Month: January 2009

Rift between the Junta and Endesa

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The Junta de Andalucia and Sevillana Endesa -normally the best of friends, and if you want one then you’ll find them in bed with the other- has display a small rift with Sevillana Endesa over the change from bimonthly to monthly billing. Those of us on “small” (under 10Kw lines) will have noticed that we are now being billed monthly, instead of every two months, and what is more, the first month is estimated. In Continue reading Rift between the Junta and Endesa→

Judges, the right to protest, and the collapse of the judicial system

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I have just seen that two Association of Judges (Asociación de Jueces Francisco de Vitoria (AJFV)) and the Foro Judicial Independiente (FJI) have broken ranks with the other two main judicial associations and brought the first strike date forwards to the 18th of Feb; it will be mainly a “symbolic” protest with the main event still, as programmed, on the 26th of June. The other two associations (Asociación Profesional de la Magistratura (APM) & Jueces Continue reading Judges, the right to protest, and the collapse of the judicial system→

Banco de Andalucia online banking (part 2)

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You will remember that Banco de Andalucía gave me online banking access to a new company account I setup with them (remember that it’s the bank I use for several different accounts). However, despite the fact that I use them quite a bit, they didn’t want to give me a VISA credit card for that account until I started using it. Although I do have a few cards on other accounts. But, they did give Continue reading Banco de Andalucia online banking (part 2)→

Expropiation begins for Vera – Garrucha road

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The regional government has published the list of property owners who are to be affected by the conversion of the reminder of the Vera – Garrucha road to dual carriageway. Which is the first step towards actually doing it, and not before time. They’ve also published the contract for building a tunnel from Garrucha port to the El Simon roundabout. As always, under “mediada de urgencia”. Has there been one single expropiation in Andalucia that Continue reading Expropiation begins for Vera – Garrucha road→

Restaurant Hygiene

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I had a coffee this morning with our local Health Inspector Martin, in Apollo bar in Los Gallardos. I noticed he (wisely?) stayed away from the tapas. While the conversation ranged over several different subjects, he did volunteer the information that the biggest difference in local restaurants he has noticed so far is that with “el crisis” they seem to be cutting down on cleaning products. Hmm. After he had left, while chatting to another Continue reading Restaurant Hygiene→

An apology followed by an angry rant

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First of all, allow me to apologise for my offhand remark about Dell yesterday. The charger has turned up in the post this morning (so only 4 working days instead of 2, not bad, but less than the 2 weeks they emailed me) and if it works (I haven’t tried it yet) I shall be a happy bunny. Secondly, Banco Andalucía informed me that they can’t give me a credit card on a new account Continue reading An apology followed by an angry rant→

Mojacar Magazine 9

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…is now online at www.mojacarmagazine.com. Interesting article on page 23, by the way. Oh, and it doesn’t work in IE8 for some reason. Unlike Chris’ webcam of Almerimar, which he got working after annoying me for most of the morning with questions along the lines of “Is it working yet??” 🙂 Much like my laptop – the charger went up the swanny, and the “express 24-48 hour” delivery from dell.es has now changed to “we’ll Continue reading Mojacar Magazine 9→

Banco Santander to compensate small victims of Madoff

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Banco Santander has announced that it is to compensate all individual investors who lost money in the Madoff scam via its investment arm. Going to cost them around €1,380,000,000, it seems, and will be repaid in preferential participations and cash. Institutions can go whistle. Nice of them, but I can’t help wondering what ZP will give in exchange?

Electricity bills now to be monthly

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Forgot to mention this: Endesa, your local friendly electric company, would like to remind all small users (under 10Kw power supplied) that in future its billing will be monthly, instead of every two months. However, if I am reading this correctly, they will continue reading everybodies bill every two months. So every alternate bill will be estimated, with the next bill adjusted to reality. Except that, no doubt, the next step will be to increase Continue reading Electricity bills now to be monthly→

Presentation of the new industrial port in Carboneras

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Tonight sees the unveiling of the plans for the new Industrial Port in Carboneras, a deep water port capable of accomodating ships of up to 100,000 tons  of deadweight. Intended to service the new industrial park at Carboneras (wind turbine blades, steel mill, some other heavy industry AND a tourist area next door, bless those urban planners!) it will take up some 20hectares and consists of a new 220 meter long terminal. It will also Continue reading Presentation of the new industrial port in Carboneras→