Things of huge interest to some

A wonderful start to the New Year is the SMOKING BAN Starts on 2nd Jan 2011. 

What a long wait to get here, but it will be just great to go in to any bar or restaurant and NOT be breathing in other people's smoke.

The following is out of this weeks >>>>>>>>  EURO WEEKLY:

AS of January 2, smoking will be banned from all public catering establishments in Spain. Although this was widely reported, confusion arose as conflicting media reports appeared in the Spanish and British press. In some cases reports suggested it had already been confirmed, whereas in other cases they reported the ban would not come into effect until July.

On Tuesday the Chamber of Deputies gave final approval to the changes to the Anti-Smoking law with 336 votes in favour, five against, and three abstentions.

As of January 2, cigarettes can be sold from machines in petrol station shops and cigars can also be sold in all bars and restaurants.

Casinos, bingos and games halls will also have to become totally smoke free and smoking at any public catering establishment will only be allowed outside, in areas which are not covered, or if they are, only have two walls.

The proposal from the opposition to give fiscal benefits to establishments which underwent refurbishment to adapt to the current law was rejected.

Meanwhile, smoking is allowed in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, smoking clubs and in hotels, where 30 per cent of rooms can be reserved for smokers as long as they are isolated from the rest and have ventilation.

It will also be allowed outside at sports facilities, in queues for cinemas and museums as long as they are outside and on campus at universities, but not in hospitals (outside or inside), parks or children’s play areas.

Only 30 per cent of people in Spain smoke, but 50,000 people died every year from problems related to smoking, 1,200 of them are passive smokers, according to the National Institute of Statistics.

Oh & do stay off balconies!

From Martin's MoneySavingExpert site..

Up to £85,000 savings per person, per financial institution will soon be protected by the govt's Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) bringing us in line with the EU's €100,000 limit...

• Use fewer accounts to earn more. The golden rule's always been spread savings in different institutions to get 100% protection. The new cap means you need fewer accounts (eg, if over the limit £160k requires 2, not 4) so consolidate into the highest payers (see below).

• It must be fully UK regulated. Some EU banks opt to rely on their home country's protection, eg, ING Direct savers depend on a Dutch govt bail out. Check if yours is non-UK regulated.

• It's per institution not per bank. Sister banks Halifax and Bank of Scotland share a licence, so total protection's £85,000 for all accounts in both. Other sisters NatWest and RBS have separate licences so you get £85,000 in EACH. Check your bank's links.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101229/bs_afp/spainaviationprivatisation

 From Martin's email:

A great scoop in Sat's Guardian revealed the RBS group of cards is giving a much worse rate abroad than previously thought. Horrendous exchange rates: Most cards add a hidden 3%ish 'load' abroad (so £100 worth of euros costs £103). Yet it's been discovered RBS, Natwest & Tesco credit cards don't base this on the usual 'perfect' Visa/Mastercard rate but their own exchange rate, often a further 2%ish worse on top. While its debit cards use the better exchange rate, they charge a nasty £1.25 fee every time you spend and 3% (min £3) at ATMs. Quite simply, avoid! Get a super-cheap 'overseas card': The cheapest way to spend oveseas is with a specialist credit card, always repaid IN FULL to minimise interest. Top Overall: Halifax Clarity is load free worldwide, so you get perfect exchange rates. Its only fee is 12.9% APR for cash withdrawals (c. £1/mth per £100), even if you repay in full. Top with perks: Nationwide's* Gold card (16.9% APR) is load-free, but only in Europe and charges a 2.5% ATM fee. However, it also gives a year's extra extended warranty on UK-bought electricals and a 0% for 15mths balance transfer deal (3% fee). FULL details in the Updated Guide: Cheap Travel Money Related: 0% for 13mth on Spending, 0% for 16mth Balance Transfers, Guardian Story

What a nasty situation we are watching evolve on our forum, once a beloved forum before many great posters decided to leave because they felt, I assume, 'what IS the f*****g point!!'

I've a selection of smilies that could be added to posts, let me show you.

First two are ..

and

and insist the member gets counselling.

and take their

Failing all else, bullies should be given the hiding they deserve.

 Exactly when ARE these disruptive members banned?  

Video here 

You must understand about the two Torrevieja forums. One is run by Gary & has been around for ages (& has some wierd characters posting in it) & then Jeff started a rival forum.

Jeff recruited people he knew who were members of Gary's forum to use Gary's personal message system to contact Gary's members (but only ones who didn't make waves) to join Jeff's forum. Gary got to hear about it & banned those involved.
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Quite a number of Gary's members joined Jeff's forum (& stayed as members in Gary's too) but were banned in Jeff's for being rude or posting against the rules or they were banned because they were seen in Gary's forum saying Jeff's forum is cr*p. That's the trouble with using the same site name.
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Jeff won't let his members scratch their bums or sneeze without his permission yet he has his favourites who scratch his back so they get let off & can pretty much post what they like.
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Anyway, a member of Gary's forum made this video which says it all, it is SUPERB! It incorporates various members of Gary's forum &, if you knew these characters, you'd find the video even more hilarious.

http://www.coastrider.net/news/local-news/10446-suma-sued

In an odd turn of events, the body responsible for collecting taxes owed by residents, Suma, is being sued for non-payment of communal charges on the building where it has local head quarters. The Suma office in Guardamar del Segura, in Calle Luis Rivera, is being sued by the owners of the building it shares. The owners of the building have asked a lawyer to proceed with a court case for lack of payment for communal charges corresponding to the 25 percent share the office represents in the ownership scheme.

The owners maintain that Suma has not made any payment towards the costs since taking up the office space. The case was referred to court in May 2010 for a total of 5,500 euros and of course the costs are increasing monthly. The lawyer for the owners maintains that non-payment of such an amount is causing serious harm to the community and that the associated costs for the three-story building have had to be covered by the other owners.

WELL, WELL, WELL!!!!

COASTRIDER THIS WEEK

Senate amends anti-smoking legislation.

Tinasolera on EOS now runs http://www.perrosdelsol.es/

She is president of 'Galgos del Sol' (still under construction) working with her husband Jaime who is Secretary. Her passion for galgos began here in Spain. On seeing many abandoned galgos on the streets here she investigated further their plight and decided to set up an association to help them. Her husband Jaime has been incredibly supportive and has got used to arriving home on occasions to find new furry faces in the garden.

Taking many from the roads and fixing them Tina decided she wanted to do more. Joining forces with Gaynor enabled her to do so. Now building kennels, Gaynor and Tina work together to rescue broken galgos and make them whole again and doing whatever it takes to find them wonderful new forever homes both here in spain and abroad.   

She adopted her own sweetheart who she believe was abandoned because he couldn't hunt. In her own words 'galgos are so precious, I simply adore them'.

The Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Galgos-del-Sol/175718192447988?v=wall