Orihuela Costa Residents Indifferent Towards Corruption in Government!

Today at 11:00 hrs. the Mayor of Orihuela, Monica Lorente was in Orihuela Costa to officially open the new sports centre on the coast.

Also today the non-political 'Association for Transparency' held a demonstration in front of the Town Hall in Orihuela at 12:00 hrs. against corruption in the governing Partido Popular party in light of the serious corruption case affecting the Orihuela Town Council and the governing team. The investigation of the 'Operation Brugal' corruption case has resulted in the arrest of three of the PP Councillors in Orihuela and a proposal by the anti-corruption prosecutor to include the Mayor, Monica Lorente within the investigation and possibly the accused. The Spanish press are reporting that 300 or more concerned Orihuela residents attended the demonstration in Orihuela.

The organisers of the main demonstration decided to take the opportunity of the Mayor's visit to the coast to stage an additional earlier show of strength of the residents of Orihuela Costa at the inauguration of the sports centre. The Round Town News reported on the planned demonstration in its current edition of the 26th November based on a press release by the coastal CLARO political party which supported the demonstration.

Although not members of any political party, Mrs S and I had no hesitation in attending the demonstration anticipating, hoping, like the organisers that a large number of residents would show their support against corruption. How wrong we and they were.

As can be seen from the photograph there were only approximately 40 people supporting the demonstration, situated opposite the sports centre being opened by the Mayor at the same time. With the size of  population in the Orihuela Costa area of the municipality being similar to that of the town this is a very poor response compared with that in Orihuela where 8 times as many citizens were prepared to stand up and be counted.

The conclusion from this very low level of support would indicate that Orihuela Costa residents are indifferent towards 'Corruption in Government'! What a sorry state of affairs!

The Euro Game Is Up - Nigel Farage MEP

Whether you agree with him or not he doesn't mince his words

Moronic Householder comes out of hibernation.

It has been 14 days since my last sighting of the results of the work of the Moronic Householder in my locality. Whilst I hoped, and still do, for a miracle I know that the sub-human species 'Homo Moron Paterfamilias' is not extinct, as many other people have recently commented to me that they to have MHs living in their localities.

I was living with false hope that our local MH had either moved away or had a change of intellect and attitude. But no; the workings of MH materialised again this morning.

Having woken-up from a short hibernation, like many animals do, MH has decided it's time to clean out the bed chamber of 'Casa del idiota'. How thoughtful to bring the old mattress and pillows out, of course undercover of the evening dark , and leave them lying in the street for some homeless person; or drunken holidaymaker who can't remember in the early hours of the morning where the rented villa is; to use for comfort for the night. Although looking at the state of them even drunks and the homeless might have second thoughts.

What is even more anthropologically interesting about this is that we may have at least two MHs locally. Earlier this morning the fly tipped bedding could be seen situated between the rubbish container and the perimeter wall seen in the photograph. At some point another MH had dragged the items away from the wall, I wonder who, and left them to the side of the bin. Wouldn't it have been a sensible idea to have deposited the pillows into the bin? Of course not leave it up to some other resident to clean up.

All that MH had to do in the moment of drowsiness was to telephone the refuse collection coordinator at the Town Hall and arrange for the mattress to have been collected, free of charge and at an agreed time, from casa del idiota to save it lying and rotting in the street until the council's cleaning contractor deems to pass by and collect it.

Oh well a short photo-email to VS at the Town Hall should do the job to clean up MH's mess, again.

The Spanish Parliament is moving closer to allowing the right to Die with Dignity

Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, Spain's vice president and interior minister has announced that in March 2011 the Government will approve a law of Palliative Care and Death With Dignity Act to ensure the rights of terminal patients. He made clear that this would not be a law for euthanasia but is saying that where death is inevitable today's medicine has mechanisms to allow death to occur with dignity, that is, without suffering and pain for patients and their families, and that the Law of Palliative Care and Death with Dignity is of great importance because it would allow any citizen have the right to die with dignity.

I believe this would be a step in the right direction and hope that all members of the Parliament will support and approve the law.

Read more: El Gobierno aprobará una ley sobre muerte digna en casos terminales. europapress.es

In 7 Days Guardia Civil fined 2800 drivers for using a mobile phone.

In Spain, within a seven day period from the 8^th to the 14^th November the Traffic Division of the Guardia Civil have fined 2800 drivers for using a mobile phone whilst driving during a special campaign to raise awareness amongst motorists of the dangers of carrying out actions whilst driving that distract their attention.

Using a handheld mobile telephone whilst driving is the most common action, prohibited by law, that causes a distraction to a driver but is not a unique. It is estimated that it is a factor that has been present in four out of ten accidents so far this year.

In addition 32 drivers were fined for programming or adjusting GPS satellite navigation units, while driving, another 124 for using headphones and a further 368 drivers for other behaviours that also distract. In the seven days the agents of the Guardia Civil issued 3,316 fines for actions that are a distraction when driving. Mobile phone use remains a common practice among some drivers, as evidenced by the fact that 84 percent of the fines relate to the use of the phone.

A positive point that has been found in the campaign is the increase in the number of device drivers using hands-free systems in the car, which accounted for 25 percent of vehicles stopped. However those drivers continue to use the phone even though, according to various studies, its use is a factor which quadruples the risk of accidents and the risk of the driver when talking on the phone while driving can be comparable to driving excess alcohol.

Voting in Spanish local elections

Sunday the 22nd May 2011 will see the local Municipal elections in Spain. All European Union citizens who are resident in Spain and are 18 years of age or over are entitled to be included in the electoral role and vote in Spain on that day.

The United Kingdom Embassy in Madrid has issued information and guidelines to help UK nationals register to vote if they so wish, subject to the correct criteria.

This is the opportunity for all eligible UK expatriat residents to voice their opinion on how their adopted Town Council should operate to provide the services needed for the local community. It is one that should not be missed, as no vote means no voice and no representation.

To read more click Voting in Spanish elections

God or Nothing

Another thought provoking video from Pat Condell.

Dangerous chemicals in food wrappers likely migrating to humans

University of Toronto scientists have found that chemicals used to line junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are migrating into food and being ingested by people where they are contributing to chemical contamination observed in blood.

Read more:
Dangerous chemicals in food wrappers likely migrating to humans
ScienceDaily

Moronic Householder reaches Top Table for Idiots.

I mentioned a few days ago about the Moroni Householder leaving his or her Brains by the rubbish bin.

Well would you believe it – Yes I Would (echo)– the M.H. is back again. With an even more crass act.

On this occasion M.H. has reached the top table for idiots. No longer wishing to be the proud owner of a glass tabletop, the brain wave, if you'll pardon the assumption that one exists, in the head is to leave the glass top leaning against the rubbish bin. Everyone knows, except for M.H. it seems, that the bin is emptied by the use of a semi automated single manned 'skip' lorry so it (the bin) has to be lifted to be emptied.

As can be seen from the photograph the position where the glass tabletop has been left will result in two major possibilities. The first is that, as has already happened, the bin will not be emptied because the skip lorry driver will not get out of the vehicle, in the middle of the night, and move the tabletop to enable the bin to be lifted. The second is that the driver will ignore the top, when the bin is full and overflowing, as it might be soon, lift the bin and allow the inevitable falling and smashing of the glass on the road. This will then present a danger to the public using the bin or to animals passing by.

There is another possibility, that a vandal will break the glass 'just for fun'!

Now either, the person is too stupid to think of the consequences of where the glass is left, or just doesn't give a damn what happens, after it has been dumped in the street, as it's out of personal sight so out of mind, and someone else can clean up any mess. Either is the action of a Moronic Householder.

Yes I know I'm showing an intolerant attitude towards crass stupidity, and always will, but what if a child or beloved pet is injured by broken glass because of M.H's. action? Who could suffer, it won't be M.H. that's for sure! Who will clean-up after the crash, it won't be M.H. that's for sure!

Organic onions, carrots and potatoes do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants

With the demand for organically produced food increasing, scientists are reporting new evidence that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants and related substances than vegetables grown with traditional fertilizers and pesticides.

Organic onions, carrots and potatoes do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants, study finds ScienceDaily 04.11.2010

Spanish naming customs could change.

In Spain when registering a birth it is the normal practice to give the child two surnames with the fathers surname being chosen before that of the mother. The current law does not stipulate which of the parent's name should come first.

However this could all be about to change if a proposal by the current socialist government ever becomes law. When the birth is registered the registrars will be instructed to put the parents surnames in alphabetical order unless the parents request it to different. Concern is being expressed that this may over time lead to a loss of surnames beginning with the letters in the later end of the alphabet.

When referring to the proposed changes José Antonio Alonso, the socialist party's parliamentary leader is reported as saying "This is more democratic and equal,". The leader of the right wing Partido Popular, Mariano Rajoy, has indicated the party's intention to fight the proposals.

This is however purely an administrative matter as it is quite normal for a Spanish person to choose to be known in day to day life by just one surname of their choice. It could be either that of the mother or the father. an example of this is the Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is more usually referred to as José Zapatero.

In the case of our local mayor in Orihuela, Mónica Lorente Ramón is normally referred to by just her first surname, Mónica Lorente, other than those that can't be repeated here.

Never mind the priorities of surnames the government should get the priorities for the Spanish economy right first!

Mediterranean diet helps control cholesterol: Adding monounsaturated fats to a low-cholesterol diet can further improve levels

A new study 24 patients by members of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto has found that the addition of monounsaturated fat to a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio in patients with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels increased HDL by 12.5 percent and lowered LDL levels by 35 percent.

They found significant reductions in blood cholesterol levels over the two month study period for participants.

In my (non-medical) opinion anything that offers an alternative to swallowing pills containing statins has to be a good thing and investigated further. Doctors are too ready to prescribe statins as a panacea to reduce cholesterol to the magic level. And, from the incidents I know of, why do they always start at the strongest 40 mg. level.

Read more:
Mediterranean diet helps control cholesterol: Adding monounsaturated fats to a low-cholesterol diet can further improve levels
ScienceDaily

Carnage on Spanish Highways - 42 deaths in 5 Days

The Halloween and All Saints Day holiday weekend has seen carnage on the roads of Spain with a total 24 people dead.

A spokesman for the Directorate General of Traffic has reported that from 15.00 hrs. on Friday (29^th October) up to 20.00 hrs. on Monday (1^st November) there have been 22 fatal accidents in which the 24 people have died and another 26 have been injured of which 13 are of a serious nature.

The figures make grim reading with the highest number of deaths (10) on Saturday with almost half of this figure on each of Sunday and Monday. The final death toll could be higher as the figures issued were only up to 20.00 hrs. and many of the holiday return journeys had not been completed.

Add the 18 deaths reported for the previous weekend that means 42 lives have been prematurely terminated on the Spanish roads over two consecutive weekends. That's 42 deaths in 5 days.

What a terrible, unnecessary waste of human life, undoubtedly due to human error and bad driving.

Post Script, 02.11.2010.
The total number of deaths has unfortunately been update to 26 up to 24.00 hrs. on the 1st November. That makes an astonishing total for this year up to 31st October of 1448 road traffic fatalities. Something has got to be done to stop this carnage!
Europa Press

New test equipment enhances police traffic surveillance

Police surveillance of seatbelt compliance and speeding is getting a boost thanks to the development of new test equipment by Finnish researchers. Developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the equipment also measures distance between vehicles, road surface condition and calculates traffic emissions.

The test equipment, which is based on automatic camera surveillance and wireless network connection, is part of an EU project aimed at improving traffic safety and reducing accidents caused by traffic rule violations. The equipment is handily located on a mobile trailer unit. The police are thus able to monitor traffic and impose penalties for violations more comprehensively and fairly. The monitoring information is gathered into a common database available to the police, road operators and environmental authorities. A pilot system has been launched in Tampere enabling the police to test the equipment, along with three other sites located in Germany, France and Austria..

Any step that improves road safety and reduces road deaths has to be a good thing.

Read more:New test equipment enhances police traffic surveillance (Science Daily)

All Saints Day and Halloween in Spain

A short video that explains the meaning of today, All Saints Day