The “What Makes You Happy?” Book Project:
You can now get involved with a fantastic new project that has the potential to reach numerous people. So many of us can tend to focus on the negative things in life and what we cannot do, not what we can do; on what we do not have, not what we do have. The: “What Makes You Happy?” Book Project is the start of something big that I want to continue and grow, so that it enriches people’s lives and touches the masses, not just a few. This is all about you and what makes you feel happy, which in turn, when others read will bring enlightenment to them and make them think about what makes them happy too. Like attracts like! Therefore positivity attracts positivity. To contribute you can post what makes you happy* (anything from one word, to a sentence up to a whole paragraph!) on here. You can also email me at: [email protected] or [email protected] Or contact me via Twitter at:
https://twitter.com/ClareLawrence3
*All you need to do is please send me a quote, a word, a sentence or a paragraph about: "What Makes You Happy?" So you could say something like: "Sunshine" or: "The sunshine makes me happy." or: "The sunshine makes me happy because I can sit around the pool and when I get too hot, I can jump in the cool water." Things along these lines... This is a very light-hearted idea – It can be more deep and thoughtful than this.
(So, there are a few choices, you can get ion touch via here, email, facebook or even contact me via Twitter – You can Tweet me or Direct Message (DM) me).
You do not have to have your name published, you can remain anonymous if you so wish. (Or create an alternative (pseudonym) name for yourself!) Many thanks in advance to anyone who shows interest in the project and also that contributes!
Please do get involved and tell others what makes you happy!
Many thanks in advance to anyone who shows interest in the project and also that contributes! I am very much looking forward to getting some more quotes. The response so far has been really great! :) :) :)
P.S. Please do try to put your quote in quotation marks. If you do not, no worries, it just makes it easier to see exactly what you would like to be published! And also please let me know how you would like your name to appear under your quote. (If you need anymore information, please just get in touch!)
Clare
Malaga FC to play Panathinaikos in the play-off for Champions
This morning’s draw for the Champions league play-off sees Málaga pitched against Panathinaikos in a 2-way leg starting in Málaga with the return match in Athens.
Given all the bad and unsettling news coming out of the club in recent days, this is by no means an easy match. Santi Cazorla has gone to Arsenal and their main forward, Rondon, to Rubin Kazan and Mathijsen may be transferred to Feyenoord. Furthermore, players have not been paid and their manager, Pellegrini, has stated that he will stay on for another season only if all players get paid what’s owed to them.
Málaga had a great end to last season, finishing in a Champion’s place in the Spanish league, and looking forward to what could be the best possible season in the history of the club. However, things have not gone well for the owner of the club who apart from his 5 year project to make Málaga a championship winning side, has had disappointments with other projects in the province including a new sporting complex and stadium for the club and a marina project in Marbella. Local planning laws and permissions have been slow in coming through together with reported personal financial problems for the owner of Málaga football club.
Certainly, the fans will feel that they have been let down, but let’s hope that reported new signings around the corner come to fruition and Málaga can approach the new season with confidence.
International athletes train in Nerja for London 2012 Olympics
Athletes from Ireland, Great Britain and Australia are using the Nerja athletics ground to do their final training for the London Olympics which starts in just four days.
Those interviewed said that they found the installations in great shape and were very appreciative of the friendly local atmosphere. Amongst the athletes were Joanne Cuddihy, a 400 metre runner, and Irish Champion. Michelle Carey, also from Ireland was practising for the 400 x 400 relay. Both gained entry into the London Olympics by qualifying in the recent European Athletics Championship in Helsinki.
From Perth in Australia, Lynday Peakin was shaping up also for the 400 x 400 relay. From Britain, Faye Harding y Elaine O’Neill, although not classified for London, were practising for other championships to take place later in the season.
José Alberto Tomé, the Nerja council member for sport, was most enthusiastic that top athletes should choose Nerja for training and went on to say that all of those present were vey pleased with the standard of the grounds.
The Nerja Athletic Association is one of the most successful athletic clubs in Spain with continuous and ongoing success at national and International level.
53rd Edition of the Nerja Caves Festival on YouTube
The 53rd edition of the Nerja Caves Festival commences today, 17th July.
The chances of any unsold tickets are extremely low, but from experience they can sometimes be obtained by queuing on the day an hour or two prior to each concert at the ticket office outside the caves.
If you simply can’t attend this year, the Nerja Caves Foundation will be showing each night’s concert in HD quality on their official YouTube channel the morning afterwards:
Sterling hits highest rate in 4 years against the Euro
The Pound Sterling hit a new high of €1.2703 on Friday, the best rate of exchange for the last 4 years.
This increase comes from ongoing and continual rumours affecting the Eurozone, and in particular, growing concern and uncertainty from Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain.
Far from kick starting a sudden surge of British buyers in Spain; it should at least go some way towards an increase of interest in the Spanish property market as prices continue to fall.
On the other hand, for those Brits selling their properties in Spain, the continual increase of the Pound against the Euro is eroding their purchasing power of Pounds when selling in Euros. There is an argument that whilst British sellers in Spain are forced to reduce their prices, in order to sell, and whilst the Pound continues to rise, there comes a point that a decision must be taken to avoid loosing at both ends of the scale, both in the sale price and in the cost of purchasing Euros with Sterling.
New rates of VAT in Spain to take effect as from 1st September 2012
The Spanish government today approved the VAT increases in Spain to take effect as from 1st September 2012.
The standard rate of 18% increases to 21%. The reduced rate of 8% rises to 10%. The super reduced rate of 4% remains unchanged.
However, the purchase of a new property in Spain is currently governed by the super reduced 4% VAT, an extension to the law passed in January running through till the end of 2012 made by the present conservative government, after the previous social government introduced a reduction in August of 2011 from 8% to 4%.
As the purchase of a new property originally belonged to the eight percent VAT group, and since this will increase in September, the 4% VAT concession upon a new purchase that runs out on 31st December will now rise to 10% as from 1st January 2013.
Stocks of unsold new property in Spain are still very high, but with only 5 and a half months to take advantage of the current reduced rate of VAT, it is unlikely that the levels of stock will drop significantly. But, it is an opportunity for those who can.
This temporary situation will only help those developers who still have unsold new stock still in their possession which hasn’t been taken over by a bank. It’s worth noting that this situation won’t help in any great measure either the stock held by banks, as both re-possessed properties and those from a developer are considered as at least a second transmission of the property and are not governed by the VAT tax.
In the case of resale properties, the tax levied is not VAT but a government transmission tax of 7% or 8% (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales), depending on which autonomous region the property is located, and is not expected to change, for the moment.
VAT on a new property purchase in Spain to remain at 4 percent
In a special debate in parliament yesterday, the Spanish government has proposed and agreed to increase VAT (IVA) in Spain.
VAT currently at 18% will rise to 21%, the middle rate of 8% will change to 10%, but the super reduced rate of 4% will remain the same, which covers all products considered as basic needs including the purchase of a new property in Spain which many experts considered might increase again.
Although there was great pressure from Brussels on the Spanish government to increase the tax upon the purchase of a new property, the fact of the matter is that with such a huge stock of unsold property still in Spain, this would have had a very negative effect on the recuperation of the Spanish property market. Maintaining the VAT at 4% is good news indeed for Spanish and foreign buyers alike.
These measures are expected to be approved in parliament this Friday but as yet there is no firm date as to when they will take effect.
New Ferry Service from Motril to Alhucemas in Morocco
Motril port continues to expand its maritime operations with a new Moroccan connection providing a daily ferry service from Motril to Alhucemas on the northern coast of Morocco, approximately half way between Ceuta and Melilla. This service to be provided by the shipping line, Naviera Armas.
This is an addition to the recent cruise trade that Motril port has embarked upon in conjunction with Ocean Cruises.
This new ferry service will provide an additional route across the Alboran Sea for both the Moroccans that travel to their country each summer, especially for Ramadan, and tourists from Spain wishing to explore the delights of Morocco. For those travelling from the north to southern Spain, Motril saves going the extra mile down to Algeciras or Tarifa to pick up the ferry.
All this extra maritime traffic will also boost local tourism in the area of the Costa Tropical and Costa del Sol with excursions to local towns and villages such as Almuñecar, La Herradura and Nerja.
Salobreña To Tango in July
The Argentinian national dance orchestra, Arcos de Buenos Aires, will be performing on the Costa Tropical at the “Jose Martin Recuerda” auditorium in Salobreña on Saturday 21st July 2012 at 9.00 pm, organized by the Culture Department of Salobreña Town Hall.
http://www.leadingpropertygroupspain.com/en/2012/07/salobrena-to-tango-in-july/
Malaga airport inaugurates its second runway.
Malaga airport’s second runway has finally opened, which will increase the capacity to deal with 65 flights an hour instead of 37, with just one runway.
The runway was opened on Tuesday by the government minister, Ana Pastor. She pledged that this investment in Malaga and the Costa del Sol was capable of generating 15 billion Euros in the surrounding areas. There is no doubt that this now makes Malaga’s airport one of the finest on mainland Spain, only behind those of Madrid and Barcelona.
The airport authorities will only use the second strip when required, especially in summer, but may be used much less in winter until demand picks up.
The mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, also reminded the minister of the pending AVE high speed train link from Malaga centre to the airport, which would make Malaga one of the best transport hubs in southern Spain.
http://www.leadingpropertygroupspain.com/en/2012/06/malaga-airport-inaugurates-its-second-runway/