More from Paul :
UK "ASA rules that referring to the village bike or asking to borrow a friend’s girlfriend is not sexist, offensive or derogatory to women, the ASA has ruled, as long as it is done in a comical Portuguese accent.” The Register reports:
image caption : Nandos in Canal Walk Shopping Mall, Century City, Cape Town, South Africa
Columbus was “a true to life James Bond of his day” ? “Columbus was “a true to life James Bond of his day,” whose secret mission was to divert the Spanish forces as far away from India as possible. Columbus’s covert operation across the Atlantic left the actual route free for Portugal so that Vasco da Gama could sail to the Indian Ocean unhindered.” Newswire Today.com reports:
Left image caption : Daniel Craig on a yacht in Venice during a break in filming Casino Royale.
Right image caption Christopher Columbus statue at Parque de Santa Catarina, Madeira Island Link:
Bruno Magalhaes crash Rali Vinho Madeira: videos from ‘Rallybuzz.com’:
Tango on your Madeira cruise! usa today reports: "Like to dance while on vacation? You’ll love the new offerings from MSC Cruises.
The Europe-based line this week announced it was getting into the business of dance-themed cruises in a big way with more than half a dozen dedicated voyages over the next year.
The line says the new dance sailings will feature daily dance lessons at the beginner and intermediate levels, with professional instructors teaching everything from the Tango and Mambo to Salsa, Samba and Cha Cha."
image caption : Classical dance exhibition on a ball in the Prague Congress Center.
"The MSC Musica on an 18-night sailing kicking off Oct. 31 in Venice to Rio de Janeiro, with calls in Croatia, Malta, Spain, Madeira, Canary Islands and Brazil. Fares from $969."
image caption MSC Musica in Dubrovnik link:
‘Guardian.co.uk’ reports: ‘José Mourinho warns worried Real Madrid fans: ‘I am not Harry Potter’.
“José Mourinho says he is the ideal person to bring long-term stability toReal Madrid, and has played down the significance of their disappointing opening-day draw at Real Mallorca.
Real were held 0-0 on Sunday while arch-rivals Barcelona swept aside Racing Santander 3-0, opening up an immediate two-point lead in the La Liga standings. The champions dropped only 15 points on their way to the title last season. "I am a coach, not Harry Potter," Mourinho told the sports daily AS.
Image caption: ‘Zan Zig’ performing with rabbit and roses, including hat trick and levitation. Advertising poster for the magician (who seems to have left no other trace behind) copyrighted by The Strobridge Litho. Co., Cincinnati & New York, 1899.
"He is a magician. Magic is fiction and I live for football which is real. I’ve only been two months in Madrid. Do you know how many training sessions I have had with everyone together, including the new signings? Not even 10." Link to full article: HERE
‘Lacoste’ appoints Paris-based Portuguese designer as new artistic director. ‘Just-style’ reports: “Lacoste has appointed the Paris-based Portuguese designer, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, as its new artistic director.
Image caption: Lacoste Store in Munich, Germany
He succeeds Christophe Lemaire, whose move to French luxury brand Hermès was announced earlier this year. His final collection for Lacoste will be presented on 11 September in New York. Link to full report: Link to Caras ‘fotogallery’:
‘CARAS TV’ VÍDEO: João Cunha e Silva em família numa produção exclusiva para a CARAS
Na companhia da mulher, Filipa, e dos dois filhos, Francisco e João, o vice-presidente do Governo Regional da Madeira recebeu a CARAS na casa de férias do Governo em Porto Santo. Leia a entrevista na revista CARAS desta semana (edição 786) Link:
‘CARAS TV’ VÍDEO: Alberto João Jardim em entrevista à CarasTV
O presidente do Governo Regional da Madeira recebeu a CARAS na casa de férias, em Porto Santo. Leia a entrevista na íntegra na revista desta semana (edição 785). Link:
The Funchal Junior Open Table-Tennis Championships 2010. “At the end of the first day of play, Wednesday 1st September 2010, at the Funchal Junior Open Table-Tennis Championships, the face of Georg Imhof was once again bathed in smiles.” ITTF reports:
image caption : Tournament level table tennis match.
News and things from Sue (Wednesday) :
Madeira Newsletter for September
In September, popular folk festivals bid a grand farewell to another summer full of energy and good times! Take the opportunity to enjoy some Madeiran traditions and join in with the religious parades that will be taking place in the parishes of Ponta Delgada and Caniçal, or simply get caught up in the spirit of one of the islands’ biggest traditions, the internationally renowned Madeira Wine Festival.
Be sure to visit the island of Porto Santo, savour the warm sea and magnificent golden sandy beach and experience firsthand one of the most emblematic festivals of the golden isle, the Columbus Festival.
1 to 5 September –
2010 Funchal Junior Open and Madeira International Open Table Tennis Tournaments
The sports pavilion of the Bartolomeu Perestrelo School will be the stage for the fifth consecutive year of the Funchal Junior Open, which will be taking place on the 1st and the 2nd of September.
This event, part of the World Junior Circuit of the International Table Tennis Federation, will gather 12 different countries battling it out: Portugal, Germany, Spain, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Ecuador, Egypt, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Holland.
The "14th Madeira International Open" will be held in the days that follow (between the 3rd and the 5th of September). This event is organised by the Madeira Table Tennis Association (ATMM), Portuguese Table Tennis Federation (FPTM) and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
17 to 19 September – Garajau Jazz Festival
Santa Cruz, Municipality of Culture 2010, will be hosting the first ever Garajau Jazz Festival at the Hotel D. Pedro Garajau between the 17th and the 19th of September.
This "Municipality of Culture" project initiative aims to help promoting cultural decentralisation and stimulate existing local infrastructures.
Over three days a number of big names from the national jazz scene will perform on stage of this Hotel, musicians such as Bernardo Sassetti Trio, André Fernandes Mário Laginha and Maria João.
For more information: HERE
27 September – World Tourism Day
As in previous years, Madeira will be joining in once again in the celebrations for World Tourism Day, this year dedicated to the International Year of Biodiversity, under the theme proposed by the WTO – World Tourism Organization: "Tourism and biological diversity".
This theme is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role played by sustainable tourism in preserving life on Earth.
As such, Madeira and the SRTT/DRT – Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport/Madeira Official Tourism Board will be joining in the celebrations organising a variety of activities for tourists visiting the island. For more information: HERE
15 to 24 October – 1st Madeira Organ Festival
The Madeira Cultural Affairs Department (DRAC) will organise the first ever Madeira Organ Festival from the 15th to the 24th of October. This cultural initiative consists of a series of concerts taking place at important places of worship in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, namely the Sé Cathedral, College Church and the Church of São Pedro.
There will be an array of recitals performed by master organists of national and international fame, such as Luca Scandali and João Esteireiro amongst others. The first recital is set to take place on the 15th of October and will be performed by the Spanish organist José Luiz Gonzales Uriol. This festival aims to publicise and consolidate one of this entity’s recent projects concerning the restoration of an almost unknown part of cultural heritage, as well as enrich and promote the decentralisation of the organ-related culture on display in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
For more information: HERE
n promotes scientific tourism
Orchid Garden promotes Scientific Tourism
Originally from Austria, the Pregetter family was responsible for creating and establishing the Orchid Garden, which has a long tradition in the area of floriculture and is an important source of reference for botanists.
Thus, with the intention of encouraging a segment of the scientific research market to visit the region, the Orchid Garden is promoting its collection of more than 300 species of orchids and 5.000 hybrid varieties at various international universities. Currently, in order to boost the work realised by this entity, the Fundação de Solidariedade Social Josef Pregetter (Josef Pregetter Social Solidarity Foundation) has been established with the aim of promoting education and professional training in the area of floriculture, genetic research and creation of species, including the production of plants "in vitro" in partnership with the Ponta do Sol Centre for Floriculture.
Madeira International Airport receives ASQ Assured Certification
The ACI (Airports Council International), an independent entity that represents more than 1,600 airports in 177 countries and territories, has distinguished Madeira Airport by awarding it an ASQ Assured certification.
This certificate recognises the effective policies put in place by the airport’s managing board directed towards continuously improving performance and the quality of service provided to all its passengers.
The certification achieved encompasses three different aspects, namely services provided to passengers, good management practice and the measurement of passenger satisfaction with the airport services.
Madeira Cetaceans Project
The Whale Museum in partnership with the Municipality of Machico has announced the II Madeira Cetaceans project co-financed by the community initiative programme Life+.
The II Madeira Cetaceans project aims to identify important marine areas for bottlenose dolphins in the coastal waters of Madeira, to define areas of operation for commercial vessels observing these mammals (minimising the impact of this activity) as well as to monitor the conservation status of various species of cetaceans in the off-shore waters of the ZEEM (Madeira Exclusive Economic Zone) until 2013.
This initiative strives to continue the work of research and preservation the species in the Madeira Archipelago.
TUI Holly 2010 Honours Madeira Hotels
The Riu Palace Madeira and the Albergaria Dias hotels are the only establishments from the Autonomous Region of Madeira amongst the TUI Holly 2010 top 100.
Considered the major German tour operator, every year TUI distinguishes a number of hotels worldwide that receive the best rating from its customers.
This year more than half a million tourists voted, classifying around 15,000 hotels, using forms querying various aspects relating to comfort and service.
This award reinforces and confirms the quality and reputation of the excellent services provided by the hotels of the Madeira Islands.
Promotion of the Madeira Islands Abroad
The SRTT (Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport), represented by the DRTM (Madeira Official Tourism Board) and in partnership with the APM (Madeira Promotion Bureau), will be present, this month, at a number of major trade fairs and promotional events in the national and international markets.
Between the 21st and the 24th of September, the Madeira Islands will be represented at yet another edition of TOP RESA Travel Market, the most important trade fair for tourism professionals in the French market, which will be held at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles, in Paris.
The Madeira Islands will be represented by the SRTT/DRT, in partnership with the APM, at the Portuguese stand, with a section specifically dedicated to the destination.
On the 16th of September the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) will be participating in the Oyster Meeting 2010, which will be held at Kensington Roof Gardens in London. The Oyster Group is made up of tourist offices from countries working in the Meeting Industry (MI) sector. It is an informal meeting point for various British buyers, with Visit Portugal entity invited to take part in the "Summer Party".
From the 23rd to the 25th of September, the Madeira Islands will also be represented at the 18th TT Warsaw Tour & Travel international travel show, taking place at the MT Polska Trade Fair and Congress Centre in Warsaw. This is one of the largest events of its kind in Poland, Central and Eastern Europe, where RAM will be making an appearance for the 5th time represented by the SRTT/DRT, with a section specifically dedicated to the destination integrated in the Portuguese stand.
From Paul :
Short-finned Pilot whales off the Calheta coast
Short-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are being spotted of the Calheta coast at the end of August 2010. They are one of the two species of cetacean in the genus Globicephala. It is part of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae), though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales.
Short-finned Pilot Whales can be confused with their relatives the long-finned pilot whales, but there are various differences. As their names indicate, their flippers are shorter than those of the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with a gentler curve on the edge. They have fewer teeth than the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with 14 to 18 on each jaw. Short-finned pilot whales are black or dark grey with a grey or white cape. They have grey or almost white patches on their bellies and throats and a grey or white stripe which goes diagonally upwards from behind each eye.
image caption: Pilot Whales, mother and calf, off Kona, Hawaii. Image taken by Clark Anderson/Aquaimages.
Adult males may have a number of scars on their bodies. Their heads are bulbous and this can become more defined in older males. Their dorsal fins vary in shape depending on how old the whale is and whether it is male or female. They have flukes with sharply pointed tips, a distinct notch in the middle and concave edges. They tend to be quite slender when they are young, becoming more stocky as they get older.
Field ID: Stocky body, bulbous forehead, no prominent beak, long flippers sharply pointed at the tip, black or dark grey colour, fin set forward on body, fluke raised before deep dive, may float motionless at the surface, frequently seen in very large groups, prefers deep water, may be approached.
Length (metres): Adults are 3.5 – 6.5 metres in length. When they are born short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4-1.9 metres long.
Weight: At birth, Short-finned Pilot Whales weigh about 60kg (135lb). A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tonnes. Diet: Fish, Squid, Octopus
Study of Jersey’s Polish and Portuguese migrant workers
BBC News Jersey Reports: “Portuguese immigrants are more likely to find work in Jersey without a good understanding of English than Polish people, according to research.
The study was carried out by the University of Southampton.
Because of the number of Portuguese shops and cafes that serve the community in Jersey, speaking English was not seen as very important.
Image caption: Lighthouse, La Corbière, St. Brelade, Jersey at low tide
However, the report found Polish immigrants were more likely to take courses to improve their English.
This should, in turn, better their employment and living standards in Jersey.
The study, funded by the EU, cited examples of Portuguese immigrants in Jersey who began as farm workers but were able to become successful business-owners without learning very much of the language.”
Link to full article: HERE
Many thanks to Sue & Paul for sending in a contribution(s) for this blog.
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Well Done to Sue and Paul.
1Lots of time spent doing the translations and tidying up.
Interesting inititives being reported.
The ECB will announce its interest-rate decision at 1:45 p.m. Frankfurt time, or 7:45 a.m. Eastern on Thursday. The central bank is expected to leave its key lending rate unchanged at a record low 1%. Trichet’s monthly news conference begins at 8:30 a.m.
But if the ECB decides, “against all expectations” not to provide full funding in its liquidity operations for the rest of the year, it could lead to a sharp rise in short-dated money-market rates, which could in turn push the euro higher versus the U.S. dollar, the Danske analysts said in a research note.
2As widely expected, the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged at 1%. The euro held steady versus its major rivals following the rate announcement. At present, the common currency is quoted at 107.87 against the yen, 0.8329 versus the pound, 1.2974 against the Swiss franc and 1.2825 against the US dollar.
3Found this sad story about the Zino Petral on Madeira.
http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2010/08/Zinos-petrel-disaster.html
4It is hard to see these pictures!!!
5turkeys referendum on new constitutional furture,,,from euro news
http://www.euronews.net/2010/09/02/turkey-s-referendum-on-new-constitutional-future/
6“The policy of forced ‘internal devaluation’, deflation, and depression could risk driving Greece to the edge of a civil war. It is impossible to cut wages and prices by 30pc without major riots,” he said, speaking at the elite European House Ambrosetti forum at Lake Como.
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Hungary’s IMF revolt augurs ill for Greece“Greece would have been bankrupt without the rescue measures. All the alternatives are terrible but the least terrible is for the country to get out of the eurozone, even if this kills the Greek banks,” he said.
Dr Sinn said Greece is an entirely different case from Spain and Portugal, which still have manageable public debts and can bring their public finances back into line with higher taxes.
7Tom The top bosses of the EU, together with manufactures as well as banks, need to get together make a plan for Greece, throwing good in money is not the answer for Greece and its people. Heaven forbid if Greece went civil war, end of the day when smoke clears, and EU with UN go back home, The EU bosses and manufactures will have to pick up the tab again, this time more money will be involved. We need to go back the basics when the EU was made, local trading. It’s better for everyone and the environment as well. Just a little common sense goes a long way. Smiles by all people of Europe rich as well as poor, is better than tears of tomorrow.
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