May 2013 NEWSLETTER
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (Or Energy Efficiency Certificate)
On the 1st June 2013 the new law comes into force that all properties in Spain for sale or rent must have a valid Energy Performance Certifcate. The certificate will be valid for 10 years and will need to be produced at the notary when a property sale is due to complete. COMASKEY PROPERTIES and SPANISH SOLUTIONS of La Zenia will be issuing these certificates FREE, dependent on certain conditions being met.
What is an energy certificate?
It is a report that describes how efficient a home is in terms of energy consumption (just like the ones in the UK and Ireland). It assigns an energy rating to each home on a scale which ranges from “A” (the best) to “G” (the worst).
Who can issue an energy efficiency certificate?
According to the royal decree “energy efficiency certificates should be issued by qualified professional technicians “.
Will I be able to sell a home which does not have an energy certificate after 1/06/2013?
No you won´t. You will have to have a certificate before selling your home.
Who will have to pay for the energy certificate?
The owner of the property to be sold or rented.
How long is the energy certificate valid for?
The certificate is valid for 10 years. This means owners will not have to obtain a new certificate during this period unless they renovate or change the property in any way.
If I want to sell my home and it has a poor energy rating, such as D, E or F, am I obliged to make any improvements?
No, you are not obliged to make any improvements.
Will a low rating affect the sale of my home?
The only way it will affect a sale is how the rating influences the buyer.
Will the technician need to visit the property?
Yes. They have to visit the property to take measurements and collect information about the property before drawing up and certifying the report.
You will get your FREE EPC with Spanish Solutions or Comaskey Properties (most cost 250€ upwards) if you:
– sign up for keyholding with Comaskey Properties for one year (price 300€ plus VAT)
– list your property for sale with Comaskey Properties exclusively for 3 months (no charge)
– list your property for long term rental with Comaskey Properties (300€ plus VAT)
– if you are a property agent and bring your clients to Spanish Solutions to buy or sell. Fees to buy 1,300€ + VAT; fees to sell 900€ + VAT
– if you are selling your property (privately or with agents) and you use Spanish Solutions for the process (fees to buy 1,300€ +VAT; fees to sell 900€ + VAT)
The Valencian Community registration fee is not included, as it has not been confirmed yet (approx. 50€.). Once confirmed we will inform you, and proceed. If you don’t fall into any of the above categories, the normal fee for the EPC is 199€+VAT. (plus registration fee)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Comaskey Properties and Spanish Solutions reserve the right to withdraw this offer with no notice or reasons required. Properties have to be in a “saleable” condition according to Comaskey Sales & Rentals.
SNIPPETS:
One of our clients donated a sum to Zoe´s Place Baby Hospice in memory of a member of their family (www.zoes-place.org.uk). We think this is a wonderful thing to do and the Baby Hospice provides 24 hour respite and pallative care of babies aged 0-5. What a very special charity. Email [email protected] if you would like to help them or telephone 01510230 5021.
Murcia has a wonderful theatre that has a full programme of plays and musicals. See www.teatroromea.es for more information.
IBI (Property tax) in MURCIA: The voluntary period for payment of the Property tax (IBI) in the Murcia region started on 1st May 2013 and finishes on 5th July 2013. It is possible to now postpone this for up to 8 months with no interest if it is difficult to make the payment at this time. We can assist with this for 20€ for our time. Please contact Ana on [email protected]
Solar UV radiation and the UV Index
Always wear suitable clothing, hat, sunglasses and apply sunscreen to exposed skin when outdoors especially during summer.
Also look for or provide some form of shade as it is an effective form of sun protection.
In 1995 the reporting of UV radiation levels to the public was standardised by a UV Index, which is a number relating to how much solar UV radiation reaches the ground, based on the potential for skin injury. The reported value is calculated from the daily maximum UV radiation averaged over 10 minutes. On a clear sky day, the maximum UV radiation level occurs at solar noon. If there is substantial cloud cover during this time, the maximum may occur at another time when UV radiation levels are higher.
Relationship between UV Index and UV Exposure Category
UV Index Exposure Category
2 or less Low
3 to 5 Moderate
6 to 7 High
8 to 10 Very High
11+ Extreme
The exposure categories are based on the response of fair-skinned people to UV radiation.
As the numbers are internationally standardised, a UV Index of 8 in Australia is equivalent, for example, to a UV Index of 8 in India or Japan. On a cloud-free day, UV radiation levels change with solar elevation, and the daily maximum is taken as the UV Index. The three hours either side of solar noon (around 1pm daylight savings time) is when the UV radiation levels can be the highest.
It will take time for people to become familiar with the appropriate sun protection behaviour to adopt for a particular UV Index. For example, people know what clothes to wear to suit the weather. This is easy since our bodies respond to variations in temperature. Difficulties arise with UV radiation exposure because our bodies cannot “feel” UV radiation. We only know we have received too much solar UV radiation when our skin begins to redden 8 to 24 hours later.
2 or less: Low
A UV Index reading of 2 or less means low danger from the sun’s UV rays for the average person:
• Wear sunglasses on bright days. In winter, reflection off snow can nearly double UV strength.
• If you burn easily, cover up and use sunscreen.
Look Out Below
Snow and water can reflect the sun’s rays. Skiers and swimmers should take special care. Wear sunglasses or goggles, and apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Remember to protect areas that could be exposed to UV rays by the sun’s reflection, including under the chin and nose.
3 to 5: Moderate
A UV Index reading of 3 to 5 means moderate risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
• Take precautions, such as covering up, if you will be outside.
• Stay in shade near midday when the sun is strongest.
Me and My Shadow
An easy way to tell how much UV exposure you are getting is to look for your shadow:
• If your shadow is taller than you are (in the early morning and late afternoon), your UV exposure is likely to be low.
• If your shadow is shorter than you are (around midday), you are being exposed to high levels of UV radiation. Seek shade and protect your skin and eyes.
6 to 7: High
A UV Index reading of 6 to 7 means high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Apply a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30. Wear a wide-brim hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Protection against sunburn is needed.
• Reduce time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Made in the Shades
Wearing sunglasses protects the lids of your eyes as well as the lens.
8 to 10: Very High
A UV Index reading of 8 to 10 means very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Minimize sun exposure during midday hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Protect yourself by liberally applying a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses to protect the eyes.
.
•
o Take extra precautions. Unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn quickly.
o Minimize sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Otherwise, seek shade, cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Stay in the Game
Be careful during routine outdoor activities such as gardening or playing sports. Remember that UV exposure is especially strong if you are working or playing between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Don’t forget that spectators, as well as participants, need to wear sunscreen and eye protection to avoid too much sun.
11+: Extreme
A UV Index reading of 11 or higher means extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Try to avoid sun exposure during midday hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 liberally every 2 hours.
• Take all precautions. Unprotected skin can burn in minutes. Beachgoers should know that white sand and other bright surfaces reflect UV and will increase UV exposure.
• Try to avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Seek shade, cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Beat the Heat
It is possible to go outside when the UV Index is 11 or higher. Make sure you always seek shade, wear a hat, cover up, wear 99-100% UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen. Or you can opt to stay indoors and take the opportunity to relax with a good book rather than risk dangerous levels of sun exposure.
Always wear suitable clothing, hat, sunglasses and apply sunscreen to exposed skin when outdoors in Spain especially during summer. Also look for or provide some form of shade as it is an effective form of sun protection.
Keep an eye on the UV levels. During May levels on the Orihuela Costa have been 9 so you can see that you do need to be very careful in this region.
Spain and the USA agree Foreign Tax Compliance ACT (FATCA)
In mid-May Spain’s Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro and US Ambassador to Spain Alan Solomont signed an agreement between Spain and the US, designed to improve international fiscal compliance and implementing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
This basically means that financial institutions in both countries must provide their tax authorities with information relating to taxpayers of the other signatory state. This information will subsequently be exchanged automatically between the tax authorities through a standardized procedure.
Defending the treaty, the Spanish Finance Ministry highlighted the fact that “the agreement constitutes a milestone in the exchange of tax information at an international level, by laying the foundations for a new automatic, recurrent and standardized framework of international information exchange.”
The Ministry stated: “In a context of economic and financial globalization, and with the proliferation of transactions involving goods and services between countries, it is essential to strengthen the exchange of information and administrative assistance between states and increase efforts in the fight against tax havens.”
It added: “In this regard, efforts by tax authorities in both countries is important for increasing international pressure on tax havens through a network of agreements on the exchange of information in line with international efforts being made with the other OECD countries.”
Spain, the UK, Germany, France, and Italy aim to ensure that the model agreed with the US is adopted multilaterally by a majority of countries in order to thus strengthen efforts against tax fraud and so-called “tax havens.”
The launch of such an initiative is intended to enable Europe and the US to spearhead the promotion of a global system of automatic information exchange.
It seems clear that within a very short time most of the World will be sharing information about taxpayers. Rather a scary thought…
BIG TIPS
If you are a waiter or a waitress, it can pay to be amenable to your customers as with all service industries. The other day a waitress and Tumblr user calling herself Casual Cynic posted a picture of the tip her mother – another waitress – had just received in the States.
It was a big one. In fact, it was a $1,000 tip on a $60 meal.
Her mother had been chatting to the customer about her dream of visiting Italy, and the mystery diner duly obliged, writing next to the tip that it was “your ticket to Italy”.
For those of you who don’t know, Ryan Seacrest is the host of American Idol and a popular face on American TV. In 2010 he went on holiday in Sardinia, spent a cool $50,000 on a swanky dinner for himself and a group of friends, and dropped the waitress a $10,000 tip.
He’s certainly her American idol now.
Believe me we are just glad of a thank you and a recommendation to others, but if you can send us an email of thanks, we love those too. 🙂
IRELAND/SPAIN
Don´t forget, the Republic of Ireland will face world and European champions Spain in a friendly in New York this summer.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s team will face the Spaniards at Yankee Stadium on 11 June. Enjoy!
The match will end a busy fortnight for the Republic, who take on England at Wembley on 29 May, Georgia in Dublin on 2 June and the Faroe Islands in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
The XVI Festival of Jazz in San Javier 29th June to 27th July 2013
Something that makes me feel that we are in the midst of Summer is an evening at the magical Festival of San Javier, which is not far from any of us and a wonderful evening. The XVI Festival Jazz San Javier 2013 will feature a “celebration” for the 25th Anniversary of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the return of The Blues Brothers Band, Uriah Heep, Shuggie Otis’ first concert in Spain, Bettye LaVette , Dahfer Youssef, Thierry Lang and John Pizzarelli, among other great musicians.
The Festival will feature 21 concerts spread out over 11 nights. It does not matter whether you are particularly a Jazz lover (I am not), there is usually something for everyone.
One of the most important concerts this year will be the Swiss pianist Thierry Lang. In his first and only visit to Spain, so far, Thierry Lang, considered one of the best European pianists, is performing with his Trio and trumpeter, also Swiss, Matthieu Michel.
Also one of the greats of R & B, Shuggie Otis, guitarist and singer, son of Johnny Otis, will be performing accompanied by a supergroup of 7 members, which could be one of the great events of the Festival.
One of the current best soul singers, Bettye LaVette, will be one of the female voices and one of the great voices of the moment, René Marie, who returns accompanied by two female stars, a young saxophone virtuoso, Grace Kelly, and Lynne Arriale pianist and composer.
Jazz San Javier 2013 will also feature Lou Donaldson, one of the greats of the golden age of jazz, who at 80 years old is still going strong.
The Tunisian musician Dhafer Youssef, oud teacher (Arabic lute) with his stunning mix of Tunisian music and jazz returns, John Pizzarelli the great Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, and the saxophonist Bill Evans with his blend of jazz, funk, rock and folk, accompanied by Soulgrass Band.
The Festival de Jazz de San Javier hosts for the first time Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Jon Batiste, pianist, and singer, has been one of the great revelations from New Orleans, with a strong sense of rhythm and spectacle.
The British rock band of the ’70s, Uriah Heep will perform and the Original Blues Brothers Band.
Spanish musicians, as always, have a part in the Festival, with prominent names there.
Tickets for concerts on 9 of the 11 nights cost 100 euros. The ticket price is 15 euros for most concerts, excluding Saturday July 13 which is 20 euros, and Friday July 19 will cost 25 euros.
The tickets can be purchased at the festivals office, located in the Town Hall, Plaza of Spain, San Javier, or by phone 968 191 568 (they speak English), or at www.ticketea.com and at the box office, or you can write to the following email address: [email protected] All information on the Jazz Festival San Javier can be found at www.jazzsanjavier.com
[email protected]
Spain and the USA agree Foreign Tax Compliance ACT (FATCA)
In mid-May Spain’s Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro and US Ambassador to Spain Alan Solomont signed an agreement between Spain and the US, designed to improve international fiscal compliance and implementing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
This basically means that financial institutions in both countries must provide their tax authorities with information relating to taxpayers of the other signatory state. This information will subsequently be exchanged automatically between the tax authorities through a standardized procedure.
Defending the treaty, the Spanish Finance Ministry highlighted the fact that “the agreement constitutes a milestone in the exchange of tax information at an international level, by laying the foundations for a new automatic, recurrent and standardized framework of international information exchange.”
The Ministry stated: “In a context of economic and financial globalization, and with the proliferation of transactions involving goods and services between countries, it is essential to strengthen the exchange of information and administrative assistance between states and increase efforts in the fight against tax havens.”
It added: “In this regard, efforts by tax authorities in both countries is important for increasing international pressure on tax havens through a network of agreements on the exchange of information in line with international efforts being made with the other OECD countries.”
Spain, the UK, Germany, France, and Italy aim to ensure that the model agreed with the US is adopted multilaterally by a majority of countries in order to thus strengthen efforts against tax fraud and so-called “tax havens.”
The launch of such an initiative is intended to enable Europe and the US to spearhead the promotion of a global system of automatic information exchange.
It seems clear that within a very short time most of the World will be sharing information about taxpayers. Rather a scary thought…
BIG TIPS
If you are a waiter or a waitress, it can pay to be amenable to your customers as with all service industries. The other day a waitress and Tumblr user calling herself Casual Cynic posted a picture of the tip her mother – another waitress – had just received in the States.
It was a big one. In fact, it was a $1,000 tip on a $60 meal.
Her mother had been chatting to the customer about her dream of visiting Italy, and the mystery diner duly obliged, writing next to the tip that it was “your ticket to Italy”.
For those of you who don’t know, Ryan Seacrest is the host of American Idol and a popular face on American TV. In 2010 he went on holiday in Sardinia, spent a cool $50,000 on a swanky dinner for himself and a group of friends, and dropped the waitress a $10,000 tip.
He’s certainly her American idol now.
Believe me we are just glad of a thank you and a recommendation to others, but if you can send us an email of thanks, we love those too. 🙂
IRELAND/SPAIN
Don´t forget, the Republic of Ireland will face world and European champions Spain in a friendly in New York this summer.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s team will face the Spaniards at Yankee Stadium on 11 June. Enjoy!
The match will end a busy fortnight for the Republic, who take on England at Wembley on 29 May, Georgia in Dublin on 2 June and the Faroe Islands in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
The XVI Festival of Jazz in San Javier 29th June to 27th July 2013
Something that makes me feel that we are in the midst of Summer is an evening at the magical Festival of San Javier, which is not far from any of us and a wonderful evening. The XVI Festival Jazz San Javier 2013 will feature a “celebration” for the 25th Anniversary of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the return of The Blues Brothers Band, Uriah Heep, Shuggie Otis’ first concert in Spain, Bettye LaVette , Dahfer Youssef, Thierry Lang and John Pizzarelli, among other great musicians.
The Festival will feature 21 concerts spread out over 11 nights. It does not matter whether you are particularly a Jazz lover (I am not), there is usually something for everyone.
One of the most important concerts this year will be the Swiss pianist Thierry Lang. In his first and only visit to Spain, so far, Thierry Lang, considered one of the best European pianists, is performing with his Trio and trumpeter, also Swiss, Matthieu Michel.
Also one of the greats of R & B, Shuggie Otis, guitarist and singer, son of Johnny Otis, will be performing accompanied by a supergroup of 7 members, which could be one of the great events of the Festival.
One of the current best soul singers, Bettye LaVette, will be one of the female voices and one of the great voices of the moment, René Marie, who returns accompanied by two female stars, a young saxophone virtuoso, Grace Kelly, and Lynne Arriale pianist and composer.
Jazz San Javier 2013 will also feature Lou Donaldson, one of the greats of the golden age of jazz, who at 80 years old is still going strong.
The Tunisian musician Dhafer Youssef, oud teacher (Arabic lute) with his stunning mix of Tunisian music and jazz returns, John Pizzarelli the great Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, and the saxophonist Bill Evans with his blend of jazz, funk, rock and folk, accompanied by Soulgrass Band.
The Festival de Jazz de San Javier hosts for the first time Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Jon Batiste, pianist, and singer, has been one of the great revelations from New Orleans, with a strong sense of rhythm and spectacle.
The British rock band of the ’70s, Uriah Heep will perform and the Original Blues Brothers Band.
Spanish musicians, as always, have a part in the Festival, with prominent names there.
Tickets for concerts on 9 of the 11 nights cost 100 euros. The ticket price is 15 euros for most concerts, excluding Saturday July 13 which is 20 euros, and Friday July 19 will cost 25 euros.
The tickets can be purchased at the festivals office, located in the Town Hall, Plaza of Spain, San Javier, or by phone 968 191 568 (they speak English), or at www.ticketea.com and at the box office, or you can write to the following email address: [email protected] All information on the Jazz Festival San Javier can be found at www.jazzsanjavier.com
[email protected]
NEW OFFICE
Our new office is proving very popular and successful with it´s great position next to La Zenia Boulevard. So that you are all aware Eva, Amanda, Angie, Ana, Poli and Lynne are based at Calle Flores (otherwise known as the “old office” and Helena and Silvia are based at Calle Malaquita or the “new office” next to La Zenia Boulevard.
All the best from:
The team :
Poli Borisova (fiscal), Ana Maria Barbadora (utilities), Eva G. Gilmartin, Lynne Henderson, Angie Real, Amanda Thomas, AT Calle Flores, Bajo C, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa 03189, Spain
Phone: 96 676 17 41 – Fax: 96 677 32 38 skype: amanda.thomas57
Helena Labarta (NIEs/Residencias and car issues), Silvia Sanchez AT Calle Malaquita 1, Local B-1B, CC. Costa Zenia, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa 03189, Spain
Phone: 96 676 09 17skype: silvia spanish solutions
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (Or Energy Efficiency Certificate)
On the 1st June 2013 the new law comes into force that all properties in Spain for sale or rent must have a valid Energy Performance Certifcate. The certificate will be valid for 10 years and will need to be produced at the notary when a property sale is due to complete. COMASKEY PROPERTIES and SPANISH SOLUTIONS of La Zenia will be issuing these certificates FREE, dependent on certain conditions being met.
What is an energy certificate?
It is a report that describes how efficient a home is in terms of energy consumption (just like the ones in the UK and Ireland). It assigns an energy rating to each home on a scale which ranges from “A” (the best) to “G” (the worst).
Who can issue an energy efficiency certificate?
According to the royal decree “energy efficiency certificates should be issued by qualified professional technicians “.
Will I be able to sell a home which does not have an energy certificate after 1/06/2013?
No you won´t. You will have to have a certificate before selling your home.
Who will have to pay for the energy certificate?
The owner of the property to be sold or rented.
How long is the energy certificate valid for?
The certificate is valid for 10 years. This means owners will not have to obtain a new certificate during this period unless they renovate or change the property in any way.
If I want to sell my home and it has a poor energy rating, such as D, E or F, am I obliged to make any improvements?
No, you are not obliged to make any improvements.
Will a low rating affect the sale of my home?
The only way it will affect a sale is how the rating influences the buyer.
Will the technician need to visit the property?
Yes. They have to visit the property to take measurements and collect information about the property before drawing up and certifying the report.
You will get your FREE EPC with Spanish Solutions or Comaskey Properties (most cost 250€ upwards) if you:
– sign up for keyholding with Comaskey Properties for one year (price 300€ plus VAT)
– list your property for sale with Comaskey Properties exclusively for 3 months (no charge)
– list your property for long term rental with Comaskey Properties (300€ plus VAT)
– if you are a property agent and bring your clients to Spanish Solutions to buy or sell. Fees to buy 1,300€ + VAT; fees to sell 900€ + VAT
– if you are selling your property (privately or with agents) and you use Spanish Solutions for the process (fees to buy 1,300€ +VAT; fees to sell 900€ + VAT)
The Valencian Community registration fee is not included, as it has not been confirmed yet (approx. 50€.). Once confirmed we will inform you, and proceed. If you don’t fall into any of the above categories, the normal fee for the EPC is 199€+VAT. (plus registration fee)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Comaskey Properties and Spanish Solutions reserve the right to withdraw this offer with no notice or reasons required. Properties have to be in a “saleable” condition according to Comaskey Sales & Rentals.
SNIPPETS:
One of our clients donated a sum to Zoe´s Place Baby Hospice in memory of a member of their family (www.zoes-place.org.uk). We think this is a wonderful thing to do and the Baby Hospice provides 24 hour respite and pallative care of babies aged 0-5. What a very special charity. Email [email protected] if you would like to help them or telephone 01510230 5021.
Murcia has a wonderful theatre that has a full programme of plays and musicals. See www.teatroromea.es for more information.
IBI (Property tax) in MURCIA: The voluntary period for payment of the Property tax (IBI) in the Murcia region started on 1st May 2013 and finishes on 5th July 2013. It is possible to now postpone this for up to 8 months with no interest if it is difficult to make the payment at this time. We can assist with this for 20€ for our time. Please contact Ana on [email protected]
Solar UV radiation and the UV Index
Always wear suitable clothing, hat, sunglasses and apply sunscreen to exposed skin when outdoors especially during summer.
Also look for or provide some form of shade as it is an effective form of sun protection.
In 1995 the reporting of UV radiation levels to the public was standardised by a UV Index, which is a number relating to how much solar UV radiation reaches the ground, based on the potential for skin injury. The reported value is calculated from the daily maximum UV radiation averaged over 10 minutes. On a clear sky day, the maximum UV radiation level occurs at solar noon. If there is substantial cloud cover during this time, the maximum may occur at another time when UV radiation levels are higher.
Relationship between UV Index and UV Exposure Category
UV Index Exposure Category
2 or less Low
3 to 5 Moderate
6 to 7 High
8 to 10 Very High
11+ Extreme
The exposure categories are based on the response of fair-skinned people to UV radiation.
As the numbers are internationally standardised, a UV Index of 8 in Australia is equivalent, for example, to a UV Index of 8 in India or Japan. On a cloud-free day, UV radiation levels change with solar elevation, and the daily maximum is taken as the UV Index. The three hours either side of solar noon (around 1pm daylight savings time) is when the UV radiation levels can be the highest.
It will take time for people to become familiar with the appropriate sun protection behaviour to adopt for a particular UV Index. For example, people know what clothes to wear to suit the weather. This is easy since our bodies respond to variations in temperature. Difficulties arise with UV radiation exposure because our bodies cannot “feel” UV radiation. We only know we have received too much solar UV radiation when our skin begins to redden 8 to 24 hours later.
2 or less: Low
A UV Index reading of 2 or less means low danger from the sun’s UV rays for the average person:
• Wear sunglasses on bright days. In winter, reflection off snow can nearly double UV strength.
• If you burn easily, cover up and use sunscreen.
Look Out Below
Snow and water can reflect the sun’s rays. Skiers and swimmers should take special care. Wear sunglasses or goggles, and apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Remember to protect areas that could be exposed to UV rays by the sun’s reflection, including under the chin and nose.
3 to 5: Moderate
A UV Index reading of 3 to 5 means moderate risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
• Take precautions, such as covering up, if you will be outside.
• Stay in shade near midday when the sun is strongest.
Me and My Shadow
An easy way to tell how much UV exposure you are getting is to look for your shadow:
• If your shadow is taller than you are (in the early morning and late afternoon), your UV exposure is likely to be low.
• If your shadow is shorter than you are (around midday), you are being exposed to high levels of UV radiation. Seek shade and protect your skin and eyes.
6 to 7: High
A UV Index reading of 6 to 7 means high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Apply a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30. Wear a wide-brim hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes.
• Protection against sunburn is needed.
• Reduce time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Made in the Shades
Wearing sunglasses protects the lids of your eyes as well as the lens.
8 to 10: Very High
A UV Index reading of 8 to 10 means very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Minimize sun exposure during midday hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Protect yourself by liberally applying a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses to protect the eyes.
.
•
o Take extra precautions. Unprotected skin will be damaged and can burn quickly.
o Minimize sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Otherwise, seek shade, cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Stay in the Game
Be careful during routine outdoor activities such as gardening or playing sports. Remember that UV exposure is especially strong if you are working or playing between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Don’t forget that spectators, as well as participants, need to wear sunscreen and eye protection to avoid too much sun.
11+: Extreme
A UV Index reading of 11 or higher means extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure. Try to avoid sun exposure during midday hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 liberally every 2 hours.
• Take all precautions. Unprotected skin can burn in minutes. Beachgoers should know that white sand and other bright surfaces reflect UV and will increase UV exposure.
• Try to avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Seek shade, cover up, wear a hat and sunglasses, and use sunscreen.
Beat the Heat
It is possible to go outside when the UV Index is 11 or higher. Make sure you always seek shade, wear a hat, cover up, wear 99-100% UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen. Or you can opt to stay indoors and take the opportunity to relax with a good book rather than risk dangerous levels of sun exposure.
Always wear suitable clothing, hat, sunglasses and apply sunscreen to exposed skin when outdoors in Spain especially during summer. Also look for or provide some form of shade as it is an effective form of sun protection.
Keep an eye on the UV levels. During May levels on the Orihuela Costa have been 9 so you can see that you do need to be very careful in this region.
Spain and the USA agree Foreign Tax Compliance ACT (FATCA)
In mid-May Spain’s Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro and US Ambassador to Spain Alan Solomont signed an agreement between Spain and the US, designed to improve international fiscal compliance and implementing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
This basically means that financial institutions in both countries must provide their tax authorities with information relating to taxpayers of the other signatory state. This information will subsequently be exchanged automatically between the tax authorities through a standardized procedure.
Defending the treaty, the Spanish Finance Ministry highlighted the fact that “the agreement constitutes a milestone in the exchange of tax information at an international level, by laying the foundations for a new automatic, recurrent and standardized framework of international information exchange.”
The Ministry stated: “In a context of economic and financial globalization, and with the proliferation of transactions involving goods and services between countries, it is essential to strengthen the exchange of information and administrative assistance between states and increase efforts in the fight against tax havens.”
It added: “In this regard, efforts by tax authorities in both countries is important for increasing international pressure on tax havens through a network of agreements on the exchange of information in line with international efforts being made with the other OECD countries.”
Spain, the UK, Germany, France, and Italy aim to ensure that the model agreed with the US is adopted multilaterally by a majority of countries in order to thus strengthen efforts against tax fraud and so-called “tax havens.”
The launch of such an initiative is intended to enable Europe and the US to spearhead the promotion of a global system of automatic information exchange.
It seems clear that within a very short time most of the World will be sharing information about taxpayers. Rather a scary thought…
BIG TIPS
If you are a waiter or a waitress, it can pay to be amenable to your customers as with all service industries. The other day a waitress and Tumblr user calling herself Casual Cynic posted a picture of the tip her mother – another waitress – had just received in the States.
It was a big one. In fact, it was a $1,000 tip on a $60 meal.
Her mother had been chatting to the customer about her dream of visiting Italy, and the mystery diner duly obliged, writing next to the tip that it was “your ticket to Italy”.
For those of you who don’t know, Ryan Seacrest is the host of American Idol and a popular face on American TV. In 2010 he went on holiday in Sardinia, spent a cool $50,000 on a swanky dinner for himself and a group of friends, and dropped the waitress a $10,000 tip.
He’s certainly her American idol now.
Believe me we are just glad of a thank you and a recommendation to others, but if you can send us an email of thanks, we love those too. 🙂
IRELAND/SPAIN
Don´t forget, the Republic of Ireland will face world and European champions Spain in a friendly in New York this summer.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s team will face the Spaniards at Yankee Stadium on 11 June. Enjoy!
The match will end a busy fortnight for the Republic, who take on England at Wembley on 29 May, Georgia in Dublin on 2 June and the Faroe Islands in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
The XVI Festival of Jazz in San Javier 29th June to 27th July 2013
Something that makes me feel that we are in the midst of Summer is an evening at the magical Festival of San Javier, which is not far from any of us and a wonderful evening. The XVI Festival Jazz San Javier 2013 will feature a “celebration” for the 25th Anniversary of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the return of The Blues Brothers Band, Uriah Heep, Shuggie Otis’ first concert in Spain, Bettye LaVette , Dahfer Youssef, Thierry Lang and John Pizzarelli, among other great musicians.
The Festival will feature 21 concerts spread out over 11 nights. It does not matter whether you are particularly a Jazz lover (I am not), there is usually something for everyone.
One of the most important concerts this year will be the Swiss pianist Thierry Lang. In his first and only visit to Spain, so far, Thierry Lang, considered one of the best European pianists, is performing with his Trio and trumpeter, also Swiss, Matthieu Michel.
Also one of the greats of R & B, Shuggie Otis, guitarist and singer, son of Johnny Otis, will be performing accompanied by a supergroup of 7 members, which could be one of the great events of the Festival.
One of the current best soul singers, Bettye LaVette, will be one of the female voices and one of the great voices of the moment, René Marie, who returns accompanied by two female stars, a young saxophone virtuoso, Grace Kelly, and Lynne Arriale pianist and composer.
Jazz San Javier 2013 will also feature Lou Donaldson, one of the greats of the golden age of jazz, who at 80 years old is still going strong.
The Tunisian musician Dhafer Youssef, oud teacher (Arabic lute) with his stunning mix of Tunisian music and jazz returns, John Pizzarelli the great Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, and the saxophonist Bill Evans with his blend of jazz, funk, rock and folk, accompanied by Soulgrass Band.
The Festival de Jazz de San Javier hosts for the first time Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Jon Batiste, pianist, and singer, has been one of the great revelations from New Orleans, with a strong sense of rhythm and spectacle.
The British rock band of the ’70s, Uriah Heep will perform and the Original Blues Brothers Band.
Spanish musicians, as always, have a part in the Festival, with prominent names there.
Tickets for concerts on 9 of the 11 nights cost 100 euros. The ticket price is 15 euros for most concerts, excluding Saturday July 13 which is 20 euros, and Friday July 19 will cost 25 euros.
The tickets can be purchased at the festivals office, located in the Town Hall, Plaza of Spain, San Javier, or by phone 968 191 568 (they speak English), or at www.ticketea.com and at the box office, or you can write to the following email address: [email protected] All information on the Jazz Festival San Javier can be found at www.jazzsanjavier.com
[email protected]
Spain and the USA agree Foreign Tax Compliance ACT (FATCA)
In mid-May Spain’s Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro and US Ambassador to Spain Alan Solomont signed an agreement between Spain and the US, designed to improve international fiscal compliance and implementing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
This basically means that financial institutions in both countries must provide their tax authorities with information relating to taxpayers of the other signatory state. This information will subsequently be exchanged automatically between the tax authorities through a standardized procedure.
Defending the treaty, the Spanish Finance Ministry highlighted the fact that “the agreement constitutes a milestone in the exchange of tax information at an international level, by laying the foundations for a new automatic, recurrent and standardized framework of international information exchange.”
The Ministry stated: “In a context of economic and financial globalization, and with the proliferation of transactions involving goods and services between countries, it is essential to strengthen the exchange of information and administrative assistance between states and increase efforts in the fight against tax havens.”
It added: “In this regard, efforts by tax authorities in both countries is important for increasing international pressure on tax havens through a network of agreements on the exchange of information in line with international efforts being made with the other OECD countries.”
Spain, the UK, Germany, France, and Italy aim to ensure that the model agreed with the US is adopted multilaterally by a majority of countries in order to thus strengthen efforts against tax fraud and so-called “tax havens.”
The launch of such an initiative is intended to enable Europe and the US to spearhead the promotion of a global system of automatic information exchange.
It seems clear that within a very short time most of the World will be sharing information about taxpayers. Rather a scary thought…
BIG TIPS
If you are a waiter or a waitress, it can pay to be amenable to your customers as with all service industries. The other day a waitress and Tumblr user calling herself Casual Cynic posted a picture of the tip her mother – another waitress – had just received in the States.
It was a big one. In fact, it was a $1,000 tip on a $60 meal.
Her mother had been chatting to the customer about her dream of visiting Italy, and the mystery diner duly obliged, writing next to the tip that it was “your ticket to Italy”.
For those of you who don’t know, Ryan Seacrest is the host of American Idol and a popular face on American TV. In 2010 he went on holiday in Sardinia, spent a cool $50,000 on a swanky dinner for himself and a group of friends, and dropped the waitress a $10,000 tip.
He’s certainly her American idol now.
Believe me we are just glad of a thank you and a recommendation to others, but if you can send us an email of thanks, we love those too. 🙂
IRELAND/SPAIN
Don´t forget, the Republic of Ireland will face world and European champions Spain in a friendly in New York this summer.
Giovanni Trapattoni’s team will face the Spaniards at Yankee Stadium on 11 June. Enjoy!
The match will end a busy fortnight for the Republic, who take on England at Wembley on 29 May, Georgia in Dublin on 2 June and the Faroe Islands in a World Cup qualifier five days later.
The XVI Festival of Jazz in San Javier 29th June to 27th July 2013
Something that makes me feel that we are in the midst of Summer is an evening at the magical Festival of San Javier, which is not far from any of us and a wonderful evening. The XVI Festival Jazz San Javier 2013 will feature a “celebration” for the 25th Anniversary of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the return of The Blues Brothers Band, Uriah Heep, Shuggie Otis’ first concert in Spain, Bettye LaVette , Dahfer Youssef, Thierry Lang and John Pizzarelli, among other great musicians.
The Festival will feature 21 concerts spread out over 11 nights. It does not matter whether you are particularly a Jazz lover (I am not), there is usually something for everyone.
One of the most important concerts this year will be the Swiss pianist Thierry Lang. In his first and only visit to Spain, so far, Thierry Lang, considered one of the best European pianists, is performing with his Trio and trumpeter, also Swiss, Matthieu Michel.
Also one of the greats of R & B, Shuggie Otis, guitarist and singer, son of Johnny Otis, will be performing accompanied by a supergroup of 7 members, which could be one of the great events of the Festival.
One of the current best soul singers, Bettye LaVette, will be one of the female voices and one of the great voices of the moment, René Marie, who returns accompanied by two female stars, a young saxophone virtuoso, Grace Kelly, and Lynne Arriale pianist and composer.
Jazz San Javier 2013 will also feature Lou Donaldson, one of the greats of the golden age of jazz, who at 80 years old is still going strong.
The Tunisian musician Dhafer Youssef, oud teacher (Arabic lute) with his stunning mix of Tunisian music and jazz returns, John Pizzarelli the great Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, and the saxophonist Bill Evans with his blend of jazz, funk, rock and folk, accompanied by Soulgrass Band.
The Festival de Jazz de San Javier hosts for the first time Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Jon Batiste, pianist, and singer, has been one of the great revelations from New Orleans, with a strong sense of rhythm and spectacle.
The British rock band of the ’70s, Uriah Heep will perform and the Original Blues Brothers Band.
Spanish musicians, as always, have a part in the Festival, with prominent names there.
Tickets for concerts on 9 of the 11 nights cost 100 euros. The ticket price is 15 euros for most concerts, excluding Saturday July 13 which is 20 euros, and Friday July 19 will cost 25 euros.
The tickets can be purchased at the festivals office, located in the Town Hall, Plaza of Spain, San Javier, or by phone 968 191 568 (they speak English), or at www.ticketea.com and at the box office, or you can write to the following email address: [email protected] All information on the Jazz Festival San Javier can be found at www.jazzsanjavier.com
[email protected]
NEW OFFICE
Our new office is proving very popular and successful with it´s great position next to La Zenia Boulevard. So that you are all aware Eva, Amanda, Angie, Ana, Poli and Lynne are based at Calle Flores (otherwise known as the “old office” and Helena and Silvia are based at Calle Malaquita or the “new office” next to La Zenia Boulevard.
All the best from:
The team :
Poli Borisova (fiscal), Ana Maria Barbadora (utilities), Eva G. Gilmartin, Lynne Henderson, Angie Real, Amanda Thomas, AT Calle Flores, Bajo C, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa 03189, Spain
Phone: 96 676 17 41 – Fax: 96 677 32 38 skype: amanda.thomas57
Helena Labarta (NIEs/Residencias and car issues), Silvia Sanchez AT Calle Malaquita 1, Local B-1B, CC. Costa Zenia, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa 03189, Spain
Phone: 96 676 09 17skype: silvia spanish solutions
