Do you use Skype on your computer? It is a wonderful bonus to be able to call friends and family and see them on your computer screen. The programme is FREE and it is easy to download and install. It is also relatively easy to use if you keep your wits about you.

We are still enjoying really beautiful weather here on the Costa Blanca. We took advantage of this seasonal good temperature to visit Valencia yesterday afternoon. We had to drive our Andrew’s car back for him as he is flying from Paris to Valencia having flown out from Alicante. No! I didn’t really get the logic in his planning but we took advantage of his strategy to drive in our own time and get a coach back from Valencia. I must also add that the coach was ultra comfortable and bang on time. When done Alsa!

To say we are lucky is an understatement. Elsewhere, areas across Spain have been placed on high alert as severe flooding has left some towns without drinking water. From what I saw on the national Spanish news  river levels have risen so high in some provinces that houses are being flooded and cars abandoned by the road. People have been left to queue with plastic containers to collect drinking water. However, I was reading that the current heavy rain has raised Spain´s capacity to generate hydroelectricity and irrigate crops. On Tuesday the Met Office issued weather alerts for more than half the country. Here´s our weather for the Alicante Province

Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
18° C | 6° C	15° C | 8° C	16° C | 8° C	16° C | 9° C	18° C | 13° C

An apology. Yesterday’s blog included a technological error. Adverts appeared on my blog due to a piece of html code that stayed on the page. This was my fault and I corrected it when I saw the mistake. I do not place adverts on my blog.

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The Rebel Doctor has been looking at the contents of popular air fresheners. This might be of interest to you.

Popular air fresheners may have deadly scents

The next time you come across a kitchen that smells “lemony fresh,” or get a whiff of a cool mountain glen in your t-shirt, don’t breathe too deeply.  According to researchers from the University of Washington, air fresheners and fragranced laundry products often emit literally dozens of chemicals – some of which are considered toxic by federal law.

And the worst part is that none of the potentially hazardous chemicals that are thrown off by these “fresh-smelling” products are even listed on the label of ingredients. University of Washington researcher Ann C. Steinemann, PhD, said, “I didn’t find a brand that didn’t emit at least one toxic chemical.”

As shocking as this may seem, there’s a part of me that’s not the least bit surprised. After all, I’m a bright guy and I realize that laundry detergents and air fresheners that smell like a cleansing summer rain storm aren’t made from fresh-picked mountain flowers after a sun shower. There are chemicals – toxic and potentially deadly ones – that are replicating these odors. Of course the manufacturers of these products are already in full cornered-animal mode. They’re proclaiming that the products are safe when “used as directed,” and that the chemicals in question are present only in amounts not known to cause health issues.

But you’ve got to wonder, don’t you? Steinemann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs at the University of Washington, says her idea for the revealing study was born of the fact that she had for years been told by many people that household cleaners and air fresheners caused them to have dizzy spells, or had spurred bouts of headache, asthma, shortness of breath – even seizures.

Steinemann’s study closely examined six popular consumer produces: liquid spray air fresheners, plug-in air fresheners, fabric softeners, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, and the kinds of solid disc deodorizers used in airliner toilets. Steinemann found that these six products emitted a staggering 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

But to me, the most disheartening discovery of Steinemann’s study came when she turned to federal law to find out what laws were on the books to protect consumers from this kind of thing. As it turns out, there’s no law that requires disclosure of all chemicals in fragrances.

It’s an outrage to say the least. Steve Gilbert, a toxicologist not associated with the study, put it very succinctly: “At the very minimum, we should have a right to know what’s in these products.”

Your best bet is to stop using store-bought air fresheners altogether. Try the real thing instead – cut open a lemon or orange, gather some mint leaves, or just open a box of baking soda.

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Word of the Day

el charco charr’-koh  (noun)

puddle, pool of water

EXAMPLES

Arruiné mis zapatos dando un paso en un charco. – I ruined my shoes by stepping in a puddle.

Pienso que la ducha está rota. Hay un charco en el baño. – I think the shower is broken. There is a pool of water in the bathroom.

For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el charco.

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* Family Dog Survives 98 Days on Deserted New Jersey Island *

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale — a tail, really — about a brave beagle and a family’s refusal to give up.

Buddy, a 4-year-old beagle, was reunited with his New Jersey family on Monday after 98 days spent on uninhabited Gull Island in New Jersey’s Manasquan Inlet. The Kelleys, of Eatontown, N.J., lost control of Buddy on Aug. 31 as the family attempted to switch the dog’s leash while frolicking on Dog Beach in Manasquan.

Go here for complete news story.

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December 31st:

On this Day1955, Based on sales from stores, radio and jukebox plays Billboard named ‘Unchained Melody’ by Les Baxter the number 1 US song of 1955.

1961, The Four Freshmen made their live debut using their new name; The Beach Boys at the Municipal Auditorium, Long Beach, California.1963,

The Kinks made their live debut when they played at the Lotus House Restaurant, London.

1967, American songwriter and producer Bert Berns died of heart failure aged 38. He wrote many classic songs including ‘Twist And Shout’, ‘Hang On Sloopy’,;Here Comes the Night,  I Want Candy; and ‘Brown Eyed Girl’.

1970, Paul McCartney filed a suit against the rest of The Beatles to dissolve their partnership.

1979, Blondie’s gig at The Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland was broadcast live on BBC 2′s ‘Old Grey Whistle Test‘.

1984, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, crashed his Corvette Stingray, on the A57 outside Sheffield, Allen lost his left arm in the accident. Allen was on his way to a New Year’s Eve party at his family’s home when a Jaguar passed him. 1985, Ricky Nelson was killed along with six others, when his charted light aircraft crashed in Texas.

1996, Paul McCartney became a Sir after he was listed in the Queens New Year’s Honours List.

1943, Born on this day, Henry John Deutschendorf, (John Denver), singer, songwriter. 1974 UK & US No.1 single ‘Annie’s Song’. Killed in a plane crash on 12th October 1997.

1948, Born on this day, US singer Donna Summer, (1977 UK No.1 single ‘I Feel Love’ 1979 US No.1 & UK No.11 single ‘Hot Stuff, over 25 other top 40 hits).

Today´s Podcast

I received this very interesting e-mail that I need to include as a priority.
It’s not every day that I find a good reason to send an e-mail to my entire address list. But today I feel a moral obligation to send this to everyone I know.

As you know, at HSI one of our primary goals is to beat cancer once and for all. That’s why, if you know anyone who’s suffering from cancer (and who doesn’t?), you must watch this 5-minute video titled “Is This the Cure for Cancer That Really Works?”

This is the video that the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want you to watch.

When this video was first put online, it circled the globe and was viewed by people in all continents within a matter of 31 minutes. It has gotten over 129,000 views in the last couple of weeks alone.

Don’t forget to send the link to everyone you know who has cancer (even those who are in remission). It’s that important. You might even end up saving someone’s life.

Go watch the video for this special offer by going to the following webpage: “Is This the Cure for Cancer That Really Works?” Or if your e-mail program won’t allow you to click on the link above, copy the following link and paste it onto your browser:

http://clicks.hsibaltimore.com//t/AQ/wKg/xog/AAEXkA/AQ/Atd3ng/I-dt

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I was watching Celebrity Shock List 2009 on Channel 5 last night. It was an interesting recount on what various celebrities saw as the highlights of the year. The programme has totally convinced me that I was right to move to another country. I have to admit I enjoyed the adverts as much as I enjoyed the programme.

I was watching a lady called Mary Taylor with my mouth wide open. Mary lives in Australia and is 90 years of age. Her husband died when she was 75 and she now takes long drives around Australia-on her own. She might go missing for weeks on end as she drives around Australia and she uses her CB radio to keep in touch with truck drivers en route. She is phenomenal. In contrast Channel 5 went on ad nauseum about Peter Andre and Jordan. This is where I think the UK is losing the plot. All those column inches and airtime wasted on such superficiality. Give me Mary Taylor any day of the week!

I also felt really sad when I saw the circumstances of Michael Jackson’s death. How the greed and the love of money by others probably killed one of the greatest talents to have walked the planet. The tales are legendary of the entourage and management killing the stars revered and loved by the public like a legion of personal blood-suckers.

What I find weird is the contrast between the discipline such stars as Michael Jackson and Elvis must have had to perfect their own performance. Particularly with Michael Jackson he seemed to be amazingly physically fit at the age of 50. The contrast is that the taking of medicines and pills can only ever create problems. In my opinion even prescription drugs taken quite legitimately eventually must give problems. Even missing the daily dose will eventually become a problem. I don’t court agreement with this opinion and expect others to disagree.

My goodness, have Liverpool put me through it this year? I have to say they deserved to win but they are still not convincing. Without Torres and Gerrard they look like a Championship side. The weather at Villa Park was atrocious and I thought both teams played good football under the circumstances. The cameras clearly showed how much the match had meant to Martin O’Neill as he slumped to his knees when Liverpool’s goal went in. Who’d have thought this time last year that Liverpool were playing for seventh at Christmas? Let’s get the weather for the next few days.

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Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
20° C | 12° C	19° C | 9° C	18° C | 9° C	17° C | 11° C	20° C | 8° C
Scattered Clouds	Clear	Clear	Clear	Partly Cloudy
Hourly	Hourly	Hourly	Hourly	Hourly

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An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water…….Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do ha lf of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. ‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’  The old woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?’  ‘That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.’  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.’

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. So to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

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Here’s a report recently sent to me.

43 percent of women suffer from sexual dysfunction

These days, you can hardly walk by a television without seeing an ad for Viagra, Cialis, or any of the other “ED” drugs. (“ED” is the politically correct way of saying “erectile dysfunction.) And because there is a long and now widely known laundry list of sexual woes for men, many assume that only men suffer from sexual dysfunction (SD).

However, nothing could be further from the truth.

According to a new study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital, women not only suffer from SD, but there is a far higher percentage of women SD sufferers. Shocked? Well, don’t be.

While 31 percent of the men in this survey admitted to dealing with at least one kind of SD, a staggering 43 percent of the women surveyed reported that they also wrestled with their own sexual issues. These problems included painful intercourse, a decline of sexual desire, and an inability to achieve orgasms. Ready for a bigger shock: just 12 percent of the women who admitted that they suffered from these problems said that the issues caused them any distress.

The survey polled 32,000 women from across America between 18 and 100 years old. If you ask me, the massive age difference in the sample group takes a bit of the shock out of the idea that 43 percent of women are suffering from sexual dysfunction.

Indeed, the breakdown of the statistics bear my theory out: of those surveyed, it was women over the age of 65 who had the highest incidence of SD, but this same group also reported having the lowest level of distress as a result of their SD. Should we be shocked that women between the age of 65 and 100 — who, let’s face it, probably aren’t having too much sex to begin with — aren’t too worried that they’ve got some degree of sexual dysfunction?

And, as if to underscore what I’m sure would be another widely held assumption, it was the women in the youngest age group (from 18 to 44) who reported the lowest levels of both SD and distress from SD. Again … I’m just not shocked by this.

If the goal of the research was to reinforce many of the preconceptions about women’s sexuality, then I believe the study succeeded. They determined 1) younger women are less likely to have SD. 2) Women in middle age (from 45 to 64), the time when the body begins to change, had the highest degree of stress resulting from SD. 3) Older women have more SD, but it doesn’t really bother them.

I think I could’ve told you that without compiling a survey from 32,000 women.

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Thanks Kenny B for the following

Let me see if I understand this…

IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOUR.
IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.

IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.

IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU WILL BE JAILED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.

IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.

IF YOU CROSS THE UK BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET  ……….

*         A JOB…
*
*               A DRIVERS LICENSE
*
*               A CAR…
*
*                       A PENSION CARD…
*
*                       STATE WELFARE PAYOUT…
*
*                           CREDIT CARDS…
*
*                               SUBSIDISED RENT…
*
*                                               OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE…
*
*                                           FREE EDUCATION…
*
*                                                  AND FREE HEALTH CARE!!!

Now I know I can be a bit thick at times but…… ???????

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For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for exigente.

Word of the Day

exigente ek-see-hen’-teh  (adjective)

demanding, discerning, persistent

EXAMPLES

Es muy exigente en la limpieza. – She is extremely demanding when it comes to cleanliness.

Tengo un tos exigente. – I have a persistent cough.

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Get happiness out of your work or you may never know what happiness is. – Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915

I am looking after my sister´s cat at the moment and our  Tinker is not impressed. Tinker is a very sociable cat and is very friendly with all the local cats and is obviously accepted. He pops next door for a bite to eat and is often seen sitting with the other cats-probably just chewing the fat. The fact that our neighbours are Belgian is of no consequence and he is very chilled about the whole thing. Now everything is changed. He doesn´t want to be near my sister´s cat, Leon,  and is disgusted when he see Leon in the house. Leon has already shown his dislike and they are both hissed off with each other. Doesn´t this remind you of the relative you are not particularly keen on? The visitor you are not always pleased to see has arrived and what do we do? We find an excuse to go out or read a book or keep to ourselves. Sure, we are only animals after all and it is well worth re-reading Desmond Morris if you don´t believe me.

The weather is beautifulo today and it went warmer during the early part of the night. Probably it was just as well. I found Eastenders totally unwatchable and decided to throw a few darts at the dartboard on the terrace. It was certainly going much warmer about that time. Let´s get the Alicante forecast.

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
22° C | 14° C	20° C | 12° C	19° C | 9° C	18° C | 9° C	16° C | 11° C

This looks a good week and it makes sense to get out and about if you can. Incidentally, if you are into art then why not revisit the podcasts I made with Tom Brown. I am listening to his chat with me on Picasso as I am writing this blog.

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This has been sent to me and as I have practised relaxation techniques for many years I hope you find it as interesting as  did.

I’ve found two different studies that show significant heart health benefits for people who meditate daily. Here’s what’s amazing: Both studies are mainstream. One was recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association and one was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. But what’s truly amazing – and most important – is that in both studies all the subjects had coronary heart disease.

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Pesky monkey
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“Forget what you’ve heard about meditation.”

That advice, from my friend Ed, is for anyone who’s interested in getting started with meditation. His point: If the word “meditation” conjures images of incense, finger cymbals and crystals – and if those things aren’t exactly your style – don’t be put off. Some people enjoy those trappings, but none of them are necessary.

About 20 years ago, while trying to come to terms with the death of his mother, Ed learned how to meditate. He describes meditation simply as a way to relax and focus by training what he calls the “monkey mind” to take a break and calm down for a few minutes.

What’s to be gained by calming the monkey mind?

Previous studies have shown that a popular form of meditation known as transcendental meditation (TM) may actually help patients control blood pressure.

Researchers at the University of Southern California divided 103 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients into two groups. Subjects in one group received 16 weeks of TM instruction. Compared to the placebo group, TM subjects experienced significantly better blood pressure control, reduction of insulin resistance and improved heart rate variability. In addition, TM helped subjects control their response to stress.

In the more recent study, researchers from The Medical College of Wisconsin collaborated with a natural medicine school in Iowa. Similar to the California study, about 200 CHD patients were divided into two groups. Half received TM instruction and half did not.

Results: Over nine years, rates of heart attack, stroke, and death were all significantly lower in the TM group.

At the AHA meeting, lead researcher Robert Schneider, M.D., suggested TM should be thought of as a new class of heart disease medications. “In this case, the new medications are derived from the body’s own internal pharmacy stimulated by the Transcendental Meditation practice.”

You can find information about the TM technique used in the CHD study on the Transcendental Meditation Program website at tm.org.

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* Hero Pilot Offers Hat to Help 2 Calif. Schools *

The pilot who guided a disabled jetliner to an emergency landing in the Hudson River is offering his pilot’s hat for auction to raise money for two California schools.

Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s hat is being offered on eBay. Allie Herson, a representative with a publicity firm working with Sullenberger, says the high bidder will get the dark blue hat and a personally written note from Sullenberger and his wife, Lorrie.

Go here for complete news story.

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In Spain and Ibero-America, the equivalent to April Fools day is held on the 28th December, originally a Christian day of celebration of the Massacre of the Innocents.

The Christian celebration is a holiday in its own right, a religious one, but the tradition of pranks not, though the latter is observed yearly. After somebody plays a joke or a prank on somebody else, the joker usually cries out, in Ibero-America: “Inocente palomita que te dejaste engañar” (You innocent dove that allowed to get yourself fooled), as a popular expression. In Spain it is common to say just “¡Inocente!” (Innocent!).

Just like April, often the national media will include a nonsense story in their broadcasts. In some villages youngsters of a village light bonfires and one of them acts as the mayor who orders townspeople to carry out civic tasks such as sweeping the streets. Refusal to comply results in fines which are used to pay for the celebration.

As times have progressed, the day has become less innocent with people and properties frequently pelted with eggs, or worse, and damage and injury often being caused

Word of the Day

el código koh’-dee-goh  (noun)

code

EXAMPLES

Un código es una regla para convertir una pieza de información en otra forma o acción. – A code is a rule to convert a piece of information into another form or action.

¿Alguien puede ayudarme con una línea de código? – Can someone help me with a line of code?
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el código.

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1964, The Liverpool Youth Employment Service announced that some school leavers were finding it difficult to get jobs because their Beatle style haircuts and clothing were unacceptable to employers.

1973, Jim Croce scored his second No.1 US single of the year when ‘Time In A Bottle’ went to the top of the charts. Croce was killed in a plane crash on 29th September 1973.1980, American singer, songwriter Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose. Hardin wrote the songs ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ (covered by Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash and June Carter, The Four Tops, Leon Russell, Small Faces, Robert Plant and Bob Seger,) and ‘Reason To Believe’, (covered by Rod Stewart).

11999, three ferrets named Beckham, Posh Spice and Baby Spice were used to lay power cables for a rock concert being held in Greenwich, London. Workers were not allowed to dig the turf at the Royal Park.December 29th:

1946, Born on this day, Marianne Faithfull, UK singer, one time girlfriend of Mick Jagger, (1965 UK No.4 single ‘Come And Stay With Me’).

1947, Born on this day, Cozy Powell, drummer, Whitesnake, ELP & solo, (1973 UK No.3 single ‘Dance With The Devil’). Powell was killed in a car crash in England on 5th April 1998.

Today´s Podcast

I hope you´ve all had a good Christmas.

I’ve enjoyed Christmas immensely this year. Maybe it’s because of the recession but I haven’t felt everything has been over-commercialised. I have been very fortunate in seeing many of my family and friends and I have been given beautiful food in a series of really nice meals.

I went to midnight mass in Alfaz del Pi and felt the peeling of the bells at midnight was almost a tribute to my mum who had died during the year. It brought back memories of my childhood in Birkenhead when we´d  been to midnight mass together. We hadn’t had the bells then but we heard all the sirens and hooters from the boats on the Mersey. I suppose it was the cacophany of noise albeit somewhat different.

Did you enjoy much telly over Christmas? I think Eastender´s tradition of making the whole nation feel suicidal was perfection. How many people were going to kill Archie? I would not have been surprised if the cameraman had been roped in as a suspect. If anyone has perfected the art of being disliked Archie had managed it. We are reliably told he is a very nice actor!

The football has been interesting again with Chelsea lucky, Birmingham City being robbed and Arsenal sneaking back into contention. United are keeping up the pressure as Liverpool continue to disappoint although they did get a win over 10 man Wolves. I have to say that the Boxing Day seemed to be the day for the goalkeepers to excel. Let´s see what this week will bring.

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From the SpanishVida website

Like a Lonely Planet guide for unhappy places, Moody´s has compiled a list of miserable countries for 2010 — something to keep in mind for the new year if you´re going to travel but don´t want it to lift your spirits.

Spain tops the “misery index” because, in spite of its sun-drenched landscapes, world-class museums and mind-boggling ancient architecture, its economy is the most dismal according to the index, which combines unemployment rates with budget deficits to arrive at some not-very-encouraging numbers.

Other economies high on the 16-country misery tour are Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland and Greece. The U.K. is the most miserable G-7 country, at No. 6 on the index, with the U.S. in seventh.

The Moody´s gauge follows a tool created by U.S. economist Arthur Okun in the 1970s that adds unemployment and inflation rates to grade an economy´s level of misery.

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Juan Carlos, the King of Spain, called for unity in his Christmas message to the Spanish citizens broadcast on Christmas Eve.

All Spaniard should redouble their efforts to surpass the tensions, achieve economic growth, and create employment as soon as possible, and those efforts should be made through agreements between political, economic and social forces to allow maximum solidarity and to carry out necessary reforms, said the Spanish king.

Juan Carlos also urged Spanish citizens to coordinate efforts at the maximum level to reinforce the internal cohesion and exterior projection, because the security, progress and welfare of the Spaniards largely depend on efficient protection and promotions of their interests in the world.

The King also referred to the fact that Spain will take over the European presidency for the fourth time from Jan. 1 as the Lisbon Treaty takes effect.

“It is of vital importance to obtain a more united and dynamic Europe in the world,” he said.

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Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
20° C | 14° C	22° C | 14° C	22° C | 10° C	19° C | 8° C	17° C | 9° C
Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds	Clear	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds

I have always laboured under the belief that I should not be taking too much salt on board. However, you might be aware that I am a big fan of the rebel doctor. I don’t always agree with him but I always feel he is worth a read. Here’s what he wrote about salt.

Are you getting enough salt in your diet?

I just read a report online that flies in the face of what conventional medicine has been pushing on the public for years. New research suggests not eating enough salt could be WORSE for your heart than consuming too much of it.

Yawn. Excuse my lack of enthusiasm. After all, this is old news to me – and it should be to you as well. I’ve been telling you for years that salt is good for you.

The new study was published in the online Journal of General Internal Medicine, and while it doesn’t actually come out and say that a low-salt diet is actually BAD for the heart, it does cite some intriguing stats showing that people who eat the least salt suffer from the highest rates of death as a result of heart disease.

The one quarter of patients in the study who ate the least salt were 80 PERCENT more likely to die from cardiac issues than the 25 percent in the study who consumed the MOST salt.

This should really be no surprise in the medical community. In spite of what you hear on TV and read in magazines, there’s no agreement in the medical community that salt is the key factor in the development of such dangerous maladies as high blood pressure and hypertension.

Dr. Hillel W. Cohen, the author of the study, finally acknowledged the questionable link between salt intake and high blood pressure. “The main argument for reducing salt in the prevention of heart disease has been that there’s a relationship between higher sodium and high blood pressure,” he said. “But when one actually looks at the numbers, the average blood pressure difference associated with quite a bit of sodium intake is very modest.”

The fact is, without salt, you’d die. It’s an essential nutrient that your body can’t manufacture on its own. It plays a critical role in regulating vital bodily function, and it’s a key element in the fluids that transport life-giving oxygen throughout the body. Salt maintains the body’s fluid balance. What’s more, the body automatically disposes of excess salt in your system. So the claim that you can have “too much” salt in your diet? Well that’s just not physically possible.

There´s also a report on the tragedy which had happened to two elderly visitors to Benidorm

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Four-Letter Surgery

Jerry is recovering from day surgery when a nurse asks him how he is feeling.

“I’m OK, but I didn’t like the four-letter word the doctor used in surgery,” he answers.

“What did he say?” asks the nurse.

“OOPS!”

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Two Irish hunters got a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose. They managed to bag 6. As they were loading the plane to return, the pilot said the plane could take only 4 moose.

The two lads objected strongly. ‘Last year we got six. The pilot let us take them all and he had the same plane as yours.’

Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded.

However, even on full power, the little plane couldn’t handle the load and went down. Somehow, surrounded by the moose bodies, Paddy and Mick survived the crash. After climbing out of the wreckage, Paddy asked Mick, ‘Any idea where we are?’

Mick replied, ‘I think we’re pretty close to where we crashed last year.

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Word of the Day

el ciudadano syo-dah-dah’-noh  (noun)

citizen

EXAMPLES

Aun si no es ciudadano americano, todavía puede ser gobernador. – Even if he is not an American citizen, he can still be governor.

To do one’s civic duty – Cumplir con la obligación de uno como ciudadano
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el ciudadano.

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Here’s a story from Ian K at  Villamar

A few minutes before the church services started, the congregation was sitting in their pews and talking.  Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church.

Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.

Soon the church was empty except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence..

So Satan walked up to the man and said, ‘Do you know  who I am?’

The man replied, ‘Yep, sure do..’

‘Aren’t you afraid of me?’ Satan asked.

‘Nope, sure ain’t.’ said the man.

‘Don’t you realize I can kill you with one word?’  asked Satan.

‘Don’t doubt it for a minute,’ returned the old man, in an even tone.

‘Did you know that I can cause you profound,  horrifying AGONY for all eternity?’ persisted Satan.

‘Yep,’ was the calm reply.

‘And you are still not afraid?’ asked Satan.

‘ Nope,’ said the old man.

More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, ‘Why aren’t  you afraid of me?’

The man calmly replied, ‘Been married to your sister for 48 years.

A few minutes before the church services started, the congregation was sitting in their pews and talking.  Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church.

Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate.

Soon the church was empty except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seemingly oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence..

So Satan walked up to the man and said, ‘Do you know  who I am?’

The man replied, ‘Yep, sure do..’

‘Aren’t you afraid of me?’ Satan asked.

‘Nope, sure ain’t.’ said the man.

‘Don’t you realize I can kill you with one word?’  asked Satan.

‘Don’t doubt it for a minute,’ returned the old man, in an even tone.

‘Did you know that I can cause you profound,  horrifying AGONY for all eternity?’ persisted Satan.

‘Yep,’ was the calm reply.

‘And you are still not afraid?’ asked Satan.

‘ Nope,’ said the old man.

More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, ‘Why aren’t  you afraid of me?’

The man calmly replied, ‘Been married to your sister for 48 years.

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Male or Female?

You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female, (like in European languages)

Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS:

They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS:

These are female, because once turned off, it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.

TYRES:

Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated

HOT AIR BALLOONS:

Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES:

These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGES:

Female, because they’re constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS:

Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS:

Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS:

Male, because in the last 5000 years, they’ve hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL:

Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he’d be lost without it, and while he doesn’t always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying.

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1983, after a heavy day’s drinking Beach Boy Dennis Wilson drowned while swimming from his boat moored in Marina Del Rey, California. With the help of President Reagan he was given a burial at sea, normally reserved for Navel personnel. Dennis was the only genuine surfer in The Beach Boys.

2005, Pink Floyd were voted the greatest rock stars ever in a survey of 58,000 listeners from UK radio station Planet Rock. Led Zeppelin were voted into second place, 3rd was The Rolling Stones, 4th The Who, 5th, AC/DC, 6th, U2, 7th, Guns N’ Roses, 8th, Nirvana, 9th, Bon Jovi and in 10th place Jimi Hendrix. Listeners also named the 1970s as the golden age of rock, followed by the 1960’s.

Today´s Podcast

Have an absolutely brilliant Christmas and I wish all my readers a prosperous and Healthy New Year. I am sitting is my office with the rain falling quite heavily but I know I am lucky. Elsewhere, Spain is experiencing horrendous weather and travellers are finding life very difficult. I took my son Andrew and my sister Mary down to Alicante airport where mayhem reigned at the Easyjet desk. The flight to Geneva was cancelled with no other available until the 29th. The explanation given was that the planes were grid-locked in the UK. Many people were inconvenienced by this bad weather which tends to illustrate how unnecessary it is for unions to complicate matters over the Christmas break. The weather itself will always be a lottery.

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A ship carrying cocaine worth £375m – mostly thought to be destined for London – has been seized off the coast of Spain. The former coastguard boat, named Destiny Empress, was captured some 200 miles off the northern coast as part of an operation involving Scotland Yard. The ship contained 1.5 tonnes of cocaine which was hidden in the hold.  The Metropolitan Police said 13 people in the UK had been arrested and charged with various drugs-related offences. Some arrests have been made in Spain, including members of the ship´s crew.

Full Story

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There are several people I could send this to so if it applies to your good self you will know who you are!

After serious & cautious consideration… your Contract of Friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2010!

It was a very hard decision to make… So try not to screw it up!!!

My Wish for You in 2010

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for £100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!
May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy
May the problems you had, forget your home address!
In simple words ………..

May 2010 be the best year of your life!!!

Merry Christmas &  a Happy New Year!!

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I´d like to wish a very Merry Christmas to the mosquito that bit me last night. I show you no malice whatsoever although please be aware (and tell your friends too) that I will be swatting any of your colleagues that come anywhere near me over the immediate future. You took me completely by surprise and my two bite marks are a lasting memory of what I would like to do to you. Why, oh why, did God make you?

Chic Gammidge asked me to pùblicize the Blue Tomato Jazz Club at Restaurant LÉstanc off the N332 in Altea. The Joanna James Quartet and guests will be there on Sunday 27th from 2.30 until 5.30pm. I know Chic puts a tremendous amount of effort into the venue and it is a FREE ´do´. Having been there myself I can tell you it´s well worth a visit. Let´s get the weather for Alicante province.

Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
20° C | 8° C	17° C | 4° C	16° C | 1° C	15° C | 4° C	14° C | 7° C
Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Clear	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds	Scattered Clouds

It would seem we are in for a lovely Christmas Day.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Could crop circles be the work of a cereal killer?

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Word of the Day

tiznar tees-nar’  (transitive verb)

to blacken, to smut, to stain, to tarnish, to blot

EXAMPLES

El cielo tizna antes de la tormenta. – The sky darkens before the storm.

Toda la plata tiznaba en la vitrina. – All of the silverware tarnished in the cabinet.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for tiznar.

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Joey:
Daddy . Is it true when they say that the truth will set you free?

Father
That’s true son, very true, why do you ask?

Joey:
Well if truth really sets you free, how come  that every time I tell the truth I get sent to my room?.

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Here´s a link for anyone who feels neglected this Christmas. Clickm on the link and believe the card is for you. At least I was thinking about you!

Click here: The Christmas Tree – animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson

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I know these things do the rounds on the Internet but this is quite nice…….

Always try to help a friend in need
Believe in yourself
Be brave…but it ‘ s ok to be afraid sometimes
Study hard
Give lots of kisses
Laugh often
Don ‘ t be overly concerned with your weight, it ‘ s just a number
Always try to see the glass half full
Meet new people, even if they look different to you
Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless
Take lots of naps..
Be weird whenever you have the chance
Love your friends, no matter who they are
Don ‘ t waste food
RELAX
Take an occasional risk
Try to have a little fun each day.
….it ‘ s important
Work together as a team
Share a joke with friends
Fall in love with someone..
….and say ‘ I love you ‘ often
Express yourself creatively
Be conscious of your appearance
Always be up for surprises
Love someone with all of your heart
Share with friends
Watch your step
It will get better
There is always someone who loves you more than you know
Exercise to keep fit
Live up to your name
Seize the Moment
Hold on to good friends; they are few and far between
Indulge in the things you truly love
Cherish every Sunday
At the end of the day… PRAY
…….. And close your eyes
And smile at least once a day!

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2000, Four Seasons bassist Nick Massi died of cancer. They scored the 1976 UK & US No.1 single ‘December 1963, Oh What A Night’, as well as hits with ‘Sherry,’ and ‘Rag Doll.’

2005, Winner of the second series of the X-Factor TV show, Shayne Ward was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘That’s My Goal’ the second biggest selling single of 2005.

1924, Born on this day, Lee Dorsey, US singer, (1966 US & UK No.8 single ‘Working In The Coalmine’).
1945, Born on this day, Lemmy, Hawkwind, (1972 UK No.3 single ‘Silver Machine’), Motorhead, (1980 UK No.15 single ‘Ace Of Spades’).
1946, Born on this day, Jan Akkerman, guitar, Focus, (1973 UK No.4 single ‘Sylvia’, 1973 US No. 9 single ‘Hocus Pocus’).
1971, Born on this day, Ricky Martin, singer, (1999, US & UK No.1 single ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’. Recorded the world’s biggest selling football song ‘The Cup Of Life’).

Today´s Podcast

Merry Christmas to everyone. If you click on the link you will experience one of the most uplifting versions of a well-known christmas song. Let´s hope we all have a better 2010 in health, wealth and happiness. I´m just putting together today´s podcast and I have to say there was some great music and memories for this particular day. Feel free to listen to any of the days I have completed up til now. There´s a long way to go to finish this job! The weather is decidedly milder but, as I said yesterday, we pay a price and rain is about. We´ll get the forecast shortly.

It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues. – Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865

I´ve just been watching an hour long film about a hunter in the Polar regions of  Canada shooting a bear which was not a Polar Bear but seemed to be a cross between a Polar and a Grizzly. This sparked an investigation and they have filmed Grizzlies travelling far north and meeting their Polar cousins. I have come away to do other things as they cannot seem to get their heads round the two species mating. I suspect it only take as noo one of each to fancy formalities and Bob´s your uncle. However, maybe that´s not technical enough for the scientists!

Is it just my imagination or do the UK soaps save their gory stories to spoil Christmas. Eastenders has the usual mix of sleaze and violence with the Queen Vic at the centre of the plot. Coronation St was unbelievable the other night.- Just about anyone who could quarrel managed to find someone to quarrel with and one scene had about four different arguments at full belt. Isn´t Christmas a time for peace and happiness?

I said I´d get the weather for the Alicante province.

Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
22° C | 12° C	21° C | 10° C	15° C | 8° C	17° C | 4° C	13° C | 4° C

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Goldman Sachs (GS) has threatened the UK Treasury with plans to move up to 20 per cent of its London-based staff to Spain in a standoff over tax and bonuses.

It´s believed that the Wall Street investment bank, which paid more than £2bn to the Exchequer´s ailing coffers in corporation tax alone last year, has fired a warning shot across the Government´s bows in response to the tax measures unveiled in the pre-Budget report earlier this month.

Goldman Sachs International was the biggest contributor from the financial services sector to Britain´s purse last year. Previous reports suggest that in some years the firm´s staff have contributed more than £1bn in personal income tax to public coffers.

A City source said: “Goldman could move a relatively large number of people if it wants to. Given how much Goldman and its staff contribute to the tax take, the firm has plenty of leverage. This is a bargaining position more than anything.”

The bank, which employs around 5,000 staff in London, is believed to have strong links to the Spanish government, although it has a relatively modest number of employees in the country. Although staff moving to Spain would not receive any special tax incentives, the bank could avoid paying the bonus tax, details of which, so far, remain sketchy. A Goldman Sachs spokesman said it is looking at all options as it negotiates with the tax authorities over the bonus tax.

Complete story

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Here´s a video of a baby who has been born without a brain. This is amazing but look at this. It is one of the most amazing videos you will see.  Please bear with the preliminary advert. These things make me realise how lucky I am.

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Could the recession actually have a healthy upside?

No doubt, the current economic scene is hurting people far and wide. And typically, homicides, suicides, cancer deaths, and mental health problems rise during deep recessions.

But an analysis published in a 2000 issue of the Quarterly Journal of Economics suggests that some health factors may actually improve. The 2000 study found that death rates dropped during the 1974 and 1982 recessions. But when the economy recovered in the mid-80s, death rates went up as well. Over the period of economic decline, rates of heart disease and car accidents also dropped.

Economists believe that recessions prompt families to spend more time together and follow a healthier diet because they tend to prepare meals from scratch at home.

Source:-www.hsibaltimore.com

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IDIOMS

Word of the Day

El columpio koh-loom’-pyo  (noun)

swing; couch hammock

EXAMPLES

Pasaba mucho tiempo en nuestro columpio de llanta como niña. – I spent a lot of time on our tire swing as a child.

Si su bebé llora, póngalo en el columpio de motor. – If your baby cries, put him in an automatic swing.

el columpio basculante – seesaw

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* Bright Ideas for Treating the Winter Blues *

It’s that time of year when darkness descends like a heavy blanket beginning in mid-afternoon in much of the country. For some people, it also brings a desire to stay in bed and wait for spring.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, affects an estimated 6% of Americans, causing depression, lethargy, irritability and a desire to avoid social situations. It can also create an urge to overeat, particularly carbohydrates. As many as 15% of people in the U.S. may have a milder version that includes only some of these symptoms. The incidence rises along with the distance from the equator: Roughly 8% of Canadians, 10% of Britons and as many as 20% of Scandinavians suffer from SAD this time of year.Go here for complete news story.

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* Exercise May Keep Your Cells Biologically Young *

People who run everyday do it to keep their hearts strong, spirits up and waistlines trim, but how many could guess that sweating it out on the treadmill may actually fight aging?

A new study in the journal Circulation, shows that vigorous exercise may be inducing a natural anti-aging effect that goes right down to our DNA.

Go here for complete news story.

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* Experts: Man Controlled Robotic Hand with Thoughts *

A group of European scientists said Wednesday they have successfully connected a robotic hand to an amputee, allowing him to feel sensations in the artificial limb and control it with his thoughts.

The experiment lasted a month, and scientists say it was the first time a patient has been able to make complex movements using his mind to control a biomechanic hand connected to his nervous system.

Go here for complete news story.

1964, during a US tour Beach Boy Brian Wilson had a nervous breakdown during a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. Wilson left the band to concentrate on writing and producing. Glen Campbell replaced Wilson for the bands live shows. This is the definitive reason why Glen Campbell played with the Beach Boys.

2002, Sir Paul McCartney was granted his own coat of arms by the College of Arms.

2008, Clint Ballard Jr. died. He wrote ‘Game Of Love’ a hit for Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders’, and Linda Ronstadt’s, ‘You’re No Good’. His songs have been recorded by The Hollies, Frankie Avalon, Ricky Nelson, The Zombies and Jan And Dean.

Today´s Podcast

Love truth, and pardon error. – Voltaire, 1694-1778

I have an admission to make. I have just been looking through what had arrived as spam replies to my posts. It took quite a while because there were some really interesting replies and then there were the spammed replies. For those who had sent me their genuine comments please accept my apologies for the delay in replying. I now have another place to check each day! I also need to add that I don´t write every piece within my blog. I will always acknowledge the source wherever possible but I believe it is my responsibility to share good information with my readers.

The weather is definitely milder and more to my liking. Let´s get the official forecast for the province of Alicante.

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
21° C | 7° C	19° C | 11° C	21° C | 9° C	19° C | 8° C	18° C | 5° C
Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds	Rain 50% chance of precipitation

Without a shadow of doubt rain clouds are about and the milder weather has rain as its price. I think, on balance, I´d rather have a bit of rain rather than a bit of extreme cold. My son, Richard, who lives in the Basque Country, told me his temper4ature in Bilabao was -3 degrees around 4 pm. Here´s how yesterday´s weather was reported by SpanishVida

“A cold wave and snowfall caused traffic chaos and prompted cancellations of flights and trains in Spain on Monday.

Traffic jams were reported especially on entry roads to the capital Madrid, which was covered with an unusual blanket of snow, and in the north of the country. A car driver was killed after his vehicle veered off an icy road and plunged into a canal near Llerida.

More than 130 flights were cancelled at Madrid airport. Two of the airport's four runways were closed temporarily during the morning, sources of the airport management company Aena said.

Around a dozen flights were cancelled also in Barcelona to destinations including Paris, Brussels and Lisbon. The air link between Madrid and Barcelona was resumed after being suspended for five hours, the airline Iberia said.

High-speed rail traffic linking Madrid with Seville, Malaga and Barcelona was resumed after eight trains were cancelled, according to sources of the rail company Renfe.

Temperatures as low as minus 17 degrees Celsius were registered in several places in the north.”

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Iris has sent me a very special Christmas recipe you might like to try. Here it is…..

“Christmas Fruitcake Recipe… 1 cup water 1 cup of sugar 4 large eggs 2 cups dried fruit (not the kind from the craft store) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup brown sugar lemon juice nuts 1 gallon whiskey Sample the whiskey to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whiskey again to be sure it is of the highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 cup butter in a large, fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and beat again. Make sure the whiskey is still OK. Cry another tup. Turn off mixer. Break 2 legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something, Who cares. Check the whiskey. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find. Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out of the window. Check the whiskey again. Go to bed. Who the  likes fruitcake anyway?”

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Here´s the latest from the rebel doctor

How docs and hospitals play radiation games

Imagine being zapped with powerful doses of radiation for a test you don’t even need. If you’ve recently had an abdominal CT scan, there’s a 50 percent chance you’re in that category.

A new study found that more than half of all patients sent for costly abdominal CT scans don’t even need the test. But it gets worse. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison believe the high doses of radiation from those tests cause at least 23,000 radiation-induced cancers every year.

Talk about robbery – but forget “your money or your life,” because in this case you could lose both.

A single CT scan delivers as much radiation as 113 chest X- rays. Around 20 percent use a dose equal to 500 chest X- rays, and some get even more – up to 1,000 X-rays, delivered in one mega-dose of damage.

All for a test that more than half the patients never even need to begin with! Think about that next time your doc orders one up.

This new report comes hot on the heels of research showing how 4 million Americans are exposed to overly high levels of radiation each year. Another recent report found that Americans today are typically exposed to seven times the radiation from diagnostic tests as we were 30 years ago.

Diagnostic testing – not just these CT scans – represent one of the biggest scams in modern medicine. The overwhelming majority of these tests are done to make a quick and ugly buck off your deepest fears.

Abdominal CT scans alone can cost around $6500 a pop – but who even stops to think about the price when their doc implies something may be wrong? No one! In fact, most people can’t wait to get the test done because they’re worried sick – usually for no good reason.

The worst are docs with their own testing equipment – believe me, just about everyone who walks in that door ends up with a test. Someone’s gotta pay the bills, right?

And guess what – you’re today’s lucky winner. Thanks for playing… be sure to stop at the window to pay on your way out.

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From SpanishVida comes news of a new ferry service.  A ferry service between Spain and the disputed British colony of Gibraltar reopened Wednesday, 40 years after it was closed by the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco. A 150-seat catamaran, the “Punta Europa Segundo”, made the inaugural half-hour crossing from the Spanish port of Algeciras to the rocky islet off Spain´s southern coast.

A Spanish company, Transcoma, is to operate a daily service between the two points, aimed at tourists as well Spanish workers employed in Gibraltar. The link was closed by Franco´s government in 1969 at a time of increasing restrictions against the British territory, which included the closure of the land frontier which did not fully reopen until 1985. Its resumption was the result of talks involving Britain, Gibraltar and Spain in July as part of ongoing forum which seeks to establish areas of cooperation between the territory and Madrid.

Spain hailed the new service. “Spain is confident that this example of local cooperation serves the forum's objective to promote economic and social development of Gibraltar” and the area of Spain around Gibraltar, Spain´s foreign ministry said in a statement. It said the ferry was expected to carry about half a million passengers annually.

Guests on the inaugural voyage included Luis Felipe Fernandez de la Pena, director general for foreign policy at the Spanish foreign ministry, and Maria Isabel Durantes Gil, director general for commercial shipping at the Spanish development ministry. They were greeted at the quayside by Gibraltar´s transport and deputy chief minister Joe Holliday. The only other regular ferry service to Gibraltar comes from the Moroccan port of Tangiers. A Spanish airline, Air Andalus, currently operates the only regularly scheduled flights between Spain and the territory. Madrid blocked regular air services between Spain and the territory in 1979 but allowed them to resume in December 2006.

British Airways cancelled its Madrid-Gibraltar route in September 2007 due to what it said were operating restrictions at both airports, and national carrier Iberia stopped its service last year for what it said were commercial reasons. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht but has retained a constitutional claim should Britain renounce sovereignty. Its strategic position at the western entrance to the Mediterranean has long been of military interest. Now a haven for tourism, shipping and offshore banking because of its favourable tax laws, its people overwhelmingly rejected an Anglo-Spanish proposal for co-sovereignty in a referendum in 2002. In recent months, Spanish media has reported growing confrontations between the Royal Navy and Spain´s Civil Guard police force in the waters around the promontory. Police in Gibraltar earlier this month detained four Civil Guard officers who had chased two suspected drug smugglers into its territorial waters.

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Word of the Day
el vínculo veen’-coo-loh (noun)

link; tie, bond
EXAMPLES

No había vínculo alguno entre ambos crímenes. – There was no link between the two crimes.

El vínculo de matrimonio es para siempre. – The bond of marriage is forever.

For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el vínculo.

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Christmas Cheer

Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the pearly gates.

“In honor of this holy season,” Saint Peter said, “You must each possess something that symbolizes  Christmas to get into heaven.”

The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. “It represents a candle,” he said. “You may pass through the pearly gates,” Saint Peter said.

The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, “They’re bells.” Saint Peter said, “You may pass through the pearly gates.”

The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women’s glasses.

St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, “And just what do those symbolize?”

The man replied, “They’re Carol’s.”

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PC (submitted)

While Shepherds Watched
While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around

The Union of Shepherds has complained that it breaches health and safety regulations to insist that shepherds watch their flocks without appropriate seating arrangements being provided, therefore benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs must be made available. Shepherds have also requested that, due to the inclement weather conditions at this time of year, they should watch their flocks via cctv cameras from centrally heated observation huts. Please note, the angel of the lord is reminded that before shining his/her glory all around she/he must ascertain that all shepherds have been issued with glasses capable of filtering out the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and Glory.

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2006, American songwriter Dennis Linde died aged 63 from a rare lung disease. Linde wrote one of Elvis Presley’s last major hits, ‘Burning Love’ and also wrote ‘Goodbye Earl’ for
the Dixie Chicks, and ‘Callin’ Baton Rouge’ for Garth Brooks.
1949, Born on this day, Robin and Maurice Gibb, The Bee Gees, singers, songwriters, producers, Robin was the eldest by 1 hour. (1967 UK No.1 single ‘Massachusetts’, 1978 UK &
US No.1 single ‘Night Fever’, over 30 UK Top 40 hits and 9 US No.1′s over 4 decades). Maurice died on 12th January 2003 of a heart attack.

Latest Podcast

It´s still a bit colder than I like but at least it isn´t freezing! We have no snow on the mountain peaks and because it´s milder we have already had a little rain. Looking at the scenes from England I´d say we are extremely lucky. The town of Cockermouth in Cumbria was featured this morning on BBC. The locals are still cleaning up after the dreadful floods in which the main stree was covered by ten feet of water. At least they appeared to be in a recovery phase but, as they said, there is always the fear of the floods returning after the reparations are completed. Surely the world leaders at the Climate Summit must see the obvious truth of the situation. I´m sure it is part of a cyclical event which has been exacabated by other problems in the world but seeing smoke belching from cooling towers and watching vapour trails from aircraft is enough evidence for me that these two alone must affect climate. Yes. There are vested interests all around the globe but we can see where lots of these two emissions have their sources. Throw in the millions of cars they don´t have in Africa and partsm of Asia and we should acknowledge our responsibility. Here´s the forecast for the province of Alicante..

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
20° C | 9° C	20° C | 8° C	19° C | 10° C	21° C | 2° C	13° C | 0° C
Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds	Scattered Clouds	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation

————————————————————————————————Have a look at this website http://sharkbreak.com

Pick a fish from the left, pick a background from the right, then lead your fish around with your mouse.

By passing this on you are helping to bring awareness to marine life conservation and ocean preservation.

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Here´s a quick note from the rebel doctor….

Keeping it in boosts your heart risk

Every now and then, a gorilla needs to rattle his cage.

And if your cage is your office, don’t be afraid to bang on the bars when you need to – it’s good for you.

A new study out of Sweden finds that men who let resentment over unfair treatment at work fester inside them had double the risk of heart attack or death by heart disease than those who were unafraid to vent.

Researchers also found that men who routinely ignored work- related conflicts had triple the risk of heart attack or coronary death.

I didn’t need to see the details of this in the online edition of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health to confirm what most of us have known all along: Holding this stress in can hurt you or even kill you.

We men need to find better ways to deal with our workplace issues if we hope to live as long as our wives – because the researchers also found that women (who live longer anyway) don’t have these same risks from workplace stress.

The study didn’t look at how you SHOULD release that office aggravation. Leave it to researchers to pose a problem – but not a solution.

But that’s what you have me for, and here’s your common- sense advice for today: You’re not a doormat, so don’t let any of the muddy feet at your office trample on you, no matter how big the boots are.

Be direct. When there’s a problem, stand your ground and make sure you get the respect you deserve. You don’t need to raise your voice to be heard.

Be blunt when you need to, and say “no” when you have to – you may lose a couple of your more shallow “friends,” but you didn’t need those phonies to begin with – and you’ll gain more respect from everyone in the end.

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Here´s Iris´Challenge from Saturday. The answer is at the foot of the page

(1)    They are a band formed in 1983 and were made up of Irish and Scottish, although today they have a very mixed line-up, they got their name  a line in the Lou Reed song “The Kids” on the album Berlin

(2)    In March 1983, Ensign Records released their single titled A Girl Called Johnny, the A-side of which was a tribute to Patti Smith.  In May of the same year they did the BBC‘s Old Grey Whistle Test.  Their music was influenced by Patti Smith, Bob Dylan and Bowie, and were compared by critics to Van Morrison and U2

(3)    They released their third album, This Is the Sea, in October 1985. It sold better than either of the two earlier albums, and managed to get into the Top Forty. A single from it, “The Whole of the Moon”, reached number 26 in the UK . Though Promotion efforts were hampered by their refusal to perform on Top of the Pops, which insisted that its performers lip sync.

(4)    “The Whole of the Moon”, which is considered the bands signature song, and is partially a tribute to writer C. S. Lewis. Lewis’ work is also referenced in their other songs, such as “Church Not Made with Hands” and “Further Up, Further In”.

(5)    They have recorded poems set to music by writers including William Butler Yeats (“The Stolen Child” and “Love and Death”), George MacDonald (“Room to Roam”), and Robert Burns (“Ever To Be Near Ye”).

(6)    More than thirty musicians have performed live as a member of this band. Some have spent only a short time with the band, contributing to a single tour or album, while others have been long-term members with significant contributions. both Bono and The Edge from U2 are fans of this band.

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Word of the Day

la milla mee’-yah  (noun)

mile

EXAMPLES

No conduzcas más que 40 millas por hora. – Don’t drive more than 40 miles per hour.

Ningún lugar de la isla de Kaua’i se encuentra más de 12 millas del mar. – Nowhere on the island of Kaua’i is more than 12 miles from the ocean.

IDIOMS

Una milla marina – A nautical mile.

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Sheenagh has sent me the following

Having spent the past twenty minutes waiting for someone at Bodmin police station to pick up a telephone I have decided to abandon the idea and try e-mailing you instead.

Perhaps you would be so kind as to pass this message on to your colleagues in Bodmin, by means of smoke signal, carrier pigeon or Ouija board.

As I’m writing this e-mail there are eleven failed medical experiments (I think you call them youths) in St Mary’s Crescent, which is just off St Mary’s Road in Bodmin.

Six of them seem happy enough to play a game which involves kicking a football against an iron gate with the force of a meteorite. This causes an earth shattering CLANG! which rings throughout the entire building.
This game is now in its third week and as I am unsure how the scoring system works, I have no idea if it will end any time soon.

The remaining five failed-abortions are happily rummaging through several bags of rubbish and items of furniture that someone has so thoughtfully dumped beside the wheelie bins. One of them has found a saw and is setting about a discarded chair like a beaver on ecstasy pills.

I fear that it’s only a matter of time before they turn their limited attention to the caravan gas bottle that is lying on its side between the two bins.
If they could be relied on to only blow their own arms and legs off then I would happily leave them to it. I would even go so far as to lend them the matches.

Unfortunately they are far more likely to blow up half the street with them and I’ve just finished decorating the kitchen.

What I suggest is this – after replying to this e-mail with worthless assurances that the matter is being looked into and will be dealt with, why not leave it until the one night of the year (probably bath night) when there are no mutants around then drive up the street in a Panda car before doing a three point turn and disappearing again. This will of course serve no other purpose than to remind us what policemen actually look like.

I trust that when I take a claw hammer to the skull of one of these throwbacks you’ll do me the same courtesy of giving me a four month head start before coming to arrest me.

I remain your obedient servant
???????

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Mr ??????,

I have read your e-mail and understand your frustration at the problems caused by youths playing in the area and the problems you have encountered in trying to contact the police.

As the Community Beat Officer for your street I would like to extend an offer of discussing the matter fully with you.

Should you wish to discuss the matter, please provide contact details (address / telephone number) and when may be suitable.

Regards
PC ???????
Community Beat Officer

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Dear PC ???????
First of all I would like to thank you for the speedy response to my original e-mail.

16 hours and 38 minutes must be a personal record for Bodmin Police Station, and rest assured that I will forward these details to Norris McWhirter for inclusion in his next Guinness book.

Secondly I was delighted to hear that our street has its own Community Beat Officer.

May I be the first to congratulate you on your covert skills? In the five or so years I have lived in St Mary’s Crescent , I have never seen you. Do you hide up a tree or have you gone deep undercover and infiltrated the gang itself? Are you the one with the acne and the moustache on his forehead or the one with a chin like a wash hand basin? It’s surely only a matter of time before you are head-hunted by MI5 to look for Osama.

Whilst I realise that there may be far more serious crimes taking place in Bodmin, such as smoking in a public place or being Christian without due care and attention, is it too much to ask for a policeman to explain (using words of no more than two syllables at a time) to these twats that they might want to play their strange football game elsewhere.

The pitch on Fairpark Road , or the one at Priory Park are both within spitting distance as is the bottom of the Par Dock, the latter being the preferred option especially if the tide is in..

Should you wish to discuss these matters further you should feel free to

contact me on <???????>. If after 25 minutes I have still failed to answer, I’ll buy you a large one in the Cat and Fiddle Pub.

Regards
?????????

P.S If you think that this is sarcasm, think yourself lucky that you don’t work for the sewerage department with whom I am also in contact !!!

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Doctor! Doctor!

A mother takes her son to a psychiatrist and says, “Doctor,
I’d like you to evaluate my 13-year-old son.”

“He’s suffering from a transient psychosis with an
intermittent rage disorder, punctuated by episodic radical
mood swings, but his prognosis is good for full recovery.”

“How can you say all that without even meeting him?”

“Didn’t you say he was 13?”

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Why?

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Why do you have to “put your two cents in”… but it’s only a “penny for your thoughts”? Where’s that extra penny going?

Once you’re in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wake up like every two hours?

Why are you IN a movie, but you’re ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.

Why is “bra” singular and “panties” plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

If the professor on Gilligan’s Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs!

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Why did Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

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Iris´Challenge …..The Waterboys

Today´s Podcast

It looks as though We´ll be playing for a mid-table place after Liverpool´s game yesterday. I had  my head in my hands as the second Portsmouth goal has gone in. It´s becoming a very regular feeling as Liverpool lose yet again and their collective posse of millionaires move disconsolantly back to their bank balances after yet another loss by a side currently mastering mediocrity. I then get even more depressed as I battle with Yahoo weblinks. It would appear to me that Yahoo have got too big for their internet boots and they cannot keep up with the demand they are creating. I had this game around the same time last week when I couldn´t even get to my Yahoo mail from Yahoo´s own links. Something is technically adrift Yahoo. If I hadn´t got other things to do I would be even more choked!

I´d like to add quickly a paragraph in tribute to Mark Hughes´efforts at Manchester City.m This foul, poxy business of football is showing its ugly side again. Hughes´replacement has obviously been well and truly planned by these money people who are ruining the beautiful game. City´s defence might have been frail but they have been playing some nice football. I wish him well.

I get all kinds of items sent to me and I try to put together a blog which will be both interesting and informative. Here´s a very in-depth insight into the dealings and goings on in America. You make up your own mind. I have heard very similar stories in both England and here in Spain. I found this footage very interesting albeit a little disturbing. I suppose it is healthy to see and hear information from many sources but it must get to a point where it is very hard to be totally definitive about your own thoughts. I am totally aware of the fact that these sources are extremely well-respected but it goes a little too deep for me. I was particularly horrified to see this footage which claims there is a decision to de-populate the planet! I suppose it´s a free world but is this a little too much freedom!

Let´s see how long this cold spell will last. Most of Spain is suffering and we are as warm as anyone here in La Nucia.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
12° C | 8° C	20° C | 9° C	20° C | 8° C	19° C | 10° C	21° C | 2° C
Clear	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation

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Here´s Iris´Challenge from today´s show…….answer is at the foot of the page…

(1) Are a Northern Irish alternative rock band, with members from Northern Ireland and Scotland. The were formed at the University of Dundee in 1994. The band is now based in Glasgow.

(2) They released their 2003 album Final Straw which surpassed 4 platinum sales in the UK . This was the first time the band achieved significant commercial sales, they followed it up with international success in 2006 when Eyes Open which sold 4.7 million copies worldwide. The songs “Run“, “Chasing Cars” and “Signal Fire” are among the band’s biggest hits.

(3) They have been nominated for three BRIT Awards and have won five Meteor Ireland Music Awards. In 2008, the band released their fifth studio album A Hundred Million Suns, and released their first compilation album, Up to Now in 2009. Worldwide, the band has sold over ten million albums.

(4) On 30 July 2006, they appeared on the finale of the long-running BBC music show Top of the Pops, performing “Chasing Cars”. The band was the last act to ever appear on the show

(5) This band contributed the song “Signal Fire” to the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack, as well as the film. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack and was featured in the credits to the film.

(6) In 2009 two members of this band donated plectrums and certificates to the Music Beats Mines project that aims to clear unexploded mines/landmines from conflict zones. The items were auctioned on eBay.

SpanishVida provides the following news story………

The parliament of the wealthy north-eastern Spanish region of Catalonia on Friday gave preliminary approval to a ground-breaking ban on Spain´s bullfighting tradition in the region. The ban was approved with a vote of 67 against 59 while five of the regional legislators abstained.

The ban will now enter into the legislative process and could undergo modifications before it is put before parliament in its final form.

If a total ban goes through, Catalonia will become the second Spanish region to outlaw bullfights after the Canary Islands did so in 1991.

The anti-bullfighting platform Prou collected 180,000 signatures to back its legal initiative, nearly four times as many as would have been needed to bring it before parliament.

Bullfighting opponents slammed Spain´s “national fiesta” as “cowardly” while some legislators argued that its fans had the right to see bullfights even if they were a minority in the region.

“Making animals suffer for fun” did not fit in with “the new values of the society of the 21st century,” Prou representative Anna Mola argued during the debate preceding the vote.

“Bulls cannot defend themselves,” Mola stressed.

Socialist legislator David Perez, who opposed the ban, said freedom of thought was one of the hallmarks of Catalonia.

Perez also criticized those who saw bullfights as representing Spanishness in the region with separatist currents.

“Those who think we will be less Spanish if we prohibit bullfights are mistaken,” he argued.

The vote launched a debate about bullfighting in Spain where opinion polls show its popularity to have declined.

Only 19 per cent of Spaniards younger than 24 years take an interest in the spectacle, according to a 2006 poll.

Criticism of bullfights is strongest in Catalonia, a region of 7 million residents, where the regional capital Barcelona and dozens of other municipalities have declared their opposition to the spectacle.

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Word of the Day

profundizar pro-foon-dee-zar’  (intransitive verb)

to deepen, to go into depth

EXAMPLES

Este artículo profundiza en el problema de la droga en los adolescentes. – This articles goes in depth on the drug problem with teens.

El estudio de las estrellas nos permite profundizar en el conocimiento de otros mundos. – The study of the stars lets us deepen our knowledge of other worlds.

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1992, American blues singer and guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. 1999, Canadian Country singer Hank Snow died. ‘The Singing Ranger’ released over 100 albums and scored more than seventy singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980. A regular at the Grand Ole Opry, in 1954 Snow persuaded the directors to allow a new singer by the name of Elvis Presley to appear at the Grand Ole Opry.

2006, Matthew Fisher, a founding member of Procol Harum, won a High Court battle over who wrote their song A Whiter Shade of Pale. He played organ on the 1967 hit and argued he wrote the distinctive organ melody. Mr Justice Blackburne ruled he was entitled to 40% of the copyright. Fisher had wanted half but the court decided lead singer Gary Brooker’s input was more substantial. Fisher’s claim for back royalties – of up to 163 million dollars – was also rejected. For almost 40 years, the song has been credited to lead singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid.

Iris´Challenge ….Snow Patrol

Today´s Podcast

The silly season is on the way and I will be accused of being too serious if I remind myself about the true meaning of Christmas. Therefore, I will endeavour to bring you a mixture of serious and not so serious as we speed towards another Christmas. There is a very interesting missive on food from the east.

I watched Everton´s efforts last night with great admiration for their manager´s efforts to blood young talent. They battled on through freezing conditions and In thought 1-0 was a creditable result. Here, the weather is overcast and certainly cooler. Yesterday, I had to go to Calpe. I know it´s now known by its Valenciano name ´Calp´but old habits die hard. I can tell you the weather was magnificent and , if anything, I felt too hot! It was beautiful and I had a lovely walk along the seafront. I can thoroughly recommend such a visit. Let´s get the forecast

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
16° C | 4° C	10° C | 3° C	11° C | 8° C	16° C | 12° C	17° C | 6° C
Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Overcast	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation

Word of the Day

desconfiar dehs-cohn-fyar’  (intransitive verb)

to mistrust/distrust someone; to doubt

EXAMPLES

Desconfiaba a él hasta que hoy. – I mistrusted him until today.

Desconfío de que venga. – I doubt he will come.

For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for desconfiar.

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Here is a very serious missive I have received. It would appear to check out as correct and came with a series of pictures which supported the story. I have no axe to grind but feel it is in people´s interests to read the same information to which I am privy. Here it is…

DANGEROUS IMPORTED FOODS

The whole world is scared of China made ‘black hearted goods’. Can you differentiate which one is made in the USA , Philippines , Taiwan or China ? For your Information … the first 3 digits of the barcode is the country code wherein the product was made.
Sample: all barcodes that start with 690.691.692 until 695 are all MADE IN CHINA.
471 is Made in Taiwan This is our human right to know, but the government and related department never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves. Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products ‘made in china’, so they don’t show from which country it is made.
However, you may now refer to the barcode, remember if the first 3 digits is 690 to 695, then it is Made in China.

00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA
30 ~ 37 FRANCE
40 ~ 44 GERMANY
49 ~ JAPAN
50 ~ UK
57 ~ Denmark
64 ~ Finland
76 ~ Switzerland and Lienchtenstein
628 ~ Saudi-Arabien
629 ~ United Arab Emirates
740 ~ 745 – Central America
All 480 Codes are Made in the Philippines.

Now read on below for specifics on goods from China to protect yourself, your family, and your friends – as I am trying to do.

This is sickening but it is an alert to read labels and always buy fresh when you can.

DO NOT BUY FOOD PROCESSED IN CHINA , HONG KONG , VIETNAM AND THAILAND !!! no food inspection!!!

Have a taste for chicken tenders? READ THIS

WATCH WHAT YOU BUY. ESPECIALLY HIGHLINER FISH PRODUCTS; all come from China , even though the box says ‘ product of Canada ‘, it is from China and’processed’ in Canada , that is, the coating is added and packaged in Canada only! The fish are raised in pens using chemicals that are banned here in Canada as cancer causing but legal in China This was exposed on CBC TV’s Marketplace .
This one will make you think before buying anything from China

Well, are you enjoying seeing Chinese food popping up in your supermarket left and right? Have you noticed you can’t buy a single package of fish that isn’t made in China (or Vietnam )? Do you think your food from China is processed in a sanitary manner, and thus safe to eat? Take a look at this!!
.

THINK ABOUT IT. These undercover enclosed pictures speak a thousand words. Avoid buying all processed food packaged in China. Anything goes! We just don’t know what else is in those packages. Unlike in the U.S. And CANADA , China does not have laws regulating food processing.

Basically, do not buy any processed food from China , also Hong Kong , too. MANY companies are using a Hong Kong address to avoid this type of image reputation.

Early dawn, starts the day by riding around to collect dead chickens.

Asking around for dead chickens.

Total of 5 riders are hired by the boss to ride to farms to buy dead chickens.

A dead chicken cost 1 RMB and would be sold at 9 RMB after processing.

Storage for the dead chickens in the court yard.

Carcasses are thrown everywhere.

And on the floor….
Four employees start de-feathering the dead fowl after soaking in boiling water from a rusty wok.

Enduring the pungent odor, but sometime, it get so terrible that even the most experienced of the workers would puke.

Workers rushing to get the chickens de-feathered.

A discarded bath tub being used to soak the bare skin dead chickens…. The contaminated water would have accelerated the decomposition process.

Wearing slippers walking among the chickens before the coloring processing.

After the color dye, its creepy to find that they are quite tenderized.

And now presenting the mouth watering Charcoal Roasted Chicken!

Do NOT buy food originating in China (or Vietnam or  Thailand)! Take the time to read the labels and look for country of origin! STOP BUYING ANYTHING FROM CHINA PERIOD!

Editor´s Comment: Please use this link to check your own thoughts on this subject

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Keep an eye on the cat….from SpanishVida……

A cat that went missing in Hampshire turned up on a cross-channel ferry as it arrived in Bilbao, Spain.

Sandy the ginger tom went missing from his home in Lee-on-Solent on 10 December.

He was discovered on the vehicle deck of the Pride of Bilbao as it docked at the Spanish port on Monday morning and returned to the UK the next day.

Sandy´s owners face a bill of about £2,000 for fees while the cat spends six months in quarantine.

Luckily Sandy had been micro chipped so staff on the P&O ferry were able to find out where he was from.

Sting in tail

Sandy´s owner Tim Austin believes his cat was stolen.

He said: “My wife went and delivered leaflets through doors but he was out of the country all the time.

“We were surprised that he was on a ferry because there was no way he could have got there by himself.

“Without the chip, almost certainly the animal would have been put down and we would have never known.”

Sandy was returned to the UK on Tuesday evening but was met by DEFRA officers and has to stay in quarantine for six months.

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I have been sent the following thoughts on alcohol

“Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams .. If I didn’t drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, “It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.”
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“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day. ”
~Frank Sinatra

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
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“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.”
~ H enny Youngman

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are laughing WIT H you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not.”
~ Stephen Wright

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing.
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“When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let’s all get drunk and go to heaven!”
~ Brian O’Rourke

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause pregnancy.
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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
~ Benjamin Franklin

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like a spaz.
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“Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.”
~ Dave Barry

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
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To some, it’s a six-pack, to me it’s a Support Group. Salvation in a can!
~Dave H owell

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And saving the best for last, as explained by Cliff Clavin, of Cheers.
One afternoon at Cheers, Cliff Clavin was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his buddy Norm.  Here’s how it went:

” Well ya see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”

WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not.

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It is near the Christmas break of the school year. The students have turned in all their work and there is really nothing more to do. All the children are restless and the teacher decides to have an early dismissal.

Teacher: “Whoever answers the questions I ask, first and correctly can leave early today.”

Little Johnny says to himself “Good, I want to get outta here. I’m smart and will answer the question.”

Teacher: “Who said ‘Four Score and Seven Years Ago’?”

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Susie says, “Abraham Lincoln.”

Teacher: “That’s right Susie, you can go home.”

Johnny is mad that Susie answered the question first.

Teacher: “Who said ‘I Have a Dream‘?”

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Mary says, “Martin Luther King.”

Teacher: “That’s right Mary, you can go.”

Johnny is even madder than before.

Teacher: “Who said ‘Ask not, what your country can do for you’?”

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Nancy says, “John F. Kennedy.”

Teacher: “That’s right Nancy , you may also leave.”

Johnny is boiling mad that he has not been able to answer to any of the questions.

When the teacher turns her back Johnny says, “I wish these bitches would keep their mouths shut!”

The teacher turns around: “NOW WHO SAID THAT?”

Johnny: “TIGER WOODS. CAN I GO NOW?”

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2005, ‘Fairytale of New York’ was voted the favourite Christmas song ever in a VH1 poll. The song by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl took the top spot, Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, was voted into 2nd place and Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ came third. Other songs voted into the Top 10 were, ’Mistletoe and Wine’, Sir Cliff Richard at No.4, ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ by Slade at No.5, ‘I Wish it could be Christmas Everyday’, Wizzard, No.6, ‘Christmas Time’, The Darkness, No.7, ‘Saviour’s Day’, Sir Cliff Richard No.8, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ (1984), Band Aid at No.9 and ‘Lonely This Christmas’ by Mud at No.10.

1938, Born on this day, Chas Chandler, bass, The Animals, (1964 UK & US No.1 single ‘House Of The Rising Sun’). Chandler became the manager of Jimi Hendrix and Slade, he died on 17th July 1996.
1943, Born on this day, Keith Richards, ‘The Human Riff’, guitar, vocals, The Rolling Stones, (1969 UK & US No.1 single ‘Honky Tonk Women’ and over 35 other Top 40 singles and albums). Solo, (1988 album ‘Talk Is Cheap’).
1980, Born on this day, Christina Aguilera, US singer, (1999 US & UK No.1 single ‘Genie In A Bottle’, 1999 US No.1 album ‘Christina Aguilera’, 2001 US & UK No.1 single with Mya, Lil’ Kim and Pink, ‘Lady Marmalade’).

Today´s Podcast