“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” – Bruce Lee
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us. Thomas Paine
When I said ‘death’ before ‘dishonor’, I meant alphabetically. Unknown
“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.”
- Oprah Winfrey
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We had a rather strange day yesterday and the weather couldn’t make up its mind. First it was cloudy. Then we had a bit of sunshine and then it went cloudy again. We went down to Benidorm for the 9.30 mass and then we had a cooked breakfast at Los Dunes. It’s just nice to sit and watch the world and his wife go down the prom. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some great shapes and some atrocious sizes. There is a sprinkling from many nationalities but a heck of a lot of Brits bringing their money into the town. I wonder who really is pulling the strings here in Benidorm? There seems to be quite an influx of Russian money …and the mayor is aid to be earning a fortune. However, new austerity measures are now stating that no mayor can earn more than a minister. The ministers 68 thousand euro per annum. We will paying increased VAT or IVA as it’s known here, on practically everything and it looks like the year has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. All the details are discussed towards the end of my latest Europe Calling podcast with Neil Colbourne. The link is on the index page. I’m off with the grua to try and have my car fixed. There’s a really bad oil leak. It’s inconvenient but I realise I am very lucky as we’ve just had a long drive from France. Things could have been a lot worse!
British pensioners living in Spain are now required to pay towards the cost of their prescriptions under changes to the public healthcare system introduced by the Spanish government.
One of the changes means that all state pensioners who are registered for healthcare in Spain as residents must now pay a percentage towards the cost of their medicines. The contribution for state pensioners has been set at 10% of the cost, with a cap of as low as eight euros per month depending on personal income.
How much a pensioner must pay depends on personal circumstances. If you need more information you can contact your local health service provider directly, who should be able to give you detailed information on the prescription charges. This system of ‘co-payment’ – paying a percentage of the total cost of medicines – is common among European countries and has been applied to those classed as ‘active’ in Spain, i.e. those normally considered to be of working-age, for some time.
Under European Union regulations, the UK pays Spain an average annual cost to provide healthcare for its pensioners. This entitles UK pensioners who are resident in Spain and registered with an S1/E121 form to the same access to state healthcare as would be provided to a Spanish pensioner.
As a result, any healthcare changes that are applicable to Spanish state pensioners are equally applicable to all UK state pensioners, as well as those from other EU/EEA countries. These include any costs that someone may be charged, including those for prescriptions.
The system for co-payment is being managed by each individual autonomous community, so the process may differ slightly between regions. For those in the Valencia autonomous community, a freephone helpline has been set up which has English speakers available. The telephone number is 
900 101 081.
You can find out more information and check for future updates on changes on public healthcare provision on the UKinSpain website at http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/access-healthcare/healthcare/healthcare-updates .
SpanishVida: http://www.theleader.info/article/35177/
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Subject: BEE STINGS
This information may be something to remember, as this season will soon be here again…
It might be wise to carry a penny in your pocket while working in the yard………. BEE STINGS !
A couple of weeks ago, I was stung by both a bee and hornet while working in the garden.
My arm swelled up, so I went to the doctor. The clinic gave me cream and an antihistamine. The next day the swelling was getting progressively worse, so I went to my regular doctor. The arm was Infected and needed an antibiotic. The doctor told me – ” The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes”.
That night, my niece was stung by two bees. I looked at the bite and it had already started to swell. So, I taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes The next morning, there was no sign of a bite We decided that she just wasn’t allergic to the sting.
Soon, I was gardening outside. I got stung again, twice by a hornet on my left hand. I thought, here I go again to the doctor for another antibiotic.
I promptly got my money out and taped two pennies to my bites, then sat and sulked for 15 minutes. The penny took the string out of the bite immediately.
In the meantime the hornets were attacking, and my friend was stung on the thumb. Again the penny. The next morning I could only see the spot where the hornet had stung me. No redness, no swelling. My friend’s sting was the same; couldn’t even tell where she had been stung.
She got stung again a few days later upon her back—cutting the grass! And the penny worked once again..
Wanted to share this marvelous information in case you experience the same problem. We need to keep a stock of pennies on hand .
The doctor said that the copper in the penny counteracts the bite.
It definitely works!
Please remember and pass this information on to your friends, children, grandchildren.
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In case you missed it yesterday, here is a most amazing show by Chinese Ballet dancers.
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1765 – Prime Minister of England Lord Greenville resigned and was replaced by Lord Rockingham. Hoots mon!
1790 – The District of Columbia, or Washington, DC, was established as the permanent seat of the United States Government. This has lasted
1791 – Louis XVI was suspended from office until he agreed to ratify the constitution.Bullies!
1845 – The New York Yacht Club hosted the first American boating regatta. Was this the origins of the Americas Cup?
1875 – The new French constitution was finalized.C’est magnifique!
1918 – Czar Nicholas II and his family were executed by Bolsheviks at Ekaterinburg, Russia. This was a bad time for the Russian royals
1926 – The first underwater color photographs appeared in “National Geographic” magazine. The pictures had been taken near the Florida Keys. Wonderful
1935 – Oklahoma City became the first city in the U.S. to make use of parking meters.Been raking it in ever since
1940 – Adolf Hitler ordered the preparations to begin on the invasion of England, known as Operation Sea Lion. The British needed to be prepared
1942 – French police officers rounded up 13,000 Jews and held them in the Winter Velodrome. The round-up was part of an agreement between Pierre Laval and the Nazis. Germany had agreed to not deport French Jews if France arrested foreign Jews. Horrible times
1945 – The United States detonated the first atomic bomb in a test at Alamogordo, NM.Horrible
1950 – The largest crowd in sporting history was 199,854. They watched the Uruguay defeat Brazil in the World Cup soccer finals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My God. What a crowd!
1957 – Marine Major John Glenn set a transcontinental speed record when he flew a jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds. Wonderful
1969 – Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy, FL, and began the first manned mission to land on the moon. Brave people
1979 – Saddam Hussein became president of Iraq after forcing Hasan al-Bakr to resign. Bad news for the world lay ahead
1981 – After 23 years with the name Datsun, executives of Nissan changed the name of their cars to Nissan. I had cars of both makes
1990 – An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter Scale devastated the Philippines, killing over 1600 people. These dreadful events were always happening
1999 – The plane of John F. Kennedy Jr. crashed off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, MA. His wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, were also on board the plane. The body of John Kennedy was found on July 21, 1999. What a tragic life for this family
2005 – J.K. Rowling’s book “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” was released. It was the sixth in the Harry Potter series. The book sold 6.9 million copies on its first day of release. She has written amazing tales that have become wonderful films accepted everywhere…
The Day’s Music Events 16th July
1962, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in the US, their first hit was in Sept this year with ‘Surfin’ Safari.’ I wasn’t the biggest fan of this single
1965, during a UK tour The Rolling Stones appeared at The Odeon in Exeter supported by The Walker Brothers and Steam Packet. I wonder was Long John Baldry there…?
1966, Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Hanky Panky’, a song first recorded by The Raindrops. A No.38 hit in the UK. A favourite of mine and I have had two great interviews with Tommy James
1966, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton formed Cream, the three piece group only lasted 2 years, leaving behind some classic recordings including ‘Sunshine of Your Love,’ ‘Badge,’ ‘Strange Brew,’ and ‘White Room.’ Good but a bit overrated for me as singles go!
1967, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, Janis Ian, David Blue, Mike Settle, Tom Paxton and Eric Andersen all appeared at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island.Good billing
1969, During recordings at Abbey Road studio’s in London The Beatles worked on two new George Harrison songs, ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and ‘Something.’ I liked both of these
1970, Pink Floyd recorded a show at the BBC Paris Cinema, in London, England for broadcast on the John Peel Sunday Concert, on BBC Radio 1, (broadcast 19 July of this year.) Great early memories
1977, Barry Manilow went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Barry Manilow Live’, the singers only US chart topper.Great voice and great songs
1977, ‘The Johnny Mathis Collection’ started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart. Wonderful mellow voice
1981, US singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, who had success in the ‘70s with ‘Taxi’, ‘W-O-L-D’ and a No. 1 ‘Cat’s In The Cradle’, is killed aged 38 suffering a cardiac arrest while driving on a New York expressway. His car is hit from behind by a tractor-trailer, causing the gas tank to explode.What a horrible way to go
1984, US singer Billy Williams died aged 74. Had the 1957 US No.3 single ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’).Great old song and I play it on my guitar
1989, Tom Jones lost a paternity suit, and was ordered by Judge Judy Sheindlin to pay $200 a week in child support to 27 year old, Katherine Berkery, of New York. Further terms of the settlement were agreed upon a couple of months later. That’ll teach you……
1993, The first of the three day Phoenix festival in England started, featuring Sonic Youth, Faith No More, The Black Crowes, Julian Cope, Pop Will Eat Itself, Radiohead, Living Colour, Manic Street Preachers, Pulp, tickets £49. Not much for me
1994, The film soundtrack to ‘The Lion King’ started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.Great music and I heard this first in Disneyland being played by a marching band
1995, Wayne Osmond from The Osmonds underwent a brain tumour operation at Duke University Medical Centre, North Carolina. I hope he completely recovered
2000, Coldplay went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut release ‘Parachutes’.
2000, The Corrs presented a petition to the European Commission demanding legislation to end piracy on the Internet. The Manic Street Preachers and The Spice Girls also added their names to the petition. Interesting
2001, Robbie Williams started a two week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Eternity / The Road To Mandalay.’ The 4th No.1 for the former Take That singer. I quite liked this single
2007, Three masked men, carrying sledgehammers and crowbars, broke into the home of former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona and escaped with goods including the singers BMW M5 sports car, two laptops, two gaming machines and two televisions. The robbers held a knife to the neck of the former pop star during the raid on her home in Wilmslow, Cheshire.What a dreadful experience for her
2009, A stage being built in France for a concert by Madonna collapsed, killing two workers and injuring six others. Technicians had been setting up the stage at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille when the partially-built roof fell in, bringing down a crane. Madonna was performing on her Sticky and Sweet tour in Udine, Italy, when she received news of the incident and was said to be “devastated” by the news. I think I would have been devastated also
Born on this day
1940, Tony Jackson, bass, vocals, The Searchers, (1964 UK No.1 & US No.13 single ‘Needles And Pins’). Jackson on died 18th August 2003.
1941, Desmond Dekker, Jamaican singer, (with The Aces, 1969 UK No.1 & US No.9 single ‘Israelites’). Died May 25, 2006.
1947, Thomas Boggs, drums, The Box Tops, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘The Letter’).
1952, Stewart Copeland, (aka Klark Kent), drummer, Curved Air, (1971 UK No.4 single ‘Back Street Luv’), Police, (1983 UK & US No.1 single ‘Every Breath You Take’ plus four other UK No.1 singles). The re-formed Doors.
