Happy Father's Day, José! ¡Viva La Pepa!

Friday was ... we forget what. Saturday was St. Patrick's, yesterday was Mothering Sunday (in the UK) and today is San José, which makes it Father's Day in Spain and, this year, the 200th anniversary of the 1812 Constitution signed in Cádiz (and about which more later on), known as La Pepa (Pepa is short for Josefa, the feminine version of José - don't ask). If you think we were going to spend all weekend writing about, or had time to do so before, you'd be wrong, so get over it. (We'll tell you what we were doing, though.)

WARNING: ARE THESE 'BOGUS PLUG-INS' BEING SOLD IN SPAIN?

(Photo: UK Trading Standards Authority)

(EXCLUSIVE) An article in The Guardian last year pointed out that the claims about these plug-in devices claim to save users anywhere between 15% and 40% on energy bills, but actually pose a risk of fire and electrocution. They were being sold over the phone by 'rogue fraudsters targeting older people', it said. (See similar reports on BBC, Moneywise, and the UK Trading Standards Authority (TSA), the source of the original warning.)  Various trading standards authorities in Britain had received complaints about them; one of these came to the conclusion that the companies involved in these scams are not actually located in the UK and that the call centres they use are based abroad and the appliances appear to be distributed by a number of individuals in the UK. Among the companies mentioned in the article are 1 Stop Marketing Solutions, ITC Development Corp, Power Saver, and Athico Ltd, but the fraudsters could be using other names as well, according to the TSA. There is no way of knowing whether these or any other such companies are operating in Spain, but there seems to be a surge of these so-called 'energy-saving' devices appearing in the English-speaking press in Spain, often in full page colour ads. We did come across a Spanish forum about Power Saver, though, with much the same derogatory comments as we mention below.>>>

Remind me why I live here, please...

This is one of three equally white photos sent in by Sheila this morning. We have to assume that they were sent to her from the UK, if nothing else because this one is titled 'Main road out of Ashburton'. Correct us if we're wrong but even with the rain hissing down (it just did and now the sun's out!) and the power cuts, it must be better here than there. Are you at 'home'? Where's 'home'? Staying at 'home' for the holidays? Tell us more - or we'll put up a picture of nice sunshiny Jimena...

You can find a poppy in Jimena

You can get your Rememberance Day poppy in Jimena: at the Oba on Calle Sevilla. In case anyone doesn't know what it's about -we do have quite a lot of non-British readers- check the reason for wearing a poppy here. It would be great if those of us who know, could tell the young ones... We hear from Simon and Iris that some local girls have taken to wearing one in their hair. Great! And, yes, this Sunday is Rememberance Day.

This could never happen in Spain....

...because there's respect for the deceased. Only in England, as someone said, and we thought it appropriate for this day.

 

Pushmepullyou politics continues as usual

"...as it has for altogether too long, especially when it comes to jurisdiction over waters (Sorry, I couldn't find a picture of a PMPY in the water). China and Japan are at it over a tiny island over on the other side of the world. Just across the Atlantic and a big squidge further down there are some islands that for me were the Malvinas in the morning and the Falklands in the afternoon (this needs more explanation but would send me right off track). Closer to home was the farcical invasion of the even tinier island of Perejil (Parsley Island for a rock sticking out of the water, for God's sake!) by Moroccan troops some years ago, an invasion heroically thwarted by valiant Spanish soldiers. Much closer is Gibraltar." So starts the latest article on The Alexander Bewick Soap Box. Read on.

British expats lose pensions appeal

More than half a million Britons who retired abroad will not have their pensions increased in line with inflation after a test case was today rejected by a European court. Judges in Strasbourg dismissed an appeal by 13 expatriates who had argued that the UK government's refusal to uprate their pay outs each year breached their human rights. The group had been leading a campaign to overturn rules which they say result in 540,000 expat pensioners receiving lower state pensions than their counterparts residing in Britain and some other countries.>

Happy 10th Birthday, Eye!

Actually, it was the London Eye's birthday yesterday, but we missed it. (Memo from Prospero to monkeys: Eeeejits!)

Search is still on for €60million lottery winner: British?

According to several Spanish media, the search is still on for the winner of €60,000,000 in the EuroMillions stakes played on Friday, February 12. A spokesperson for the Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, the Spanish state lottery giant, said recently  that there was a good chance the winner is in or around Mojácar in Almería, where there a large contingent of British expats live. The winning ticket, totalling €120m, was shared with another in the UK.

Weather delays flights from Gatwick

(Agencies) Gatwick Airport has urged passengers to contact their airline for information. In a statement Gatwick Airport said: "There has been significant disruption to inbound and outbound flights and passengers are advised to contact their airline for the latest flight information. "We regret the disruption caused to our passengers' travel plans, but the safety and security of aircraft and passengers are our number one priority. The temporary closure of the runway to allow us to clear snow is essential to ensuring safety."(See also Europe freezing up). EasyJet cancelled some 70 flights, ten of them to Spain.

Gibraltar hands over alleged drug smugglers

(Agencies) The incident that sparked a top-level row between Spain, Britain and Gibraltar is 'over', according to Spanish authorities. Four Guardia Civil officers were in hot pursuit of an alleged drug smuggling Zodiac-type boat set foot on the Rock last Monday and were detained by the Royal Gibraltar Police for some hours, their arms and boat confiscated. These last were handed back a couple of days later. The alleged smugglers, from Pontevedra in Galicia and supposedly with a track record for smuggling there, were handed over to Spanish authorities yesterday after appearing in court in Gibraltar and fined €5000 each for illegally importing a vessel as no drugs were found aboard their boat; they are now 'at the disposal of justice' in Spain, accused of 'obstruction of justice'. In the meantime,>