Orihuela Costa has many Landfill and Compost Heap Sites - THE STREETS!

The junction of Calle Ontario and Calle  Baikal Orihuela Costa.

The Orihuela Town Council continues with its policy of using the streets of Orihuela Costa as Landfill and Compost Heap sites.

The pile of rubbish in the photograph at the junction of Calle Ontario and Calle Baikal was first deposited at least three weeks and has continued to grow on a daily basis. This is not a unique problem to this location but one that is repeated throughout Orihuela Costa. I mention this mountain of garbage because it is directly in front of my house. One hundred metres further along C/ Ontario is another heap of an equal size.

This situation is allowed to develop and continue as a direct result of the incompetence of, and neglect by, the Town Council. The problem of the collection of dumped rubbish in the streets has been like a perennial festering wound which has failed to be cured by current and past government teams.

You can see in the photograph a container for the depositing of household rubbish, that is emptied every night, to the left of the waste. To the right a skip is visible that is meant for garden rubbish with the contents being collected twice a week. So nine times a week a Council refuse lorry stops and empties these bins, and the ones further along both streets. That’s at least twenty-nine times in the period the rubbish has been laying in the road. But, the landfill-compost monstrosities in the streets are ignored. An indication of the contempt the Council has for the householders of Orihuela Costa and the environment we live in.

The Mayor, Monserrate Guillén, – who was quick to criticise the ruling Council for the same problem when he was in opposition – and the Councillor for Orihuela Costa, Martina Scheurer, who are both members of the Green Party (Los Verdes) – the party that's supposed to care about the environment – should be ashamed of their failure to rectify the current appalling situation.

My Previous articles:
http://elliotsampford.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/dear-monica-streetfill-sites-update-2.html
http://elliotsampford.blogspot.com.es/2010/05/as-direct-result-of-failure-of-orihuela.html

Recent Newspaper articles:
http://www.theleader.info/494/article/41297/spain/costa-blanca/playing-the-green-waste-game/
http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/costa-blanca-south/item/117059-green-rubbish-hits-crisis-point-in-orihuela-costa

© Elliot Sampford 2013

Royal Army Pay Corps, Worthy Down, Winchester.

I'm seated on the left of the front-row, who are the others?

I've been going through some items of my memorabilia – photographs and documents – and scanning it onto my computer. It's amazing what we put to the back of our minds until we see a visual reminder.

On the 25th October 1967 I enlisted for six years in the Royal Army Pay Corps. My basic military and then trade training was completed at the RAPC Training Centre, Worthy Down Camp, Winchester.

The photograph is of the squad I was in until we split-up to go to our individual regimental attachment postings. In July 1968 I was posted to attachment with the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards in Detmold, Germany.

I've been trying to remember the names of my fellow recruits. I'm sitting on the left in the front-row. I think three of the back-row starting from the left to the centre are Terry Reid (possibly Trevor), Peter Craven and Dave Lowe in the centre. Our training platoon sergeant is middle front-row.

Are you dear reader in the photograph? Even if you're not but were in the RAPC, can you help me to put names to faces? Did you work alongside any of them in either a regiment or a central pay office? If you were in the Army from 1967 onwards do you recognise any of them as being your regimental pay clerk?

© Elliot Sampford 2013

Outward Bound School, Ashburton, Devon.

I am centre front-row [glasses and white jumper]

I've been going through some items of my memorabilia – photographs and documents – and scanning it onto my computer. It's amazing what we forget until we see a visual reminder.

In my youth I attended an Outward Bound Course at Holne Park, Ashburton, Devon. I've found my log book written at the time and a photograph of the group (patrol) I was teamed-up with.

I must have arrived at the centre on Monday 4th April and departed on Saturday 30th April. Unfortunately there isn't a record of the course number or the actual year in my log but based on the historical calendar I believe it was 1966.

It would seem that I was in Drake Patrol along with (difficulty reading my writing at the time) Drew Buck, Jim Clegg, Geof Hogg, Brad Hallowes, Bob Povey, Dick Potter, Dave Ravenscroft, Cliff Swanson, and Andy Wood. The photograph I believe is of our patrol but I do not know who is who, other than I am centre front-row [glasses and white jumper] and the gentleman far-right back-row I assume is the instructor Mr Evans. In the log book I have a note of a Lt. Col. Frazer as the Warden and a Mr Kirk as vice-instructor.

I am intending to write a memoir article about my experience and would appreciate any further details relevant to my time at Ashburton.

Are you, dear reader, one of the people I've mentioned; or know one of them? Or, did you attend an outward bound course at Holne Park some time in April 1966; or do you know someone who did? Are you able to confirm; the course number; the year of attendance; the names I have for the Warden, instructors and participants? It would be good if I was able to allocate/tag names to the members of my patrol in the photograph. Are you able to offer any other information about the Outward Bound School at Ashburton circa 1966?

 © Elliot Sampford

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening

NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening programme

A rupture of a large abdominal aortic aneurysm is usually fatal.

That is why I attended my appointment at a local health centre as part of the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening programme.

The aorta is the main blood vessel that supplies blood to the body. It runs from the heart down through the chest and abdomen. In some people, as they get older, the wall of the aorta in the abdomen can become weak. It can then start to expand and form what is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm, also know as an AAA or 'triple A'.

The possibility of having an aneurysm of this type increases with age and men are six times more likely to have one than women. Age and gender are not the only factors which can affect the chances of having an AAA. The risks are increased for those who smoke, who have high blood pressure, and who have blood relatives where a 'triple A' has been diagnosed. Estimates suggest that 1 in 25 (4%) of men aged between 65 and 74 have an AAA. It is for these reasons that men are invited to attend a screening in the year that they reach 65

Someone with an abdominal aortic aneurysm will not generally notice any symptoms and therefore will be unaware that one has developed within them. A small aneurysm is not dangerous. However, aneurysms can grow as the wall of the aorta stretches and becomes weaker. It is important to monitor their size. Large aneurysms are rare but can be very serious. A weakness in the wall of the aorta can give way. This is known as aneurysm rupture and is usually fatal. The condition is particularly serious because there isn't any warning. However, treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms detected through screening is highly effective.

The easiest way to find out if if an AAA is present is to have an ultrasound scan of the abdomen. The screening test is simple, pain-free and over and done in less than 10 minutes.

Having confirmed my arrival at the clinic with the receptionist there was a short wait for my appointment time. On entering the consulting room the screening technician checked my details, explained the scan and gave me the opportunity to ask any questions. I was then asked to lie down on the examination bed and to lift up or unbutton my shirt. I did not need to undress. The technician put cold jelly on my abdomen and then moved a small scanner over my skin. The scan picture appeared on the console screen and the technician took the measurements needed to assess the width of my aorta.

On completion of the screening I was given my result straight away. My aorta measured 1.9cm in width which means it is not enlarged, there isn't an aneurysm, so no further monitoring or treatment is required. There is peace of mind. My GP will be informed of the result.

There are four width criteria: normal (no aneurysm) – less than 3cm wide; small aneurysm – between 3cm and 4.4cm wide; medium aneurysm – between 4.5cm and 5.4cm wide; large aneurysm – 5.5cm wide or larger. Each band has its own recommended follow-up procedure.

May I suggest dear reader that if you are male and in your 65th year, and receive an invitation to have a screening then take the opportunity to have it done. If you're over 65 and haven't had a screening then you can ask your GP to arrange an appointment.

Surely it's better for you to find out if there is a potential problem and have treatment if needed; rather than your family to find out when it's too late. Just a thought.

There is more information on the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening programme.

Ibuprofen no good in treating colds or sore throats.

When I have a headache or a cold I usually take ibuprofen to help relieve the symptoms, rather than paracetamol, so I've found the following news release from theUniversity of Southampton of interest.

'A study carried out by the University of Southampton showed that compared with paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both ibuprofen and paracetamol provide no advantage for patients overall with respiratory tract infections (otherwise known as colds or sore throats).

'Additionally steam inhalation, another common treatment method, has no clear benefit and around 2 per cent of people get mild scalding but not bad enough to see a doctor.

'Professor Paul Little, who led the study, comments: “Paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both are the most common courses of treatment for respiratory tract infections. Clinicians should probably not advise patients to use steam inhalation in daily practice as it does not provide symptomatic benefit for acute respiratory infections and a few individuals are likely to experience mild thermal injury. Similarly, routinely advising ibuprofen or ibuprofen and paracetamol together than just paracetamol is also not likely to be effective. However our research has shown that ibuprofen is likely to help children, and those with chest infections.”

'The research also showed that patients were more likely to come back within a month with worsening symptoms or new symptoms if they were prescribed with ibuprofen or ibuprofen with paracetamol. Between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of participants in the study who were prescribed ibuprofen or ibuprofen with paracetamol came back.

'Professor Little admitted this was a surprising result and suggests the treatment may contribute to the progression of the illness. He adds: “This may have something to do with the fact the ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory. It is possible that the drug is interfering with an important part of the immune response and leads to prolonged symptoms or the progression of symptoms in some individuals. Although we have to be a bit cautious since these were surprise findings, for the moment I would personally not advise most patients to use ibuprofen for symptom control for coughs colds and sore throat.”

'The randomised control trial recruited 899 patients who presented at their GP with respiratory tract infection symptoms. They received different treatment types; paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination of both. Participants were then told to either take it as needed or at regular intervals (four times a day) and some were also told to take steam inhalation.'