One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. – Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, British Statesman & Literary Figure

The weather is fine once again and we have a settled pattern ´til Friday when there´s a chance of rain.

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
25° C | 14° C	26° C | 15° C	27° C | 16° C	28° C | 17° C	28° C | 16° C
Scattered Clouds	Scattered Clouds	Scattered Clouds	Clear	Chance of Rain 30% chance of precipitation

The Euro is worth 88 pence today leaving the pound unchanged at 1.13 against the euro. Here´s our Spanish word of the day.

Aunque

(Ah-oon’-keh) (conjunction) – although, even though, even if

• Aunque llegamos tarde, no perdimos el autobús. – Even though we though we got here late, we didn’t miss the bus.
• Iré al concierto aunque llueva. – I will go to the concert even if it rains.

• Aunque no lo creas – Believe it or not

For more information and examples, visit the SpanishDict.com entry for Aunque.

Today´s famous birthdays include Ho Chi Minh born in 1890 and activist Malcolm X born in 1925.

It was not a good day in 1536 for Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England’s King Henry VIII. She was beheaded after she was convicted of adultery. In 1568 – after being defeated by the Protestants, Mary the Queen of Scots, fled to England where she was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth and staying local the Spanish Armada set sail from Lisbon, bound for England this day in 1588.

Just imagine this in your back garden. It was this day in 1979 ansd Eric Clapton held a party at his Surrey house to celebrate his recent marriage to Patti Boyd. He got his DIY friends together and set-up a small stage in the garden. As the evening progressed Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr ended up jamming together along with Clapton, Ginger Baker and Mick Jagger. The all-star band ran through old Little Richard and Eddie Cochran songs.I would love to have been there!

A story in the UK press doesn´t really surprise me. The gist of the story is……

THE number of kids suffering from sexually transmitted disease chlamydia has leapt nearly 40-FOLD in just six years.

Children have had far more education than we ever had in this area and the figures must indicate that education in its current form isn´t the answer. With an explosion of sexually orientated films and advertising it´s not really surprising to find children experimenting early. Remember the story of 13 year old Alfie who was boasted as Britain´s youngest dad? Well, the Sun carries a very moving picture of a group of youngsters with baby, Chantelle, and the revelation that there´s another dad and he´s 14. If people cannot see that the figures relating to the sexually transmitted disease, the proliferation of sexually oprientated advertising and films and Alfie´sm parentage then there´s no hope for anyone!

Incidentally, I feel slightly sorry for the Speaker of the House of Commons. The real culprits have found a rather convenient scapegoat in my opinion. Let´s not lose sight of the fact that if he was the driver of the expenses gravy train there were plenty of happy passengers.

Next we go to the Spanish news for today…Please visit the links and remember, I only add my comments.
Spanish Press Review
Spain Papers Review – Tuesday May 19 2009
The Government’s new car sale scheme, the PP corruption case, and the Middle East dominate ………..ABC has a large photo of Barack Obama with Benjamin Netanyahu, who met yesterday in the White House.
The paper says that Obama has called for the creation of a Palestinian state.
El País says Obama made it clear that he thinks that peace in the Middle East depends on the creation of a Palestinian state, exactly the solution which Israel now rejects. El País said the first meeting between the two men saw little in common, Obama talking about the Palestinian crisis and Netanyahu talking about the Iranian nuclear threat.

Costa Tropical
Be on your best behaviour if you visit Granada
A new set of municipal bylaws are intended to the city a nicer place to live ……………..Some 200 behaviours are now to be subjected to fines which could reach 3,000 € and include the following:-

Begging on the streets is banned, and this includes the gorillas who park your car or clean your windscreen at traffic lights, as well as the gypsies who ‘give’ rosemary to tourists or who offer to read your hand. Any street artists needs permission from the City Hall who will issue a licence provided they are not insistent in the request for money. The siesta is guaranteed between three and five when any ‘unnecessary noise’ will not be allowed, and this includes shouting, singing, slamming the door, or dancing. Anything louder than a human voice will be fined and that could even be a noisy washing machine or other electrical appliance. Pets must also be silenced…………………………….This is definitely a step in the right direction. Putting it into practice might prove to be a little more difficult!

Costa Blanca
Plague of mosquitos in Orihuela abates
The mosquitoes are from the Chironomidae family…………………The town hall has been carrying out fumigation and now says it plans to install illuminated traps under the bridges in the town to remove even more. The Levante, Poniente and Rey bridges have been the centre of the mosquito colonies, and the budget for the work has been increased to 80,000 € this year…………………….We went to Orihuela last week and we didn´t see one!

Costa de la Luz
14 year old British boy arrested for drug trafficking
The boy has been handed over to his parents in La Linea………………The 14 year old was walking with friends along Calle Ángel in La Linea on Monday when the group were stopped by members of the Citizens safety patrol of the National Police found him to be carrying some 38 grams of hashish and 60 pounds sterling…………………….To any bleating hearts….he would have known what he was doing and deserves whatever is coming to him....

Andalucía
Six year old left home alone for more than two weeks in Córdoba
Both the Moroccan parents are out of the city and may have returned to Morocco………………It seems over recent days the child had been climbing out of a window of the flat and visiting a nearby bar where they had been giving him some food, although he always returned home alone after eating. He is now in the care of the Social Services as a search for the parents is underway and police investigations continue on a possible crime of abandonment………………………Words fail me...

Spain Sports News
Real Madrid confirms new elections for President of the Club
Florentino Pérez is favourite to become the new President

Spain Business
Confusion on the first day of car discount scheme in Spain
Customers can get up to 2,000 Euro discount off the price of a new car

National
Francisco Camps day in court postponed until Wednesday
PP leader Mariano Rajoy has expressed his support, and that of all the party, for the Valencian leader……………There was a lot of support seen for the Partido Popular’s leader of the Valencia government on Monday, ahead of his appearance before the Valencia High Court of Justice. Speaking at a press conference at PP national headquarters, the party’s General Secretary, María Dolores de Cospedal, said the PP maintains its support for Francisco Camps, and for the truth to be known in the matter. The party is, she said, totally confident that justice will be done.  And in Valencia, dozens of party dignitaries and Mayors turned out for the signing of an agreement to integrate immigrants into the local community, an event which El País says was organised at the end of last week for the eve of Camps’s appearance in the Valencia High Court on Tuesday……………………Personally, I hope he is not guilty of any misdoing. We need good and strong leaders in these difficult times.

Costa Tropical , Costa de Almería
100 more immigrants arrive on Granada and Almería coastline
All the travellers are reported to be in good health

Spain Sports News
Barcelona set to pay out 39 million Euro in bonuses
Increased income from winning the treble compensates for the bonuses which have to be paid……………If Barcelona win the Champions League final against Manchester United in on May 27th, and therefore achieve the treble, the club will be oblige to pay out 39 million € in bonuses to its players………………Football is recession proof!……Clubs usually operate in debt and are, therefore, involved in credit. Why does this recession never affect the game at the top?

Madrid
500,000 Euro BMV for Madrid bank Chairman
The special BMW series 7 model has been purchased by the Chairman of Caja Madrid, Martín Blesa…………..Caja Madrid has justified the cost of 510,000 € for a security clad BMW car for its Chairman, Martin Blesa. El Mundo reports it was acquired in April 20. Similar Series 7 models are used by Prince Charles and Alberto of Monaco. The bank says it will put the car at the disposition of the State authorities, but is however one of those to have accepted state funding help in Spain….What recession?

National
Valencia PP closes ranks behind Francisco Camps
Camps is due to declare in court on the Gürtel corruption case this Wednesday. The Compromís grouping in the regional parliament say he should resign

Spain Culture News
Science and history from Alejandro Amenábar
The Spanish director’s ‘Agora’ premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday

Costa de Almería
Wanted armed robber arrested in El Ejido
National Police discovered he and his family were selling drugs from their home

Andalucía
Andalucía government to compensate mother for wrongful removal of custody
Carmen Espejo’s lawyer describes the amount ordered by the Andalucía High Court as miserable and ridiculous