The Cavern Club

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Administrator

Just back from a grey and dull Benidorm but with hopes of a bit of sun later in the day. Neil Colbourne joined me in the studio and Paul Melba joined me on the line to discuss Michael Caine. The listeners were in great form and the texts flooded in to the show……
Car hire experts are warning tourists travelling this Easter to book in advance as early signs show that there is an increased demand for rental vehicles across Europe. Some of the most popular destinations where car hire is already heavily booked include Tenerife, Faro, Rome, Murcia and Alicante.

It is believed that Easter will be a very busy holiday period as many people chose to stay at home over the festive period due to toll the holiday season had taken on their finances. With the country struggling out of recession, money was still tight for many. As we seem to be turning the corner, more holidaymakers are expected to come out over Easter than before. Full Story

Iris´s Challenge…answer at foot of blog

(1)Was born as Gaynor Hopkins, 8 June 1951 and is a Welsh singer. In 1970, at age 19, she entered a talent contest, singing the Mary Hopkin hit “Those Were the Days”, but only came in second place. She then was chosen to sing in a band with front man Bobby Wayne and was known as Bobby Wayne & The Dixies.

(2) Two years later, she formed her own band called “Imagination” and performed with them in pubs and clubs all over southern Wales . It was then that she decided to adopt the stage name of Sherene Davies

(3) In 1976, she was spotted in “The Townsman Club” in Swansea by the songwriting and producing team of Ronnie Scott (not the famous jazz musician) and Steve Wolfe; who became her managers, songwriters and producers. She then changed her name to the name she was famous as.

(4) She released her first album in 1977 entitled The World Starts Tonight. A further single from the album, “More Than a Lover”, made the UK Top 30, whereas the follow up single, “Heaven”, reached the Top 30 in Germany .

(5) Her next single made her an international star, and it made #3 on the US chart and became a hit worldwide; it topped the charts in several countries (including France and Australia ) and peaked at #2 in Germany and at #4 in the UK .

(6) In 1987 she sang the title song for Mike Oldfield’s album Islands . She also sang with Cher on the songs “Perfection”, and “Emotional Fire” She also did a duet with fellow Welsh artist Shakin’ Stevens .
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Word of the Day

el senderismo sen-deh-rees’-moh (noun)

hiking, trekking, hillwalking

EXAMPLES

La tierra de las Montañas Rocasas invitan al senderismo. – The terrain of the Rocky Mountains inspire hiking.

Hicimos senderismo por el río por nuestra primera cita. – We went hiking by the river for our first date.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for el senderismo.

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Let´s get the weather picture for Alicante province…..

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
21° C \| 9° C	20° C \| 4° C	17° C \| 10° C	20° C \| 10° C	22° C \| 9° C
Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Clear	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation	Rain 50% chance of precipitation	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation
Hourly

Spotted by Sheenagh
These were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers are the actual responses by the website officials, who obviously have a great sense of humour (not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins!)
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Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? (   UK ).
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
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Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )
A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.
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Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney – can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden)
A: Sure, it’s only three thousand miles, take lots of water.
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Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane , Cairns , Townsville and Hervey Bay ? (UK)
A: What did your last slave die of?
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Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )
A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe .
Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not…
Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
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Q: Which direction is North in Australia ? ( USA )
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we’ll send the rest of the directions.
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Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do…
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Q:Can you send me the Vienna Boys’ Choir schedule? (   USA )
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is…
Oh forget it. Sure, the   Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
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Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )
A: You are a British politician, right?
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Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
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Q:Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can Dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
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Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It’s a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )
A: It’s called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
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Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? ( USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
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Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? ( France )
A: Only at Christmas.
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Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )

A: Yes, but you’ll have to learn it first

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Music Stuff February 28th

1966, police were called after over a 100 music fans barricaded themselves inside Liverpool’s Cavern Club to protest at the clubs closure. The club had run up debts of over £10,000.
1968, Frankie Lymon was found dead at his mother’s house in New York of a suspected drug overdose, he was 25.
1968, Israeli husband and wife team Esther and Abi Ofarim UK No.1 UK with ‘Cinderella Rockefella,’ their only UK No.1
1970, in an interview with the New Musical Express, Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green talked about his plans to give all his money away. The following year Green confronted his accountant with a gun after he sent him an unwanted royalty check. The guitarist went to jail briefly before being transferred to an asylum and was committed to a mental hospital in 1973. He re- launched his career in the 90′s.
1970, Simon and Garfunkel top of the US singles chart with ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, also UK No.1 in March the same year.

1972, George and Patti Harrison were injured in a car crash; Patti was unconscious for several days.
1974, singer songwriter Bobby Bloom shot himself dead in the head at his Hollywood apartment aged 28.
1977, Ray Charles was attacked by a member of his audience who tried to strangle him with a rope.
1981, Eddie Rabbitt (Edward Thomas),US No.1 with ‘I Love A Rainy Night’, his only No.1.

1984, Michael Jackson won a record seven Grammy awards including: Album of the year for ‘Thriller’; Record of the year and Best rock vocal performance for ‘Beat It’; Best pop vocal performance, Best R&B performance and Best R&B song for ‘Billie Jean’, and Best Recording For Children for E.T The Extra Terrestrial.
1986, George Michael announced that Wham! would officially split during the summer.
1988, k.d. Lang performed at the closing ceremony of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
1994, Eric Clapton played his 100th performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, in aid of the ‘Children In Crisis’, charity.
1996, Grammy award winners included Alanis Morissette
1998, Celine Dion US No.1 with ‘My Heart Will Go On.’
1998, Cornershop went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Brimful Of Asha’.
2002, Will Young was at No.1 with ‘Anything Is Possible / Evergreen’.
2006, Madonna UK No.1 with ‘Sorry’.
2008, Boy George pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning a male escort by chaining him to a wall.
2008, Arctic Monkeys won three prizes, including best British band at this year’s NME Awards held at the O2 in London.
2008, drummer Buddy Miles, who played with Jimi Hendrix in his last regular group, Band of Gypsys, died aged 60 at his home in Austin, Texas after struggling with a long-term illness. Born George Allen Miles in Omaha, Nebraska, Buddy’s nickname was a tribute to his idol, jazz drummer Buddy Rich. Rich also played with The Delfonics, The Ink Spots, Wilson Pickett, Electric Flag, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Muddy Waters and Barry White.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 28th

1942, Brian Jones, guitar, Rolling Stones.
1942, Joe South……Worked with Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin.

Iris´s Challenge.. Bonnie Tyler

Wedding Gifts

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Administrator

All the signs were in the air for a bit of a different day and so far it has been a mixture of warmth and cloud and not a bad day. My old friend Ian Charman called me from the Cellar Bar in Altea to say he was listening and another friend, Dave Rowlands, popped into the studio to say hello. Here´s Iris´s challenge for starters……Answer at the foot of the page

(1)He was born in Swansea , Wales on 17th July 1942, He moved to London when he was sixteen and began working in the Civil Service but in 1960 he moved to Birmingham , to read German at the University of Birmingham .

(2) While in his early teens in London he formed a band called The Saints with Bill Perks, who later changed his name to Bill Wyman. While in Birmingham , he dated Christine Perfect, They busked and played in folk clubs with the Ian Campbell Trio. With Perfect on piano and him on 12 string guitar, Christine Perfect went on to become Christine McVie of the group Fleetwood Mac.

(3) In 1963, he went to see a band called “Muff Woody”, featuring brothers Muff and Steve Winwood. When he saw the brothers’ musical versatility, he knew he had found his band. He soon persuaded them to join him and drummer Pete York as the “Rhythm and Blues Quartet” within a year they had landed a regular gig at The Marquee Club in London . On March 1, 1965, they changed their name and they became part of music history

(4) Their first Group single was John Lee Hookers “Dimples” in August 1964, on the Phillips owned Fontana label. The band’s first big hit rose to #1 on the UK charts in November 1965, knocking the Beatles out of first place. In March 1966, “Somebody Help Me” was their next smash UK #1; In 1967 Steve Winwood sang the Group’s two biggest hits in that year one being “I’m A Man”

(5)He made a musical film with Nicholas Parsons called “The Ghost Goes Gear” in 1966 together with the group, he also appeared in the movie, “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”, starring Judy Geeson (1967).

(6)He moved permanently to California and recorded his album “Crossfire” with special guests Dusty Springfield and Flo and Eddie in the middle 1980s.He has appeared in episodes of “Married with Children” he also appeared in “A Year in the Life” which documents songwriter/author/filmmaker Seth Swirsky’s 12-month journey in search of never-before-heard stories about The Beatles.

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If Beethoven had been killed in a plane crash at the age of 22, it would have changed the history of music… and of aviation.
Tom Stoppard (1937 – )

Only sick music makes money today.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900)

Hell is full of musical amateurs.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)

One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
Bob Marley (1945 – 1981)

Music critics get their records for free so their opinions usually don’t matter.
Marilyn Manson (1969 – )

Good music is good music, and everything else can go to hell.
Dave Matthews

Making music should not be left to the professionals.
Michelle Shocked

Inside socialized medicine’s bizarre rationing scheme

In Britain, weight-loss surgery has become a game of “survival of the fattest.” As it turns out, funds for the procedures are limited, so only the fattest of the fat are getting approved.

The rest are told they either need to pork up or move to a postal code where there’s a lower demand for the surgeries.

Welcome to the world of socialized medicine. Doughnut, anyone?

Forget for a moment that these surgeries are bad news to begin with…because this isn’t about that. It’s about what happens when you ration health care — turning major medical decisions into crass lotteries.

British guidelines say stomach-shrinking surgery is recommended for anyone with a BMI over 40 and another condition — like diabetes — that would be improved if they weren’t so fat. They also need to have tried other forms of weight loss first, and failed.

Put yourself their shoes for a moment. You’re a loyal plus- sized British taxpayer. You want the surgery…your doc approves…you meet the guidelines for it…let’s get started, right?

Sorry, old chap…but the guidelines have gone to the dickens. The only pounds that really count are the sterling ones they use for money over there — and there’s not enough of those to fix everyone’s fat.

Since local bean counters actually get to make the final decisions, you can try moving to an area with more cash in the kitty…or you can eat fish and chips until you move to the top of the list. That’s if you don’t drop dead first — there’s a reason they call it “morbidly obese.”

Laugh at the Brits if you want — but don’t laugh too hard or too long. This kind of bizarre logic is common in socialized medicine, and while you’re busy laughing, ObamaCare is being rewritten and reworked with our oversized bellies (and ever-shrinking wallets) in mind.

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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* Ice-Floe Dog Joins Crew of Ship that Saved Him *

A dog rescued from the Baltic Sea after braving a 75-mile journey on an ice floe has joined the crew of the Polish research ship which saved him, the captain said Friday.

Jerzy Wosachlo, the captain of the Baltica, said the dog slept on a blanket in the ship’s laboratory, then shared a sausage breakfast with the crew.

Go here for complete news story.

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The Alicante weather is looking good for the week ahead

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
18° C \| 6° C	19° C \| 10° C	18° C \| 10° C	21° C \| 8° C	17° C \| 9° C
Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Partly Cloudy	Partly Cloudy	Clear	Scattered Clouds

Word of the Day

la salida sah-lee’-dah (noun)

exit, outlet; departure, start; payment

EXAMPLES

Es una calle sin salida. – It’s a dead end street.

No le veo ninguna salida a esta situación – I don’t see any way out of this situation.
For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for la salida.

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Getting Married When Older….from Sheenagh

Jacob (age 92) and Rebecca (age 89) are all excited about their decision to get married.

They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding, and on the way they pass the local chemist’s shop.
Jacob suggests they go in.

Jacob addresses the man behind the counter: “Are you the owner?”
The pharmacist answers “Yes Sir.”

Jacob: “We’re about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?”

Pharmacist: “Of course we do.”

Jacob: “How about medicine for circulation?”

Pharmacist: “All kinds ”

Jacob: “Medicine for rheumatism?”

Pharmacist: “Definitely.”

Jacob: “How about suppositories?”

Pharmacist: “Not much demand for them in most of Britain , but we stock them!”

Jacob: “Medicine for memory problems, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s?”

Pharmacist: “Yes, a large variety. The works.”

Jacob: “What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for
Parkinson’s disease?”

Pharmacist: “Absolutely…..”

Jacob: “Everything for heartburn and indigestion?”

Pharmacist: “Certainly Sir.”

Jacob: “You sell wheelchairs and walkers and canes?”

Pharmacist: “All speeds and sizes.”

Jacob: “How about adult incontinence pants?”

Pharmacist: “One of our best selling lines.”

Jacob: “Then we’d like to use this store for our wedding presents list…….”

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from Jackie C

Shortly after a British Airways flight had reached its cruising altitude, the captain announced:

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain.

Welcome to Flight 293, non-stop from London Heathrow to Toronto . The weather ahead is good, so we should have a smooth, uneventful flight. So sit back,relax and…
OH, MY GOD !

Silence followed!

Some moments later the captain came back on the intercom. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry if I scared you . While I was talking to you, a flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!’

One Irish passenger yelled,

‘bye jezis you should see the back of mine! ‘

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Music Stuff February 27th
1961, Cubby Checker No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Pony Time’, No.27 UK.
1964, 21 year-old former hairdresser and cloakroom attendant at The Cavern club Cilla BlackNo.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart.’
1964, The Rolling Stones made their second appearance on BBC TV show Top Of The Pops performing ‘Not Fade Away.’
1967, Pink Floyd recorded their first single ‘Arnold Layne’,
1974, Cher filed for divorce from Sonny Bono. Cher married Gregg Allman from The Allman Brothers band on 27th June 1975.
1988, George Michael scored his sixth No.1 US single with ‘Father Figure’ a No. 11 hit in the UK.
1991, James Brown was paroled after spending two years of a six-year prison sentence
1993, after 14 weeks at No.1 on the US singles chart, ‘I Will Always Love You’, gave Whitney Houston the longest ever US chart topper
1993, East 17 No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut LP ‘Walthamstow.’
1994, Enigma No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘The Cross Of Changes.’
1999, Britney Spears started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘…Baby One More Time’.
2004, a worker in a supermarket in Aspen, Colorado alerted the police-after seeing a man shopping with his face covered by a mask. Police arrived on the scene and identified the man as Michael Jackson who was in town on holiday with his children.
2005, Ray Charles was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Genius Loves Company.’
2007, pictures appeared in UK papers of Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty making a trip to a zoo in Burford Oxfordshire with his model girlfriend Kate Moss. He was blasted by vets after pictures showed Pete throwing a left over cannabis joint into a group of penguins.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 27th
1927, Guy Mitchell, US singer
1951, Steve Harley,Cockney Rebel
1973, Peter Andre, singer and former actor
1981, Josh Groban,

Latest Podcast Latest Shows

Iris´s Challenge was Spencer Davis

Crushed Nuts!

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Administrator

Am I being a bit slow or does it not take a period of time to starve somebody? I am, of course, referring to his this poor little mite that has been starved to death in England. Surely this is yet another example of letting someone get away with murder?

Something is brewing in the Falklands. Argentina is making unpleasant statements which seem to reek of the 1982 problems resurfacing. I hope I am wrong but the suspicion was that it was never just about the islands in the first place. Watch this space…

Another area for concern must be the Libyan verbal assault on Switzerland. This would appear to be festering with the Libyans accusing the Swiss of destroying mosques. This will roll on………..

On my radio show I was all in favour of John Terry losing the captaincy of England. I had to explain that I felt the dressing room would be bound to have an unpleasant atmosphere with Bridges and Terry using the same pegs. The role of captain in any team has its responsibility. To take another guy´s lady is often a subtle form of bullying. Football in general and England in particular can do without such behaviour. As a player John Terry is brilliant. He might need to reconsider his actions in other areas of his life.

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Relentless rainfall in southern in Spain has prompted the authorities to evacuate hundreds of people as a precaution.

Around 1,500 people have been evacuated from some 400 homes in the provinces of Córdoba, Jaén and Seville. In some flooded villages people had to be rescued in dinghies. Full Story

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Word of the Day

aleccionar ah-lek-syon-ar’ (transitive verb)

to teach, to instruct; to train

EXAMPLES

Como en muchas clases, el profesor no solamente nos aleccionó la materia, sino también una lecciones importantes de la vida. – Like in many classes, the professor did not only teach us the material, but also important life lessons.

El terremoto en Haiti nos aleccionó el sentido de tragedia. – The earthquake in Haiti taught us the meaning of tragedy.

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It looks like we´ll have rain at some time today……………………

Viernes	Sábado	Domingo	Lunes	Martes
19° C \| 10° C	22° C \| 10° C	17° C \| 9° C	20° C \| 10° C

You may already know that leather, fur and wool come from animals who are often terribly abused and killed to be turned into shoes, coats, jumpers and other items of clothing. But did you know that many other types of materials used for clothing are made from the skins and fur of animals?

Some of these materials are not so recognisable. See if you know any of these:

Angora (Mohair): angora is made from the hair of goats or rabbits. Angora rabbits are routinely strapped to boards for shearing – an experience that is painful and traumatic for the animals.

Down/Feathers: birds often have the feathers pulled out of their skin after they have been slaughtered, but sometimes birds – such as geese from “breeding flocks” and those raised for the cruel foie gras industry – are plucked whilst they are still alive. They feel every feather as it is ripped from their body.

Silk: silk is derived from the cocoons of caterpillar larvae. Most of the insects abused by the silk industry don’t live past the pupae stage, when they are steamed, boiled or gassed to death in their cocoons.

Velvet: velvet is also often made from silk, but synthetic alternatives can be found.

Cashmere: cashmere is made from the hair of Cashmere goats and wild goats of Tibet. Up to 80 per cent of young goats may be killed and discarded as trash if their coats are not considered to be of sufficient value to farmers.

Chamois: chamois is the skin of the chamois antelope. Goats, sheep and deer are also used to make leather household cleaning cloths.

Pashmina: pashmina is hair cut from Himalayan goats and used to make shawls of the same name.

Shearling: shearling is a sheepskin or lambskin pelt, typically with leather or suede on one side and shorn fibres on the other. It is often made into footwear.

Nubuck: nubuck is the inner side of a cow’s skin that has been sanded to create short fibres.

Synthetic alternatives are readily available so that you don’t have to buy cruelly produced materials made from animals. People all around the world are making informed, cruelty-free choices in their everyday lives. Buy consciously and compassionately, and make sure you always check the label before you purchase any item.

On behalf of all animals, especially those who are confined and killed for their skins in all parts of the world, thank you.
Please visit PETA.org.uk for other ways you can help animals.

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Sheenagh has been vetting some stories for the golden oldies……….
An elderly gentleman….
Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, ‘Your hearing is perfect.. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.’
The gentleman replied, ‘Oh, I haven’t told my family yet.
I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!’

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Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: ‘Slim, I’m 83 years old now and I’m just full of aches and pains. I know you’re about my age. How do you feel?’
Slim says, ‘I feel just like a newborn baby.’
‘Really!? Like a newborn baby!?’
‘Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.’

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An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, ‘Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great.. I would recommend it very highly.’
The other man said, ‘What is the name of the restaurant?’
The first man thought and thought and finally said, ‘What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love?
You know…. The one that’s red and has thorns.’
‘Do you mean a rose?’
‘Yes, that’s the one,’ replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, ‘Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?’
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Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn’t need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown..’
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Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they’re physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember ..
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. ‘Want anything while I’m in the kitchen?’ he asks.
‘Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?’
‘Sure..’
‘Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?’ she asks.
‘No, I can remember it.’
‘Well, I’d like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so not to forget it?’
He says, ‘I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.’
‘I’d also like whipped cream. I’m certain you’ll forget that, write it down?’ she asks.
Irritated, he says, ‘I don’t need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream – I got it, for goodness sake!’
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment.
‘Where’s my toast ?’
………………………

A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:
‘So I hear you’re getting married?’
‘Yep!’
‘Do I know her?’
‘Nope!’
‘This woman, is she good looking?’
‘Not really.’
‘Is she a good cook?’
‘Naw, she can’t cook too well.’
‘Does she have lots of money?’
‘Nope! Poor as a church mouse.’
‘Well, then, is she good in bed?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Why in the world do you want to marry her then?’
‘Because she can still drive!’
Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, ‘Windy, isn’t it?’
Second one says, ‘No, it’s Thursday!’
Third one says, ‘So am I. Let’s go get a beer..’…………
Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, ‘You’re really doing great, aren’t you?’
Morris replied, ‘Just doing what you said, Doc: ‘Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.”
The doctor said, ‘I didn’t say that.. I said, ‘You’ve got a heart murmur; be careful.’
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One more. . .!

A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool.. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, ‘Crushed nuts?’
‘No,’ he replied, ‘Arthritis.’

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* Want to Live Longer? Study Places that Do *

If you want to improve the health of Americans, why not look around the world for places where people live the longest, healthiest lives and try to copy whatever it is they’re doing?

That’s exactly what Dan Buettner has done. He is the author of “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.” Examples of areas he calls “blue zones” are Sardinia, Okinawa, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, the Greek island of Ikaria, and Loma Linda, Calif.. Things residents have in common include exercising regularly, eating more vegetables and less meat, engaging in social networking, and having a sense of purpose.

Go here for complete news story.

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Music Stuff February 26th

1955, Billboard reported that for the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45rpm singles were outselling the old standard 78′s.
1958, Perry Como No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Magic Moments’ the 2nd No.1 for writers Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
1966, Nancy Sinatra went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’, also a UK No.1.
1966, The Beatles ‘Rubber Soul’ No.1 on the US album chart

1969, Peter Sarstedt No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Where Do You Go To My Lovely?’

1977, Sherman Garnes from Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers, died during open-heart surgery.
1977, The Eagles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘New Kid On Town’
1980, after seeing U2 play at Dublin’s National Boxing Stadium Rob Partridge and Bill Stewart from Island Records in the UK offered the band a recording contract.
1983, Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ went to No.1 on the US album chart… the most successful album of all time
1984, Frankie Goes To Hollywood were enjoying their fourth week at the top of the UK singles chart with ‘Relax.’
1990, Sinead O’Connor No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Nothing Compares 2 U.’
1997, American songwriter Ben Raleigh died in a fire in his kitchen. He co-wrote ‘Scooby Doo’ and ‘Tell Laura I Love Her.
2001, winners at the Brit Awards included Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Sonique, Fat Boy Slim, Westlife , Eminem and U2

Birthday Boys and Girls February 26th

1928, Fats Domino, (Antoine Domino), singer, pianist, bandleader, songwriter.
1932, Johnny Cash
1945, Bob The Bear Hite, vocalist and harmonica player with Canned Heat
1947, Sandie Shaw
1953, Michael Bolton
1979, Corinne Bailey Rae

Latest Podcast

Batman

Posted on February 25, 2010 by Administrator

This day hasn´t quite made up its mind which way to go yet. It´s warm and it´s cloudy but I have a feeling the sun will break through. Certainly, as ever, it seems sunnier in Benidorm which experiences a micro climate thereby making it a great choice for a tourist.

We´ll start today by looking at an article on slimming.

Low-carb living tops nasty weight-loss pill

Fads, gimmicks, drugs…I’ve seen all the screwy diet trends come and go. But there’s one lifestyle that beats all of them every single time.

Of course I’m talking about low-carb living. And I’ve got the research to prove it.

When researchers compared the popular new weight-loss drug orlistat — sold as Alli and Xenical — to a low-carb diet, not only did the low-carb group lose more weight, they also lowered their blood pressure in the process.

That’s the power of an honest-to-goodness steak for you. (And remember: the fattier, the better!)

Here’s the details: Researchers studied 146 dieters with an average age of 52 and body mass index of 39 (that would put a 5’10″ man at 271 pounds). After 48 weeks, the low-carb eaters lost an average of 9.5 percent of their body weight while enjoying some of the best food of their lives. The drug-takers managed to lose 8.5 percent of their body weight in between bouts of the gas, incontinence and diarrhea that often accompany this med.

To the researchers, that was a tie…but once you factor in blood-pressure readings, it wasn’t even a fair fight — the drugs never had a chance. Low-carb dieters lost an average of 6 points off their systolic and 4.5 points off their diastolic readings.

The pill-poppers, on the other hand, had almost no change in blood pressure at all, according to the study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. But they probably did get more bathroom reading done. After all, this med has one of the most disgusting diet mechanisms imaginable.

Orlistat works by forcing dietary fat right back out the other end — sometimes quickly and dramatically. Stick close to the toilet when you take these pills — you might even want to eat your meals there, just to be safe.

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
23° C \| 14° C	19° C \| 10° C	22° C \| 11° C	17° C \| 9° C	18° C \| 9° C

Word of the Day
arrugar ah-rroo-gar’ (transitive verb)

to wrinkle, to crease; to crumple; to knit; to screw up
EXAMPLES

En mi frustración, arrugué el papel y lo tiré en la papelera. – In my frustration, I crumpled up the paper and threw it in the trash.

Arrugó la nariz. – She wrinkled his nose.

For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for arrugar.
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Alan Gee sent me the Stella Awards

It’s time again for the annual ‘Stella Awards’! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Lie who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald’s in New Mexico , where she purchased coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? That’s right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U..S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.

Here are the Stella’s for the past year:

* SEVENTH PLACE *

Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.

* SIXTH PLACE *

Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn’t notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor’s hubcaps.

* FIFTH PLACE *

Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn’t re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut.
Forced to sit for eight, count ‘em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner’s insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish.

* FOURTH PLACE *

Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella’s when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor’s beagle – even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner’s fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.

* THIRD PLACE *

Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tail bone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?

*SECOND PLACE*

Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000….oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.

* FIRST PLACE *

This year’s runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , who purchased new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver’s seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned.

Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner’s manual that she couldn’t actually leave the driver’s seat while the cruise control was set.
The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down?

$1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.
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Two crackers from Ian K
After spending a great evening chatting the night away, the next morning John’s grandfather prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film like substance on his plate, and questioned his grandfather asking,

‘Are these plates clean?’

His grandfather replied, ‘They’re as clean as cold water can get em. Just you go ahead and finish your meal, Sonny!’

For lunch the old man made hamburgers..Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have tiny specks around
the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, ‘Are you sure these plates are clean?’

Without looking up the old man said,

‘I told you before, Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them.. Now don’t you fret, I don’t want to hear another word about it!’

Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather’s dog started to growl, and wouldn’t let him pass.

John yelled and said, ‘Grandfather, your dog won’t let me get to my car’.

Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted!

‘Coldwater, go lay down now, yah hear me!’

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The Black Bra (as told by a woman)

I had lunch with 2 of my unmarried friends. One is engaged, one is a mistress, and I have been married for 20+ years.

We were chatting about our relationships and decided to amaze our men by greeting them at the door wearing a black bra, stiletto heels and a mask over our eyes. We agreed to meet in a few days to exchange notes. Here’s how it all went.

My engaged friend:
The other night when my boyfriend came over he found me with a black leather bodice, tall stilettos and a mask. He saw me and said, ‘You are the woman of my dreams. I love you..’ Then we made passionate love all nightlong.

The mistress:
Me too! The other night I met my lover at his office and I was wearing a raincoat, under it only the black bra, heels and mask over my eyes.. When I opened the raincoat he didn’t say a word, but he started to tremble and we had wild sex all night.

Then I had to share my story:
When my husband came home I was wearing the black bra, black stockings, stilettos and a mask over my eyes.
When he came in the door and saw me he said………………………………………………..

“What’s for dinner,Batman?”

Music Stuff February 25th

1956, Elvis Presley had his first nationa lNo1 with ‘I Forgot To Remember To Forget’
1964, The Beatles finished recoding their next single ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, at Abbey Road studios, London. The B-side was ‘You Can’t Do That’ .
1965, The Seekers No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I’ll Never Find Another You ‘
1977, The Jam signed to Polydor Records UK for £6,000
1981, winners at this years Grammy Awards included Bob Seger who won Best Rock performance for ‘Against The Wind’,
1984, ‘Jump’, by Van Halen No.1 on the US singles chart, a No.7 hit in the UK
1989, Simple Minds No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Belfast Child.’ At 6 minutes 39 seconds it became the second-longest running No.1 after The Beatles ‘Hey Jude.’

1995, Madonna No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Take A Bow

1995, at a private party for 1,200 select guests on the closing night of the Frank Sinatra Desert Classic golf tournament, Frank Sinatra sang before a live audience for the very last time. His closing song was ‘The Best is Yet to Come.’

2000, the five original Spice Girls were facing a bill of up to £1 million after losing a legal battle against the sponsors of their 1988 world tour.
2004, The Rolling Stones topped a US Rich List of music’s biggest money makers. The list was based on their “Forty Licks” tour which made them £124.7m in ticket, CD, DVD and merchandise sales. The three million fans who went to the shows spent an average of £6.47 each on merchandise.
2006, The 4th Annual TRL Awards were held in New York City. Madonna won the Lifetime Achievement Award and Bono won the Most Inspired Artist/Humanitarian Award.
2006, George Michael was found slumped over in a car in Hyde Park, London. A concerned person spotted the singer and called police who after being checked by paramedics was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and then released on bail. Michael made a public statement about the incident and said “I was in possession of class C drugs which is an offense and I have no complaints about the police who were professional throughout.” He also said that the event was “my own stupid fault, as usual.”
2007, Kaiser ChiefsNo.1 on the UK singles with ‘Ruby’
2009, President Obama honoured Stevie Wonder, his musical hero, with America’s highest award for pop music at the White House. The president said he doubted that his wife would have married him if he hadn’t been a fan. Wonder’s song ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’ had been the theme song during Obama’s presidential campaign.
2009, Winners at the 2009 NME Awards, held at London’s O2 Academy included Oasis who won best British band

Birthday Boys and Girls February 25th
1931, Faron Young, country singer, songwriter
1943,George Harrison –
1948, Elkie Brooks, (Elaine Bookbinder)

Pipe Down!

Posted on February 24, 2010 by Administrator

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last night it blew a gale here in La Nucia. The wind is a warm wind but it is really fierce and I feared it would result in structural damage. However, we are blessed with a beautiful day with warmth and sunshine and the world looks better for it. The UK has its ongoing monetary problems, the Prime Minister under constant attack and problems of every ilk around the country. However, the newspapers have their priorities. The Coles are going to split up. Cheryl seems a very nice girl but do us a favour…yawn, yawn, yawn………….I have a Spanish lesson to attend so I will post the podcast later.

“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.” ~ Tom Krause

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Spanish trade unionists will pour on to the streets to protest against Socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero´s attempts to reform a moribund economy that has left one in five Spaniards out of work.

Marches are due in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia in a show of union muscle designed to head off reforms to both generous labour laws and a state pension programme that critics claim are strangling growth. Full Story

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We really should know better.

Drinking water was delivered in lead pipes for centuries. Finally, lead pipes were banned in the U.S. in 1986 after scientists realized that lead exposure caused cognitive problems and other health issues.

Interesting side note: The UK banned lead pipes in 1969. Seventeen years before the U.S. Just sayin’.

So here in the 21st century, having learned our lead lesson, you might think we’d be wise about delivering liquids and foods in metal containers.

But no.

Interesting side note: More than 70 years ago, scientists at Canada’s McIntyre Porcupine Gold Mine thought they found a way to prevent silicosis, a deadly lung condition caused by inhaling silica dust in the mines. Research showed that inhaled powdered aluminum prevented damage from silica dust. This turned out to be untrue, but for several decades miners would start their day’s work with a deep inhalation of aluminum. In the 1980s, a Toronto researcher gave cognition tests to more than 640 men who had worked in the mines. She found that ALL the retired miners scored in the “impaired” range.

Other studies have linked aluminum exposure to impaired cognition and (more importantly) Alzheimer’s risk. So it was unsettling to come across this NutraIngredients-USA headline: “Food Packaging to Aid Aluminium’s Global Surge.”

If you’re not in the aluminum industry, and if you ARE concerned about the worldwide explosion of Alzheimer’s cases, an aluminum global surge sounds like a serious threat.

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Aluminum tsunami
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More than two billion people in developing countries will cross the line from poverty to working class over the next few years.

But as billions raise their standard of living, aluminum will come clanking along after. According to an aluminum industry insider: “The capacity to manufacture aluminium beverage containers and other food packaging will struggle to keep pace with demand.”

Of course, food and beverage packaging is just one of MANY ways we’re exposed to aluminum. The average person my absorb anywhere from 10 to 100 mg of aluminum DAILY through aluminum deodorants, cookware, baking powder, antacids, and other sources.

And here’s the worst part: Aluminum is able to cross the blood brain barrier that effectively blocks MOST harmful intruders from entering your brain. Once inside, aluminum sets off free radical formation. Then oxidative stress threatens brain cell membranes and promotes inflammation. Aluminum also contributes to the primary Alzheimer’s culprit – amyloid plaque buildup.

In the July 1998 Members Alert, HSI Panelist, Marty Milner, N.D., explained how he helped discover a way to reduce dangerous levels of aluminum.

Dr. Milner wrote: “In a group of fibromyalgia patients being treated with malic acid, we were amazed to note that the aluminum levels in their tissues – as measured by hair analysis – dropped dramatically. This was an incredibly important development, because aluminum is notoriously difficult to chelate (remove).”

Malic acid is available in most health food stores (magnesium malate is the preferred form). Dr. Milner recommends 500 mg of malic acid three times a day for no more that three weeks at a time. But he adds that aluminum chelation should only be attempted if you have established (through hair analysis) that your aluminum levels are high, and only with the care of a health professional.

And for more ways to prevent excess aluminum buildup, I recommend the article, “Pardon Me – But Your Brain is on Fire!” by my colleague and fellow HealthierTalk.com contributor, Dr. Alan Inglis Source

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Spanish Word of the Day

15 – April – 2009

El arte

(ar’-teh) (noun) – art; artistry, flair, skill; cunning

Examples:

Me encanta el arte abstracto en este museo. – I love the abstract art in this museum.
Tiene el arte para arreglar flores. – She has a flair for arranging flowers.

Idioms:

No tener arte ni parte en – To have absolutely nothing to do with
Por arte de birlibirloque – By extraordinary means
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Japanese Monk is flexible in delivering Buddhism

Kansho Tagaican be seen at the 400-year-old Kyoouji Temple in central Tokyo offering softly chanted prayers throughout the day amid traditional bell chimes and wafts of incense.

However, every now and then Tagai, whose community has dubbed him “Mr Happiness” for his positive outlook, raises the volume and the tempo of these prayers. He raps Buddhist sutra, or teachings, to hip hop beats and in modern Japanese!

Complete story.

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Golden Oldies from Jackie C in Alfaz….

No one believes oldies . .. . everyone thinks they are senile.

An Elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had moved back to their old neighborhood after they retired.

Holding hands they walked back to their old school.
It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they’d shared, where Andy had carved “I love you, Sally.”

On their way back home, a bag of money fell out of an armored car, practically landing at their feet Sally quickly picked it up, but not sure what to do with it, they took it home. There, she counted the money–fifty-thousand dollars.

Andy said, “We’ve got to give it back.”
Sally said, “Finders keepers.” She put the money back in the bag and hid it in their attic.
The next day, two FBI men were canvassing the neighborhood looking for the money, and knocked on the door.

“Pardon me, but did either of you find a bag that fell out of an armored car yesterday?”

Sally said, “No.”
Andy said, “She’s lying. She hid it up in the attic.”
Sally said, “Don’t believe him, he’s getting senile.”

The agents turn to Andy and began to question him.
One says: “Tell us the story from the beginning”
Andy said, “Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday . .. “

The first FBI guy turns to his partner and says, “We’re outta here.”

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Music Stuff February 24th

To anyone learning to play the guitar…visit this link and you won´t be disappointed.

1957, Buddy Holly recorded a new version of ‘That’ll Be The Day’
1963, The Rolling Stones started a Sunday night residency at The Station Hotel, Richmond, Surrey.
1969, The Jimi Hendrix Experience played their last ever-British performance .. at the Royal Albert Hall.
1973, Roberta Flack US No.1 with ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song
1976, The Eagles ‘Greatest Hits’ became the first album to be certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. New certification’s represented sales of 1 million copies for albums and two million for singles.
1979, a new UK TV show started on BBC2 called ‘Seven To One’, the title referring to the format of seven teenagers questioning a star guest, the first weeks guest was Sir Bob Geldof.
1982, The Police won best British group at the first annual Brit Awards held in London. Outstanding Contribution went to John Lennon.
1982, winners at the Grammy Awards included John & Yoko Album of the year with ‘Double Fantasy
1990, American singer, songwriter, pianist Johnnie Ray died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
1990, Manchester band The Happy Mondays had six singles on the UK indie chart.

1997, The Spice Girls won best single with ‘Wannabe’ at this years Brit Awards held in London.
2000, Carlos Santana won eight awards at this year Grammy Awards. Before the ‘Supernatural’ album, the guitarist had not had a Top 10 album since 1981.
2000, Sixties pop star Georgie Fame was banned from driving for a year and fined £350 after being breathalysed the morning after a concert.
2004, Estelle Axton, who helped create the legendary US soul music label Stax, died in hospital in Memphis, aged 85. Stax was home to Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Booker T and the MG’s and the Stax studio, ‘Soulsville USA’.
2009, The United States Mint launched a new coin featuring American composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington, making him the first African-American to appear by himself on a US coin.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 24th
1942, Paul Jones, singer, harmonica player, actor, radio presenter, Manfred Mann
1944, Nicky Hopkins, session piano player who worked with The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, The Beatles, John Lennon, The Who and Small Faces.
1947, Rupert Holmes, writer, producer, singer, The Pina Colada Song
1948, Dennis Waterman, singer, actor,
1962, Michelle Shocked,

Latest Podcasts

Shopping Trip

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Administrator

It´s absolutely lovely today with wall to wall sunshine beaming down from our mountain to our views of the Mediterranean. Well there are a few clouds but after our recent weather we´ll not quarrel over a few clouds! I´ve just been down to Benidorm and the Brits are out and about in their shorts. It could mean that we´re in for a spell of better weath and settled weather……….

Strangely, the following caught my eye as the service was offered to me last year to recoup a debt. I didn´t take the offer up as I think the British will not feel quite as guilty as the Spanish would appear to feel over a debt. I wonder would you agree?

Embarrassed when a man in a tuxedo and top hat follows you into a restaurant and silently joins your lunch date?

Mission accomplished.

Mortified when a trio of rotund men dressed as superheroes asks your neighbors for donations to help your financial situation?

Juan Carlos Granda sees his job as almost done.

The recession has hit Spain hard, with official figures showing the unemployment rate has reached 19.3 percent, one of the highest in Europe. Close to 4 million people are out of work — the same number of jobless as France and Italy combined.

One business that is booming: debt collection.

And no one does debt collection like El Cobrador del Frac. Story

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Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
20° C \| 11° C	20° C \| 12° C	20° C \| 11° C	21° C \| 13° C	20° C \| 12° C
Scattered Clouds	Clear	Clear	Chance of Rain 20% chance of precipitation	Partly Cloudy

Spanish colonization of the Florida peninsula began at St. Augustine in 1565. The Spanish colonists enjoyed a brief period of relative stability before Florida came under attack from resentful Native Americans and ambitious English colonists to the north in the 17th century. Spain´s last-minute entry into the French and Indian War on the side of France cost it Florida, which the British acquired through the first Treaty of Paris in 1763. After 20 years of British rule, however, Florida was returned to Spain as part of the second Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolution in 1783. Full Story

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Word of the Day

recorrer reh-ko-rrer’ (transitive verb)

to cross, to travel through/across, to go around; to look over, to search, to scour; to cover (distance)

EXAMPLES

Recorrí toda España en el año pasado. – I traveled all over Spain last year.

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Recorrimos toda la ciudad y nunca pudimos encontrar mi gato perdido. – We scoured the whole town and failed to find my lost cat.

A lot of vaccine was created around the world to combat Swine Flu. The rebel doctor has views on the future…..
Pandemic panic hits World Health Organization

I’m sure by now you’ve noticed that swine flu is nothing more than a sniffle…and if you fell for the phony panic and got yourself vaccinated, well — maybe next time you’ll listen to me.

But don’t just blame yourself — blame the disease-mongers who’ve been trading in swine flu fears and vaccines futures. The pandemic may have been fake, but the multibillion-dollar bill was real…and the trail of dirty dollars leads right to the World Health Organization.

European officials have been asking the kinds of questions our own lawmakers have been avoiding, almost certainly because they’re knee-deep in this conspiracy, too. And the WHO is putting the “D” in denial.

“The world is going through a real pandemic,” the organization said in a statement. “The description of it as a fake is wrong and irresponsible.”

Naturally, they’re also denying that they changed the definition of pandemic to fit swine flu. And there’s a reason they rushed to change that definition. You see, after the bird flu panic hit a few years ago, health officials around the world made a deal with the devil. According to Time magazine, they told Big Pharma that if a real pandemic hit, they’d buy up vaccine just as fast as it could be made, according to the magazine.

Is it clear yet?

As I’ve already told you, some of the WHO’s leading flu experts have ties to the vaccine makers. Even the Council of Europe is looking into Big Pharma’s influence on the WHO’s swine flu decisions.

Here’s what I think they’ll find: Big Pharma leaned hard on the WHO and its so-called experts, knowing that once the “P” word was uttered they would be swimming in pandemic dollars.

WHO made the call…and we got the bill.

They figured everyone would get vaccinated in the resulting panic. Then, when the mass casualties failed to materialize, they could claim it was because the program worked — they got everyone vaccinated in time.

Nice one, guys. Too bad not all of us fell for it.

Tens of millions of people got suckered into those vaccines…more than 60 million in the United States alone. But even more people told their docs and health officials where to stick those needles.

If the WHO was right, we should have seen body bags lining the streets, hospitals overflowing with patients, and a depleted workforce as millions of people fell victim to the virus.

You can’t stop the truth now — it’s all coming out, and this is just the beginning. Pull up a chair, this is going to get interesting.
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.
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There´s a very dark side to my friend Sheenagh who sent me the following!………………………………………………..

A woman was in town on a shopping trip. She began her day finding the most perfect shoes in the first shop and a beautiful dress on sale in the second. In the third, everything had just been reduced by 50 percent when her mobile phone rang.

It was a female doctor notifying her that her husband had just been in a terrible car accident and was in critical condition in the ICU. The woman told the doctor to inform her husband where she was and that she’d be there as soon as possible. As she hung up she realized she was leaving what was shaping up to be her best day ever in the boutiques.

She decided to get in a couple of more shops before heading to the hospital.

She ended up shopping the rest of the morning, finishing her trip with a cup of coffee and a beautiful chocolate cake slice, compliments of the last shop. She was jubilant. Then she remembered her husband.

Feeling guilty, she dashed to the hospital. She saw the doctor in the corridor and asked about her husband’s condition.

The lady doctor glared at her and shouted, ‘You went ahead and finished your shopping trip, didn’t you! I hope you’re proud of yourself! While you were out for the past four hours enjoying yourself in town, your husband has been languishing in the Intensive Care Unit! It’s just as well you went ahead and finished, because it will more than likely be
the last shopping trip you ever take! For the rest of his life he will require round-the-clock care. And he will now be your career!’

At this the woman broke down and sobbed.

The lady doctor then chuckled and said, ‘I’m just pulling your leg. He’s dead. Show me what you bought.’
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Music Stuff February 23rd
1961, Petula Clark had her first UK No.1 single with ‘Sailor’.
1969, ‘If Paradise Is Half As Nice’ by Amen Corner was at No.1 on the UK singles chart, The Move were at No.2 with ‘Blackberry Way’ and Peter Sarstedt was as No.3 with ‘Where Do You Go To’.
1972, Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla were legally separated. The couple had married in 1967.
1974, Suzi Quatro was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Devil Gate Drive’
1974, Rebel Rebel by David Bowie entered the UK chart, the single reached No.5 the following month.
1985, Stevie Wonder was arrested during an antiapartheid demonstration outside the South African Embassy in Washington
1989, Isaac Hayes was jailed by an Atlanta judge for owing child support and alimony.
1995, American singer Melvin Franklin of The Temptations died of a brain seizure aged 52.
1998, all members of Oasis were banned for life from flying Cathay Pacific Airlines after “abusive and disgusting behaviour” during a flight from Hong Kong to Perth, Australia.
1999, Oasis guitarist Paul Arthurs was arrested and jailed overnight for being drunk and disorderly. Police found the guitarist outside a Tommy Hilfiger store in London.
2002, The Bee Gees made their last ever concert appearance when they appeared at the Love and Hope Ball, Miami Beach, Florida.
2003, Howie Epstein bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers died of a suspected drug overdose in New Mexico.
2003, The News Of The World reported that Michael Jackson had undergone scores of painful operations to strip his body of black skin until he appeared white. And that surgeons at a Santa Monica clinic eventually refused him any more treatment.
2003, Norah Jones cleaned up at the 45th Grammy Awards, held at Madison Square Garden, New York.

Birthday Boys and Girls
1944, Johnny Winter, guitar, vocals,
1944, Mike Maxfield, Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas,
1950, Steve Priest, guitar, Sweet
1955, Howard Jones, singer, songwriter, keyboards,

Latest Podcasts Latest Shows

Have Faith!

Posted on February 22, 2010 by Administrator

It´s back to beautiful today with sunshine and warmth. There are clouds in the sky but not those menacing rain clouds at this moment in time. If you watched Manchester City playing Liverpool yesterday you, like me, were treated to two teams who didn´t want to lose and didn´t hardly have an idea between them how to score goals. If you expected something special from Torres then I certainly didn´t. He´s been out for weeks and this is the top level. The game needed Tevez. It also needed a decent referee. The official with the whistle helped to make this game as dull as ditch water. It makes my blood boil when, with all the other needs in the world, this group of players all walked off the pitch as brazen as you like knowing they each have another lottery win going in the bank. All the money from the game should be distributed to Madeira and Haiti! The only real winners were Aston Villa and Tottenham who can score goals. Someone please whisper in Rafa´s ear….that´s how games are won.

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I don´t totally subscribe to the point of view expressed in this next article but I always like to see another point of view……and there is a good element of truth in what is written. There are many people who go to the gym and don´t know how to use the equipment properly. Read on…….

The silent plague of sports injuries

I’ve gotta be honest with you. I got a good chuckle when I read this article on MSNBC.com.

Headline: “Gym-goers trip, flip, and fall in pursuit of fitness.”

It recounted stories of rather klutzy gym rats who fell of treadmills, rolled off exercise balls, tripped over jump ropes, or dropped weights on their toes.

I don’t mean to laugh at anyone’s misfortune, but you have to admit that the picture of someone breaking his toe because he kicked a treadmill is rather amusing.

But that’s where the humor ends.

The grim reality is that this nonsensical “exercise-is-good-for-you” craze is landing more than 50,000 people in the emergency room every year because of mishaps on gym equipment, according to numbers from the Consumer Products Safety Commission. But that’s just the tip of the exercise iceberg.

At least 17 million Americans are treated for sports-related injuries each year overall, including 3.5 million children under the age of 14. And who knows how many millions more silently limp along with untreated aches and injuries caused by something that was “supposed” to make them healthier.

The experts chalk the injuries up to user error and suggest that people be more careful. It’s user error alright — the error occurred when they thought they needed to exercise to begin with.

This has nothing to do with how careful you are — and everything to do with the high price of self-destructive behavior. Punish your body and you WILL pay the toll.

Can you name one athlete you know — or one exercise nut — who isn’t nursing some sort of injury? If you do, just give it time. They’ll be bandaged up and making weekly visits to the physical therapist soon enough.

Sports can destroy your knees and cause early-onset arthritis, as I told you not long ago. But that’s getting off easy. Recent studies on former football players show their brains are turning into oozing puddles of useless mush from all the hits they take.

That’s not just an occupational hazard for rich, spoiled athletes — but a real risk for any of the millions of kids who play competitive sports in high school or college. Many of these supposedly fit people eventually hobble around on perpetually bandaged limbs like they limped off a Civil War battlefield instead of sports field.

And yet the nutty experts just want to blab on and on about how safe exercise is.

Wake up and smell the Ben-Gay! The safest thing you can do is to stay out of the gym.

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Here´s the Alicante weather

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
15° C \| 8° C	16° C \| 9° C	19° C \| 11° C	19° C \| 11° C	17° C \| 11° C

Word of the Day

ceder seh-der’ (transitive verb)

to hand over, to give up, to cede; to transfer, to assign; to pass

EXAMPLES

Le cedió el asiento a mi abuela. – He gave his seat to my grandmother.

Estas botas están un poco apretados, pero ya cederán. – These boots are a little tight, but they’ll give.

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Ian K sent us the following …..

IMPORTANT READ.….

Something that we can do to help ourselves. Nice to know. Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve under the tongue. They work much faster than the tablets.
Why keep aspirin by your bedside?
About Heart Attacks
There are other symptoms of an heart attack besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as Nausea and lots of sweating, however these symptoms may also occur less frequently.
Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack. The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up..
However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.
If that happens,immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.. Afterwards: phone a neighbor or a family member who lives
very close by say “heart attack!” say that you have taken 2 aspirins.. take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and…do NOT lie down ~
A Cardiologist has stated that, if each person, after receiving this message, sends it to 10 people, probably one life can be saved!
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Two British men have been arrested on suspicion of holding up a supermarket in Spain.

Expats Daniel Andrew Rushton and Matthew Aiden Daly, both 25, were held two days after staff at a store in Marbella were threatened with a gun and metal bar during a robbery. Electronic goods and cash were taken. Story

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Music Stuff February 22nd
1960, Percy Faith No.1 on the US chart with ‘Theme From A Summer Place’ No.2 hit UK.
1962, Elvis Presley Uk1 UK singles chart with ‘Rock-A- Hula Baby / Cant Help Falling In Love.’ The tracks were from ‘Blue Hawaii’
1975, Scottish group The Average White Band No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Pick Up The Pieces’
1975, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel had their only UK No.1 single with ‘Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me).
1981, One hit wonder Joe Dolce was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Shaddap You Face,
1986, MTV dedicated a full 22 hours broadcast to The Monkees,
1987, Andy Warhol, pop artist and producer died after a gall bladder operation. He produced The Rolling Stones ‘Sticky Fingers’ album cover.
1988, Stevie Wonder was awarded the 1998 MusiCares Person Of The Year at a concert in Los Angeles.
1992, UK music paper the NME printed their writers all time best debut albums; at No.1, Patti Smith, ‘Horses’,
1992, Shakespear’s Sister started an eight-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Stay’. The duo was made up of ex Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey and singer Marcella Detroit (who co-wrote ‘Lay Down Sally’ with Eric Clapton).
1997, The Spice Girls US No.1 with ‘Wannabe’, the first UK act to score a No.1 for over 18 months.
2001, winners at the 43rd Grammy Awards included U2, record of the year and song of the year with ‘Beautiful Day
2002, Drummer Ronnie Verrell died aged 76. Worked with The Ted Heath Orchestra and The Syd Lawrence Orchestra. Provided the drum licks for Animal in The Muppet Show.
2002, two middle-aged women spent the first of eight nights sleeping in a car outside Bournemouth International Centre to make sure they were first in the queue for Cliff Richard’s forthcoming concert tickets.
2003, Sir Paul McCartney played a private show in San Diego for the 50th birthday of Wendy Whitworth, the executive producer of CNN’s Larry King Show. Sir Paul donated his $1 million (£0.6 million) fee to the Adopt-a-Minefield charity.
2004, The Sex Pistols’ ‘Anarchy in the UK’ was named the most influential record of the 1970s in poll compiled by Q magazine.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 22nd
1936, Ernie K-Doe, R&B singer who had a 1961 US No.1 single with ‘Mother-in-Law’
1943, Mick Green, guitarist with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates from 1962–4, (1963 UK No.4 singles ‘I’ll Never Get Over You’). Joined Billy J. Kramer in 1964.
1945, William Oliver Swofford, (Oliver), 1969, US No 3 & UK No. 6 single, ‘Good Morning Starshine.
1977, James Blunt, singer, songwriter and former Army captain.

Latest Podcast

Tell Laura!

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Administrator

We´ve got rain again but I was horrified to see how bad it is in Madeira. The island has been so badly hit it´s another tragedy and people are suffering. The weather creates enough problems for us so who needs politics and greed to join in? Neil Colbourne joined me for the last hour of my show and I had a nice chat with Leapy and Stuey where we chewed over a bit of fat. Iris gave us another brilliant challenge and the listeners were texting in like there was no tomorrow. Alan Gee sent me the following public Health information….

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine…
And those who don’t.

As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
In beer there is freedom,
In water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials,
Scientists have demonstrated that if we drink
1 litre of water each day,
At the end of the year we would have absorbed
More than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) – bacteria
Found in faeces.
In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop..

However,
We do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer
(or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor)
Because alcohol has to go through a purification process
Of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.

Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it’s better to drink wine and talk stupid,
Than to drink water and be full of s**t.

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Would you just open up your wallet and dump some cash into a drop box for no good reason?

Me neither.

But if you toss meds because they’ve passed the expiration date, that’s just what you’re doing. And more suckers are doing it — a USA Today report says drop boxes for expired meds are doing boffo business.

A single box in Layton, Utah received 738 pounds of meds in 2009. For all I know, that stuff is getting repackaged and resold — after all, most of it’s still good.

There are plenty of reasons to toss your meds — including the fact that most of them are unnecessary in the first place. But don’t throw them out just because of the expiration dates.

One FDA study on the U.S. military’s drug stockpile found that 90 percent of more than 100 meds were fine well beyond those dates. Not just days, weeks or months later…but YEARS later.

That means those dates aren’t there to help you…they’re there to make you toss your aspirin every few years and buy a new bottle. But don’t bother — one study on aspirin found it to be perfectly fine after five years.

Keep all your meds in a cool, dry and dark place — not the bathroom — and most of them should be fine. Obviously, don’t use any meds that smell bad or look funny. And when you do throw them away, don’t flush them — our water is already bad enough.

No expiration date on me,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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We have a brilliant environment with the proximity of the mountains and the sea plus our borough has the wonderful fountains which are very relaxing…unless you´re driving. If you´re into holistic healing then here´s is a wonderful source of information and help. The weather also plays its part in our health so here´s the forecast…….

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
15° C \| 8° C	16° C \| 9° C	19° C \| 11° C	19° C \| 11° C	17° C \| 9° C

Iris´s Challenge -Answer at the foot of the blog

(1) Born David Spencer on 10 April 1939 and is a Welsh singer. He became the first Welshman to reach the number 1 spot in the charts in 1960

(2) After performing in local clubs for a couple of years, he was discovered by an A&R representative from EMI and placed with the record producer Norrie Paramor and signed to EMI’s Columbia label. At the first recording session, he was given the chance to cover a Ray Peterson American hit. He was rewarded with a number 1 hit with this song which sold over a million copies in 1960, thanks to airplay on Radio Luxembourg

(3) After topping the UK Singles Chart, he appeared in the 1961 A Song for Europe competition, hoping to represent the UK in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. His song, “Why Can’t We?” placed third out of the nine entries. The winner was “Are You Sure?” performed by The Allisons.

(4) He released several more singles, including “Movin’ Away”, “Jimmy’s Girl” and “Six Boys”, but none of them were UK hits. However, “Jimmy´s Girl”, and “Moving Away” made it to number one in Austria and Scandinavia ,

(5) On 23 April 2001 he was the guest presented in the Identity Parade on an episode of the satirical music-based panel game Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

(6) He changed to a career on the cabaret and nostalgia circuit and now lives in Cabo Roig on the outskirts of Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca where he still performs on a regular basis.

Word of the Day
la duda doo’-dah (noun)

doubt, uncertainty, question
EXAMPLES

Me ha surgido una duda. – There’s something I’m not sure about.

Nunca tuve la menor duda de que tenía razón. – I’ve never had the least doubt that she was right.

IDIOMS

Es sin lugar a duda – It is without question
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The Spanish government says it will formally recognise one of the country´s best-known poets as a victim of the dictatorship of Gen Francisco Franco.

It will present the family of the poet, Miguel Hernandez, with an official letter rehabilitating his memory.

Hernandez was imprisoned as a traitor 70 years ago for supporting the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, and died in prison at the age of 31.

The family applied for his rehabilitation under a 2007 law.

The decision to rehabilitate him comes as Spain marks the centenary of the poet´s birth with a series of events.

“We have always lived with this sadness, and finally we have cleansed his memory,” the poet´s daughter-in-law, Lucia Izquierdo, told the BBC.

“We wanted his image restored as a poet of the people, and a great man.”

“Onion Lullaby”

The family applied for the rehabilitation under Spain´s Historical Memory Law, passed in 2007 to recognise the victims on both sides of the Civil War, and during Franco´s rule. Full Story
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Music Stuff February 21st
1961, The Beatles played three gigs in one day. The first was a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club, then at night they appeared at the Cassanova Club, Liverpool and at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool.
1964, three classic British singles were released, The Rolling Stones ‘Not Fade Away’, (a UK No.3), The Hollies ‘Just One Look’, (a UK No.2), and Billy J Kramer’s ‘Little Children’, (a UK No.1).
1968, Otis Redding had his first entry on the UK singles chart with ‘(Sittin On) The Dock Of The Bay’ .
1970, Simon and Garfunkel went to No.1 on the UK chart with ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.
1976, Florence Ballard of The Supremes died of cardiac arrest, aged 32.
1976, The Four Seasons were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘December ’63 (Oh What A Night).
1977, Fleetwood Mac released ‘Rumours’.
1981, Dolly Parton started a two week run at No.1 on the US charts with ’9 to 5′, the singers first No.1, a No.47 hit in the UK.
1981, Phil Collins entered the UK album chart at No.1 with ‘Face Value.’
1982, American DJ Murry The K died. Murray is thought to be the first person to play a Beatles record on radio in America.
1987, Ben E King was at No.1 in the UK singles chart with ‘Stand By Me.’
1998, Celine Dion went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘My Heart Will Go On’. The song was the theme from the movie Titanic.
2001, Robbie Williams was attacked and thrown from the stage during a concert in Stuttgart, Germany after a man got onto the stage and pushed Williams into the security pit.
2002, Elton John accused the music industry of exploiting young singers and dumping talented artists for manufactured group’s.
2004, Mud singer Les Gray died of a heart attack, whilst fighting throat cancer, aged 57, (1974 UK No.1 single ‘Tiger Feet’ plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles’).
2008, Britney Spears failed in a court bid to regain visitation rights to her two children.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 21st
1933,Nina Simone, (Eunice Wayman) US jazz, blues singer
1942, Bob Day, Allisons, (1961 UK No.2 single ‘Are You Sure’).
1943, David Geffen, Geffen record label boss. Founder of Asylum records signed The Eagles, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell.
1958, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, country singer,
1961, Ranking Roger, The Beat, (1983 UK No.3 single ‘Can’t Get Used To Losing You’). Fine Young Cannibals, (1989 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘She Drives Me Crazy’).
1986, Charlotte Church, UK singer, (1999 UK No.34 single ‘Just Wave Hello’. 1998 UK No.4 album, ‘Voice Of An Angel’).

Iris´s Challenge -Ricky Valance

Latest podcasts Latest Shows

Parade of the Pops

Posted on February 20, 2010 by Administrator

Today is fabulous. This is why we live in Spain. It´s a little cold in the morning but we live near the top of a mountain and blues skies are overlooking the Med iterranean.

I´ve just been down to the radio station for my show this morning and we´ve had a fabulous reaction from the listeners today. My special memory celebrity interview was Ricky Valance and the memories came flooding back.

Tom from Birkenhead sent me the following……There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, ‘You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence… The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won’t matter how many times you say “I’m sorry”, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.. Remember that friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.’

It’s National Friendship Week…..and please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence!

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Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
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Iris´s Challenge- Answer at the foot of the Blog

(1) Were a successful Scottish pop rock group, from the east end of Glasgow , originally formed in 1961 and were first known as “The Gaylords”, later “Dean Ford and The Gaylords”

(2) On moving to London in 1966 they changed their name to the name they would become well know, their next few singles failed to chart in the UK, although one, the self penned cult hit, “I See The Rain”, was highly praised by Jimi Hendrix as the ‘best cut of 1967′. It became a chart-topper in the Netherlands the same year. (Graham Nash of The Hollies, contributed to the session).

(3) During this period they landed a residency at London ‘s Marquee Club where they supported, amongst others, The Action and Pink Floyd building a reputation and following, they toured with The Who, Joe Cocker, Traffic, Gene Pitney and The Tremeloes. This culminated in a summer appearance at the Windsor Jazz and Rock Festival in 1967, directly preceding Jerry Lee Lewis

(4) After a lesser hit “Wait For Me Mary-Anne” which made only 30 in the charts, they enjoyed a number 1 with their most remembered UK success a cover of a Beatles song which topped the UK charts at number 1 in January 1969. As the first Scottish group to ever top the charts in that week, they celebrated by appearing on Top of the Pops, dressed in kilts.

(5) Some of their hits over the years have been “Lovin’ Things” “Rainbow” “Reflections of My Life” “Cousin Norman” and “Falling Apart at The Seams”

(6) They have had many changes in their line up over the years but they are still touring the nostalgic circuit, the only original member of the band being Graham Knight.

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Our butts are killing us

When it comes to your health, there’s no such thing as sitting pretty. In fact, we’re riding our immobile behinds right into an early grave.

Maybe we can start burying people in their EZ Chairs — just wheel them right out of the memorial service and into the cemetery. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust — you sat around while your health went bust.

Our sedentary lifestyles are killing us, and a recent editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlights the toll: People who spend the most time sitting face a higher risk for heart attack, diabetes and early death.

Cue the obligatory calls for more exercise.

Tim Armstrong, a physical activity “expert” at the World Health Organization, even told the Associated Press that people who sit the most should exercise several times a day.

Is anyone else paying attention here? You can exercise once a day, twice a day, or five times every third Friday — it won’t matter. If you’re on your rear at work all day, then plop down for an evening on the sofa, no amount of exercise in the world is going to save your sorry bottom.

A study that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians over 12 years found that those who sat the most had a higher risk of early death — regardless of their exercise habits.

Just look around you — millions of miserable human hamsters scurry on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day…then spend the rest of their time sitting. These people aren’t healthy, and adding a second daily torture session isn’t going to make a whit of difference.

It just doesn’t work that way, even if it might sell a few more gym memberships.

Forget the experts, they’re not going to save you — but I will. If you’re stuck behind a desk all day, don’t just sit there. Do something. Get some motion back into your life.

One way to do that is to take up smoking and stroll around the block on your tobacco breaks. You’ll get some dirty looks along the way, but just smile back. You’ll be much healthier than most of those Frowning Frannies anyway.

And when you get home, spend less time on the sofa. It’s about the same length as a coffin, and just might double for one if you get too comfortable in it.

Not taking this sitting down,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

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Word of the Day
desviar des-vyar’ (transitive verb)

to divert, to change direction, to deflect, to evade, to turn aside
EXAMPLES

Sigue esta calle derecho sin desviarte por una milla y llegarás al museo. – Go straight ahead on this road without changing direction for one mile and you will reach the museum.

La conversación se desvió hacia otros temas. – The conversation turned to other subjects.
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Music Stuff February 20th: On this day
1963, The Beatles drove through the night from Liverpool to London to appear on the live lunchtime BBC radio program “Parade of the Pops.” Performing ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘Please Please Me’, the appearance lasted just over 4 minutes. They then drove another 180 mile trip back north for their performance that night at the Swimming Baths, Doncaster, Yorkshire.
1964, The Bachelors were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Diane.’
1970, the single ‘Instant Karma’ by The Plastic Ono Band was released in the US. John Lennon had written, recorded and mixed the track all in one day on the 22nd January 1970.
1971, the soundtrack to ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ went to No.1 on the US album chart.
1972, Chicory Tip were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Son Of My Father.’ Written by Giorgio Moroder, it was the first UK number one single to prominently feature a synthesizer, in this case a Moog synthesizer.
1976, Screaming Lord Sutch appeared at the College Of Art, High Wycombe, England, supported by The Sex Pistols.
1977, winners at this years Grammy Awards included Stevie Wonder for Best album with ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’, and Best Vocal performance for ‘I Wish.’
1978, Abba were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Take A Chance On Me’1988, Kylie Minogue was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Should Be So Lucky.’ 1991, Bob Dylan was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the 33rd annual Grammy’ Awards.
1993, Buddy Holly and the Crickets went to No.1 on the UK album chart with the ‘Words of Love’ compilation album.
1994, Tori Amos went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her second solo album ‘Under The Pink.’
2000, All Saints started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Pure Shores’.
2001, English singer and radio presenter Ronnie Hilton died from a stroke aged 73.
2002, winners at this year’s Brit Awards included, Robbie Williams for Best Male act, Dido won Best Female act, Travis won Best British group, S Club 7 Best single for ‘Don’t Stop Movin’ The Strokes won best international newcomer, Best International Female was Kylie Minogue, International Group went to Destiny’s Child and Sting won Outstanding Contribution To Music.
2003, winners at this years Bit Awards included Robbie Williams for British solo artist, Ms Dynamite won British female artist, Best British album went to Coldplay for ‘A Rush Of Blood’, Best British group went to Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers won International Group, Blue won Best Pop Act and Liberty X won Best single for ‘Just A Little.’
2004, Brian Wilson kicked off an 11-date UK tour at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
2005, Scissor Sisters went to No.1 on the US album chart with their debut and self-titled album, also a No.1 in the UK.
2005, Jennifer Lopez was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with get Right’, her 2nd No.1.
2008, winners at this year’s Brit Awards in London, included Take That who won the trophies for best British live act and British single, The Arctic Monkeys won best British group and album – both for the second year in a row and Foo Fighters won best international group and album. Kate Nash won best British female and Mark Ronson was named best British male. Kylie Minogue won best international female and Mika was named best British breakthrough act. Sir Paul McCartney performed a medley of hits, including Live and Let Die, Hey Jude and Lady Madonna after he was honoured with an outstanding contribution award. The show was presented by Sharon Osbourne.
2008, A 1976 Rolling Stones album bought for £2 at a car boot sale sold for £4,000 at an auction. The ‘Black and Blue’ LP was signed by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Paul and Linda McCartney and George Harrison as well as members of the Rolling Stones. The seller obtained the album after haggling the cost down from £3.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 20th
1937,Nancy Wilson, singer, (’1964 US No.11 single You Don’t Know How Glad I Am’).
1940, Barbara Ellis, The Fleetwoods, (1959 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘Come Softly To Me’).
1941, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canadian singer, songwriter, (1971 UK No.7 single ‘Soldier Blue’,. Wrote ‘Up Where We Belong’

Iris´s Challenge- Marmalade Today´s Show

Bitter Pill?

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Administrator

Liverpool stepped down a Euro league last night and showed that they probably will find this league challenging. Yes, they play pretty football but they seem to have forgotten the game is about scoring goals. Local rugby see La Villajoyosa with a home game against Santboiana Barcelona this Sunday (21 Feb) at 12:00pm.

It´s chucking it down again and it would be easy to feel a little hard done by. However, I have just been watching the news from Spain and everywhere it seems is getting heavy rain and flooding. Tenerife is particularly having a bad time and the island is reported to have no electricity. Wouldn´t you have thought with all this heavy rain and flooding we would have some sort of international mission to take all this surplus water to drought hit areas on the planet. If it was black and thick this would already be in progress. Incidentally, hust in case you missed it there´s something rumbling in the Falklands. It was always about British exploration in the area and there are political rumblings and talk of new exclusion zones so watch this space. At least the penguins and about 1000 Brits will have something to talk about.

Elton John is getting a little desperate for publicity these days. He is in the papers today explaining to us that Jesus was gay. It might be best if he just kept to making the good songs which made him famous. I don´t really think this area did too well for the Beatles or Madonna. Tiger Woods makes his comeback and let´s hope it goes well for him, and especially his wife and children. Meanwhile Craig Bellamy is busy with the self-destruct button once again and is banned from Man City for three months according to today´s papers.

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<

(

La falta

fahl’-tah) (noun) – lack, shortage; absence; fault

Examples:

Me pusieron falta. – They put me down as absent.
Hay una falta de personal en su compañía. – There is a staff shortage at his company.

Idioms:

Una falta de educación – Bad manners
Hacer falta – To be necessary
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Well, there are all sorts of stories coming from the war zones but this seems to take the biscuit……..or is it a bitter pill to swallow?

You know those blue pills that help men overcome a certain dysfunction? The name of the drug rhymes with Niagara. But to avoid problems with your e-mail spam filter, we’ll just call it Niagara for today’s purposes. According to the Washington Post, Niagara has been enlisted to help U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. It seems that CIA operatives often purchase information from Afghan chieftains and other tribal officials. But payment can be a problem. If informants are paid in cash, their sudden purchasing power raises suspicions that they may be in cahoots with the CIA. And that can put a chieftain on very precarious footing.

The Post reports that some aging tribal chiefs have as many as four wives, so they’re sometimes open to “suggestions” that restore vitality and authority.

Other discreet incentives include medical care, dental care, travel visas, and school equipment.

Hey – whatever works. But if you’re an Afghan chieftain looking for a little oomph and you’d rather not risk a high-profile pharmaceutical, you might try some botanicals, such as ashwagandha root, gotu kola leaf, or panax ginseng root extract – all have been used to stimulate marital vitality.

But talk to your doctor first, because your local CIA operative might not be a licensed herbalist.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

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Here´s the weather for the Alicante Province

Viernes	Sábado	Domingo	Lunes	Martes
12° C \| 6° C	14° C \| 8° C	15° C \| 10° C	21° C \| 11° C	19° C \| 11° C
Probabilidad de Lluvia 40% Probabilidad de Precipitación	Despejado	Probabilidad de Lluvia 30% Probabilidad de Precipitación	Despejado	Probabilidad de Lluvia

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Music Stuff February 19th

1957, Tab Hunter was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Young Love’
1963, The Beatles, Freddie Starr & The Midnighters, The Pathfinders and Curtis & The All Stars all appeared at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, England. The Beatles had ‘Please Please Me’ at No.1 on the NME singles chart.
1965, working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles recorded a new John Lennon song ‘You’re Going To Lose That Girl’ in two takes.
1966, Lou Christie went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Lighnin’ Strikes’, a No.11 hit in the UK. Nancy Sinatra held the UK No.1 single position with ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
1977, ’20 Golden Greats’ by The Shadows started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart.
1977, Leo Sayer had his only UK No.1 single with the Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager song ‘When I Need You.’
1977, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band scored a No.1 single in the US with their version of the Bruce Springsteen song ‘Blinded By The Light.’
1983, Kajagoogoo had their only UK No.1 single with ‘Too Shy’.
1994, Mariah Carey had her first UK No.1 with her version of the Peter Ham Tom Evans song ‘Without You’. Nilsson also took the song to No.1 in 1972.
1996, Bjork was shown on UK breakfast TV attacking a news reporter as she arrived at Thailand Airport.
1996, winners at this year’s Brit Awards included Paul Weller who won British Male Solo Artist, British Female Solo Artist went to Annie Lennox, Oasis won British Group, Best Album for ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ and Best British Video for ‘Wonderwall. British Breakthrough Act went to Supergrass, International Group was Bon Jovi, International Breakthrough Act went to Alanis Morissette and David Bowie was awarded Outstanding Contribution to music. Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker was arrested after a stage invasion during Michael Jackson’s appearance.
2000, Savage Garden went back to No.1 on the US singles chart for the second time with ‘I Knew I Loved You.’
2004, Johnny Cash’s family blocked an attempt by advertisers to use his hit song ‘Ring of Fire’ to promote haemorrhoid-relief products.
2008, two releases by Oasis were voted the best British albums ever recorded in a poll of 11,000 people.

Birthday Boys and Girls February 19th
1924, Lee Marvin
1940,Smokey Robinson, singer, songwriter, producer, The Miracles,
1943,Lou Christie, US singer,
1957, Falco, (Hans Holzl), 1986 UK & US No.1 single ‘Rock Me Amadeus’.
1963, Henry Samuel, singer, songwriter, (Seal).

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Monthly Archives: February 2010

The Cavern Club

Word of the Day

el senderismo sen-deh-rees’-moh (noun)

EXAMPLES

Wedding Gifts

Word of the Day

la salida sah-lee’-dah (noun)

EXAMPLES

Crushed Nuts!

Word of the Day

aleccionar ah-lek-syon-ar’ (transitive verb)

EXAMPLES

Batman

Pipe Down!

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. Martin Luther King, Jr.

El arte

Shopping Trip

Word of the Day

recorrer reh-ko-rrer’ (transitive verb)

EXAMPLES

Have Faith!

Word of the Day

ceder seh-der’ (transitive verb)

EXAMPLES

Tell Laura!

Parade of the Pops

Bitter Pill?

La falta

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