We have a beautiful day with blue skies and very little clouds in evidence. Benidorm looked wonderful and I have just come back from having a coffee with my guest, Neil Colbourne, at the Loco Paradiso. What could be nicer?

Artist Pablo Picasso surprised a burglar at work in his new chateau. The intruder got away, but Picasso told the police he could do a rough sketch of what he looked like. On the basis of his drawing, the police arrested a mother superior, the minister of finance, a washing machine, and the Eiffel Tower…..Here´s the weather forecast for Alicante province…….

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
18° C | 6° C	17° C | 6° C	15° C | 6° C	16° C | 10° C	21° C | 10° C
Clear	Clear	Scattered Clouds	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation

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New study finds calorie counts wildly off

I stopped believing long ago any claims made by the food industry fat cats…so I wasn’t surprised in the least by a new study that finds calorie information on menus and food labels to be flat-out false.

In most cases, you’re eating more than you’ve been told, whether you’re dining out or heating up a frozen dinner.

Sometimes a lot more.

Makes sense to me — they shovel out more meals if calorie- counting customers think they’re shoveling in less, right?

Tufts University researchers found that big chain restaurants underestimated their already-bloated calorie counts by an average of 18 percent — and as much as 200 percent. Frozen meals — the tasteless, nutrition-free heat-and-serve “dinners” you can buy in the supermarket — were off by an average of 8 percent, according to the study in the Journal of the American Dietician Association.

Of course, all this is perfectly legal. In its never-ending quest to protect big business and keep American consumers completely in the dark, the FDA actually allows for discrepancies of up to 20 percent for packaged foods.

Outrageous? You bet!

But that’s not even the REAL crime here — that’s just a distraction. Try reading the ingredients instead of the calorie count. If you’re eating meal-in-a-can or frozen dinners every night, or indulging in food from chain restaurants, you’ve got much bigger problems than counting calories.

These so-called foods are packed with the worst carbs, soy, preservatives, meat byproducts that shouldn’t even be called meat, and more. Just last week I told you about the pink slime invading American hamburger. Click here to read that — if you can stomach it.

I don’t care how many calories you’re eating — if you’re swallowing that junk, you’re heading for an early grave, plain and simple…especially if you’re eating those nasty and completely ineffective frozen diet meals.

Want to know the best way to read a food label? Read it, and put it back on the shelf. Better yet, skip every aisle in the supermarket and buy the fresh foods on the perimeter — the ones that usually don’t have any label beyond weight and price.

Focus on grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, pork and fish. Add a variety of fresh vegetables (French fries don’t count). Avoid vegetable oils, fake butter and anything with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

You’ll lose weight, keep it off, stay healthy — and never need to count a calorie again.

And keep reading for a disgusting new reason to avoid soda!   Source

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Michael Addo from Hull sent me this lovely piece……

One day, a son asks his dad, “Dad, would you like to run a marathon with me? ”
The father says, “Yes”.
And they ran their first marathon together.

Another time, the son asks his dad again, “Dad, would you liketo run a marathon with me?”
The father says, “Yes, son”.. And they do.

One day, the son asks his father, “Dad, would you run the Ironman with me?”

The Ironman is the most difficult triathlon ever: 4 km swimming, 180 km biking, 42 km running?

His father says, “Yes”.

The story looks simple until you watch this DVD clip. Amazing, how much love CAN achieve….

This clip is worth a thousand words… Just click on the link:

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Church Bulletin Announcement

The Building Committee has been informed that opened sugar packets are being found in the nursery area. We have had some serious problems with ants in the past and would like to avoid any recurrences if possible. Coffee drinkers, please dispose of these packets properly. If you are a coffee drinker but can’t read yet, please have your parents explain this to you.

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A group of 40 year old buddies discuss and discuss where they should meet for dinner.

Finally it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen restaurant because the waitress’s there have low cut blouses and nice breasts.

10 years later, at 50 years of age, the group meets again, and once again they discuss and discuss where they should eat.    Finally it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen because the food there is very good and the wine selection is good also.

10 years later at 60 years of age, the group meets again, and once again they discuss and discuss where they should eat. Finally it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free.

10 years later, at 70 years of age, the group meets again, and once again they discuss and discuss where they should eat. Finally it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator.

10 years later, at 80 years of age, the group meets again, and once again they discuss and discuss where they should eat. Finally it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen because that would be a great idea, and because they have never been there before.

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ENGLAND

I think this really sums it all up.

After hearing that many cities did not want to offend other cultures by putting up Xmas lights, so DIDN’T!………

After hearing that the Birmingham council changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver’s licence with her face covered.

After hearing of a Primary School in Birmingham where a boy was told that for PE they could wear Football League shirts (Aston Villa, Birmingham, West Brom etc) but NOT an England shirt as it could offend others !

This prompted the editorial below written by a UK citizen.
Published in a British tabloid newspaper……

IMMIGRANTS. NOT BRITONS, MUST ADAPT.

Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on London , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Brits..

However, the dust from the attacks has barely settled and the ‘politically correct’ crowd begin complaining about the possibility that our patriotism is offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Britain . However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.

This idea of England being a multicultural centre for community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Britons, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of wars, struggles, trials and victories fought by the untold masses of men and women who laid down their lives and of the millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

We speak ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language!

If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.. If St.George’s cross offends you, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet.

We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don’t care how you did things where you came from. This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this.

But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our National Motto, or Our Way of Life, I encourage you take advantage of one other great British freedom, ‘THE RIGHT TO LEAVE’.

We didn’t force you to come here. If you don’t like it GO HOME!!

You asked to be here.. So accept the country that accepted YOU. Pretty easy really, when you think about it..

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el defecto deh-fek’-toh  (noun)

fault, flaw, defect, shortcoming, impediment

EXAMPLES

No le veo ningún defecto a esta situación. – I don’t see anything wrong with this situation.

Cuando era niña, tenía un defecto de habla. – When I was little, I had a speech impediment.

IDIOMS

por defecto – by default

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Pop Memorabilia 31st January
1953, Perry Como was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes’.
1963, Two former Shadows members, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan were at No.1 on the UK single charts with ‘Diamonds’.
1967, The Beatles spent a second day at Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent, England to complete filming for the ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ promotional video. The film was shot in colour, for the benefit of the US market, since UK television was still broadcasting only in black and white. Taking time out from filming John Lennon bought a 1843 poster from an antiques shop in Surrey which provided him with most the lyrics for The Beatles song ‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite’.
1968, Love Affair were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Everlasting Love’. Singer Steve Ellis was the only band member to perform on the recording.
1970, American blues musician Slim Harpo died of a heart attack while recording in London aged 46.
1970, The Jackson Five went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Want You Back’. The song was originally written for Gladys Knight
1981, Blondie went to No.1 on the US singles hart with ‘The Tide Is High’, the group’s third US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
1987, Paul Simon went back to No. 1 on the UK album chart with ‘Graceland’, the album stayed on the chart for 101 weeks.
2003, Robbie Williams topped a chart based on UK album sales from the past 5 years.
2007, Jim Morrison was enlisted to help fight global warming more than 35 years after his death. ‘Woman in the Window’, a previously unreleased poem written and recorded by The Doors frontman shortly before he died in 1971 was being set to music and used to publicise the Global Cool campaign.

Today´s Podcast

I´m just back from presenting my show down at Cool FM . The weather is absolutely marvellous after a very windy night. Gary Mariner popped in to inform us about Iberdrola and their new safety controls they are putting in place. Iris set her challenge and Cathy Humphreys told us what´s in the Post this week. For the last hour Rob Daniells joined me.

Here´s the challenge set by Iris. The answer is at the foot of the page….

(1) They are an Irish pop group formed on 3 July 1998.and their first big break came when they opened for Boyzone and Backstreet Boys’ concerts in Dublin . and are the only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go straight to Number 1

(2) They were originally signed by Simon Cowell and are currently managed by Louis Walsh. And co-managed by Ronan Keating of Boyzone, in 2008, they were declared as Ireland ‘s ninth-richest celebrities under 30 years old and 13th in general.

(3) They are the  only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go straight to Number 1 and they garnered 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom, the third-highest in UK history, tying with Cliff Richard and trailing behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

(4) One of their songs” Flying Without Wings” was also included on the soundtrack of the Warner Brothers film, “Pokémon 2000“And in December 1999, the double A- Side fourth single was released,” “I Have A Dream”/”Seasons In The Sun” and knocked Cliff Richard’s “The Millennium Prayer” off the top spot and earning them the 1999 UK Christmas number-one single

(5) The group have collaborated with  some of the most renowned music acts, including Mariah Carey, Lulu, Diana Ross, Lionel Ritchie and Roy Orbison to name but a few.

(6) It was revealed on the Paul O’ Grady Show on the 4th December that the boys will be touring in summer 2010 and the dates are being announced soon. The tour is called “The Where We Are Tour“. It was officially announced that they are the “2nd biggest selling artists” and “Biggest selling band of the decade” in the UK with 10.14 million album sales.
Toddlers given dangerous mood meds

What ever happened to keeping drugs AWAY from kids?

Now, pediatric pushers are shoving dangerous antipsychotic meds at an alarming rate on small children — even toddlers — for bogus diagnoses like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and disruptive behavior disorder.

You can see this outrage for yourself in the pages of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. The chilling details: between 1999 and 2001, around one in 650 5-year-olds in the United States were being given these meds.

That’s way too much already. But that’s nothing — because by 2007, that number had doubled to one in 329.

And these powerful brain drugs — meds used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in adults — are also on the rise in toddlers between the ages of 2 and 4.

Some of these kids are autistic, and some docs — mistakenly — think these powerful meds can help with irritability in autistic kids. But too many other kids are already being saddled with that made-up ADHD label before they can even speak in sentences.

This should be criminal behavior — instead, it’s called “off-label.”

These meds aren’t approved for little kids in most cases — but docs are free to prescribe them whenever they want, for whatever they want. Makes it sounds like the docs are making decisions, but don’t kid yourself — if they’re prescribing antipsychotics to kids, it’s because they got the idea from their friendly Big Pharma sales rep.

They certainly can’t be doing it based on the evidence — because there isn’t any. We don’t even know all the side effects of these drugs on kids that little — and I hope we never do, because a clinical trial of antipsychotic drugs on two-year-olds is quite possibly the most immoral drug experiment I can think of.

I don’t care how moody, frustrating or energetic your 2- year-old is. They call it the “terrible twos” for a reason — they can be hard to take. They fuss, fidget and don’t pay attention — and guess what? They’re designed that way.

The answer isn’t a drug — it’s better parenting.

I was very interested in this article coming from an American doctor because I can add my experience as a teacher in England. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder queue up in droves to get a tablet called Ritalin given at school to keep them calm. I was further surprised when I found that parents wanted to get their children statemented so that they could qualify for the increase in their supplementary benefit payments. I think most of us can see the link between Pharmaceutical companies, profits and the need for a drug like Ritalin! However, there may be more to this than we have realised. Britain is becoming a more violent society.

Ritalin is indicated as an integral part of a total treatment program which typically includes other remedial measures (psychological, educational, social) for a stabilizing effect in children with a behavioral syndrome characterized by the following group of developmentally inappropriate symptoms: moderate-to-severe distractibility, short attention span, hyperactivity, emotional lability, and impulsivity. The diagnosis of this syndrome should not be made with finality when these symptoms are only of comparatively recent origin. Nonlocalizing (soft) neurological signs, learning disability, and abnormal EEG may or may not be present, and a diagnosis of central nervous system dysfunction may or may not be warranted.

Special Diagnostic Considerations

Specific etiology of this syndrome is unknown, and there is no single diagnostic test. Adequate diagnosis requires the use not only of medical but of special psychological, educational, and social resources.

Characteristics commonly reported include: chronic history of short attention span, distractibility, emotional lability, impulsivity, and moderate-to-severe hyperactivity; minor neurological signs and abnormal EEG. Learning may or may not be impaired. The diagnosis must be based upon a complete history and evaluation of the child and not solely on the presence of one or more of these characteristics.

Drug treatment is not indicated for all children with this syndrome. Stimulants are not intended for use in the child who exhibits symptoms secondary to environmental factors and/or primary psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. Appropriate educational placement is essential and psychosocial intervention is generally necessary. When remedial measures alone are insufficient, the decision to prescribe stimulant medication will depend upon the physician’s assessment of the chronicity and severity of the child’s symptoms.

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Word of the Day

el defecto deh-fek’-toh  (noun)

fault, flaw, defect, shortcoming, impediment

EXAMPLES

No le veo ningún defecto a esta situación. – I don’t see anything wrong with this situation.

Cuando era niña, tenía un defecto de habla. – When I was little, I had a speech impediment.

IDIOMS

por defecto – by default
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el defecto.

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Michael Addo from Hull sent the following ……………..Love those  Church Ladies..

They’re Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church  ladies with typewriters… These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS)  actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church  services: (I think)
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water.’ The sermon  tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’
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Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of  those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your  husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at  someone who is hard to love. Say ‘Hell’ to someone who doesn’t care  much about you.
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Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang ‘I will not pass this way again,’ giving  obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a  nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the  help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the  church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.  Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What Is  Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of  several new members and to the deterioration of some older  ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be  recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased  person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment  and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – prayer and medication to  follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They  may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across  from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies  are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is  done..
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation  would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next  Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use  the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the  Church basement Friday at 7 PM.. The congregation is invited to  attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.  Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new campaign slogan last  Sunday: ‘I Upped My Pledge – Up Yours.
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My friend Sheenagh got wind of a lovely story……….

A man and a woman who had never met before, but who were both married to other people, found themselves assigned to the same sleeping room on a trans-continental train. Though initially embarrassed and uneasy over sharing a room, they  were both very tired and fell asleep quickly, he in the upper berth and she in  the lower.

At 1:00 AM, the man leaned down and gently woke the woman saying,……….   ‘Ma’am,

I’m sorry to bother you, but would you be willing to reach into the closet  to get me a second blanket?

I’m awfully cold.’

‘I have a better idea,’ she replied ‘Just for tonight,…… let’s pretend that we’re married.’

‘Wow!…………………. That’s a great idea!’, he exclaimed.

‘Good,’ she replied. Get your own blanket!

A few minutes passed by and the gentleman passed wind……. very loudly!

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Wonderful Man

A man walks out to the street and catches a taxi just going by. He gets into the taxi, and the cabbie says.Perfect timing. You’re just like Frank.
Passenger: ‘Who?’
Cabbie: ‘Frank Feldman.. He’s a guy who did everything right all the time. Like my coming along when you needed a cab, things happened like  that to Frank Feldman every single time.’
Passenger: ‘There are always a few clouds over everybody.’
Cabbie: ‘Not Frank Feldman. He was a terrific athlete. He could have won the Grand-Slam at tennis. He could golf with the pros. He sang like an opera baritone and danced like a Broadway star and you should have heard him play the piano. He was an amazing guy.’

Passenger: Sounds like he was something really special.

Cabbie: ‘There’s more. He had a memory like a computer. He remembered everybody’s birthday.  He knew all about wine, which foods to order and which fork to eat them with. He could fix anything. Not like me. I change a fuse, and thewhole street blacks out. But Frank Feldman, could do everything right.

Passenger: ‘Wow, some guy then. Cabbie: ‘He always knew the quickest way to go in traffic and avoid traffic jams. Not like me, I always seem to get stuck in them. But Frank, he never made a mistake, and he really knew how to treat a woman and  make her feel good. He would never answer her back even if  she was in  the wrong; and his clothing was always immaculate, shoes highly polished too – He was the
perfect man! He never made a mistake. No one could  ever measure up to Frank Feldman.’

Passenger: ‘An amazing fellow. How did you meet him?’
Cabbie: ‘Well, I never actually met Frank, he died and I married his  widow.

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GEMINI INSURANCE SERVICES - The Insurance Shop.

Seeing is believing !   We are in Alfaz del Pi, you can see us over the desk right in
front of you as you discuss with us the complexities of your personal or business
insurances, whether obtaining quotations or sorting out a claim.  No irritation while
waiting on the ´phone, or exasperation when you realise that satisfaction is not as
guaranteed as a remote voice told you when you signed up.  If things are not done
right at the beginning they will not go right when things go wrong.  Not everyone is
equipped to arrange their insurance matters without professional guidance, to ask
the right and relevant questions and properly evaluate risks in a calm atmosphere.
Our job here in Alfaz del Pi is to give the right and full answers to those questions.

Ah, but that will make the product more expensive you will say. There a surprise
awaits you if you come to see us.  Of course, INITIALLY, something cheaper can be
out there, but, as the saying goes, all that glitters is not gold.  In a personal and
personalised service such as ours we are your link, and your defender, at all times,
at a cost which will surprise you with it´s  reasonableness. Insurance mediators do not
make  insurance more expensive, they save you money, and possibly your sanity !
Come to see us, or if you are a commercial concern send your clients to see us, and
don´t worry, there is no “hard sell” for short term profit, and we understand that
not all premium quotations are taken up.  But enquirers will leave with a good idea
of what we can do, and at what price.

Languages?  Well, we wrote this text, otherwise – spanish, dutch, german….tell your
friends about us, and come and be surprised, in the language of your choice.

OFFICE ADDRESS – CENTRO COMERCIAL ARABI PLAZA – Top Floor (3rd)-Door 44-A,
03580 -  ALFAZ DEL PI,  (ALICANTE).  OFFICE HOURS:   09.ºº – 15ºº.

TEL:  965887511.   E-MAIL:    INFO@SEGUROSGEMINIS.COM

A LINKED INSURANCE AGENCY,     DGSFP AUTHORISATION REG.Nº.   AV2008-004

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Today´s Music Memories

1956, Elvis Presley started recording what would be his first album at RCA’s New York Studios. Songs recorded included his version the Carl Perkins song ‘Blue Suede Shoes’.
1959, Elvis Presley had his third UK No.1 single ‘One Night / I Got Stung’ a double A side
1961, The Shirelles became the first girl group to have the number one song on the US charts/UK 4 when ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ reached the top.
1964, The Searchers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Sonny Bono song ‘Needles And Pins’.
1969, The Beatles played their lunchtime rooftop gig on top of the Apple building on Savile Row in London.
1970, Edison Lighthouse were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes).’ In February 1970, Tony Burrows became the first (and still the only) person to appear on BBC Television’s Top Of The Pops fronting three different acts in one show: Edison Lighthouse (who were number one that week), White Plains, and Brotherhood of Man.
1972, Paul McCartney wrote and recorded his protest song ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish’ within 24 hours of Bloody Sunday
1975, The Bee Gees begin recording ‘Jive Talkin’, which became their second US chart topper and No.5 UK hit.
1982, American blues guitarist, singer Sam Lightnin Hopkins died of cancer aged 70. Influenced Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix.
1982, Barbra Streisand started a seven-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with the ‘Love Songs LP’.
1982, Hall and Oates went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Can Go For That, (No Can Do)’ the duo’s fourth US No.1, No.8 hit UK.
1982, Paul McCartney guested on BBC radios Desert Island Discs his discs included, Elvis Presley’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’, and Little Richards ‘Tutti Frutti’.
1988, during a court case involving Holly Johnson and ZTT Records it was revealed that Frankie Goes To Hollywood had not played on their hits ‘Relax’ and ‘Two Tribes’. The court was told that top session musicians were used to make the records.
1988, INXS had their first US No.1 hit single ‘Need You Tonight’.
1988, Tiffany was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’,
1991, 22 years to the day that The Beatles played live on the roof of their London offices, Manchester band James played a live set on the roof of Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio
1999, After spending 11 weeks on the chart Britney Spears started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘…Baby One More Time.’
2000, Gabrielle went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Rise’. The song used a sample from Bob Dylan’s ‘Knocking On Heaven’s Door’ giving Dylan his third UK No.1 as a writer
2005, The Chemical Brothers went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Push The Button’,
2008, Madonna topped the list for the richest female musician, according to the Forbes.com. Its first-ever list focusing on women in the music industry estimated the 49-year-old banked£36m Barbara Streisand came second followed by Celine Dion

Latest Show

Iris´s   Challenge Westlife

Another beautiful day on the Costa Blanca shows just how lucky visitors can be if they arrive in a quick rain burst. I´ll get the forecast shortly. Meanwhile, in Britain tehy are preparing for an annual census on the state of the nation´s birds. It´s a great idea that really captures the imagination of children. The idea was first introduced by Blue Peter and is apparently now one of the largest, if not the largest, such surveys in the world. Also, David Dimbleby is beginning a new series on UK TV depicting the ages of Britian´s development via its cultural treasures. This looks a particularly good programme.

Here in Spain there is a richness of culture which, when united, should strengthen the country. However, regional differences mean that each autonomous region competes fiercely with the others to maintain its language and culture. This is all very well and laudible if it profits its people but sometimes crass stupidity reigns and people suffer. Oersonally, I love the diversity in culture here as it always places me on a steep learning curve. However, here´s an example of the negative aspects of this.

Cinemas in Spain´s northeastern region of Catalonia will close for a day on Monday in protest against a new law requiring that 50 percent of all foreign films screened there be dubbed into Catalan.

The region, which includes Barcelona, Spain´s second largest city, accounts for about one-fifth of the country´s box office but just two percent of movies from the United States or other nations were dubbed into Catalan in 2008.

Camillo Tarrazon, the president of the Catalan Association of Cinemas, said the dubbing law which was approved by the regional Catalan parliament earlier this month would be an “apocalypse” for cinemas in the region.

“This is a law which will close theatres, which will lead to a reduction in the number of copies of films and a drop in the number of spectators,” he said in comments published Wednesday in Spanish newspapers.

Tarrazon said 74 cinemas, representing 81 percent of the total in Catalonia, are expected to remain shut on Monday as part of the strike.

The last time the Catalan government tried to introduce similar regulations, in 1998, it was forced to back down after studios threatened to withdraw distribution in the region.

Full Story

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Spain´s Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to investigate the country´s “human rights judge” Baltasar Garzon for alleged professional misconduct, including accepting bribes, the court said. Two lawyers had reported Garzon for receiving 302,000 dollars (260,000 euros) from Spain´s biggest bank Santander in sponsorship of courses he organized at a New York University in 2005 and 2006.  Full Story

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Here´s our weather……..

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
18° C | 7° C	18° C | 8° C	17° C | 7° C	14° C | 5° C	16° C | 7° C
Clear	Clear	Clear	Clear	Scattered Clouds

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Are you good at Maths? Here´s a little gimmicky thing which will keep you guessing!

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I have used Yahoo for quite a few years and I noticed it has been going haywire for quite a while. Here´s the likely reason why…

In December 2009 Microsoft and Yahoo! finalized a partnership deal that had been rumored for several months, with Yahoo! using Microsoft’s Bing technology to power its search engine in exchange for providing Microsoft with its online ad sales expertise. The two sides reached an agreement in principle in July and later reached out to European Union regulators for permission to combine forces.

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Here´s advice I spotted for Irritable Bowel Syndrome…..

If you suffer from IBS, here’s a quick crash course on how you can improve your symptoms:

1. Cut out white flour.
2. Cut out sugar and fried foods.
3. Cut out caffeine.
4. Cut out milk (and milk products). Go for rice or almond milk instead.
5. Cut out processed foods.
6. Add more whole grains to your diet (100 percent whole wheat, brown rice, barley, oats, etc.).
7. Drink more water.
8. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

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if you’ve ever experienced:

It may very well be a message from your heart that it’s time to pay a visit to your doctor and come up with a plan for waking up your “tired heart.”  Article

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Word of the Day
profundo proh-foon’-doh (adjective)

deep; profound, intense, strong; grave, terrible; sound
EXAMPLES

Lleva un profundo sentimiento de culpa. – He carries a deep sense of guilt.

Es un lago muy poco profundo. – It’s a very shallow lake.

IDIOMS

la España profunda – traditional/backward Spain
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Pop Stuff January 29th
1942, BBC radio aired a new program ‘Desert Island Discs’ presented by Roy Plomley, which went on to become the longest running UK radio show.
1964, The Beatles spent the day at Pathe Marconi Studios in Paris, France, The Beatles’ only studio recording session for EMI held outside the UK. They recorded new vocals for ‘She Loves You’, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ and ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’.
1968, The Doors appeared at The Pussy Cat A Go Go, Las Vegas. 
After the show singer Jim Morrison taunts a security guard in the parking lot by pretending to smoke a joint, resulting in a fight. The police arrive who arrest Morrison and charge him with vagrancy, public drunkenness, and failure to possess sufficient identification.
1969, Fleetwood Mac had their only UK No.1 single with the instrumental ‘Albatross.’
1972, the triple album ‘The Concert For Bangla Desh’ went to No.1 on the UK album chart. Organised by George Harrison to raise funds for the people caught up in the war and famine from the area. The set featured; Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar and members from Badfinger.
1977, Gwen Dickey former backing band for The Temptations, as Rose Royce with ‘Car Wash’ hit the US No1… a No.9 hit in the UK.
1979, 16-year-old Brenda Spencer killed two people and wounded nine others when she fired from her house across the street onto the entrance of San Diego’s Grover Cleveland Elementary School. Spencer fired the shot’s from a .22-caliber rifle her father had given her for Christmas. When asked why she did it, she answered “I don’t like Mondays.” The Boomtown Rats went on to write and record their song based on that event.
1982, Shakin’ Stevens was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Oh Julie’, the Welsh singers third UK No.1. Barry Manilow covered the song in the US.
1982, flying Back from Cannes, France, Gary Numan made a forced landing after running low on fuel at an RAF base outside Southampton, the press, as always sensationalist, ran stories that he had in fact crash landed on the A3057.
1983, Australian group Men At Work went to No.1 on the British and American singles and album charts simultaneously with ‘Down Under’ and ‘Business As Usual’. The last artist to achieve this was Rod Stewart in 1971.
1989, Marc Almond at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart’ with guest vocals from Gene Pitney, (who had a hit with the song in 1967.
1992, American blues singer and guitarist Willie Dixon died of heart failure. Wrote the classic songs: ‘You Shook Me’, I Can’t Quit You Baby’, ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’, ‘I Just Want to Make Love to You’, ‘Little Red Rooster.’ Dixon was a major influence on The Rolling Stones, Cream, Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin.
1994, The Supremes’ Mary Wilson was injured when her jeep crashed on a freeway and turned over just outside of Los Angeles, California. Wilson’s 14-year old son was killed in the accident.
1996, George Michael UK No.1 single with ‘Jesus To A Child’, the singers sixth UK No.1 as a solo artist and the first single from his come-back album ‘Older’.
2001, a New York based data company issued a chart listing sales of posthumous albums. The idea came about after radio stations wanted to distinguish between proper recordings when the artists were alive and CD’s released after they died. Mike Shalett founder of SoundScan said there was only one problem. What to call the chart. The Top 5 chart had The Doors at No.5, Eva Cassidy at 4, Jimi Hendrix at 3, Bob Marley at 2 and 2Pac at No.1.
2005, Ciara feat Petey Pablo Goodies went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with her debut single.
2006, Arctic Monkeys debut album went to No.1 in the UK. The Sheffield-based bands album became the fastest-selling shifting more than 360,000 internet copies in its first week of release.
2009, singer-songwriter John Martyn died in hospital in Ireland at the age of 60. One of the most soulful and innovative singers-songwriters influencing U2, Portishead and Eric Clapton.
2009, former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson made the largest ever leap to number one in US chart history, rising 96 places. Her single, My Life Would Suck Without You, sold 280,000 downloads in its first week of release.
January 29th: Born on this day
1929, Bernard Stanley Bilk, (Acker Bilk), bandleader, (1962 US No.1 & UK No.2 single ‘Stranger On The Shore’).
1933, French singer and guitarist Sacha Distel. 1970 UK No.10 single ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.’ Died after a long battle with deteriorating health on 22nd July 2004.
1938, James Jamerson, bass played, The Funk Brothers, died of a heart attack 2nd August 1983 aged 45. Played on many Motown hits by The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, Martha And The Vandellas.
1943, Tony Blackburn, DJ on Radio Caroline and the first D.J. on BBC Radio One. Blackburn won the UK TV show ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’ set in the Australian outback.
1943, Mark Wynter, UK singer, (1962 UK No.4 single ‘Venus In Blue Jeans’).
1944, Andrew Loog Oldham, the first Rolling Stones manager. Oldham launched the Immediate label in 1965 which enjoyed 24 UK Top 50 hits.

Latest Podcast

We spent a lovely day with the little people at Terra Natura yesterday. Because it was raining we spent a lot of time in the indoor exhibition of snakes and spiders. The little people loved these and were delighted to see the little frogs. They didn’t seem to care that these tiny creatures are among the most venomous on earth. The animals were quite lively but the Black Panthers were not in the mood for showing off their prowess or anything else. I particularly enjoyed then aviary where the birds fly freely. There has been an addition to this aviary. There are now little monkeys leaping around the place. They are really attractive. Like I said in yesterday’s blog it is a lovely place to visit. As it was a cold day there were not that many in the park and we almost had the place to ourselves. Let´s find the forecast as it has now turned beautiful again just as the little people are driving home to the Basque Country.

Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
15° C | 5° C	17° C | 8° C	16° C | 6° C	16° C | 6° C

I cannot believe their bad luck. The little people and their parents have had torrential rain for the past three days!

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You probably don’t clean your computer screen very often and it is really hard to do the inside, so here  is my present to you. Click on the word  “here” and wait for a few seconds
and the inside of your screen will be automatically cleaned.

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Your diet might be a Western diet if it’s raining and the closest thing you can grab to cover your head is an empty pizza box.

Your diet might be a Western diet if you can’t decide what to drink with your chicken nuggets: chocolate milk or strawberry milk.

Your diet might be a Western diet if just seeing the words “pizza box” and “chicken nuggets” makes you crave a beer.

A new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry spells out the elements of a Western diet pretty clearly: “Processed or fried foods, refined grains, sugary products, and beer.”

And for women who follow such a diet for a decade or more, we can add this…

Your diet might be a Western diet if you have major depression, mild chronic depression, or anxiety disorders.

When researchers at the University of Melbourne compared psychiatric evaluations to dietary questionnaires submitted by more than 1,000 women, the results were clear: depression and anxiety disorders were far more commonplace among women who indulged in a Western diet for at least 10 years.

In addition, risk of depression and anxiety was found to be lower in women who followed a “traditional” diet of vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, and whole grains.

This seems kind of obvious, but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated outright: Your diet has a huge effect on your mental well-being.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

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Word of the Day

el cutis koo’-tees  (noun)

complexion, hue; skin; grain, shining surface

EXAMPLES

Tenía un cutis liso y suave. – She had an even and smooth complexion.

Uso una variedad de productos porque tengo el cutis mixto. – I use a variety of products because I have combination skin (on my face).

IDIOMS

La limpieza de cutis – A facial

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People who know me well will know I don’t smoke but I realise how difficult it is to give up smoking. I have always considered passive smoking a problem but I am always prepared to hear the other side of an argument. Therefore, you might find the following interesting. I haven’t changed my mind but here is another point of view from the rebel doctor.

Firsthand foolishness on secondhand smoke

Maybe you’ve seen the recent headlines that essentially accuse smokers of giving their kids emphysema.

But you don’t have to take this guilt trip — because I’ve smoked out the truth here.

Behind those sensationalist headlines lies a shoddy new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, which finds that children exposed to secondhand smoke grow up to have an increased risk of emphysema.

But get this: The study didn’t actually look at people diagnosed with emphysema.

Instead, they compared CT lung scans of adults who grew up in homes with smokers to lung scans of those who didn’t. And they found that the ones who were raised in clouds of smoke had lungs that LOOKED like they had some of the signs of emphysema.

Forget symptoms. Let’s not talk about those, because the researchers found absolutely no link between childhood smoke exposure and lung function.

None. Their lungs are working just fine. At least they were — until they were exposed to megadoses of radiation from all those CT lung scans.

The researchers even admit that their study doesn’t really show a causal relationship. Of course it doesn’t — because there isn’t one to show!

But because the media just loves a headline that makes smoking look bad, and even more when it involves children, no one wants to ask the hard questions.

So pardon me for a moment while I light my cigar, and then let ME ask the hard questions.

If there’s such a strong link between second-hand smoke and emphysema, why couldn’t they have designed a study that looked at actual emphysema patients, and compared the rates of those raised in smokers’ homes to those raised in nonsmoking homes?

It wouldn’t be hard to do.

I’ll tell you why: They were afraid they’d find no link.

Just remember this one rule when it comes to tobacco research: don’t trust a thing you read, unless it comes from me. Just about all the research is done with a predetermined outcome in mind, and the media happily goes along for the ride.

That’s not science. That’s a witch hunt.

Willing to burn for the right to smoke,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Tax Returns

At the end of the tax year, the Tax Office sent an inspector to audit the books of a Synagogue, While he was checking the books he turned to the Rabbi and said, ‘I notice you buy a lot of candles.
What do you do with the Candle drippings?’

‘Good question,’ noted the Rabbi. ‘We save Them up and send them back to the candle Makers, and every now and then they send Us a free box of candles.’

‘Oh,’ replied the auditor, somewhat Disappointed that his unusual question had a practical answer.

But on he went, in his obnoxious way:

‘What about all these bread-wafer Purchases? What do you do with the crumbs?’

‘Ah, yes,’ replied the Rabbi, realizing That the inspector was trying to trap him with an unanswerable question. ‘We collect Them and send them back to the Manufacturers, and every now and then they
Send us a free box of bread-wafers.’

‘I see,’ replied the auditor, thinking Hard about how he could fluster the know-it-all Rabbi. ‘Well, Rabbi,’ he went on, ‘what do you do with all the leftover Foreskins from the circumcisions you Perform?’

‘Here, too, we do not waste,’ answered the Rabbi……………’What we do is save all the foreskins and Send them to the Tax Office, and about Once a year they send us a complete dick.’

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Pop Trivia/Facts for January 28th

1956, Elvis Presley (with Scotty Moore and Bill Black), made his first National Television. 1963, touring the UK The Beatles played at the Majestic Ballroom in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. 1965, The Moody Blues were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Go Now!’ the group’s only UK No.1.

1965, The Who appeared on the UK TV show Ready Steady Go! The hand-picked audience consisted only of teens dressed in the current Mod fashion.
1967, The Four Tops appeared at The Royal Albert Hall, London with The Dakotas, Madeline Bell, The Remo Four and Johnny Watson.

1978, The Fleetwood Mac album ‘Rumours’ went to No.1 on the UK and US album chart.

1983, Billy Fury died of heart failure.  His ‘We Want Billy’ (released 1963, with The Tornados) was one of the first live albums in British rock history. Played  “Stormy Tempest” in the film That’ll Be The Day along side David Essex and Ringo Starr. Liverpool still has an annual memorial service for him.

1984, Frankie Goes To Hollywood started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Relax!’  BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read expressed on air his distaste for both the record’s suggestive sleeve and its lyrics, he announced his refusal to play the record, not knowing that the BBC had decided that the song was not to be played on the BBC anyway. The song remained on the chart for 48 weeks.

1985, the recording took place for ‘We Are The World’ the US equivalent of Band Aid. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie the all star cast included Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry and Bob Geldof.

1994, Paul and Linda McCartney attended the premiere of Wayne’s World II in London. The couple then went on to Hard Rock Café, where the film star Mike Myers presented them with a cheque for the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts for £25,000 from the sale of Linda’s vegetarian burgers.

2000, Saxophonist and bandleader Thomas ‘Beans’ Bowles died of prostate cancer aged 73. Played on many Motown sessions including Marvin Gaye’s, ‘What’s Going On’, Martha and the Vandellas’ ‘Heat Wave’ and The Supremes ‘Baby Love’ and wrote the melody on Stevie Wonder’s ‘Fingertips Pt. 2,’

2 001, Limp Bizkit started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Chocolate Starfish’.

2001, Shaggy feat Ricardo Rikrot started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘It Wasn’t Me’….. No.1 in the UK.

2004, Elvis Presley fans expressed their anger at plans to cut up a rare tape of the singer’s early songs and sell the snippets at auction. The tape, which featured a recording made by Presley during the early 1950s, was now too fragile to play. US firm Master Tape Collection said the tape would be cut into two-inch snippets and sold for £270 each.

2005, English drummer and singer songwriter Jim Capaldi died of stomach cancer aged 60. Member of Trafficand solo, (1975 UK No.4 single ‘Love Hurts’). Also worked with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and George Harrison.

2007, Scottish band The View went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut ‘Hats Off To The Buskers.’      Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture was at No.1 on the US album chart. The musical based on the history of Diana Ross and the Supremes featured Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson.

2009, Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Billy Powell died at the age of 56 of a suspected heart attack in Florida. Powell called police saying he was having trouble breathing and emergency services tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead an hour later. Powell had missed a doctor’s appointment on the day before his death; the appointment was for a checkup on his heart. He played piano on Kid Rock’s ‘All Summer Long’ .

January 28th: Born on this day

1927, Ronnie Scott, jazz musician. Formed his own nine-piece group in 1953, opened the first Ronnie Scott’s night club in London in 1959. He played with his own group’s at the club, in between presenting the cream of the world’s jazz musicians. He died on December 23rd 1996.

Today´s Podcast

It´s a little better today and the little people want to go and see the animals at Terra Natura. This is a very nice nature park cum zoo set in the foothills of the mountains overlooking Benidorm. When you visit the area I would suggest this as a visit for anyone who likes nature and the environment. The stars of the show for me at the moment are two fabulous Black Panthers but I´m sure the little people will enjoy all that is there. There are shows at the reserve but they are limited by the weather and the time of the year. Let´s check the forecast for the Alicante Province where Benidorm is situated.

Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
11° C | 4° C	14° C | 7° C	16° C | 8° C	16° C | 6° C	17° C | 5° C

We might just get a visit in without getting wet.

We´ve all been there!

A man suffering a panic attack tried to force his way into the cockpit of a plane flying from Cardiff to the Canary Islands, say police in Spain.

The Spanish national was overpowered and restrained by passengers and flight attendants on the Thomson Airways 0810 GMT service.

He was arrested by police when the aircraft landed safely at Las Palmas airport in Gran Canaria.

Thomson Airways said the man had “demonstrated aggressive behaviour”.   Full Story

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Word of the Day

botar boh-tar’  (transitive verb)

to bounce; to launch; to throw/kick out/away; to take; to shift the helm (nautical)

EXAMPLES

No botes la pelota aquí dentro. – Don’t bounce the ball in here.

No empujes que me botas. – Stop pushing or you’re going to knock me over.

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This has been sent to me by Ian K

Read the story first & then sit down & watch, it is brilliant.  You need to read first or you wont understand it.

This video shows the winner of “Ukraine’s Got Talent”, Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.
The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears and she won the top prize of about £75,000.
She begins by creating a scene showing a couple sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear and the happy scene is obliterated.
It is replaced by a woman’s face crying, but then a baby arrives and the woman smiles again. Once again war returns and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman’s face appears.
She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.
This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house.
In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.
The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population being killed with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.

Kseniya Simonova says:
“I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And there’s surely no bigger compliment.”

Please take time out to see this amazing piece of art.

click

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JAILED members of the Basque separatist group ETA say they launched a hunger strike Monday to protest Spain´s policy of keeping them isolated from each other.

The so-called Basque Political Prisoners Group announced the strike in a statement sent to Gara, a pro-independence Basque newspaper that often serves as a mouthpiece for ETA.

Around 750 people are serving time in Spanish or French jails over their membership in or links to ETA. Spain´s long-standing policy is to keep ETA prisoners spread out in jails around the country, usually far from their homes in the Basque region, as a way to keep them from plotting behind bars.

“We do not have to accept that any of us be isolated, kept at a distance or dispersed,' the prisoners” statement said. But Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said the government would not change its policy one bit.   Full Story

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Ian K from Villamar spreads a little happiness with the following stories from out of the mouths of babes…What, you ask, is ‘Butt dust’? Read on and you’ll discover the joy in it! These have to be original and genuine. No adult is this creative!!

JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: ‘Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?’

MELANIE (age 5) asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn’t remember any more.. Melanie said, ‘If you don’t remember you must look in the back of your panties.. Mine say five to six.’

STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. ‘I love you so much that when you die I’m going to bury you outside my bedroom window.’

BRITTANY (age 4) had an ear ache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she’d have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: ‘How does it know it’s me?’

SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. ‘Please don’t give me this juice again,’ she said, ‘It makes my teeth cough.’

DJ (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: ‘How much do I cost?’

CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, ‘I don’t know what’ll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in it?’

MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: ‘Why is he whispering in her mouth?’

TAMMY (age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, ‘Why doesn’t your skin fit your face?’

JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: ‘The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.’ Concerned, James asked: ‘What happened to the flea?’

The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget …
This particular Sunday sermon…’Dear Lord,’ the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. ‘Without you, we are but dust…’ He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, ‘Mom, what is butt dust?’
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* Elvis Fan Raises Cancer Charity Birthday Present *

One of the country’s biggest Elvis Presley fans has celebrated the King of Rock and Roll’s birthday by donating another £200 to a cancer charity.

Sid Shaw, of Radlett, runs the Elvisly Yours fan shop in London’s Baker Street.

Since the death of his wife Maureen, in 2007, he has used his passion for Elvis to raise thousands of pounds for the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre, at Northwood’s Mount Vernon Hospital.

Go here for complete news story.

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January 27th: On this Day
1956, Elvis Presley’s single, ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was released by RCA Records.
1958, Little Richard entered The Oakwood Theological College in Huntsville, where he was ordained as a seventh day Adventist Minister.
1960, Michael Holliday was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of ‘Starry Eyed’ .
1961, Frank Sinatra played a benefit show at Carnegie Hall in New York City for Martin Luther King.
1962, Joey Dee and the Starlighters  No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Peppermint Twist, part 1′. UK.33
1962, The Beatles appeared at Aintree Institute in Aintree, Liverpool. The group had played here many times before but this was their last performance at the venue. Brian Epstein became infuriated when the promoter paid The Beatles’ fee (£15 pounds) with handfuls of loose change. Epstein took this as an insult to the group, and made sure that The Beatles never played for that promoter, Brian Kelly, again.
1966, The Overlanders No.1 on the UK singles chart ‘Michelle’. The group’s only UK hit.
1971, David Bowie arrived in the US for the first time; he couldn’t play live because of work permit restrictions, but attracted publicity when he wore a dress at a promotion event.
1972, American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson died in Chicago of heart failure and diabetes complications aged 60. Known as the “Queen of Gospel Music” she recorded over 30 albums
1973, ‘Superstition’ gave Stevie Wonder had his second No.1 single in the US, 10 years after his first No.1.
1979, Ian Dury And The Blockheads at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’.
1984, Madonna made her first appearance in the UK when she appeared on C4 TV music program The Tube performing ‘Holiday’.
1990, Kylie Minogue had her third UK No.1 single with ‘Tears On My Pillow’, the song was originally a US hit for Little Anthony and The Imperials in 1958.
1996, Babylon Zoo No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Spaceman’, the fastest selling single by a debut artist in the UK, (420,000 copies in 6 days). The song was used for a Levi Jeans TV commercial.
1996, The Daily Star ran an exclusive story stating that UK boy band Take That were about to split up.
1998, James Brown was charged with possession of marijuana and unlawful use of a firearm after police were called to his South Carolina home.
2002, Beach Boy Brian Wilson played the first of four sold-out nights at The Royal Festival Hall, London.
2002, Spanish-American Enrique Iglesias scored his first UK No.1 single with ‘Hero’. His father, Julio Iglesias, had a UK No.1 hit in 1981.
2003, former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens signed a £1m solo deal with Polydor records in the UK.
2006, Gene McFadden, R&B vocalist and songwriter, best known as half of the Philly soul team McFadden & Whitehead, died of cancer at the age of 56.
2009, Road Chef, the Watford Gap UK Motorway services operator, paid £1,000 at an auction for a collection of celebrity signatures, which were collected by former employee, Beatrice England. The book included signatures of Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, The Eagles and Dusty Springfield.

January 27th: Born on this day
1919,  David Seville, The Chipmunks, (1958 US No.1 single ‘The Chipmunk Song’, 1959 UK No.11 single ‘Ragtime Cowboy Joe’). Seville died on 16th January 1972.
1945, Born on this day, Nick Mason, drums, Pink Floyd
1948, Born on this day, Kim Gardner, Ashton Gardner & Dyke, (1971 UK No.3 single ‘The Resurrection Shuffle’).
1974, Born on this day, Mark Owen, vocals, Take That

Latest Podcasts

Our visitors are little people. Our cat is very wary of little people but the little people want to stroke him. Last time they came he was stressed. We think it was stress because his hair started to come out. We wanted to take him to a cat psychotherapist but decided against it as that might have given him more stress. However, the little people are better this time. I supose in all truth the cat doesn´t really want to be stroked every minute of the day but he hasn´t run away as quickly this time. He hasn´t really been too frightened by the little people as he has seemingly enjoyed being wrapped up in a blanket and cuddled for hours on end. Progress has indeed been made.

Yesterday´s weather was not very good. It poured down most of the day and it is so unfair. The weather has always been bad when the little people arrive. Can the Costa Blanca redeem itself before their return to the Basque Country on Thursday?

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
10° C | 4° C	14° C | 5° C	16° C | 7° C	16° C | 8° C	17° C | 6° C

Tuesday looks grim but we might get a bit of better weather on Wednesday. As it is Tuesday is throwing it down and the skies look like there´s a lot more rain on the way.  Aside from the weather, I´ve just been watching the news about France banning the Burka and the veil. I think this is going to add momentum as other countries seem to be looking at this issue a little more closely. I won´t be surprised to see this in the news in the forthcoming weeks.

As I was writing my pop questions today, I was reflecting on the sacrifices made by many people in arts and entertainment. It is a great stress to have to perform in front of people at a given time and place. You might observe how one artist today had, as many others have done over the years, crashed his car. he survived where many have died. Others have died in plane crashes. One artist in today´s memories completely lost it.

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Imagine getting drunk…then taking an antidote that instantly shuts off the stupour, allowing you to drive home, go back to work or operate heavy machinery.

Some mad scientists over in the U.K. are hard at work on a synthetic alcohol that would allow you to get your drink on — and then turn it off just as quick.

I hate to spoil the party, but there’s trouble brewing here.

The research is being led by a man with the ironic name of David Nutt. He was a drug advisor to the British government — until he was quoted as saying that LSD, ecstasy and cannabis are safer than booze and cigarettes. In other words, Nutt’s a kook.

So it should be no surprise that he’s looking to replace perfectly acceptable alcohol with a dangerous psychoactive drug. The research is centered on benzodiazepines, a class of meds with a long list of side effects. But don’t tell Professor Nutt, who appears to love this stuff.

“I’ve been in experiments where I’ve taken benzos,” he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. “One minute I was sedated and nearly asleep, five minutes later I was giving a lecture.”

What kind of Nutt-y professor subjects himself to an experiment five minutes before a lecture? That’s a party trick — not science.

Alcohol is so enjoyable I find the notion of a substitute to be offensive. It doesn’t need an antidote — it IS an antidote, helping the body to recover from the rigors of life.

After all, drinkers live longer and better. Who would want an antidote to that?

Not me.  Ready for another round,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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How to Clean the House

1. Open a new folder on your PC.

2. Name it “Housework.”

3. Send it to the Recycle Bin.

4. Empty the Recycle Bin.

5. Your PC will ask you, “Are you sure you want to delete
Housework permanently?”

6. Calmly answer, “Yes,” and press the mouse button firmly.

7. Feel better?

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Word of the Day

la madre mah’-dreh  (noun)

mother; river bed; source, root

EXAMPLES

Mi madre fue madre a los veinte años. – My mother was a mother at 20 years old.

La pereza es la madre de la pobreza. – Laziness is the root of poverty.

IDIOMS

La madre del cordero – The crux of the matter

Salirse de madre – To go to far, to get out of hand

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Michael Addo from Hull sends the following story about Monastery Life

A young monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by hand.

He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript. So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies.

The head monk, says, “We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.”

He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that hasn’t been opened for hundreds of years.. Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot.

So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him. He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing.

“We missed the R! ?We missed the R! We missed the R!” His forehead is all bloody and bruised and he is crying uncontrollably.

The young monk asks the old abbot, “What’s wrong, father?”

With A choking voice, the old abbot replies,
“The word was…

CELEBRATE!!!”

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On this Day1961, Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’.
1963, The Rooftop Singers started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Walk Right In’, UK No.10
1974, Mud were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Tiger Feet’, the group’s first of three UK No.1′s.
1975, The BBC ‘Omnibus’ documentary ‘Cracked Actor’ a film about David Bowie was shown on UK TV.
1977,  Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green was committed to a mental hospital following an incident when he threatened his accountant Clifford Adams with an air rifle when he was trying to deliver a royalty cheque to him.
1989, American singer Donnie Elbert died of a stroke aged 52.
1991, Queen had their second UK No.1 with ‘Innuendo’. It was the third longest No.1 song of all time behind The Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ and Simple Minds ‘Belfast Child’. The flamenco guitar solo on the track was performed by Yes guitarist Steve Howe.
2003, Billy Joel was airlifted to hospital after his car smashed into a tree. The singer lost control of his Mercedes S500 and skidded for 100 yards before crashing. The accident happened in The Hamptons, New York.

Latest Podcast

It´s chucking it down in La Nucia and the internet is going as slowly as it possibly can! I´m paying for ADSL and my connection must hardly be .5 megabytes. Does that make me happy?

The FA CUP threw up a few surprises over the weekend and I particularly enjoyed Harry Redknapp´s comments after the match. Don´t dismiss Man Utd just yet. They might still win the title yet again as Chelsea loked quite mediocre against proud Preston.

I also felt Stoke were very deserved winners over Arsenal.

Last night we all went to the circus at Benidorm Palace. It was terrific and if you haven´t been yet then I recommend a visit. It is verhy warm inside the Big Top and the ambience is brilliant. The show itself is first class. Let´s check the weather….

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
14° C | 7° C	14° C | 5° C	9° C | 4° C	12° C | 6° C

Iris´Sunday Challenge-Answer at the foot of the page.

(1) Born 2 March, 1948 and was an Irish blues-rock musician who rose to fame as a talented songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader of the band “The Taste” which he formed in 1966.

(2) In 1967 he reformed the band just calling it “Taste” and the line-up which gained fame was formed with two musicians from Belfast , featuring him on guitar and vocals, drummer John Wilson, and bassist Richard McCracken. Performing extensively in the United Kingdom, the group gained a reputation on the London club scene, including a residency at the Marquee Club, supporting both Cream at their Royal Albert Hall farewell concert, and the major-blues super group, Blind Faith, on a tour of North America.

(3) After the break-up of Taste, he toured under his own name, hiring former Deep Joy bass player Gerry McAvoy from Belfast to play on his  debut album, It was the beginning of a twenty year musical relationship between him and Gerry McAvoy; the other band member was drummer Wilgar Campbell.

(4) The 1970s were his most prolific period. He produced ten albums in that decade, including two live albums, Live In Europe and Irish Tour ’74, which, for many, best captured his bands’ raw and naturally dynamic qualities. In the same year he was voted Melody Maker‘s Top Musician of the Year, ahead of Eric Clapton.

(5) A dedicated follower of blues music, he played with many of the genre’s biggest stars. A fan himself, he found himself collaborating with Jerry Lee Lewis and his favorite musician, Muddy Waters, on their respective London Sessions in the mid 1970s. He played on Lonnie Donagan’s final album, and it has been surmised that he was also invited to audition with The Rolling Stones following the departure of lead guitarist Mick Taylor; as well as with Canned Heat after the departure of The Eagle. He was David Coverdale‘s second choice (after Jeff Beck) to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. But in the long run, although honoured that others had a high opinion of his abilities, he chose to perform in his own band, with his musical influence, as opposed to commercial success, being his ultimate goal.

(6) From the late 1980s, he suffered increasingly poor health, yet he continued touring. By the time of his final performance on 10 January 1995 in the Netherlands , he was visibly unwell. A liver transplant became necessary and was nearly successful, but just before being discharged from the hospital, an MRSA infection developed. His health quickly worsened and he died in London on 14 June 1995. He was unmarried and had no children.

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Word of the Day

partir pahr-teer’  (transitive verb)

to split, to divide; to break open, to smash; to crack, to cut; to chap (lips)

EXAMPLES

Partió el pan por la mitad. – He cut the loaf of bread in half.

¿Podrías partirme esta nuez? – Can you crack this walnut for me?

IDIOMS

Partirse de risa – To crack up (laughing)

A partir de aquí – From here on

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Aunt Karen

The teacher gave her fifth-grade class an assignment: get
their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end
of it.

The next day the kids came back and one by one began to tell
their stories.

Ashley said, “My father’s a farmer, and we have a lot of
egg-laying hens. One time we were taking our eggs to market
in a basket on the front seat of the car when we hit a big
bump in the road and all the eggs went flying and broke and
made a mess.”

“What’s the moral of the story?” asked the teacher.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!”

“Very good,” said the teacher.

Next little Sarah raised her hand and said, “Our family are
farmers too. But we raise chickens for the meat market. We
had a dozen eggs one time, but when they hatched we only got
ten live chicks, and the moral to this story is, ‘Don’t
count your chickens before they’re hatched.’”

“That was a fine story, Sarah. Michael, do you have a story
to share?”

“Yes, my daddy told me this story about my Aunt Karen. Aunt
Karen was a flight engineer in the Gulf War and her plane
was hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory, and all
she had was a bottle of whiskey, a machine gun, and a
machete. She drank the whiskey on the way down so it
wouldn’t break and then she landed right in the middle of a
hundred enemy troops. She killed seventy of them with the
machine gun until she ran out of bullets. Then she killed
twenty more with the machete until the blade broke. Then she
killed the last ten with her bare hands.”

“Good heavens,” said the horrified teacher, “what kind of
moral did your daddy tell you from that horrible story?”

“Stay away from Aunt Karen when she’s been drinking!”

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Pop Stuff for Today

1964, Phil Spector appeared was on the panel of this week’s UK TV show Juke Box Jury.
1967, The Beatles made a last-minute remix of  Penny Lane before the pressing of their next double A sided single Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane
1969, The Seekers were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their ‘The Best Of’ album.
1986, US manager Albert Grossman died of a heart attack while flying on Concorde from New York to London. He managed Bob Dylan, (between 1962 and 1970), Peter, Paul and Mary, The Band, Janis Joplin and Todd Rundgren. Grossman built the Bearsville Recording Studio near Woodstock in 1969 and in 1970 he founded Bearsville Records.
1986, A-Ha were at No.1 in the UK with ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV.’ The first Norwegian act to score a UK No.1.

January 25th: Born on this day
1915, Folk singer songwriter Ewan MacColl, composer of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ a hit for Roberta Flack in 1971.
1931,  Stig Anderson, songwriter, producer and Abba’s manager. Co-wrote some of Abbas biggest hits
1938,  Etta James, singer, 9 US Top 40 hits during the 60′s, (1996 UK No.5 single ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’).
1949, John Cooper Clarke, ‘Bard of Salford’, Manchester, poet laureate. ‘I Married A Monster From Outer Space’,
1980,  Alicia Keys, American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, (born Alicia J. Augello-Cook).

Iris´Sunday Challenge-Rory  Gallagher

Today´s Podcast

This weather is very hit and miss at the moment. Today we have a lot of clouds on the mountains and dull elsewhere. I think it will rain and it has been forecast . I will check the week ahead shortly. Neil Colbourne joined me in the studio at Cool FM today and I spoke on the phone with Iris, Rob Daniells and Johnny Ray. I also resurrected an interview with Brian Poole when I also had Paul Melba in the studios with me at OCI. Let´s look at this first…………
Swine Flu Update

More than 800,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine have been recalled here in the United States… and millions more are being marked “return to sender” in Europe.

The U.S. recall is especially shameful… because these doses were intended for babies and toddlers. Big Pharma and their federal friends are claiming there was nothing unsafe about them — they were just ineffective.

Right — and I’m King of the Moon.

Being “ineffective” is the least of my concerns. Swine flu vaccines have been linked to all kinds of side effects, from severe allergic reactions to Guillain-Barre Syndrome and even sudden death.

In Canada, some 170,000 doses were recalled when the vaccines led to severe allergic reactions… but that recall came AFTER most of those shots found their way into Canadian shoulders.

So who knows what they REALLY found in the newly recalled batch. Remember… they sent this stuff out with the intention of giving it to BABIES.

Meanwhile, Germany and Spain are trying to return or cancel orders for millions of doses H1N1 vaccines, saying they don’t need them after all. It seems the Europeans aren’t lining up for their shots the way 60 million Americans already have.

The swine flu frenzy may appear to be winding down, but expect a new panic — and a new push — any day now. The feds and Big Pharma alike think they can vaccinate as many people over the next three months as they have over the last three years.    William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
15° C | 9° C	15° C | 8° C	14° C | 5° C	12° C | 5° C	15° C | 5° C
Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Scattered Clouds

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Iris´Saturday Challenge-Who is this? Answer at the foot of the blog

(1) Born 1 December 1946, County Waterford, Ireland and is an Irish singer-songwriter,

(2) In 1960, his family moved to Swindon, Wiltshire,  He attended St Joseph’s and the Swindon College of Art, where he played drums in a band founded by Rick Davies of “Supertramp”fame and where he developed his lifelong interests in music and art. He first played with such semi-professional bands as The Doodles and The Prefects, and, later, Rick’s Blues, while at college.

(3) In 1967, he was signed to a five-year contract with CBS Records by Stephen Shane, then Professional Manager at CBS’s April/Blackwood publishing division.

(4) After two unsuccessful singles with CBS, “What Can I Do?” and “Mr. Moody’s Garden”, and one with the Irish record label, Major Minor, he sent some demo tapes to Gordon Mills, the manager of Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, whereupon he was signed to Mills’ label, MAM Records. His self-created eye-catching visual image comprised a pudding basin haircut, cloth cap and short trousers. Mills reportedly hated the image, but he insisted on using it initially, until he assumed a more modern ‘college-like’ look in which he often wore a sweater bearing a large letter ‘G’.

(5) At the end of 1970, he achieved his first UK Top 10 hit with “Nothing Rhymed”, which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands. Subsequent hits including “Underneath The Blanket Go” which also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands, “We Will” and “No Matter How I Try” followed.

(6) “Alone Again” was used in the films Summer Time Machine Blues, Stuck on You, I Could Never Be Your Woman, Stuart Little 2, Ice Age 3 and The Virgin Suicides while “Nothing Rhymed” was featured on the soundtrack of and Anita and Me.

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God and the Scientist

God is sitting in heaven when a scientist says to him,
“Lord, we don’t need you anymore. Science has finally
figured out a way to create life out of nothing. In other
words, we can now do what you did in the beginning.”

“Oh, is that so? Tell me,” replies God.

“Well,” says the scientist, “we can take dirt and form it
into your likeness and breathe life into it, thus creating
man.”

“Well, that’s interesting. Show me.”

So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold
the soil.

“Oh no, no, no,” interrupts God. “Get your own dirt.”-

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Here´s the 2010 Horoscope-You decide!

ARIES – The  Aggressive
Outgoing. Lovable.  Spontaneous. Not one to mess with. Funny..  Excellent kisser EXTREMELY adorable. Loves  relationships, and family is very important to  an aries. Aries are known for being generous and  giving. Addictive. Loud. Always has the need to  be ‘Right’. Aries will argue to prove their  point for hours and hours. Aries are some of the  most wonderful people in the world.. 16 years of  bad luck if you do not forward.

TAURUS – The  Tramp
Aggressive. Loves being in long  relationships. Likes to give a good fight. Fight  for what they want. Can be annoying at times,  but for the love of attention. Extremely  outgoing. Loves to help people in times of need.  Good kisser. Good personality. Stubborn. A  caring person. They can be self centered and if  they want something they will do anything to get  it. They love to sleep and can be lazy. One of a  kind. Not one to mess with. Are the most  attractive people on earth! 15 years of bad luck  if you do not forward.

GEMINI  – The Twin
Nice. Love is one of a kind.  Great listeners. Very Good at confusing  people… Lover not a fighter, but will still  knock you out. Geminis will not take any crap  from anyone. Geminis like to tell people what  they should do and get offended easily. They are  great at losing things and are forgetful.  Geminis can be very sarcastic and childish at  times and are very nosey. Trustworthy. Always  happy. VERY Loud. Talkative. Outgoing. VERY  FORGIVING. Loves to make out. Has a beautiful  smile. Generous. Strong. THE MOST IRRESISTIBLE.  9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

CANCER – The  Beauty
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high  appeal. A Cancer’s Love is one of a kind.. Very  romantic.. Most caring person you will ever meet  in your life. Entirely creative Person, most are  artists and insane, respectfully speaking. They  perfected sex and do it often. Extremely random.  An Ultimate Freak. Extremely funny and is  usually the life of the party. Most Cancers will  take you under their wing and into their hearts  where you will remain forever. Cancers make love  with a passion beyond compare. Spontaneous. Not  a Fighter, But will kick your ass good if it  comes down to it. Someone you should hold on to!  12 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LEO – The Lion
Great  talker. Attractive and passionate. Laid back.  Usually happy but when unhappy tend to be  grouchy and childish. A Leo’s problem becomes  everyone’s problem. Most Leos are very  predictable and tend to be monotonous. Knows how  to have fun.. Is really good at almost anything.  Great kisser. Very predictable. Outgoing. Down  to earth. Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves  being in long relationships. Talkative. Not one  to mess with. Rare to find. Good when found. 7  years of bad luck if you do not forward.

VIRGO – The One that  Waits
Dominant in relationships. Someone  loves them right now. Always wants the last  word. Caring. Smart. Loud. Loyal. Easy to talk  to. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please.  A pushover. Loves to gamble and take chances.  Needs to have the last say in everything.. They  think they know everything and usually do.  Respectful to others but you will quickly lose  their respect if you do something untrustworthy  towards them and never regain respect.. They do  not forgive and never forget. The one and only.  7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LIBRA – The Lame  One
Nice to everyone they meet. Their  love is one of  a kind. Silly, funny and sweet. Have  own unique appeal. Most caring person you will  ever meet! However, not the kind of person you  want to mess with…you might end up crying.  Libras can cause as much havoc as they can  prevent. Faithful friends to the end. Can hold a  grudge for years. Libras are someone you want on  your side. Usually great at sports and are  extreme sports fanatics. Very creative. A  hopeless romantic. 9 years of bad luck if you do  not forward.

SCORPIO – The  Addict
EXTREMELY adorable. Loves to joke.  Very Good sense of humor. Will try almost  anything once. Loves to be pampered. Energetic.  Predictable. GREAT kisser. Always get what they  want.. Attractive. Loves being in long  relationships. Talkative. Loves to party but at  times to the extreme. Loves the smell and feel  of money and is good at making it but just as  good at spending it! Very protective over loved  ones. HARD workers. Can be a good friend but if  is disrespected by a friend, the friendship will  end. Romantic. Caring… 4 years of bad luck if  you do not forward.

SAGITTARIUS – The Promiscuous  One
Spontaneous. High appeal. Rare to  find. Great when found.. Loves being in long  relationships. So much love to give. A loner  most of the time. Loses patience easily and will  not take crap. If in a bad mood stay FAR away.  Gets offended easily and remembers the offense  forever. Loves deeply but at times will not show  it, feels it is a sign of weakness. Has many  fears but will not show it. VERY private  person.. Defends loved ones with all their  abilities. Can be childish often. Not one to  mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to  everyone they meet. Their Love is one of a kind.  Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique appeal.  Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing  in bed..!!! Not the kind of person you want to  mess with- you might end up crying. 4 years of  bad luck if you do not forward.

CAPRICORN – The Passionate  Lover
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy.  Intelligent. Sexy. Grouchy at times and annoying  to some. Lazy and love to take it easy. But when  they find a job or something they like to do  they put their all into it. Proud, understanding  and sweet.
Irresistible. Loves being in long  relationships. Great talker. Always gets what he  or she wants. Cool. Loves to win against other  signs especially Gemini’s in sports. Likes to  cook but would rather go out to eat at good  restaurants.
Extremely fun. Loves to joke.  Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not  forward.

AQUARIUS – Does It  In The Water
Trustworthy. Attractive..  Great kisser. One of a kind, loves being in  long-term relationships. Can be clumsy at times  but tries hard. Will take on any project. Proud  of themselves in whatever they do. Messy and  unorganized. Procrastinators. Great lovers, when  they’re not sleeping. Extreme thinkers. Loves  their pets usually more than their family. Can  be VERY irritating to others when they try to  explain or tell a story. Unpredictable. Will  exceed your expectations. Not a Fighter but will  Knock your lights out.. 2 years of bad luck if  you do not forward

PISCES -  The Partner for Life
Caring and kind.  Smart. Likes to be the center of attention. Very  organized. High appeal to opposite sex. Likes to  have the last word. Good to find, but hard to  keep. Passionate, wonderful lovers. Fun to be  around. Too trusting at times and gets hurt  easily. VERY caring. They always try to do the  right thing and sometimes gets the short end of  the stick. They sometimes get used by others and  get hurt because of their trusting. Extremely  weird but in a good way. Good sense of humor!!!  Thoughtful. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly,  fun and sweet. Good friend to other but needs to  be choosy on who they allow their friends to be.  5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

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Today´s Pop Stuff

1958, Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Jailhouse Rock’.
1958, The Quarry Men performed at the Cavern Club, in Liverpool
1962, Brian Epstein signed a management deal with The Beatles. Epstein was to receive 25 per cent of the bands gross earnings, the normal management deal was 10 per cent.
1963, American lyricist Otto Harbach died aged 90 in New York City. He co-wrote, ‘Smoke Gets In Your Eyes’, US/ UK No.1 for The Platters in 1958.
1968, Georgie Fame was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘The Ballad Of Bonnie and Clyde’,
1969, New Jersey state prosecutors issue a warning to US record dealers that they would be charged with distributing pornography if they were caught selling the John Lennon / Yoko Ono LP
1979, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys divorced his wife Marilyn after 15 years together. She was a member of the Honeys and mother of Wendy and Carnie Wilson, who would go on to sing in Wilson-Phillips.
1995, David Cole producer, keyboards, C & C Music Factory died of meningitis aged 32. (1991 UK No.4 single ‘Things That Make You Go Hmmm…’,1991 US No.1 single ‘Gonna Make You Sweat’. Produced Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin.
1998, Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘All Around The World’. The longest running-time for a UK No.1 with a total duration of 9 minutes 38 seconds.
2005, Country singer Lynn Anderson was arrested for shoplifting after being caught stealing a Harry Potter DVD from a New Mexico supermarket and punching a police officer during her arrest.
2008, Amy Winehouse was admitted into rehab in a battle to kick her addiction to drugs.

January 24th: Born on this day
1941, Neil Diamond, He wrote ‘I’m A Believer’, No.1 for The Monkees.
1941, Ray Stevens
1945, Tammi Terrell, singer, who died of a brain tumour on March 16th 1970 after collapsing into Marvin Gaye’s arms on stage during a duet of  All You Need To Get By. Terrell had undergone eight brain operations in 18 months. 1947, Warren Zevon, singer, songwriter. He had played piano with The Everly Brothers
1949, John Belushi, actor, singer who played ‘Jake’ Blues in The Blues Brothers,
1955, Jools Holland, keyboards, Squeeze, Jools Holland Big Band, TV presenter

The Answer to Iris´ Challenge -Gilbert O’Sullivan

Today´s Podcast

The weather has changed and, although it´s bright in Benidorm, it is a bit colder if you´re not in the sun. Rain is on the forecast and the sky is quite overcast where the sun is not shining through.

The football doesn´t really affect me today so I can take a passing interest and hope the underdogs can continue their giant-killing.

Let´s get the forecast for the Alicante Province…..

Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
16° C | 8° C	16° C | 9° C	14° C | 8° C	15° C | 4° C	12° C | 8° C
Clear

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Hopping cumulative increases in their electricity bills following claims by a local English newspaper have proved groundless.

In Benijófar residents´ councillor Pat Taylor said their office has been ´overwhelmed´ with enquiries from worried locals and many others from neighbouring municipalities.

“Half the English population has been panicking,” she said.

The article that sparked the confusion alleged that if you use more than 10 kilowatts of electricity you need to and register at one of the dedicated outlets and either sign up with another company or once again with Iberdrola.

“If you don´t the cost of your electricity will be upped by 20% every time you receive a bill.”

The article also claimed ´those who are consuming less than 10kw will still pay more for their supply if they fail to register but at the lesser rate of 5´.

Iberdrola spokesperson for the Valencia Region Patricia Corrons assured CBNews this is not the case.    Full Story

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Word of the Day

atroz ah-tros’  (adjective)

terrible, awful, atrocious; huge, vast, immense

EXAMPLES

Hace un calor atroz aquí. – It’s horribly hot in here.

Vamos a encontrarnos por la estatua atroz en el vestíbulo. – Let’s meet by the enormous statue in the lobby.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for atroz.

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Common chemical damages digestion

While the feds keep fiddling, we have more science proving how a common chemical used in cans and plastic bottles is laying waste to our intestines.

New research shows that even low levels of Bisphenol A, or BPA, can lower permeability in the intestine walls. In plain talk, that means it stops water and essential nutrients from passing through the intestine and into the body.

That’s just one of the reasons why so many people are so badly deficient in basic nutrients.

The French study, which was conducted first on rats, then on human intestine cells, found that even low doses of this dangerously unregulated chemical can damage the intestines and lower the immune system’s response to intestinal inflammation.

The researchers also found that newborn rats exposed to BPA had a higher risk of severe intestinal inflammation as adults — bad news for the millions upon millions of people already raised with plastic baby bottles and sippy cups.

Scores of other studies have linked this toxin to early puberty, sexual dysfunction, obesity, breast and prostate cancer and much, much more.

Ask the FDA about this — and the massive mountain of evidence showing how bad BPA is — and you’ll get the bureaucratic answering machine: We’re still evaluating this. Please leave a message and we’ll get back to you… someday… maybe.

In fact, the last FDA evaluation — a sick joke that found BPA to be safe — was based entirely on studies provided by the chemical industry. That’s right — the people who make it.

Still need proof that the FDA prefers corporate money to real science?

Not recycling these plastics,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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A guy and a girl meet at a bar. They got along so well that they decide to go to the girl’s place. A few drinks later, the guy takes off his shirt and then washes his hands. He then takes off his trousers and again washes his hands.

The girl has been watching him and says:”You must be a dentist.”
The guy, surprised, says:”Yes ….. How did you figure that out?”
“Easy..” she replies, “you keep washing your hands.”
One thing leads to another and they make love.

After, the girl says: “You must be a good dentist.”
The guy, now with an inflated ego, says:”Sure – I’m a good dentist.How did you figure that out?”
The girl replies: “I didn’t feel a thing.”

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1956, Rock ‘n’ Roll fans in Cleveland aged under 18 were banned from dancing in public unless accompanied by an adult.
1965, ‘Downtown’ made Petula Clark the first UK female singer to have a No.1 on the US singles chart since Vera Lynn
1966, Stevie Wonder appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England.
1971, George Harrison became the first solo Beatle to have a No.1 with ‘My Sweet Lord’ .
1971, Dawn started a three week run at No.1 UK and US singles chart with ‘Knock Three Times’,
1974, Alvin Stardust made his first live appearance since changing his name from Shane Fenton.
1980, Marvin Gaye appeared at the Liverpool Philharmonic, England, with Edwin Starr as support.1986,
Ray Charles was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the first induction dinner, held in New York City.
2003, R Kelly was arrested on new child pornography charges.
2005, one of the biggest charity concerts since Live Aid raised 1.25 million pounds for victims of the tsunami disaster in Asia. The concert held at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff featured Eric Clapton, Manic Street Preachers, Keane, Charlotte Church, Snow Patrol, Embrace, Feeder, Craig David and Liberty X, who appeared before 60,000 fans at the sold-out concert.

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January 23rd: Born on this day

1889, Born on this day, Leadbelly, (Hurrdi William Ledbetter), Blues musician, Wrote ‘Goodnight Irene’, ‘The Rock Island Line’, ‘The Midnight Special,’ once jailed for shooting a man dead during an argument over a woman. Died 6th December 1949.
1910, Born on this day, Django Reinhardt, jazz guitarist. Badly burned his third and fourth fingers of his left hand in a house fire aged 18. Doctors suggested he play the guitar to keep his fingers flexible, giving him his two fingered guitar style. Worked with Stepane Grappelli and Duke Ellington. Reinhardt died of a stroke on 15th May 1953.

Today´s Show

The weather is fabulous and it looks as though high pressure is set to take over at the weekend. This might mean we can expect nice weather but I´ll check this soon.We are being visited this next week by little people and this means we will have to do a scan of the building and remove low lwevel objects that provide immense temptation for little hands. Everything must go to higher pastures and I do mean everything. little hands are everywhere and they have no respect for china and glass. This is just normal inquisitiveness for little people and we all went through this stage. However, we get a bit out of practice…………..

This is a very important news item for the expat community in Spain. Remember, Zapatero has the EU Presidency at this moment in time…..

Euro-MPs have demanded the immediate repeal of notorious Spanish land laws that continue to wreck the holiday-home dreams of Britons in the Valencia region.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, visiting the European Parliament in Strasbourg, was warned he could face a campaign to stop EU subsidies to Spain unless he intervenes to stop the confiscation of expatriate properties.

Thousands of holiday villas in Spain have even been demolished without compensation for their owners. In some cases, the authorities have charged the property owners for the installation of local services, even after they have lost their property.

About 15,000 mostly British, Belgian, German and French property owners lodged a formal petition with MEPs four years ago in desperation over a 1994 Valencia land and town planning law which triggered 20,000 compulsory purchases of land or property for “urban” development.

The law´s aim was to ensure community development plans were not blocked by individual land-owners, but a loophole meant unscrupulous developers could reclassify rural land as urban without the owners´ permission – effectively giving themselves compulsory purchase rights on foreign-owned homes at a fraction of the market value.

The European Court of Justice has already ruled the “land-grab” law illegal, but the European Commission says a replacement law – the Ley Urbanistica Valenciana – still breaches EU public procurement regulations and therefore fails to protect citizens´ rights.    Full Story

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Obituary Notice

Is anybody else as confused as I am that a man whose house has just been burgled and his family attacked is punished for attacking the perpetrators of this event by any means he can? Is anyone else confused and annoyed by the stupidity of the Police chief who reckons petty crime doesn´t affect normal people? The following might help

Today we  mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who  has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how  old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in  bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having  cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies  (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge.)

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual  harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from
school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired  for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened his  condition.  Common Sense lost ground when parents  attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had  failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even  further when schools were required to get parental consent  to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student, but  could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and  wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.  Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his four stepbrothers: I Know My Rights,  I Want It Now Someone Else Is To Blame and  I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral  because so few realized he was gone.

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You’ve only got one brain, so the last thing you need is a buildup of beta-amyloid.

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), beta-amyloid protein creates plaque that weakens nerve cell function in the brain.

Fortunately, there are several steps you can take that may reduce risk of amyloid buildup…

• Exercise daily
• Increase omega-3 fatty acid intake
• Increase vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid intake (these vitamins reduce homocysteine, which has been linked to amyloid formation)
• Use supplementary curcumin (antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties are believed to break up amyloid)
• Increase intake of EGCG (a green tea flavonoid)

New studies offer two additional ways amyloid buildup might be avoided.

One of them…well, let’s call it a long shot. A long shot at best. But the other is more realistic, so we’ll start there.

In a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Framingham Heart Study researchers report on leptin – a hormone that’s believed to remove amyloid and help keep synapses flexible.

Blood levels of leptin were measured in 785 Framingham subjects with an average age of 79. Eight years later, higher leptin levels were clearly linked to lower risk of dementia and AD. MRI images also linked low leptin levels to reduced brain volume – a typical Alzheimer’s trait.

As I’ve mentioned before, leptin levels tend to be higher in people who regularly get enough sleep. High fructose corn syrup intake has also been linked to lower leptin.Source

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Word of the Day

oscuro oh-skoo’-roh  (adjective)

dark; overcast; obscure; uncertain; shady, suspect

EXAMPLES

Mi hermana vive en Seattle y siempre viste de oscuro. – My sister lives in Seattle and always wears dark clothing.

Hay algo oscuro en su pasado. – There is something suspect about his past.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for oscuro.

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Here´s the weather for the next few Alicante Province days…….

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
19° C | 8° C	16° C | 9° C	15° C | 9° C	15° C | 7° C	12° C | 6° C
Clear	Clear	Chance of Rain 40% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain

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It is a simple case of chop of the pops. Hairdressers in Spain are asking their customers to take their own music when they have a haircut as they battle against demands from the music industry that they pay for putting the radio on.

Signs were today hanging in the windows of salons in Barcelona and across the north-western region of Catalonia as hairdressers rebelled against a monthly fee being levied on behalf of composers and record companies.

“From now on, when you come to the hairdressers don't forget to bring your own music from home!” says the sign hanging in shop windows.

The Spanish Society of Authors (SGAE) charges the salons a monthly fee of between €6 and €12 a month on behalf of the music industry.   Full Story

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Word of the Day

la edad eh-dad’  (noun)

age; period

EXAMPLES

Tienen la misma edad. – They are the same age.

No tengo edad para votar. – I’m not old enough to vote.

IDIOMS

Ser mayor de edad – To be of age

De corta edad – Young

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Vaccine makers ready new push

Think you’ve seen a hard sell when it comes to swine flu vaccine?

Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

The vaccine makers are just getting warmed up — and now they’re coming right out and boasting to their investors about how much money they’re going to rake in from vaccines in the next few years.

Sanofi-Aventis is telling its investors that it plans to double its vaccine business by 2013. In 2010 alone, they’re hoping to sell nearly $5.76 billion in needless needles.

That’s not just significant. That’s a bombshell — because this company owns Sanofi Pasteur, the world’s largest vaccine maker. That should tell you everything you need to know about these drugs. The vaccine business is not a noble effort to end disease… but a relentless push to boost profits.

There’s a simple reason for this: The drug kingpins are running out of patents on their blockbuster meds. And with nothing in the works to replace them right now, they’re turning to vaccines for quick and easy cash.

You just need to look at Merck to see how it works: After spending billions to settle Vioxx lawsuits, they turned to a vaccine to soften the blow.

That’s how we got Gardasil, the dangerous needle being forced on little girls from coast to coast. The vaccine is supposed to protect against some strains of
HPV — but it’s been dubbed “Help Pay for Vioxx.”

But let’s get back to Sanofi Pasteur, because this French company typically makes 45 percent of all the flu vaccine sold in the United States, and 40 percent of the world’s flu vaccines. They’ve sold us half a billion dollars’ worth of swine flu shots already, and expect to sell half a billion more by spring.

Call that fair warning, because you can now expect every sniffle that comes along to become the “next” swine flu.

Don’t believe it — not today, not tomorrow and not in 2013.

Fighting for the future,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Sheenagh notices a boy in the field standing alone, while all the other kids are running around having fun. She takes pity on him and decides to speak to him.

‘What´s your name?- ‘David’  ‘You ok?’ she says. ‘Yes.’ he says.

‘You can go and play with the other kids you know’ she says.

‘It’s best I stay here.’ he says.

‘Why?’ says the blonde.

The boy says: “Because I’m the goalkeeper”

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Sheenagh is just back from seeing Stevie Wonder and sends us this report…….

Stevie Wonder is playing his 1st gig in China and the place is heaving, packed to the rafters. In a bid to break the ice he asks if anyone has a request.  One chap jumps out of his seat in the 1st row and shouts at
the top of his voice “Play a jazz chord ! Play a jazz chord!”

Amazed that this guy knows about the jazz influences in his career, the blind virtuoso starts to play an E minor scale and then goes into a difficult jazz melody for about 10 minutes. When he finishes, the whole place goes wild. The chap jumps out of his seat again and shouts “No, no, play  a jazz chord, play a jazz chord…”.

Although a bit cheesed off by this, Stevie, being the professional  he is, steams straight in to a jazz improvisation with his band around the B flat minor chord and really tears the place apart. The crowd goes ballistic with this impromptu show of his musical expertise. But, still the little Chinese man jumps up again and shouts “No, no. Play a jazz chord, play a jazz chord!!!”.

Stevie is really peeved off now that this chap doesn’t seem to appreciate his playing ability and shouts to him from the stage -  “OK, smart ass, you get up here and do it”..

The little bloke climbs onto the stage, takes hold of the mike and starts to sing…………

“a jazz chord, to say, I ruv you….”

Here are  some musical events for today

1959, alone with an acoustic guitar and tape recorder in his New York City apartment Buddy Holly made his last recordings, including Peggy Sue Got Married;Crying, Waiting, Hoping; The recordings would be overdubbed posthumously and were later released by Coral Records.

1994, D:Ream had their first UK No.1 single with ‘Things Can Only Get Better’, it stayed at No.1 for four weeks.In 1997 the track was adopted by the UK Labour Party as their theme for the 1997 UK General Election.

2001, former rubbish collector Mark Oliver was found guilty by a London court of stealing luggage belonging to Victoria Beckham from Heathrow Airport.

1962, Michael Hutchence, vocals, INXS, (1988 UK No.2  US No.1 single ‘Need You Tonight’). ;Hutchence was found dead in his hotel suite in Sydney on 22nd Nov 1997 age 37.