spying : Kenneth Williams slamming a toilet cubicle door in Jim Dale’s face followed by, “I’d give it a minute!"

Don’t Lose Your Head: Joan Sims referring to Charles Hawtrey’s character, “Have you met my husband, the Count?”

Up The Khyber: Peter Butterworth in the famous dinner scene, resuming his seat after hiding under the table and nervously fiddling with his tie, “I do apologise. I was just adjusting my dicky.”

Up The Jungle: Sid James and Joan Sims in conversation

looking at a monkey in a tree.

Sims: “Do you think he’d come if I threw him a peanut?” James: “Would you?”

Abroad: Sid James and June Whitfield at the hotel dinner table.

James offers her a glass of wine.

“No thank you. Tried it once and didn’t like it.” He offers her a cigarette. “Tried it once and didn’t like it.”

“Strange”, said Sid. “My daughter’s just the same”, replied June.

“Your only child, I presume?”

And finally, my favourite of all in Again Doctor , which needs a little background explanation.

Jim Dale and Peter “Onedin Line” Gilmore are two doctors bored with their lot. They play a game of spot diagnosis, which requires them to guess what a patient walking through the reception is suffering from. Peter Butterworth walks in through the door very gingerly, wearing a long brown raincoat a la Columbo! Dale thinks he’s suffering from haemorrhoids and Gilmore suggests slipped disc. They ask him. Is this the best retort ever?

“You thought it was a slipped disc? I’m afraid you were wrong.” Dale thinks he’s won the bet. “And you thought it was haemorrhoids?" I’m afraid you were wrong. As a matter of fact, I thought I was going to break wind. I’m afraid I was wrong.”

Including the compilation movie, That’s Carry On... there were 31 in the series, but, there could’ve been so many more titles that were planned and in some cases almost about to shoot. Smoking (about life in a fire station), Flying (set in an RAF training school), Escaping (a spoof on World War Two films) and the one that almost made the screen, Dallas, a send up of the US TV series, which was abandoned when the TV producers, Lorimar, wanted a royalty fee 20 times the budget of the film.

ITV are currently repeating a three­part series, Carry On Forever, that looks at the complete series of the films and the actors. The third part is essentially an obituary of the stars – just Jim Dale and Barbara Windsor of the principal cast are left and pictured, as they recreate their famous scene in Again Doctor – and showed the vulnerability of many of them in their personal lives. Many died young, before the age of 70 and some penniless. The contracts they signed didn’t give them royalties and many were only paid £5,000 per film.

The style of film and the quality of the actors and actresses can never be repeated, any attempt to remake some of the films with the modern breed of British star,should be avoided at all costs.

They were simply unique.

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

25

OLLIE’S MOOD SPILLS SOLUTION?... F*** IT... (AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK) S

By Gordon Oliver

o, I was scouring the internet for something fresh, a documentary or fluff piece on latest tech, something to occupy my head and reduce the din as I pieced together some semblance of order in my well used, well abused and well under appreciated kitchen.

I scanned the masses of pointless conspiracies, I began to watch a Malcolm X documentary, which turned out to be more of a race hate piece completely against the grain of the man himself. I was losing hope at something impartial as I was sneering at David Icke, who was clearly on the verge. The verge of what, I wouldn't like to explore, as the man is clearly either a loon, or a joke; I can't quite put my finger on it. Alien mind control, 5th dimensional puppeteers, lizard monarchs, probing of.... Oh no, wait, I changed Explorer tabs......

The long and the short of it, Icke has a grasp of everything wrong in the world, but packages it as an alien invasion.

Maybe it’s to protect himself, I don't know. Maybe by acting the lunatic, the authorities leave him alone, yet he still spreads his words of oppression and evil. Crazy idealism. I'm sure there were other famous books which had such guidelines and were taken out of context.

Maybe, we are supposed to ignore the lizard alien parts and just focus upon the hidden message, that the world is being destroyed by the very people who govern us..... Hmm....

My IQ is draining just pondering this and so I leave this digress with hasty abandon.

I became discouraged by the amount of videos, put together by user names such as, UpInSmoke or KillaHi, stating that aliens are controlling our minds and we should wear tinfoil hats to protect our brains from intrusion. I always wondered how disappointing a race would be, to have been capable of

interstellar travel, mind control and such mastery of camouflage, yet couldn't figure out how to get past our greatest manmade achievement......Bacofoil.

Congratulations Dr. Lauder, you would be proud.

However, just before giving up my search for original content and returning to the tried and tested Qi, for stimulation, I noticed something interesting.

When gaming meets science.

Being a seasoned gamer, a man of over indulgence with regards to immersion in fantasy adventure, a geek, tweek, man­child, whatever you will, this piqued my interest.

It began with a man named Adrien Treuille, an idea and a world full of gamers. The idea was based upon the problem of proteins. Bio­chemists approached Adrien with the problem of protein folding. Protein folding is very complex and a visual problem. Computers are not good at visual problems at all, yet humans have an adept understanding of such problems and with this in mind, Adrien harnessed the culture of the game addict. Millions of hours a day are spent on gaming apps, so Adrien, with this in mind, created a work force; a work force who would work for fun.

Folding proteins is a very precise science, it can change the very way our body functions, and can increase a disease tenfold or reduce it equally well, purely by folding the protein correctly. Adrien realised that if he turned this complex idea into a toy, he could get many numbers of people interested in trying to complete the puzzles. For scientists and analysts to do this alone takes many, many years to sometimes figure out

just one such rubics cube­esque puzzle. But using the crowd sourcing technique created a sensation. The numbers of players escalated rapidly and soon enough the program had 300,000 users!

FoldIt had become a sensation and was helping biochemists figure out some of the most complex puzzles available, by sourcing together and turning it into recreational fun, shedding the angry birds and crushed candy.

In 2011 FoldIt users took less than 3 weeks to complete the puzzle of a bad protein, which increases the production of HIV. This allows us to produce better, more efficient treatment in the battle against HIV. That is monumental.

It is humanity saving humanity against humanity for humanity. No one asked for a penny, because they had entertainment and were helping a great cause.

But of course, the players are competitive. To boost your score, you must follow the rules of protein building to complete your design, keeping it compact and leaving no empty spaces.

After this massive success, Adrien was approached by Biochemist, Rhiju Das, with a problem of ribonucleic acids.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule. It is implicated in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. By being able to control and understand RNA, it would be of immeasurable wealth in the battle against cancers, AIDS and a whole host of diseases.

They created EterNa. The intention was when gamers submitted these vast complex strands of snowflake like information, Das and Treuille would reconstruct the model in the lab and return the results to the gamer. It erupted, the reaction was huge, but yet, every RNA they reconstructed came to nothing. It looked bleak. The creators felt terrible as they had promised results to the faithful, yet returned nothing.

But then something happened. Something wholly human, something totally unforeseen, yet ironically, totally scientific.

Forums began clicking. Posts were being shared, results being analysed and deconstructed. Not by scientists but by high school kids, by farmers, by dentists and doctors. By single mothers and stoners. The source crowd was determined to solve the puzzle. The human condition refused to let the virus win. The populous fought back. A consensus, a force combined, fought and won. They systematically analysed data and found the solution. The players RNA molecules were folding correctly. Adrien has 40,000 EterNa players and the worst human score is better than the best computer score when folding RNA molecules. This is amazing, awe inspiring.

These gamers have increased the advancement of medicine by decades.

So my question is this. Why is this not reported to everybody? Why do we only hear stories of celebrity sex and scandal? Of the nasty dirty side of humanity, when there is such good, being done in the world? Why is this kept quiet?

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE VIEW ON.....NOSTALGIA 5th JUNE 1958 Each week on this page, we’re taking you back on an entertainment journey by reminding you of the BBC Radio and TV programmes, and the UK Top 30 on this very day! This week, we look at 1958. Fascinating to see what was on during prime­time television all those years ago.

If you have a special or important day in the past 60 years (1955 to date), let us know here at The View, and we’ll reproduce it just for you. Also, if it’s someone’s birthday or anniversary and you’d like to surprise them with their own personalised greeting and listings in The View, contact us at editor@theview.es explaining why the date you’ve chosen means so much.

RADIO – THE HOME SERVICE 6.25 MARKET REPORT FOR FARMERS 6.30 NEWS SUMMARY 6.33 BRIGHT AND EARLY

BBC Welsh Orchestra NEWS TODAY NEWS CHILDREN'S MASS FOR THE SCHOOLS Music and Movement 10.15 THE DAILY SERVICE 10.30 NEWS SUMMARY followed by MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK The Bobby Howell Orchestra

7.00 7.15 9.00 9.10 9.55

11.00 FOR THE SCHOOLS RHYTHM AND MELODY, by Gladys Whitred 11.20 Geography. 11.40 Intermediate German 12.00 CONCERT HOUR ­ BBC Midland Orchestra 12.55 THE WEATHER 13.00 NEWS 13.10 ANNOUNCEMENTS 13.15 THOSE WERE THE DAYS Harry Davidson and his Orchestra 13.55 CRICKET SCOREBOARD 14.00 FOR THE SCHOOLS 15.00 GRAND HOTEL Reginald Leopold and the Palm Court Orchestra

15.45 THE CRITICS 16.30 LAWN TENNIS

The Davis Cup ­ European Zone: third round Great Britain v. Germany

17.00 18.00 18.15 18.40 18.45 19.00

CHILDREN'S HOUR *,U NEWS TOWN AND COUNTRY TODAY'S SPORT COMPOSERS’ GALLERY DO YOU REMEMBER ?

Unforgettable memories throughout the years played by the BBC Concert Orchestra 20.00 THE THURSDAY PLAY 21.00 NEWS 21.15 RADIO LINK A monthly programme, the only regular one of its kind, in which radio is used to link speakers in London and other world centres to exchange views on important issues of common interest.

14.45 MAINLY FOR WOMEN Summer Magazine 16.30 CRICKET 17.00 CHILDREN'S TELEVISION The Lone Ranger 17.25 ON YOUR MARKS Junior Sportsview takes outside broadcast cameras to Paddington Recreation Ground ­ Introduced by Max Robertson 18.00 NEWS HEADLINES 18.09 CRICKET 18.45 TONIGHT Look around with Cliff Michelmore and Geoffrey Johnson Smith 19.30 'STARR AND COMPANY' 19.50 BILLY COTTON calls 'Wakey Wakey ' in THE BILLY COTTON BAND SHOW with Alan Breeze, Kathy Kay and Alma Cogan

22.00 MUSIC TAPESTRY 22.45 PERSONAL CHOICE

Poems read by Allan McClelland and Valentine Dyall 23.00 NEWS SUMMARY 23.06 MARKET TRENDS London Stock Market closing report, and a review of today's overseas commodity and financial news 23.11 CLOSEDOWN

20.35 RALPH RICHARDSON & CELIA JOHNSON in a scene from 'FLOWERING CHERRY ­ A new play by ROBERT BOLT ­ Televised direct from the Theatre Royal.

Haymarket 21.05 BRAINWASHING This film examines the power of the mind to withstand solitary confinement, brutality, and the ceaseless psychological attacks of trained Communist interrogators ­ 12.30 FARMING Introduced by Walter Cronkite A weekly agricultural magazine for those who 22.00 NEWS and BEHIND THE HEADLINES live by the land, 22.20 LIFELINE 13.00 THE WEATHER SITUATION 22.45 JOSEPH COOPER in CONFESSIONS 13.05 CRICKET – England V New Zealand OF A PIANIST 13.35 BEUNYDD 14.00 LUNCHTIME CRICKET SCORES 14.02 SCHOOLS TUNING; SIGNAL 14.05 FOR THE SCHOOLS Spotlight 14.30 WATCH WITH MOTHER Rag, Tag, and Bobtail

TV – BBC

23.00 NEWS SUMMARY Weather; Road Works Report

UK TOP 30 SINGLES CHART 1. WHO’S SORRY NOW – Connie Francis 2. LOLLIPOP ­ Mudlarks 3. TOM HARK – Elias & His Zigzag Jive Flutes 4. WEAR MY RING AROUND YOUR NECK –

Elvis Presley 5. A WONDERFUL TIME UP THERE – Pat Boone 6. THE GRAND COOLIE DAM – Lonnie Donegan 7. WHOLE LOTTA WOMAN – Marvin Rainwater 8. ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE – Vic Damone 9. KEWPIE DOLL – Perry Como 10. TULIPS FROM AMSTERDAM – Max Bygraves 11. WITCH DOCTOR – David Seville 12. STAIRWAY OF LOVE – Michael Holliday 13. KEWPIE DOLL – Frankie Vaughan 14. WITCH DOCTOR – Don Lang & His Frantic Five 15. I MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN – Robert Earl 16. SWINGIN’ SHEPHERD BLUES – Ella Fitzgerald 17. STAIRWAY OF LOVE – Terry Dene 18. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM / CLAUDETTE – The Everly Brothers 19. SWINGIN’ SHEPHERD BLUES – Ted Heath & His Music 20. IT’S TOO SOON TO KNOW – Pat Boone 21. LOLLIPOP – The Chordettes 22. TWILIGHT TIME ­ Platters 23. MAGIC MOMENTS – Perry Como 24. TO BE LOVED – Malcolm Vaughan & The Mike Sammes Singers 25. I MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY AGAIN – Perry Como 26. CRAZY LOVE – Paul Anka 27. THE SIGNATURE TUNE OF THE ARMY GAME – Michael Medwin & Cast 28. ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE – David Whitfield 29. TEACHER TEACHER – Johnny Mathis 30. TEQUILA ­ Champs

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

FOR YOUR INFORMATION MOORS AND CHRISTIAN’S 2015

A

s a further part of a commitment of THE VIEW to bring you information BEFORE the event, we’ve been contacted by many of you keen to find out when the local spectacular of the Moors & Christians parades are due to take place in our local areas. As we receive the dates, we’ll publish them on this page.

BENEJUZAR – The final three days of their parades are taking place tonight (Friday), tomorrow and Sunday.

ORIHUELA ­ The Ayuntamiento of Orihuela has announced that their Moors & Christians festivities will begin on Saturday 4 July at the Circus Theatre where the participants of the various parades will be presented.

The principal events of the week will be held between Sunday 12 July and Saturday 18 July. The formal and official programme and poster for the event is due to be published on June 25.

LOCAL BUS TIMETABLES Many of you have contacted THE VIEW to say how useful you’ve found our bus timetable feature.

Please note that summer timetables come into force in June and July and we’ll include them nearer the time.

Keep an eye out for local train timetables too...due to arrive soon!

NEW 24 HOUR DUTY CHEMISTS

T

he commitment of THE VIEW to bring you important information continues with more lists of 24 HOUR DUTY CHEMISTS in our coverage area. Known in Spanish as FARMACIAS DE GUARDIA, most towns have at least one chemist on the duty rota which changes on a weekly basis.

Please look at last week’s issue for GUARDAMAR, SAN MIGUEL DE SALINAS and ORIHUELA COSTA. We will cover all the local areas during the next few issues of THE VIEW and repeat the major areas from time to time.

TORREVIEJA

There are two chemists that open 24 hours, 7 days a week: CALLE RAMON GALUD, 196 (Corner of Calle Virgen de La Paloma) AVENIDA ANTONIO MACHADO, 115 Of course, we hope you’ll never need to use the services of the emergency chemists. The advice of THE VIEW is to visit your local farmacia to see if they’re on the rota. There is usually a list posted outside the building if they are.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

WHAT’S ON THE TELLY?

A DOG’S BEST FRIEND IS A TV VIEWER

F

or the third series in a row, or is it five, I’ve made a conscious decision not to watch a single second of Britain’s Got Talent (BGT), with the exception of the final.

Even last Sunday, I preferred my usual fix of Countryfile and Antiques Roadshow and chose to catch the final hour. Forget my dislike of Ant N Dik (sic) and my hatred of David Walliams, who has proved to me, is nothing without his talent loaded comedy partner Matt Lucas. It’s simply that I think talent shows have had their day.

I tuned in just as the Billy Joel / Elton John wannabe, Issac Waddington, began to ruin “She’s always a Woman to Me”.

There’s me thinking that,if this guy has made it to the final, what were the previous shows like? To quote Stadler and Waldorf from the box in the Muppet Show, “it was awful, it was horrendous, it was terrible!” It really was. His voice taken straight out of the Eric Morecambe book of right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. And so to judging...

“That was fantastic!” beamed Simon Cowell. “That was an incredible performance!” blubbed Amanda Holden. Were they listening to Matt Monro through invisible headphones, or perhaps an X­rated film on their iPhones and just said the first thing in their heads when the red camera light flashed in their direction? Oh, how I crave for the return of Tony Hatch, when someone who really knew and understood music said what they felt.

Anyhow, the final act on BGT was ANOTHER dancing dog!

Some would say that the over­training of a dog to do some of the things they do is cruel. I can understand that when you see Matisse walking along a tightrope as part of a stolen

sausage plot line.

“Dogs are such magical and intelligent creatures,” states Alesha Dixon. Indeed, one could well be replacing you as a judge next year. As the canines were being praised by all the judges, I was secretly hoping for them to drop a couple of small deposits on the stage, but then realised there were already two there presenting the show.

As we waited with a yawn for the results, we were entertained by Michael Flatley (his final, last ever performance on British TV) with his Lord of the Dance team and Andrea Bocelli, proving that Ireland at least has talent as does Andrea. Was I the only person who thought that even he, Andrea, wasn’t at his best that night? Did Ant & Dec really say “nice to see you!” when they shook hands with him after performing The Prayer?

The Eric Morley moment was reached with the results

being announced in reverse order, but beginning with TWELFTH place! I thought that a bit cruel; I don’t embarrass my quizgoers that much, but for millions of people to know that you were last didn’t go down well with those it affected.

Did anyone else notice that they finished almost exactly in the order that they performed? It was certainly the case for the bottom seven and showed that perhaps the viewers are fed up with seeing dance groups and wannabe boy bands. As I hadn’t seen all the acts, from only the brief resume, I picked out Jamie Raven and the Welsh Choir – two of the final three.

After the choir came third, it all came down to a magician and a dog, which took me back to Paul Daniel’s act on the BBC on a Saturday night. The dog got it!

Performing dogs should be kept where they belong and that is Crufts. I was under the impression that we were judging human talent and whilst agreeing that a dog trainer has a talent of their own, I don’t believe it’s suitable for this show. For the next series, I’d consider dressing up as a St. Bernard with a bottle of Synera in the barrel to win £250,000 and the chance to perform in front of The Queen, which assumes David Walliams will be judging again, of course. It’s since been announced, and confirmed by the handler, that a “stunt dog” was used in the tightrope sketch. A case of trying to pull the “woof” over the eyes!

This is following a trend. A trend which suggests that the British people would elect a dog as prime minister and would explain why David Blunkett’s guide dog has thrown her lead into the ring to be the next leader of the Labour Party.

DARREN JAMES

Friday 5th June 00:45 This Week 01:30 Holiday Weatherview 01:35 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 The Housing Enforcers 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Claimed and Shamed 12:30 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Perfection 16:00 Escape to the Continent 17:00 The Box 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 A Question of Sport 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 The Vicar of Dibley 22:00 Have I Got News for You 22:30 Mrs Brown's Boys 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC London News; Weather 23:35 The Graham Norton Show

00:15 Weather 00:20 Outbreak: The Truth about Ebola 01:20 Panorama 01:50 Inside the Factory: How Our Favourite Foods Are Made 02:50 24 Hours in the Past 03:50 This Is BBC Two 05:00 Schools - Human Planet: Change and Sustainability KS3 06:00 Spooky Science 06:30 Schools - The Great British Year 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Claimed and Shamed 08:30 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 09:15 Gardeners' World 09:45 Cowboys and Angels 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cagney & Lacey 14:45 One Man and His Campervan 15:15 Cash in the Attic 15:45 Formula 1 17:45 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Beat the Brain 20:00 Antiques Road Trip 21:00 Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites 21:30 Gardeners' World 22:00 Kate Humble: Living with Nomads 23:00 The Clare Balding Show 23:30 Newsnight

00:40 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 01:30 Jackpot247 04:00 Tonight 04:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News London 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News London 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Gino's Italian Escape 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Doc Martin 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News London 23:40 Music and Lyrics (2007)

00:00 Supercars: The Million Pound Motors 01:00 Big Fat Gypsy Weddings 02:00 The Job Centre 02:55 Damned Designs: Don't Demolish My Home 03:50 Dispatches 04:20 Phil: Secret Agent Down Under 05:15 The Renovation Game 06:10 Deal or No Deal 07:00 Countdown 07:45 Will & Grace 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 11:00 Car SOS 12:00 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:35 Channel 4 Racing 18:00 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Marvel's Agents of SHIELD 22:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 23:00 Alan Carr: Chatty Man

01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Cowboy Builders & Bodge Jobs 05:00 Wildlife SOS 05:25 HouseBusters 05:45 House Doctor 07:00 The WotWots 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Lily's Driftwood Bay 07:30 Fireman Sam 07:40 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Pip Ahoy!

08:10 Little Princess 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:30 Milkshake! Bop Box 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS: Los Angeles 16:15 Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006) 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Ultimate Police Interceptors 21:00 Mysteries of the Bible 22:00 Big Brother 23:30 Big Brother's Bit on the Side

The View

29

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

Saturday 6th June 00:25 SunTrap 00:55 Truly Madly Wembley 01:55 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:00 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 11:00 Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30 The Box 13:00 BBC News; Weather 13:10 Football Focus 13:50 Athletics 15:00 Inspire: The Olympic Journey 15:30 Bargain Hunt 16:30 Homes Under the Hammer 17:30 Escape to the Country 18:00 Live Formula 1 20:15 BBC News 20:25 BBC London News; Weather 20:35 Now You See It 21:05 The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins 21:55 Casualty 22:45 The John Bishop Show 23:30 BBC News; Weather 23:50 Not Going Out

00:00 Weather 00:05 Heroes: The Story of the FIFA Women's World Cup 00:50 Infamous (2006) 02:40 Question Time 03:40 Wastemen 04:40 This Is BBC Two 07:00 Animal Park 08:00 A Tale of Two Cities (1957) 09:55 Firecreek (1968) 11:35 Talking Pictures 12:25 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) 14:20 Formula 1 15:55 Live Formula 1 17:00 Formula 1 Rewind 18:00 Antiques Road Trip 19:00 Gardeners' World 19:30 Flog It! 20:30 Edwardian Farm 21:30 Dad's Army 22:00 Pinewood: 80 Years of Movie Magic 23:30 My Week with Marilyn (2011)

01:35 Jackpot247 04:00 Britain's Best Bakery 04:50 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge 07:25 Pat & Stan 07:35 Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures 07:45 Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures 08:00 Canimals 08:15 Sooty 08:30 Super 4 08:45 Nerds & Monsters 09:00 Thunderbirds Are Go 09:25 ITV News 09:30 Weekend 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 12:30 All Star Family Fortunes 13:15 ITV News and Weather 13:25 Doc Martin 14:30 Live French Open Tennis 18:30 Off Their Rockers 19:00 ITV News London 19:10 ITV News and Weather 19:25 You've Been Framed!

20:00 Live UEFA Champions League 23:20 ITV News and Weather 23:35 Play to the Whistle

00:05 Man Down 00:40 Virtually Famous 01:25 Brooklyn Nine-Nine 01:55 Perrier's Bounty (2009) 03:25 The Hotel 04:25 One Born Every Minute USA 05:15 Four Rooms US 06:05 River Cottage Bites 06:25 Deal or No Deal 07:15 How I Met Your Mother 08:05 Triathlon 08:30 The Grid 09:00 The Morning Line 10:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 11:30 Frasier 12:30 The Big Bang Theory 13:25 The Simpsons 14:25 Channel 4 Racing 18:00 Channel 4 News 18:20 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:05 Benchmark 20:00 Celebrity Fifteen to One 21:00 The Restoration Man 22:00 Anna Karenina (2012)

01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Big Brother 05:20 Jackass 05:45 House Doctor 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:15 Milkshake! Bop Box 07:20 Angelina Ballerina 07:35 Pip Ahoy!

07:45 The Mr Men Show 08:00 Chloe's Closet 08:10 Milkshake! Monkey 08:15 Roobarb and Custard Too 08:20 Make Way for Noddy 08:35 Paw Patrol 08:50 Little Princess 09:00 Wanda and the Alien 09:15 Zack and Quack 09:30 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:45 Jelly Jamm 10:05 LazyTown 10:30 Dora and Friends 11:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:35 Access 11:40 Cowboy Builders 14:40 Columbo: Old Fashioned Murder (1976) 16:10 Inside Manchester's Midland Hotel 17:10 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 18:10 The Dog Rescuers 19:10 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 20:00 Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away 21:00 Make You Laugh Out Loud 22:00 Big Brother 23:00 Extraordinary People 23:55 Kellie Maloney: No Going Back

00:20 Tropic Thunder (2008) 01:55 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:00 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:00 The Andrew Marr Show 11:00 The Big Questions 12:00 Sunday Politics 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News 14:10 Weather for the Week Ahead 14:15 Escape to the Country 15:00 Flog It! 15:40 The Truth About Your Teeth 16:40 Points of View 16:55 Songs of Praise 17:30 Nigel Slater: Eating Together 18:00 Countryfile 19:00 BBC News 19:15 BBC London News; Weather 19:25 Live Formula 1 22:00 Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell 23:00 BBC News 23:20 BBC London News; Weather 23:30 Live at the Apollo

01:05 The Many Faces of 02:05 Quatermass II (1957) 03:25 This Is BBC Two 07:00 The Big Allotment Challenge 08:00 Countryfile 09:00 Gardeners' World 09:30 Greatest Gardens 10:00 The Beechgrove Garden 10:30 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00 The Box 12:30 The Box 13:00 Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites 13:30 Alex Polizzi: Chefs on Trial 14:30 Live Athletics 18:20 Hotel India 19:20 Shall We Dance (2004) 21:00 Antiques Roadshow 22:00 Armada - 12 Days to Save England 23:00 Protecting Our Foster Kids

00:15 UEFA Champions League: Extra Time 01:00 The Chase 01:55 Jackpot247 04:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 07:00 Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge 07:25 Pat & Stan 07:35 Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures 08:00 Canimals 08:15 Sooty 08:30 Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge 09:25 ITV News 09:30 Weekend 10:25 Judge Rinder 12:25 Long Lost Family 13:20 ITV News and Weather 13:30 Live International Football 16:10 Live French Open Tennis 19:00 ITV News London 19:15 ITV News and Weather 19:30 Catchphrase 20:15 Celebrity Squares 21:00 Sunday Night at the Palladium 22:00 Home Fires 23:05 ITV News and Weather 23:20 International Football Highlights

00:35 The Brave One (2007) 02:50 Marvel's Agents of SHIELD 03:40 Alan Carr: Chatty Man 04:40 Hollyoaks 06:45 The Common Denominator 07:15 How I Met Your Mother 08:05 British GT Championship 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Sunday Brunch 13:30 George Clarke's Amazing Spaces 14:30 We Bought a Zoo (2011) 16:55 Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days (2012) 18:50 Channel 4 News 19:10 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 20:05 Location, Location, Location 21:00 For the Love of Cars 22:00 Channel 4's Comedy Gala

01:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Big Brother 05:00 Caught on Camera 05:50 Make It Big 06:45 Angels of Jarm 07:00 Peppa Pig 07:05 Bananas in Pyjamas 07:15 Milkshake! Bop Box 07:20 Angelina Ballerina 07:35 Pip Ahoy!

07:45 The Mr Men Show 08:00 Chloe's Closet 08:10 Milkshake! Monkey 08:15 Roobarb and Custard 08:20 Make Way for Noddy 08:35 Paw Patrol 08:50 Little Princess 09:00 Wanda and the Alien 09:15 Zack and Quack 09:25 Olly the Little White Van 09:30 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:45 Jelly Jamm 09:55 Toby's Travelling Circus 10:05 LazyTown 10:30 Dora and Friends 11:00 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:40 The Dog Rescuers 12:10 Ultimate Police Interceptors 13:10 Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 17:10 Open Season 3 (2010) 18:40 The Haunted Mansion 20:15 The Wedding Date 21:55 5 News Weekend 22:00 Big Brother 23:00 Dark Skies (2013)

Sunday 7th June

30

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

Monday 8th June 00:15 Blades of Glory (2007) 01:45 Weather for the Week Ahead 01:50 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Claimed and Shamed 12:30 Family Finders 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Perfection 16:00 Escape to the Country 17:00 The Box 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 Nigel Slater: Eating Together 21:00 EastEnders 21:30 Panorama 22:00 The Met 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC London News; Weather 23:35 Have I Got a Bit More News for You

00:00 A Single Man (2009) 01:30 Formula 1 02:30 Countryfile 03:30 Holby City 04:30 This Is BBC Two 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Claimed and Shamed 08:30 Don't Get Done, Get Dom 09:15 Wanted in Paradise 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The A to Z of TV Gardening 14:10 Cash in the Attic 14:40 Athletics 15:45 Earthflight 16:45 Are You Being Served?

17:15 'Allo 'Allo!

17:40 Yes Minister 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Beat the Brain 20:00 The Wonder of Dogs 21:00 Springwatch 22:00 Japan: Earth's Enchanted Islands 23:00 Episodes 23:30 Newsnight

00:20 Vicious 00:50 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 01:50 Jackpot247 03:30 Motorsport UK 04:20 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News London 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News London 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 Johnny Kingdom's Wild Exmoor 21:30 Coronation Street 22:00 Vicious 22:30 Off Their Rockers 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News London 23:40 Carry On Forever

00:35 Lee Mack Live 01:40 Get Him to the Greek (2010) 03:30 Come Dine with Me 05:45 River Cottage Bites 06:00 Phil: Secret Agent Down Under 06:55 How I Met Your Mother 07:45 Will & Grace 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Car SOS 11:30 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:10 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Benchmark 18:00 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Dispatches 21:30 Gadget Man 22:00 Kevin McCloud's Escape to the Wild 23:00 Man Down 23:35 My Tattoo Addiction

00:50 Crank: High Voltage 02:35 SuperCasino 04:10 Inside Manchester's Midland Hotel 05:00 House Doctor 05:25 Make It Big 06:45 Angels of Jarm 07:00 The WotWots 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Lily's Driftwood Bay 07:30 Fireman Sam 07:40 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Pip Ahoy!

08:10 Little Princess 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Hit & Run (2014) 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 World's Busiest 21:00 Furious & Funny: Caught on Camera 22:00 Inside Manchester's Midland Hotel 23:00 Big Brother

00:20 The Graham Norton Show 01:05 Weather for the Week Ahead 01:10 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Claimed and Shamed 12:30 Family Finders 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Perfection 16:00 Escape to the Country 17:00 The Box 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Holby City 22:00 The Syndicate 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC London News; Weather 23:35 Fox Wars

00:15 Weather 00:20 Steph Houghton - England's World Cup Captain 00:50 Match of the Day Live 03:30 Watchdog 04:30 This Is BBC Two 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Claimed and Shamed 08:30 Family Finders 09:15 Collectaholics 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 The Super League Show 14:45 One Man and His Campervan 15:15 Cash in the Attic 16:00 Earthflight 17:00 Are You Being Served?

17:30 'Allo 'Allo!

18:00 Yes Minister 18:30 Match of the Day Live 21:00 Springwatch 22:00 An Hour to Save Your Life 23:00 Rev 23:30 Newsnight

00:40 Carry On Screaming 02:20 Jackpot247 04:00 UEFA Champions League Weekly 04:25 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News London 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News London 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 A Great Welsh Adventure with Griff Rhys Jones 21:00 Me and My Guide Dog 22:00 The Enforcers 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News London 23:40 Benidorm

00:35 24 Hours in A&E 01:30 One Born Every Minute USA 02:20 Country House Rescue 03:20 The House the 50s Built 04:15 The Renovation Game 05:10 Phil: Secret Agent Down Under 06:05 Jamie's Money Saving Meals 06:35 The Common Denominator 07:00 Countdown 07:45 Will & Grace 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Car SOS 11:30 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:10 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Benchmark 18:00 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Running the Shop 22:00 No Offence 23:00 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:30 Jackass 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 The Dog Rescuers 05:00 Wildlife SOS 05:25 HouseBusters 05:45 House Doctor 07:00 The WotWots 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Lily's Driftwood Bay 07:30 Fireman Sam 07:40 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Pip Ahoy!

08:10 Little Princess 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 The Mystery Cruise 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Ultimate Police Interceptors 21:00 The Dog Rescuers 22:00 Blinging Up Baby: The Blinger, The Better 23:00 Big Brother

Tuesday 9th June

The View

31

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

Wednesday 10th June 00:20 Reign of Fire (2001) 01:55 Weather for the Week Ahead 02:00 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Claimed and Shamed 12:30 Family Finders 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Perfection 16:00 Escape to the Continent 17:00 The Box 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 21:00 DIY SOS 22:00 The Interceptor 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC London News; Weather 23:35 SunTrap

00:15 Weather 00:20 Armada - 12 Days to Save England 01:20 Antiques Roadshow 02:20 Rip Off Britain: Food 03:05 Britain's Greatest Generation 04:05 This Is BBC Two 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Claimed and Shamed 08:30 Family Finders 09:15 Antiques Roadshow Detectives 09:45 Cowboys and Angels 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 Daily Politics 14:00 Cagney & Lacey 14:45 One Man and His Campervan 15:15 Cash in the Attic 15:45 Earthflight 16:45 Are You Being Served?

17:15 'Allo 'Allo!

17:45 Yes Minister 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Beat the Brain 20:00 The Wonder of Dogs 21:00 Springwatch 22:00 Springwatch Unsprung 22:30 Napoleon 23:30 Newsnight

00:10 The Big Fish Off 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 Loose Women 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News London 15:00 Judge Rinder 16:00 Dickinson's Real Deal 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News London 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Coronation Street 21:00 The Cube 22:00 Long Lost Family 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News London 23:40 The Enforcers

00:00 My Granny the Escort 01:05 Born Naughty?

02:05 KOTV Boxing Weekly 02:30 Triathlon 03:00 The Grid 03:25 British GT Championship 03:55 The Renovation Game 04:50 Phil: Secret Agent Down Under 05:45 Deal or No Deal 06:35 The Common Denominator 07:00 Countdown 07:40 Will & Grace 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Car SOS 11:30 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:10 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Benchmark 18:00 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 The Auction House 22:00 24 Hours in A&E 23:00 Shut-Ins: Britain's Fattest People

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 Cricket on 5 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Caught on Camera 05:00 Wildlife SOS 05:25 HouseBusters 05:45 House Doctor 07:00 The WotWots 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Lily's Driftwood Bay 07:30 Fireman Sam 07:40 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Pip Ahoy!

08:10 Little Princess 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders & Bodge Jobs 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:10 Fatal Friends (2015) 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 GPs: Behind Closed Doors 21:00 Make You Laugh Out Loud 22:00 Caught on Camera 23:00 Big Brother

00:05 The Met 01:05 Weather for the Week Ahead 01:10 BBC News 07:00 Breakfast 10:15 Crimewatch Roadshow 11:00 Homes Under the Hammer 12:00 Claimed and Shamed 12:30 Family Finders 13:15 Bargain Hunt 14:00 BBC News; Weather 14:45 Doctors 15:15 Perfection 16:00 Escape to the Continent 17:00 The Box 17:30 Flog It! 18:15 Pointless 19:00 BBC News 19:30 BBC London News 20:00 The One Show 20:30 EastEnders 21:00 Watchdog 22:00 The Truth About Your Teeth 23:00 BBC News 23:25 BBC London News; Weather 23:35 Question Time

00:15 Weather 00:20 Modern Times 01:20 Portillo's State Secrets 01:50 Horizon 02:50 The Detectives 03:50 This Is BBC Two 07:00 Homes Under the Hammer 08:00 Claimed and Shamed 08:30 Family Finders 09:15 Shark 10:15 Victoria Derbyshire 12:00 BBC News 12:30 BBC World News 13:00 Daily Politics 14:00 Cagney & Lacey 14:45 One Man and His Campervan 15:15 Cash in the Attic 15:45 Earthflight 16:45 Are You Being Served?

17:15 'Allo 'Allo!

17:45 Yes Minister 18:15 Antiques Roadshow 19:00 Eggheads 19:30 Beat the Brain 20:00 The Wonder of Dogs 21:00 Springwatch 22:00 Stonemouth 23:00 Mock the Week 23:30 Newsnight

00:40 Tales from Northumberland with Robson Green 01:05 Jackpot247 04:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 04:45 ITV Nightscreen 06:05 The Jeremy Kyle Show 07:00 Good Morning Britain 09:30 Lorraine 10:25 The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30 This Morning 11:55 ITV News 12:00 This Morning 13:30 Loose Women 14:30 ITV News and Weather 14:55 ITV News London 15:00 Judge Rinder 17:00 Tipping Point 18:00 The Chase 19:00 ITV News London 19:30 ITV News and Weather 20:00 Emmerdale 20:30 Tonight 21:00 Emmerdale 21:30 Big Box Little Box 22:00 Britain's Busiest Airport - Heathrow 23:00 ITV News at Ten and Weather 23:30 ITV News London 23:40 Reggie & Thunderbirds: No Strings Attached

00:00 The Job Centre 01:05 Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 01:55 One Born Every Minute USA 02:45 Chopin Changed My Life 03:40 Lover Come Back 05:30 River Cottage Bites 05:45 Deal or No Deal 06:35 The Common Denominator 07:00 Countdown 07:45 Will & Grace 08:35 Everybody Loves Raymond 09:30 Frasier 10:30 Car SOS 11:30 Come Dine with Me 13:00 Channel 4 News Summary 13:05 Come Dine with Me 14:10 A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 15:10 Countdown 16:00 Deal or No Deal 17:00 Benchmark 18:00 Couples Come Dine with Me 19:00 The Simpsons 19:30 Hollyoaks 20:00 Channel 4 News 21:00 Domino's Pizza: A Slice of Life 22:00 The Tribe 23:00 999: What's Your Emergency?

00:00 Big Brother's Bit on the Side 01:00 Inside Manchester's Midland Hotel 02:00 SuperCasino 04:10 Person of Interest 05:00 Wildlife SOS 05:25 HouseBusters 05:45 House Doctor 07:00 The WotWots 07:10 Igam Ogam 07:20 Lily's Driftwood Bay 07:30 Fireman Sam 07:40 Toot the Tiny Tugboat 07:50 Peppa Pig 07:55 Pip Ahoy!

08:10 Little Princess 08:20 The Mr Men Show 08:35 Thomas & Friends 08:45 Milkshake! Monkey 08:50 Noddy in Toyland 09:00 Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 09:15 Peppa Pig 09:35 Toby's Travelling Circus 09:45 Bananas in Pyjamas 10:00 Tickety Toc 10:15 The Wright Stuff 12:10 Cowboy Builders & Bodge Jobs 13:10 5 News Lunchtime 13:15 Big Brother 14:15 Home and Away 14:45 Neighbours 15:15 NCIS 16:15 Smoke Screen (2010) 18:00 5 News at 5 18:30 Neighbours 19:00 Home and Away 19:30 5 News Tonight 20:00 Blinging Up Baby 21:00 Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 22:00 Big Brother 23:00 Hens Behaving Badly

Thursday 11th June

32 fashion forward

ACCESSORIES

ALEXON OFFERS GLAMOROUS EVENT OUTFITS FOR THOSE VERY SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

1

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

3

2

AMARA brings the very best in luxury accessories.... www.amara.es Amara MY TOILETRIES – 16 euros

4

Amara MY MEDICINES – 9 euros

5 1 Bardot Shantung Waterfall Dress Was £129 Now £29 2. Jersey drape front dress Was £80 Now £29 3.Sateen dress Was £99 Now £29 4. Jersey drape maxi dress Was £110 Now £29 5. Velvet and Crepe Shutter Dress Was £140 Now £29.00 6.Lace Top Ottoman Rib Dress Was £129 Now £29.00

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ZARA coloured iron teapot £29­ (37 euros)

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Visit our website for more fantastic offers – www.debenhams.es

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

SUMMER’S ALL-STAR SPAS

CELLULITE & DETOX

Regular detoxing with this range of oils and bath products will help tackle cellulite and restore balance in the skin....AMAZING! Cellutox Active body oil ­ £34.00 – 45€

IF you want relaxation, healthy food and invigorating therapies, staying at a good spa ticks all of the boxes. This week we are spotlighting Spain, France and Italy.

ASIA GARDENS, SPAIN. www.asiagardens.es A 5 star hotel which transports guests to an Asian world of luxury surrounded by stunning tropical garden and swimming pools.

This hotel stands on the slopes of Sierra Cortina, 150 metres above sea level, offering fantastic views over the Costa Blanca. The exquisite rooms are decorated in Balinese style.

The Barcelo Asia Gardens & Thai Spa hotel has the best leisure centre, as well as two 18 hole golf courses.

SPA The Thai Spa combines tradition, wisdom & Asian sophistication in an atmosphere of calmness and tranquillity.

Relaxation area includes: • Indoor heated pool • Turkish bath • 7 outdoor tatami stilt huts for traditional Thai massage • Sun terrace • Infusion service Entrance fee­ 20 euros per hour.

NUAD THAI ­ Traditional Thai massage Thai massage follows the ancient traditions that have been passed down for generations.

The therapist’s hands, elbows and feet are used as massage pressure points to open up flow of energy, stretching muscles and relieving tension.

Duration – 1 hour – 106 euros 2 hours – 184 euros www.asiagardens.es ALLIANCE PORNIC RESORT HOTEL THALASSO & SPA Near Nantes, FRANCE. The area around Nantes on the northwest coast of France offers a range of hotel spas, which visitors flock to year round. The welcoming ocean­side Alliance Pornic Resort Hotel Thalasso & Spa blends delicious food and comfortable bedrooms.

As well as general health, there are resources for slimming and cellulite reduction, sports fitness, beauty treatments and a range of massages, water jets and seaweed scrubs. There are Jacuzzi areas, streams, cascading showers and whirlpool baths. Heaven! www.thalassopornic.com VAIR SPA AT BORGO EGNAZIA Puglia, ITALY. Tranquil and luxurious, Vair is attached to the five­star Borgo Egnazio Hotel, a honey coloured purpose­built village by the coast.

This mind and wellness centre focuses as much as promoting happiness as on physical wellbeing and relaxation. There are fantastic beauty treatments, naturopathy, iyengar yoga, massages and aromatherapy.

The three day Tarant programme based on an ancient local tradition of expelling toxins from a spider bite, focuses on drawing out the contaminations of modern life. Some clients say they reinvented their lives afterwards. www.borgoegnazia.com

Carolines view on.

W i l l C H O C O L AT E N A I L VA R N I S H look tasty on you?

An elegant manicure can complete an outfit, but if you stick to pink or crimson you are missing out on a huge range of new shades on your nails.

Shades of brown are a sophisticated way to break from red. Try a chocolate colour such as above or Essie’s Hot Coco or opt for Sally Hansen’s So Much Fawn (Druni – 9 euros) is pink toned if you’re not brave enough for full­on brown.

While you might want to save glitter for parties, you can wear a golden metallic look every day with NARS 3.1

Phillip Lim Gold Viper www.narscosmetics.co.uk (19 euros) which looks soft & feminine if you leave it at one layer or dramatic with two. It will complement tanned holiday skin.

After trying the most expensive polish against M&S, I have to admit the GOLD VIPER was by far my favourite , lovely shine and long­ lasting it really is worth the extra cost and matches beautifully with my new gold/yellow summer outfits. www.marksandspencer.com

Limited Collection Marks & Spencer Chocolate £3.50 – 5 euros

Cellutox Herbal Bath Synergy ­ £111 – 145 €

Frangipani monoi body oil. Hair, nail and body oil. Truly exotic oil is rapidly absorbed pro­ viding superior mois­ turisation for mature skin.£34.00 – 45 €

Body detox skin brush £21.00 – 27€

www.elemis.com DELIVERY TO EUROPE – WITHIN 10­14 WORKING DAYS ­ £9.95 ­ 13 EUROS AUTOGRAPH Marks & Spencer Champagne £3.50 ­ 5 euros

Limited Collection Marks & Spencer ­ £3.50 – 5 euros

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

Festive fiesta tacos

These little pork tacos have got the lot – hot and cold, soft and crunchy, citrus and spice

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 200 g higher­welfare pork belly, skin off and cut into 1cm dice olive oil 1 ripe avocado, halved and destoned 2 large ripe tomatoes 1 fresh red chilli 200 g tinned haricot beans, drained, op­ tional 2 limes sea salt freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon runny honey 6 taco shells ½ bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped 1 lime 1 teaspoon runny honey fat­free natural yoghurt, to serve Season your board with the sweet smoked paprika and fennel seeds and toss with the diced pork belly. Give your hands a good wash. Pop a large pan over a medium heat, add a small splash of oil and the spiced pork and fry for 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Jiggle the pan every so often.

Meanwhile, flip the board over and give your knife a quick clean. Use a spoon to scoop out the

avocado flesh, then chop up into rough 1cm chunks with the tomatoes. Finely chop the chilli, then toss it together to make a sort of crude salsa.

By this point the pork will be lovely and gnarly so drain and add the haricot beans, if using, and cook for a further 2 to 4 minutes, or until thick and combined.

Squeeze the juice from one of the limes over the salsa, season well and toss to dress. Check on the

pork – add the honey at this point, if you like, to give it an incredible shine, then season and toss everything together.

Get yourself a big board or plank for serving, and ruffle up a tea towel to hold your taco shells.

Divide the meat between them. Mix the coriander through the salsa then dot some over each taco, along with a dollop of yoghurt and an extra squeeze of lime juice, then tuck in.

Fruity frozen yoghurt Healthier than ice cream... but just as delicious!

Ingredients

1 ripe banana 400 g ripe seasonal fruit, such as mangos, plums, pears, blueberries 3 tablespoons runny honey 500 g natural yoghurt 150 g raspberries

Method

1. Peel the banana.

2. On a chopping board, slice the banana into bite­sized pieces.

3. Pick off and discard any stalks from the seasonal fruit.

4. Use a Y­shaped peeler to peel the fruit, if needed.

5. Cut the fruit into bite­sized pieces, removing the cores, if needed.

6. Place all the chopped fruit onto a tray, spreading them

out so none of the pieces are touching each other.

7. Place the tray in the freezer for around 2 hours, or until frozen.

8. Once frozen, remove the tray from the freezer. Transfer the fruit to a sandwich bag, seal it up and return it to the freezer.

9. Place 6 small glasses into the freezer to get extra cold.

10. Meanwhile, place the honey and yoghurt into a food processor and blitz until combined.

11. Remove the cold glasses from the freezer and divide the raspberries between them.

12. Working quickly, take the frozen fruit out of the freezer and add to the food processor. Blitz well until smooth and combined.

13. Spoon the frozen yoghurt into your glasses and serve straightaway or place into an airtight container and freeze for another day.

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

WHY DRINKING COFFEE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING IS A BAD IDEA

C

offee has ingrained itself in the mechanisms of so many people's early morning routines. There is something romantic about brewing a carafe, or holding a freshly bought cup close, first thing. There is also something practical about it: Sipping piping hot caffeine as soon as possible prepares us for the day — or, at the very least, for the coming few hours.

But drinking coffee shortly after waking up, as it turns out, is actually a bit counterproductive. Not only does it undermine the caffeine's effect, but it tends to lead people to build a tolerance for the drug, thereby diminishing its effect down the road.

Our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol, which has been branded the "stress hormone," because it tends to appear when we are either stressed or fearful.

But that same hormone is also a key component of our natural, day­long hormonal cycle, known as the circadian clock, which helps wake us up in the morning and wind us down at night. The gist is that when our body releases cortisol, we feel more awake.

There are two basic problems with consuming caffeine when cortisol production is high. First, caffeine tends to interfere with the production of cortisol. The body then produces less of the hormone and relies more on the caffeine.

Second, drinking coffee while cortisol is high leads us to develop long­term tolerances for caffeine, which is why so many habitual coffee drinkers say it has less of an effect on them. In effect, caffeine replaces the boost we would ordinarily get from cortisol rather than supplementing it.

Three times throughout the day — in the early morning, around mid­day, and in the evening–cortisol levels rise.

Studies have shown that when people talk about

Aldi £12.99 whisky wins top medal

A

developing a "tolerance" for coffee, they are often talking — albeit unknowingly — about the reality that their coffee consumption has fostered a decrease in the amount of cortisol their body produces during the day.

It's during the troughs above — between roughly 10 a.m. and noon, and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.—when people should drink coffee if they want to get the most out of their caffeine. Between those hours, the coffee is actually most needed, and, perhaps most importantly, will not interfere with our body's own essential mechanism for keeping us alert.

Studies have shown that when people talk about developing a "tolerance" for coffee, they are often talking — albeit unknowingly — about the reality that their coffee consumption has fostered a decrease in the amount of cortisol their body produces during the day.

Coffee drinkers who are exhausted in the morning without their coffee have likely altered their circadian rhythm in such a way that they need the caffeine boost in order to reach the level of wakefulness they used to achieve without it.

Sound familiar? Maybe it's time to reconsider when you drink your first cup.

ldi has continued its reign over other supermarkets by winning yet another blind taste test, this time for one of its budget whiskies.

At the International Spirits Challenge, Aldi's £12.99 Highland Black 8 Year Old Scotch Whisky was awarded a gold medal, despite being pitted against bottles worth six times the price.

The budget supermarket was also awarded silver medals for its Glen Orrin 5 Year Old Malt Whisky (£13.29) and Clarke's Kentucky Bourbon Whisky (£14.99) , and a bronze medal for their Highland Earl Scotch Whisky (£11.49).

At this year's Spirits Business Scotch Whiskey Masters awards, Aldi also scooped gold for their Highland Black whisky and also for their Glen Orrin Malt Whisky, while their Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt Whisky was given a "master" certification for its high quality.

Tony Baines, joint managing director for corporate buying at Aldi, said: "We are extremely proud that our own­label whisky range has been recognised by some of the world's leading experts.

"To win one award is a privilege but to win eight medals at these esteemed competitions is absolutely fantastic. 2015 is

proving to be a fantastic year so far in terms of award wins ­ and we hope our customers will join us in raising a glass to celebrate."

This is the latest in a string of wins from Aldi. At the Grocer Food & Drink Own Label Awards in May, Aldi took home 13 gold medals, beating most of Britain's supermarkets when it came to taste.

The International Spirits Challenge also awarded Aldi seven medals for its range of gin, vodka and liqueurs in April.

36 80 YEARS OLD THIS WEEK

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

I

n 1935, a Mr R E L Beere of Kensington became the first person to pass the driving test, paying 37p in today’s money to take it.

80 years on and a lot has changed on British roads with the number of cars soaring from only around 2 million back then to 27 million vehicles on the road in 2015.

According to a new report by Saga Motor Insurance, it’s now the over 50s who account for nearly half of all motor transport spending, spending £42.4 billion in 2014 and clocking up 7,270 miles a year.

Furthermore, during the last decade the number of people in their 60s and 70s who hold licences has increased much faster than all age groups combined, with a big surge in car ownership of the over 70s.

THE VIEW has reproduced a copy of the very first driving test certificate issued. It’s dated March 1935 as this was the result of a voluntary test as opposed to the compulsory ones introduced in the June.

How long have you held your license for? Over 50 or perhaps 60 years or more? Let us know at editor@theview.es and we’ll try and find the person that’s been driving the longest in our area.

Do you plan to be in the UK during July? The 2015 50+ Show will take place at London Olympia for the 9th consecutive year on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 July 2015, in the famous National Hall.

In 2015, The 50+ Show in London will see a complete ‘make­over,’ to focus on four key topics that the areas that regular visitors are passionate about: Hobbies, Health, Crafts and Travel.

You can register online in advance for free entry but would need to enter a UK address, at http://www.onlineregistration.co.uk/shows/50plu sshow/london15/regfifty.php

Earmarked pensions danger

F

ormer wives may be squeezed out of a share of the pension in divorce settlements by former spouses who decide to run down their pension funds from the age of 55. This means that “earmarking orders”, a popular solution to the problem of splitting a divorcing couple’s finances in the 1900s, will not be worth the value expected. Any divorcee with such an arrangement may need to act fast to protect (normally) her ­ but sometimes his ­ benefits.

Meanwhile a Supreme Court ruling could see thousands of ex­spouses pursuing their former partner for pension payments decades after they divorce if no "financial order" was established at the time. On 11

May, the court allowed the latest appeal in the case of Wyatt v Vince. Wyatt was given permission to challenge an earlier ruling that found in favour of her former husband, after he had appealed a decision to allow a financial claim issued 18 years after they split.

In 1995, after the couple had divorced, Vince established wind farm company Ecotricity, which is now worth around £107m. He had appealed on the basis his ex­wife had lodged the claim too belatedly, but five Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled her case should go before the family court. This ruling eases the way for anyone without a financial order to bring a claim against their former spouse even if they divorced many moons ago.

WHATSAPP WITH SPANISH SILVERSURFERS?

A

study presented this week in Barcelona by the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) shows that most people over the age of 64 who use new communication technologies prefer to use WhatsApp and Facebook. They like them as they can use these methods to keep in touch with their grandchildren.

However, they hate selfies!

The study led by RecerCaixa notes that most people want to be "modern" and aims to use these modern methods to be active in the new digital society, although this doesn’t tend to increase their use of social media unlike the young.

Study author is Roser Beneito, Professor of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications of the UOC,

who for two years followed a group of people between 64 and 79 years on the project "Older people and social media: breaking e­ marginalization" , and he has shredded the myth about the amount of time elderly people use social media to communicate.

The report, in collaboration with the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP), concludes that use of social networking by older people isn’t used to look for friendships or relationships, unless the users already have an active social life "offline".

It also concludes that older people associate the use of these technologies and ideas as a way of feeling and looking young; to be modern, being connected and being part of the digital society. Again, the

preconception that older people aren’t interested in technology is crushed when a great willingness to learn many aspects of social networking was revealed.

Beneito believes the profile of the largest user of social networks is "a person who already has an active social life outside the internet", and prefers one to one interaction because they have trouble understanding the logic of a network conversation.

The study concludes that the most successful social network among the elderly is WhatsApp, since it allows them to create groups among people with similar interests.

Above all, the biggest use of this network is to maintain contact with their children and grandchildren and share photographs with them.

The study noted that Facebook is also popular as it allows them to stay connected with interests and hobbies and gives them an insight to what their own children and grandchildren are following. The elderly who participated in the study have said that they like to exchange images, videos and memes because they can communicate without using written language which can often cause more issues.

Nevertheless, they confess that they hate selfies!

More Scottish without independence

R

ecently published research from Age Scotland Enterprises, shows almost three in ten Scots (28%) aged over­60, equating to 343,500 people, still have grown­up children relying on them in some way.

This underlines the wider, cross­generational consequences of the financial challenges facing young adults.

Seventeen percent of over 60s have adult dependents living with them in the family home – 8% of them don’t even get rent or contributions towards bills from their children who haven’t flown the nest.

A further 11% of 60+ Scots provide financial support to their adult children who have left home in the form of contributions towards car tax, insurance or first home deposits.

Additionally 36% of the same age group admitted they would not consider downsizing for family related reasons – either because they want to pass on a legacy to their offspring (12%) or that it’s the family home (24%).

Almost half of those in this age group who have considered moving (43%) say their home is no longer suitable for them either because of health and mobility reasons (11%) or because it is too big (32%).

Logan Steele, General Manager of Age Scotland Enterprises, said: “This research begs the question – is Scotland’s older generation being trapped in their family home due to commitments to their adult children, who themselves are facing financial challenges?

“As people near retirement they have generally paid off the majority of their mortgage and are seeking to minimise their outgoings. It is understandable that older people will consider their children’s as well as their own futures when weighing up the practicalities of later life. However, it is essential that they strike the right balance and don’t get drawn into a financial situation that impacts their wider choices.

“There is also the practical question about the additional stress on the older generation’s existing financial commitments. There is no doubt that an adult child will have possessions of value in the home they share with their parents. Are these covered by the home insurance and who is picking up the tab if they are? There are many such areas to consider that could potentially have more financial impact.”

Despite the increasing confidence in the economy, a quarter (25%) of over 60s, 306,700 people, are concerned about making ends meet.

Logan Steele commented: “We must recognise that people are not only worried about making sure their money goes further – they’re anxious about understanding and managing their finances. It is important that people feel confident enough to take control of their finances and reach out to those able to help them.”

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

IT’S YOUR PAGE...

The joys of Summer

by Yvonne Garnham

S

ummer has arrived in Spain and we can look forward to spending long sunny days and evenings outdoors. But the warm weather also sees the return of a bunch of critters intent on spoiling our outdoor life. In order of my personal annoyance these are: ANTS – MOSQUITOES – COCKROACHES – FLIES AND WASPS. When I first came to live in Spain there were very few ants in our garden. In fact, I would often spend a lazy afternoon on my sun­lounger being entertained by a solitary soldier­ant boldly carrying a crumb

back home to share with his chums.

The past two years have seen our ant population multiply a zillion times, but strangely they have reduced in size. These midget ants hone in and swarm on any insect unfortunate to pass away on our patio, forming an orderly queue which often stretches the length of our garden.

Last year these ants had the audacity to invite themselves indoors whilst I was enjoying a siesta. My husband cooked chicken and vegetables in readiness to prepare fajitas for our evening meal, covered the pan with a lid and left to cool. Later, revived by my siesta and feeling Hank Marvin, I lifted the lid from the pan, but lo and behold our supper was awash with ants. I almost dropped the pan with shock at the sight of this huge mass of ants crawling over the food.

Then I discovered a line of them which stretched from an outside door into the kitchen, up the cupboards and onto the cooker in readiness to join their mates. I felt like I was in a horror movie.

I read somewhere recently that ants do not like cinnamon, so anyone who visits our villa this summer will experience the

wonderful aroma of Christmas.

Mosquitoes are very unfriendly creatures and delight in sucking our blood, although I’ve been told it is only the female mosquitoes that bite us ­ there is obviously a lot of girl power in the mosquito world.

Holiday­makers are particularly susceptible to attack by mosquitoes. The holiday­maker is easily recognisable by a glowing nose, peeling shoulders and the constant scratching of red swellings on pure­white legs.

Cockroaches are the most unwelcome guest of the summer, they prefer moist, warm dark places to live in but they also like to come out to play and scare those who are not used to them. You will often see ladies sitting on chairs with legs raised in the air whilst a cockroach does a runner across the floor.

I have adopted a habit of checking out public toilets for cockroaches during the summer, after experiencing one of the flying varieties dive­bombing me whilst in mid flow. To avoid a panic attack, I attempted to visualise the cockroach as a butterfly. Butterflies are beautiful harmless insects; they delicately flutter around and are a

joy to watch ­ whereas the cockroach is regarded as the scum of the insect world. After all you would never choose to buy clothes or bed linen decorated with cockroaches as you might with butterflies ­ it must be hell to be born a cockroach.

Flies delight in spoiling outdoor dining.

As soon as the plate is on the table they appear from nowhere, circling your food before making ready to land and spread whatever they have been crawling on last ­ I’d rather not go there.

I have learned to eat with one hand and squat flies with the other, it’s quite a skill. The problem comes if you’ve forgotten to put the ketchup on the table and leave your meal unattended. One eye has to constantly keep watch on the plate while you flit to the cupboard and back in record time.

Wasps can give you a nasty sting, particularly if they attack anywhere near the mouth. Dodging them when they start to crawl near you whilst eating outside is extremely irritating. I have sometimes tried to bribe them with their own little dish of honey, but they still seem to

prefer steak and chips.

So, in order to enjoy the summer and not let the critters take over, I’ve put together my hit list of products to deal with them. Ant powder, Multi­insect spray, cinnamon, cockroach killer, plug­in insect deterrents, electric fly and mosquito catchers, mosquito candles and plastic fly squatters. So look out critters this is a war you are definitely not going to win this year.

Have a good summer, enjoy the barbecues and the freedom of outdoor living – let’s just hope there is not a jelly fish invasion when we hit the beach!!

COLD BOTTOMS AND PREGNANT EARWIGS

M

IKE SMITH read the article in Edition 2 of THE VIEW, featuring Prince Harry’s call to bring back National Service.

Memories came flooding back for Mike in particular and he shares part 2 of his anecdotes with us…

What a day! “Mother hen” as Taffy now called our Corporal, whose real name was Ted, woke us up by banging the beds and shouting “Hands off c**** and on with socks”, followed by “Get out of those stinking pits you load of sprogs!”. As Lofty looked at me, he said “my mother never said that”.

Then it was into the washroom, where you heard shouts and cries of “Where’s the hot water?” Ablutions were not the most hygienic of times as you had to wash, shave and use the toilet as quickly as possible. If you were first in, the seat was so cold it stuck to your bottom, but if you were last the smell was overpowering!

After that it was time for breakfast.

Porridge followed by sausage, egg, beans and fried bread with a mug of tea. Then our corporal said we were going to the barber’s.

There were lads with blonde hair, brown hair and ginger hair; there were lads with long hair, short hair, straight hair and curly hair and few had a quiff. But after ten minutes there was more hair on the floor of the shop than a sheep farm at sheep shearing time. As the last lad came out, the other lads had been waiting in the cold wind, their heads felt quite cold, so they put their hands on their head to keep it warm. When our Corporal eventually

came out, he said “You can take your hands down, I don’t think anything will escape”.

Then our Corporal shouted “Attention”, as some of us were a little slow like Corporal Jones in Dad’s Army, he let us do it again; well to tell the truth he let us do it several times.

He walked up to Taffy and standing about a foot from his face, he shouted, “You are a jumped up never come down pregnant earwig”. Eventually we thought we’d got it together, our Corporal said “we looked a bloody shambles”.

Back at our new home our Corporal said it was dinner time, but after dinner we would be going to the paymaster to get our number.

As we got to paymaster’s office, another troop arrived at the same time so we were told to get in single file. Scouser was in front of me, but a lad from the other troop was behind me.

When my turn came I went into the office and

was told my number and I received my AB40.

After this, the officer explained it was very important to learn my number or I wouldn’t get any pay. When I got outside the lad from the other troop asked me to hold his fag, after taking his fag I joined my own troop and never saw him again.

Incredibly, some 40 years later when I mentioned 7TR in a letter to the editor of a pigeon magazine, another fancier wrote asking when I was there? He was the lad who asked me to hold his fag. My number was 234929798 his was 234929799.

Then we spent the next hour learning how to stand to attention, turn right, turn left, and how to halt. I think turning left went something like this, on “one” you swiveled round on your left heel, without falling over.

On “two” you lift your right foot up until the knee is parallel to your waist and point the toe down to the ground. On “three” you bring your right foot down by the side of your left foot.

Later, Corporal Ted said we could mark all our kit with our number, rank and name, but anything that we couldn’t stencil, like our personnel clothing, we had to sew a little white label on. After showing us what to do, he said he’d be back later to see how we were getting on. While some lads were stenciling their webbing and kit bag, others started sewing the labels on clothing with the needle from their little green housewife. Some lads pricked their fingers with the needle and the air was turned blue. When our corporal came

back, he took one look at Jock with blood all over his hands and tore him off a strip. By now Jock was so fed up he chucked all his kit up in the air and told our corporal what he could do. After calming him down, he said that instead of spending the next hour in the NAFFI with the rest of the lads, he could start on the floor with the bumper.

Three days later, my mate Scouser and I were going to the dining room swinging our arms like all sprogs and his mug hit mine and we were left with two handles. Later that day, our corporal was looking in the lockers and he noticed we hadn’t got a mug, so he gave us two days peeling spuds. The following morning at breakfast, as we were leaving the dining room we noticed two other sprogs leave their mugs on the table, so we grabbed them like two soldiers from the SAS. All in all, I did my share of spud bashing and washing up; I climbed over the wall of the coke yard for a bag of coke after it was dark. I ran round the drill square with my rifle above my head. I got caught coming over the wire after visiting the Brown Bear Pub where we sang “Bring a little water Sylvie”.

There were times when I was cold; there were times when I was bloody freezing, but the day I passed out I was quite proud.

23492978 Smith M.D. 27 Troop, 5th Squadron 7th Training Reg Royal Signals Galowgate Camp, Richmond, N. Yorkshire.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

THE BIG CROSS WORD Across

MOVIES/TV QUIZ

1. In which cop show did Petrie and Isbecki appear?

2. What 1945 film won best picture, actor and director Oscars?

3. Who directed 'Dr Strangelove', '2001 A Space Odyssey' and 'The Shining'?

4. What did Marnie Nixon do for Deborah Kerr, Natilie Wood and Audrey Hepburn?

5. Who played Miss Marple in 6 films?

6. Roy Thines played David Vincent in which TV series?

1 On which racecourse is the Gold Cup run? (5) 2 Which US group’s UK hit singles include She’d Rather Be With Me and Elenore? (7)

7. Who created the cartoon character Droopy?

8. In the TV show Bonanza, Hoss Cartwright was afraid of what?

9. Who sang the theme song for 'The Love Boat'?

10. Which X rated movie won an Oscar?

11. Which actor is appears in both 'The Magnificent 7' and 'The Dirty Dozen'?

12. In which Hitchcock film did the heroine find a shrunken head in the bed?

13. Who produced the 'Tom and Jerry' cartoons until 1956?

14. What was Colombo's dog called?

15. Which Shakespeare play was the basis of the movie 'The Forbidden Planet'?

to the computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange? (8)

Down

Answers:

detecting and removing concealed microphones from an area? (9) 23 What is the name of the contract granting use or occupation of property during a specified time for a specified payment? (5) 24 What name is normally applied

1. Cagney and Lacey 2. The Lost Weekend 3. Stanley Kubrick 4.

Dubbed in their singing voices 5.

Margaret Rutherford 6. The Invaders 7. Tex Avery 8. The Dark 9. Jack Jones 10. Midnight Cowboy 11. Charles Bronson 12.

Under Capricorn 13. Fred Quimby 14. Fang ­ Basset Hound 15. The Tempest

1 What title is given to the person established as pope in opposition to one held by others to be canonically chosen? (8) 7/4 Which fortified Inca town in the Peruvian Andes, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its dramatic position, perched high on a steep­sided ridge? (5,6) 8 What name is given to a severe abscess or multiple boil in the skin, typically infected with staphylococcus bacteria? (9) 9 Enola Gay and Maid of Orleans were both UK Top 10 hits for which 80s group (abbreviation)? (3) 10 Which fine grained mineral has a soft soapy feel and consists of hydrated magnesium silicate? (4) 11 What name is given to a drink taken after another of a different kind, typically a strong alcoholic drink after a weaker one? (6) 13 What name is given to the remains, or an impression, of a plant or animal that existed in a past geological age and that has been excavated from the soil? (6) 14 See 3 Down 17 What name is given to a space entirely devoid of matter? (6) 18 What was the name of the Dutch and Huguenot population that settled in southern Africa in the late 17th century? (4) 20 Which playing card with a single spot on it is ranked as the highest card in its suit in most card games?

(3) 22 Which process involves

3/14 In 1775, which American patriot rode from Boston to Lexington to warn fellow revolutionaries of the approach of British troops? (4,6) 4 See 7 Across 5 If someone was described as a thespian, what would be their calling? (5) 6 What name was given to a 19th century English workman who destroyed labour­saving machinery that he thought would cause unemployment? (7) 7 Rubeola is the medical term for which infectious viral disease? (7) 12 What is the US equivalent of the British post code? (3,4) 13 Which word that means easily broken into small fragments or reduced to powder is derived from the Latin for ‘to crumble’? (7) 15 What name is given to someone who attends the famous public school for boys in Berkshire, founded in 1440? (7) 16 Also referred to as a ‘pagri’, which Sikh man’s headdress consists of a long length of cotton or silk wound round a cap or the head? (6) 17 Which word describes a strict vegetarian who eats no animal or dairy products at all? (5) 19 Whose Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases was first published in 1852? (5) 21 What old name for malaria or some other illness involving fever and shivering comes from the Latin for ‘acute (fever)’? (4)

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

SUDOKU

FILL-IT-IN

Complete the crossword grid by using the given words:

3 letter words Ace Ail BBC Ess Etc Goo Hit Ice Loo Nor Res Sag

Son Sty Tee Try Use

4 letter words Deny Harm Talc Yens

5 letter words Aisle

Anger Beset Blini Bonce Claim Cokes Cross Donor Evens Glean Hence Litre Loose Ovate

Cryptic

Across 1 A lair in an Arabian seaport (4) 3 Many a caper the Parisian concluded in song (8) 9 Beginner with a gun (7) 10 Loses one’s temper when shown photographs (5) 11 Support for fifty on the boundary (5) 12 Change pieces (6) 14 Songbird’s medical condition (6) 16 Take out permit to be in the Scottish river (6) 19 Peg enabling big drinker to swallow big eater (6) 21 I sit in a divan in capital city (5) 24 To be former partner is Middle Eastern (5) 25 Call worker to perform in a great show (7) 26 Diana’s little bloomer causes a catastrophe (8) 27 Deliver germ, reportedly (4) Down 1 A sailor, Spanish sun,

Saucy Terce

6 letter words Botany Hereto Insist Island Series Tether

7 letter words Rethink Sardine

mid­January, end of August, end of June, it’s perfect (8) 2 Iceland, I see, is out to find such a beast (5) 4 Stop up­and­coming painter getting a break (6) 5 Sample some of the pasta’s texture (5) 6 Poison, i.e. candy concoction (7) 7 Ceases to have comfort (4) 8 The remaining ones from ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ (6) 13 Pear tree chopped down for jousting (8) 15 Fixes rapiers (7) 17 A dozen signalmen hold one flag (6) 18 Secure an ingredient of primary importance (6) 20 Stage is set for the computer entrepreneur (5) 22 Confused male figurehead is a sweetie (5) 23 Fellow expected back during sustained enmity (4)

Standard

Across 1 City in Yemen (4) 3 Hymn (8) 9 First course (7) 10 Breaks (5) 11 Projection (5) 12 Coinage (6) 14 Songbird (6) 16 Erase (6) 19 Valve (6) 21 National capital (5) 24 Live (5) 25 Parade (7) 26 Tragedy (8) 27 Yield (4)

The Big Crossword Answers

Down 1 Complete (8) 2 Type of antelope (5) 4 Take into custody (6) 5 Flavour (5) 6 Type of poison (7) 7 Effortlessness (4) 8 Those not specified (6) 13 Banter (8) 15 Mends (7) 17 Flag (6) 18 Paper fastener (6) 20 Entrances (5) 22 Fire (5) 23 Dispute (4)

Last weeks Crossword Solution

Sudoku Solution

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

CAPTION COMPETITION THE VIEW has reproduced an image taken from one of this week’s major news stories.

We’re challenging you to come up with a caption to fit.

We’ll publish our favourite suggestion next week.

E­mail your wit to editor@theview.es or send them to Apartado de Correos 255, 03193 San Miguel de Salinas. Alicante.

Last week’s image from the State Opening of Parliament attracted a wide range of captions. The entry that tickled us the most was sent in by Sharon Campion.

“One does hope that The Royal Variety Show is more entertaining”

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

41

New rules set to ruin Britons' summer holidays

T

housands of motorists hiring a car overseas could be caught out by driving licence changes next week which may see them refused their hire vehicle.

Every year, thousands of British motorists pick up keys to a hire car when holidaying abroad or on business. But many are not aware that, from next Monday, they will need to generate a special code to hand in at the rental kiosk.

It comes as the paper counterpart of British driving licences is scrapped with records going digital in a move experts predict will save the Government £8million.

Drivers instead will need to log onto the DVLA's Share Driving Licence service before they leave to generate a unique code. This requires both a driving licence number and national insurance number.

Without it, drivers could be refused a hire car. The code will enable the rental firm to access records which details convictions such as speeding and what vehicles a motorist is allowed to drive.

But the code is only valid for 72 hours. A survey by Money.co.uk shows three in four drivers are not aware of this new requirement, despite the changes happening next week.

Of those who do know, many believe the code should last

at least a week and half think you should be able to specify the duration of the code when generated.

It may be possible to generate the code when you arrive at the airport.

However, this could require a wi­fi enabled device and knowing your national insurance number. The DVLA will also make a phone number available to generate one.

Simon Williams, RAC spokesman, said: 'There will, no doubt, be a settling­in period where rental companies ­ particularly abroad ­ come to terms with the change.

'Hopefully, this will not lead to too many unwanted holiday dramas for British people hiring cars abroad this summer.'

According to the survey of 1,500 drivers, 78 per cent would not take their national insurance number on an overseas trip, which could now cause havoc when attempting to pick up a hire car.

However, motoring experts do stress the code is not an official requirement. It will depend on hire company's terms and conditions as to whether or not it is required.

Experts are recommending taking an access code, photocard driving licence, note of national insurance number and the paper counterpart to be on the safe side.

Edmund King, AA president, said: 'While we have welcomed the principle of getting rid of the cumbersome driving licence paper counterpart which doesn't fit in your wallet, we are concerned that people both in the UK and abroad don't seem aware of the changes.

'Despite the paper counterpart being phased out, we would still encourage drivers to take the

counterpart with them if they intend to drive abroad. Not all car rental companies, or indeed traffic police abroad, will be aware of the changes so a "belt and braces" approach of also taking the counterpart might help.'

Those who only possess a paper driving licence – those issued before 1998 – should not destroy it as these remain valid.

A DVLA spokesman said: 'These changes should have no impact. Hire companies in the UK should be well aware of the change and the reality is the vast majority of hire companies abroad don't ask to see the paper counterpart, only the licence itself, and therefore are highly unlikely to ask for its replacement.

'Our advice to drivers is to check with their hire company what documents or information they will be asking for.

'Drivers can generate a check code up to 72 hours before collecting the vehicle and if they want extra assurance they can also download or print out an electronic summary of their driving licence record.'

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The View

SAN JAVIER

T

wenty minutes down the coast on our bus journey from Los Alcazares and we reach our next stop.

San Javier is a small town and municipality in the autonomous community and province of Murcia in south eastern Spain. The municipality is situated at the northern end of Murcia's Mediterranean coastline, the Costa Cálida. It is best known for its international airport located there, Murcia­San Javier Airport (MJV), which is the largest in the Region of Murcia.

San Javier is a medium sized town, whose boundaries also include Santiago de la Ribera on the shores of the Mar Menor. San Javier has grown in size and has merged with the town of San Pedro del Pinatar to the north.

It has an interesting museum to

visit, called the Museo de San Javier, containing information about the history of the town and more surprisingly an aeroplane!! There are various exhibition rooms which are dedicated to different topics such as nativity scenes, agricultural and fishing implements and lots of books, charts and displays relating to the Spanish air force, for which San Javier has been a base for many years. The town centre is based around the church and the weekly street market is held every Thursday morning in the streets near to the Parque Almansa Auditorium. The town is becoming well known for its Jazz Festival which it has hosted every year since 1998. The Festival is declared as being of Regional Tourist Interest and is normally held during the month of July in the Parque Almansa Auditorium.

NEW TUBE!

F

or those of you that are about to return to the UK to avoid the furnace that can sometimes be the Costa Blanca summer, only to return in October, and especially if you live and visit London, travelling around the capital is going to be so much easier by night!

From the early hours of Saturday 12th September 2015, Londoners and visitors to the capital will be able to travel on the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern tube lines at any hour of the night on Fridays and Saturdays.

Transport For London (TFL) anticipate that The Night Tube network will support London's vibrant night­time economy and boost businesses, jobs and leisure opportunities. The principal enhancements to the service will be as follows:

On the outskirts of San Javier, near Lo Pagan, is the modern Dos Mares shopping mall. There is ample free car parking and all the usual selection of shops including an extremely large Eroski, eateries such as Burger King and McDonalds and entertainment in the form of a cinema (all films in Spanish), skittle lanes, pool tables and other games.

The Dos Mares is a great rainy day option, or you can visit just to shop, eat and enjoy the activities.

The history of the area goes back to the days of the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans and remains of their possessions have been found at the bottom of the Mar Menor.

The small town of San Javier is situated just a couple of kilometres inland and originated as a village in the 17th century around a hermitage dedicated to Saint Francisco Javier. The village has grown into a small town and is now joined by a series of urbanizations to Santiago de la Ribera, where in

fact the airport of San Javier is situated. San Javier has always been famous for the Spanish Air Force Academy; King Juan Carlos was stationed there in 1959, when the country was still in the grip of General Franco.

When Franco died in 1975, conditions within the Air Force changed and many pilots sought work with Commercial Airlines.

Since then, although still used as a Military Training Base, the airport has expanded and flights from all over Europe bring tourists to the area.

As a consequence, the village has grown enormously over the last two decades, as many people of all nationalities have come to live here.

This has created a new prosperity and the ambience is lively, as now young families no longer have to move away to find work because there is industry and tourism there, and this once sleepy little village is now a busting, lively place with all

CENTRAL LINE: Trains will run between Ealing Broadway and Hainault, and between White City and Loughton (with no service on the West Ruislip branch).

JUBILEE LINE: Trains will run on the entire line.

NORTHERN LINE: Trains will run on the entire line except on the Mill Hill East and Bank branches.

PICCADILLY LINE: There will be a service between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5 (with no service on the Rayners Lane/Uxbridge branch) VICTORIA LINE: Trains will run on the entire line.

The new service will complement existing 24­hour and night bus services, and will expand across other lines in subsequent years. There will be some variance to frequency by line and by branch, but on average there will be a train every 10 minutes or less. The exact routes served are shown above ­ all stations shown will be served, with no skipping stops (subject to engineering works).

It is estimated that the Night Tube will lead to a gross

the amenities you could wish for.

Apart from the traditional fiestas, for example the bonfires on the 23rd June, the night of San Juan and the fiesta dedicated to San Francisco Javier on 3rd December, there are many cultural events celebrated here especially throughout the summer months.

During July and August, San Javier is host to the International Festival of Theatre, Music & Dance. This event is a very important one in the calendar of the whole region of Murcia. Over the last 26 years the theatre groups, singers and dancers have delighted the crowds with their talent and the event is now bigger and better than ever. The variety of performances means that there is something for everyone to enjoy, and helps to make of San Javier an important place to visit for those who want top class entertainment during their summer holidays.

Next stop – San Pedro del Pinatar.

impact of 1,965 permanent jobs. The net additional output produced as a result equates to an additional £360m over 30 years.

This extension of the London Underground Night Tube will certainly reduce the demand for illegal minicabs which in itself will result in improved safety in taxis at night. There is obvious potential for longer operating hours for bars, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and other attractions; there is nothing worse than continually clock­watching or having the change arrangements purely because of the last train leaving town at 11pm! These new services can surely make for improved commuter journeys for many who work during the night­time in Central London but live further out.

Visits to the O2 arena and other major entertainment venues will also see reduced congestion as people won’t be in such a rush to leave and catch the current last tube home.

Passengers flying from Heathrow at all hours of the night at the weekend will also be smiling at these innovations.

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

TRAVEL AROUND SPAIN A

s we enter the first week of June, the accepted start of the tourist season, our series of travels around our country for the next three editions of THE VIEW take us to the Balearic Islands. We begin with Majorca.

MAJORCA is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, and the largest of the Balearic Islands. The name derives from Latin insula maior, "larger island"; later Maiorica, "the larger one" in comparison to Minorca, "the smaller one".

Majorca has two mountainous regions each about 70 km (43 mi) in length. These occupy the north­western (Serra de Tramuntana or Tramuntana range) and eastern thirds of the island. The highest peak on Majorca is Puig Major at 1,445 m (4,741 ft in the Serra de Tramuntana. As this is a military zone, the neighbouring peak at Puig de Massanella is the highest accessible peak at 1,364 m (4,475 ft). The northeast coast

comprises two bays: the Badia de Pollença and the larger Badia d'Alcúdia. The northern coast is rugged and has many cliffs. The central zone extending from Palma is generally a flat, fertile plain known as Es Pla. The island has a variety of caves both above and below sea­level. Two of the caves above sea­level also contain underground lakes and are open to tours. Both are near the eastern coastal town of Porto Cristo, the Coves dels Hams and the Coves del Drach. It is the largest by area and second most populated island of Spain (after Tenerife in the Canary Islands).

ORIGINS

In 534, Majorca was conquered by the Byzantine Empire, led by Apollinarius, and administered as part of the province of Sardinia. Under Byzantine rule, Christianity flourished and numerous churches were built. From 707, the island was increasingly attacked by Muslim raiders from North Africa. In 902, Issam al­Khawlaní conquered the Balearic Islands, ushering in a new period of prosperity under the Emirate of Córdoba. The town of Palma was reshaped and expanded, and became known as Medina Mayurqa. Later on, with the Caliphate of Córdoba at its height, the Moors improved agriculture with irrigation and developed local industries.

After the Caliphate was dismembered in 1015, a new, more decadent era started.

Majorca came under rule by the Taifa of Dénia, and from 1087 to 1114 was an independent Taifa and during that period the island was visited by Ibn Hazm. However, in 1114, an expedition of Pisans and Catalans, led by Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, overran the island, laying siege to Palma for eight months.

After the city fell, the invaders retreated due to problems in their own lands, and were replaced by the Almoravides from North Africa, who ruled until 1176. The Almoravides were replaced by the Almohad dynasty until 1229.

In the ensuing confusion and unrest, King James I of Aragon launched an invasion which landed on Santa Ponça, Majorca, on September 8–9 1229 with 15,000 men and 1,500 horses, entering the city of Medina Mayurqa on December 31 the same year, and annexing the island to his Crown of Aragon after a campaign which climaxed on October 30 1230.

After the death of James I in 1276, his kingdom was divided between his two sons. James II became king of the new, and brief, Kingdom of Majorca. In 1285, Alfonso III of Aragon, son of Peter III of Aragon, seized power and his uncle James was forced to flee the island.

The successor of Alfonso III returned the power to James II. After his death in 1311, he was succeeded by his son Sancho I of Majorca. James III, nephew of Sancho, and only nine years old, became king in 1324. However, in 1344, King Peter IV of Aragon invaded, and re­incorporated the island into the Crown. James III was forced to flee to Rosselló.

The Barbary corsairs of North Africa often attacked the Balearic Islands, and in response coastal watchtowers and fortified churches were erected. In 1570, King Philip II of Spain and his advisors were considering complete evacuation of the Balearic Islands. In the early 18th century, the War of the Spanish Succession resulted in the replacement of that dynastic union with a unified Spanish monarchy. In 1716 the Nueva Planta decrees made Majorca part of the Spanish province of Baleares, roughly the same to present­day Illes Balears province and autonomous community.

the Spanish mainland.

Since the 1950s, the advent of mass tourism has transformed the island into a centre of attraction for foreign visitors and attracting workers from mainland Spain. The boom in tourism caused Palma to grow significantly.

PALMA

The capital of Majorca, Palma, was founded as a Roman camp called Palmaria upon the remains of a Talaiotic settlement. The turbulent history of the city saw it subject to several Vandal sackings during the fall of the Roman Empire.

It was later reconquered by the Byzantines, colonised by the Moors (who called it Medina Mayurqa), and finally established by James I of Aragon. In 1983, Palma became the capital of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands.

The first to colonize the island were the Phoenicians, a seafaring people from the Levant, who arrived around the 8th century BCE and established numerous colonies. It eventually came under the control of Carthage in North Africa, which had become the principal Phoenician city. After the Second Punic War, Carthage lost all of its overseas possessions and the Romans took over. The island was occupied by the Romans in 123 BCE under Quintus Caecilius Metellus Balearicus.

It flourished under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Pollentia (Alcúdia), and Palmaria (Palma) were founded. In addition, the northern town of Bocchoris, dating back to pre­Roman times, was a federated city to Rome. The local economy was largely driven by olive cultivation, viticulture, and salt mining. Majorcan soldiers were valued within the Roman legions for their skill with the sling.

TWENTIETH CENTURY MAJORCA

A Nationalist stronghold at the start of the Spanish Civil War, Majorca was subjected to an amphibious landing, on August 16 1936, aimed at driving the Nationalists from Majorca and reclaiming the island for the Republic. Although the Republicans heavily outnumbered their opponents and managed to push 12 kilometres inland, superior Nationalist air power, mainly provided by Fascist Italy, forced the Republicans to retreat and to leave the island completely by September 12. Those events became known as the Battle of Majorca.

For the rest of the civil war the island was used as a base for the Nationalist navy and air force, who mounted raids on

In 427, Gunderic and the Vandals captured the island.

Geiseric, son of Gunderic, governed Majorca and used it as his base to loot and plunder the Mediterranean, until Roman rule was restored in 465.

Next week in our Travel Around Spain feature, we visit Ibiza.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING is more effective than you think! All you need to do is complete and cut out the form below (and use an extra sheet of paper if your advert exceeds the limit) and take it to any one of the businesses listed on these pages.

Alternatively, call the CLASSIFIED HOTLINE on 602 600 816, e足mail cliff@theview.es or send to Apartado De Correos 255, 03193 San Miguel de Sali足 nas, Alicante

The View

Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

RAFA COMES HOME TO MADRID

N

ew Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has set "winning everything" as his objective as he was presented as the club's new coach at the Bernabeu on Wednesday afternoon.

The former Madrid youth­team player and assistant coach is back at the Bernabeu 20 years after he left to further his management career, and struggled with his emotions as he gave a brief speech in the Bernabeu's VIP seats after being introduced by club president Florentino Perez.

The former Valencia, Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli coach then told reporters in the press room that his aim was to send out his team to win each and every game and competition they played in.

"The team must be competitive, capable of reaching the end of the season with chance to win trophies," Benitez said. "The Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey are our objectives, as Madrid must win each game. Can we win it, sometimes yes, sometimes no, as this is football. But the idea is to try and win from the first game. That is what I inherited here, regardless of the competition."

Asked repeatedly about potential changes to the squad for next season, including a move for his former Liverpool charge Raheem Sterling, and the future of long­serving club captain Iker Casillas, the 55­year­old deflected a number of questions.

"We know Raheem very well, that is no secret, but he is not a player of our team," Benitez added. "So I will not talk about him. Today I am here to talk about my presentation. Madrid is such an important club, that there's always look at what might happen in market. We have a great team; I am not going

to get into names. We must focus on analysing well the performance we can get from the squad, in all aspects, and from there look to other things in the future."

Indeed, Benitez admitted that he was being hired as a first­ team coach and may not be involved in transfer decisions.

"I've been in football many years, with experience of different structures," he said. "I am here to be coach, available to club to work with the squad I have. A coach always gives his opinion, but the club has its structure. If another player comes, then perfect, but will aim to get best out of those here."

There have also been concerns about how a coach known for his detailed and pragmatic tactical plans, and long arduous training sessions, will manage a squad packed with attacking galacticos including Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.

ARSENAL 4 ASTON VILLA 0

"It is the squad with most quality of my career, great players, we all know that," Benitez said. "The way of playing, obviously, will not be the same having these players, compared to other teams. Maybe you have to adapt the system, but maintain positive offensive ambition, while keeping defensive balance.

"But more than talk of systems, I would like to talk of idea of play. The objective is to get the best out of individual talent. Here there is so much individual talent, that if you put it to the aim of collective success, you will win a lot."

Benitez's rotation policy has also caused some issues with former players in the past, but he said he expected no problems at Madrid.

"The players here are very good professionals," he insisted. "Who plays in one game or another depends on the moment. The objective is the best for the team, to win, then to make the best of the individual qualities of the players."

Then asked if his new job was similar to when he first joined Liverpool back in 2004, Benitez said the challenge at the Bernabeu was of a different magnitude.

"It is different, when I arrived at Liverpool there was a three year project to begin to compete," he said. "Fortunately we won the Champions League in the first year. Here it is different, from the first moment you must compete, try to win, be at a very high level.

"There is always a process of adaption with a new coach, but from the first moment we must be always up top, and leave every game satisfied. The demands are different, very high at Real Madrid."

The cherry on the top of the league

I

must apologise profusely to Mrs Sheila Hext who contacted me during the week. Without any malicious intent, I had already demoted the team of her place of birth and the football club with which she is beaming with pride at their recent promotion to the Premier League. I touch my forelock and hope I can make amends by giving her team their own well deserved tribute below.

DJ. AFC Bournemouth are playing in the Premier League for the first time in their history for the new 2015 / 16 season having won the Championship outright. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth in Dorset and has been in existence since 1899.

Nicknamed The Cherries, the team traditionally played in red shirts with white sleeves until 1971, when the strip was changed to red and black stripes, similar to that of A.C. Milan. A predominantly red shirt was

chosen for the 2004–05 and 2005­06 seasons before a return to the stripes for the 2006–07 season due to the demands of the loyal fans.

After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Football League in the 2008–09 season, Bournemouth were promoted to League One at the end of the 2009–10 season. After making the League One play­off semi­finals in 2010–11, and achieving a mid­ table finish in 2011–12, Bournemouth won promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2012–13 season, putting them in the second tier of the league for only the second time in their history. One of their great achievements of the season was in October last year with an 8­0 victory away to Birmingham City – the first time they’d ever scored eight goals in a league game and was their highest since a 10­0 victory in September 1939 against Northampton Town. Sadly, that result was removed from the record books as war broke out the following day!

The View

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

DERBY DAY - THE RACE AND THE HISTORY

T

omorrow is Derby Day! It’s Britain's richest horse race, and the most prestigious of the country's five Classics and is sometimes referred to as the "Blue Riband" of the turf.

It’s a Group One flat race and only open to three­year­old thoroughbred colts and fillies and serves as the middle leg of the Triple Crown, proceeded by the 2,000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger, although the feat of winning all three is now rarely attempted. The name "Derby" has become synonymous with great races all over the world, and as such has been borrowed many times, notably by the Kentucky Derby. However, the Epsom Derby is the original. It’s one of Britain's great national events transcending its own field of interest, and has a huge world­wide TV audience.

Tomorrow’s race starts at 5.30pm (Spain time) and is on Channel 4 TV. Increasingly the race is also coming to be referred to as 'the Epsom Derby' in the UK and other overseas countries, although 'Epsom' is not part of the title of the

race.

The Derby originated at a celebration following the first running of the Oaks Stakes in 1779.

A new race was planned, and it was

decided that it should be named after either the host of the party, the 12th Earl of Derby, or one of his guests, Sir Charles Bunbury.

According to legend the decision was made by the toss of a coin, but it is probable that Bunbury, the Steward of the Jockey Club, deferred to his host. The inaugural running of the Derby was held on Thursday 4 May 1780. It was won

by Diomed, a colt owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, who collected prize money of £1,065.15s. The first four running’s were contested over 1 mile, but this was amended to the current distance of 1½ miles in 1784. Lord Derby achieved his first success in the event in 1787, with a horse called Sir Peter Teazle.

The starting point of the race was moved twice during the 19th century. The first move, suggested

by Lord George Bentinck, was in 1848, and the second was in 1872.

It was discovered in 1991 that the exact length of the race was one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards.

Initially the Derby was run on a Thursday in late May or early June

depending on when Easter occurred. In 1838 the race was moved to a Wednesday to fit in with the rail time tables, but was still run on different dates depending on Easter. In the 20th century, the race was run on the first Wednesday in June from 1900 until 1995 apart from: 1915 to 1918, (during the First World War) when it was on a Tuesday; during the Second World War, from 1942 until 1945 the race was run on a Saturday as it was in the post war years of 1947 to 1950 and again in 1953.] In 1995 the day was changed from the first Wednesday in June to the first Saturday, and since then all the races have taken place on that day.

When the Derby did take place midweek huge crowds came from London, as they still do, not only to enjoy the race but other entertainment provided at the course. Westminster MPs also famously voted themselves a day off during the 19th century and most of the 20th to attend the event.

The Derby has been run at Epsom in all years except during the world wars. From 1915 to 1918 and from 1940 to 1945 the Derby was run at Newmarket.

These races are known as the 'New Derby'.

The Derby has inspired many similar events around the world.

European variations include the Derby Italiano, the Deutsches Derby, the Irish Derby and the Prix du Jockey Club (popularly known in the British Isles as the "French Derby").

Other national equivalents include the Australian Derby, the New Zealand Derby and the Tokyo Yūshun. Several races in the United States include the "Derby" name, including the Kentucky Derby.

Investec Bank became the sponsor of the Derby in 2009, and the current sponsorship deal runs until 2022. The race has previously been backed by Ever Ready (1984– 94) and Vodafone (1995–2008).

THE VIEW tip for the race if you fancy having a “cash investment” is SUCCESS DAYS.

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Edition 4 - June 5th 2015

The View

GO ON NOW, GO, WALK OUT THE DOOR

Confident Sepp Blatter didn’t survive after all FIFA President Sepp Blatter has decided to step down as leader of football's governing body.

Blatter announced his decision just four days after the FIFA Congress that saw him win a fifth term as the body's president.

"I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football," Blatter said at a press conference in Zurich on Tuesday.

"FIFA needs a profound overhaul. I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress.

"I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA president until that election."

Domenico Scala, head of FIFA's independent audit and compliance committee, said there would need to be four months' notice for any new presidential election.

"The decision for the timing of the election of the next president will be up to the executive committee and will take place any time from December until March."

The unexpected resignation came amid one of the most controversial episodes in FIFA's history.

Seven high­ranking FIFA officials were arrested ahead of the football governing body's meeting last Friday.

Swiss authorities had launched a separate criminal investigation into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups that are set to be held in Russia and Qatar.

At the FIFA meeting in Zurich last

Friday, Blatter, 79, had been re­ elected when his only rival, Jordan's Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, withdrew after gaining 73 votes to Blatter's 133 in the first round of voting.

A day later, Blatter came out fighting, implying that the US timed the announcement of a major corruption probe to try to scupper his re­election bid.

"Arrested for what? Next question," Blatter dismissed curtly,

when asked if he feared where the US federal case was heading following his re­election.

The investigation closed in on Blatter on Tuesday when FIFA was forced to deny that his right­hand man, Secretary­General Jerome Valcke, was implicated in a $10m payment that lies at the heart of the US case.

Valcke, who has been secretary­ general since 2007 and is seen as one of the most powerful men in world sport, had no role in the payments, which were authorised by the chairman of FIFA's Finance Committee, FIFA said in an earlier statement.

Meanwhile, Switzerland's office of attorney general (OAG) has confirmed that it was not investigating outgoing Blatter.

The chairman of the committee at the time of the payments was Argentina's Julio Grondona, who died last year.

Blatter's "announced resignation will have no influence on the ongoing criminal proceedings", the attorney general said in a statement.

There will no doubt me more revelations in the coming days about this crisis overwhelming world football and may implicate others closer to home. In 2013, Britain and the US lost their World Cup bids to Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) respectively. And the British intensified their media investigations, and the Americans began their legal investigation into corruption at FIFA. Was it a coincidence? Or did Britain and the US act vindictively against FIFA and its officials?

Blatter insinuated as much after the scandal broke and he

wondered if any of this would have happened if the World Cup bid results turned out differently, that is if Britain and the US had won.

As for Blatter himself, it’s difficult to find anyone anywhere that has a good word to say about him save the odd African delegate.

From Greg Dyke to David Cameron to Prince William, they all called for him to resign.

Richard Branson also Tweeted that any CEO of any other company would have left as soon as the scandal broke. When you have former members of FIFA described by Kay Burley on SKY News in such colourful terms as, “veteran of numerous corruption scandals” then the whole edifice needs to come down upon their unworthy heads.

The opening of this article quotes the well known lyrics of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor; Blatter most certainly wasn’t “welcome any more”. Perhaps he should have simply followed the advice of a fellow Swiss countrywoman, Celine Dion, and “Just Walk Away.”

DJ.