Month: December 2013

Cava loses out to milk and beer this NYE on Spanish TV

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Nope, it’s not the Catalan boycott, it’s the power of the northern Advertising Euro. Estrella Galicia has bought the rights to be the drink of choice this NYE on all four private national broadcasters: La Sexta and Antena 3 (Atresmedia group), Cuatro and Telecinco (Mediaset). All the stars will be drinking Estrella Galicia instead of the traditional Catalan bubbly along with their grapes. But not on some of the secondary national channels and regional channels Continue reading Cava loses out to milk and beer this NYE on Spanish TV→

Lion cubs seized at Sevilla party

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Kiko Rivera – a well known fat idiot – is in hot water with animal lovers after allegations that police raided an exclusive party he was giving due to complaints he had two lion clubs on display from the local zoo. Kiko is well known in Spain for being the gormless son of Isabel Pantoja – singer and thief who plundered Marbella’s public treasury along with then boyfriend Julian Muñoz, despite being found guilty she’s Continue reading Lion cubs seized at Sevilla party→

Naughty “Sir Nigel Goldman” in the Olive Press

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Nigel Goldman continues to make news as his duped investors pour into their local Guardia Civil stations (standing room only at Turre last week I’m told), this time on the front page of the Olive Press, where I also get a pat on my head. Read it here: “Where’s naughty Nigel?” Says The Olive Press: “One restaurant Frankies, in Marbella port, banned him from the weekly tournament in September after he was caught marking cards. Continue reading Naughty “Sir Nigel Goldman” in the Olive Press→

Guitar museum opens in Almeria

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A major new guitar museum, the “Antonio de Torres”, has opened in Almeria city. This despite the fact that we don’t make guitars, don’t really play them, and have no tradition of flamenco in this area. Anyway, it seems that the famed guitar maker “Antonio de Torres” (1817-1892) was originally from Almeria.  His Wikipedia entry says that “Torres is as revered among guitarists as Antonio Stradivari is revered among violinists.” Can’t say I’d ever heard Continue reading Guitar museum opens in Almeria→

From 42 types of work contracts to just 4

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38 types of work contract will go out of the window next year and be replaced by just four types: indefinite, temporary, training and apprenticeship. Currently, there are an amazing 42 types of work contract in Spain, which is, of course, just paper-pushing for bureaucrats. The state will throw out all of the variations and reduce them to just the basic four types, a move which will mainly help small and medium businesses. An associated Continue reading From 42 types of work contracts to just 4→

Womens rights go backwards as Spain bans abortion

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Spain has decided to ban abortions, unless two doctors recommend it. The new law will basically roll the clock back to the pre-1985, when Spain first permitted abortion. Currently, women have the right to abort on their own decision up to 14 weeks, or 22 weeks if doctors detect an abnormality in the foetus, or if the mother’s mental state or physical health is endangered. Under this new law, abortion is not permitted unless two Continue reading Womens rights go backwards as Spain bans abortion→

Electric price hike on hold after auction annulled

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The Competition Commission has overturned Thursday’s electricity auction, which caused an 11% raise in the price of electricity as from January, citing “atypical circumstances”. Wait – Spain has a Competition Commission? Since when? It does, and it’s called the CNMC. The CNMC refused to validate the results of the energy auction this morning, leaving the national government just 48 hours to decide whether to call for a new auction, or override the CNMC. In short: Continue reading Electric price hike on hold after auction annulled→