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	<channel>
		<title><![CDATA[AlmerimarLife Forum]]></title>
		<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The most recent topics at AlmerimarLife Forum.]]></description>
		<lastBuildDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:16:22 +0000</lastBuildDate>
		<generator>FluxBB</generator>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA['EL ARROZ' Thursday Special Menu, March, 18th]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/765/el-arroz-thursday-special-menu-march-18th/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[[b]EVERY THURSDAYS FROM 8 TO 9 p.m. JUST FOR 10€[/b]

[b]March, 18th  menu[/b]

[u]Starters[/u]

- “Empanada Gallega” Typical Galician Pie (Filled Puff Pastry stuffed with tuna).
- Vegetables & Chicken Soup

[u]Main Courses[/u]

- Grilled Salmon served with vegetables.
- “Pollo en Pepitoria” (Chicken Casserole) served with fresh fried potatoes 


[u]Desserts[/u]

- Home made desserts.

A drink (small beer, glass of house wine, soft drink or water) is included.

[b]PLEASE, RESERVE YOUR TABLE.[/b]

[b]Tel.: 950 60 77 23
e-mail: elarroz@elarroz.net
[url=http://www.elarroz.net]www.elarroz.net[/url][/b]]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (elarroz)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:16:22 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/765/el-arroz-thursday-special-menu-march-18th/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[India Gate For Sale?]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/764/india-gate-for-sale/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Anyone know if there is any truth behind the rumour that the India Gate is to close? I know the restaurant is up for sale but that doesn't really mean anything does it as I am sure a lot of places would sell if made the right offer, but I heard that they were actually closing in a few weeks time?]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (John)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:20:12 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/764/india-gate-for-sale/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Porto Fino - Beautiful 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Apartment for Rent]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/656/porto-fino-beautiful-3-bedroom-2-bathroom-apartment-for-rent/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Man I have to [url=http://www.propertyrescue.co.uk]sell house quick[/url] we just closed on the new one and my wife is in a panic to get this one sold and move out. We dont need the money so i dont see why she is freaking out.]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (davegs)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:15:01 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/656/porto-fino-beautiful-3-bedroom-2-bathroom-apartment-for-rent/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Currency Market Update 16/03/10]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/763/currency-market-update-160310/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[[b]The Pound[/b]  - A short lived high 1.1051 on the Euro and 1.5205 on the Dollar yesterday gave some hope of some momentum in sterling’s favour. However an EU Commission report to be published on Wednesday states that the government's plans for reducing the budget deficit are not ambitious enough. The report warns that the UK is not on course to cut its deficit in line with EU rules by a deadline of 2015. Those rules say deficits must be below 3% of GDP, but the UK's is expected to hit 12.6% of GDP - this year. In fact the UK has the worst percentage out of all the major countries in the Euro-zone and that includes Greece.

[b]Budget Deficit figs as % of GDP [/b]         
UK 13%
Greece 12.5%
Spain 11.25%
Ireland 11.25%
Italy 5.3%
Germany 3.5%
Source: European Commission 2009

 Rightmove’s house price index fell sharply for the month of March coming in at 0.1% versus 3.2% in February. The release yesterday had no immediate impact on the pound as equity markets initially opened in a positive territory. It will be interesting this morning to see how the markets react if any to the fight between Gordon Brown and one of his biggest financial backers the Unite Union. With a lot of Euro and US data out today we could see some major moves.
[b]
Major Data out Today[/b]
FR  CPI
FR HICP
DE  ZEW (Current Conditions)
DE ZEW (Economic Sentiment)
EU ZEW (Economic Sentiment)
EU HICP - Core (F)
EU HICP (F)
US Housing Starts
US Import prices
US FOMC interest rate announcement

[b]Live IB rates at 5.00 am[/b]
GBP - EURO 1.098
GBP - USD 1.505
GBP- AUD 1.644
EURO - USD 1.369]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (PhilBen)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:01:20 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/763/currency-market-update-160310/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Spain Football Results 09/10]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/674/spain-football-results-0910/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[March 15th

Primera Liga Results
Getafe 3 - 0	Mallorca
Sporting 0 - 0	Athletic
Sevilla 1 - 1	Deportivo
Tenerife 4 - 1	Espanyol
Almería 1 - 0	Málaga
Villarreal 2 - 0	Xerez
Racing 0 - 0	R. Zaragoza
Barcelona 3 - 0	Valencia
Valladolid 1 - 4	R.Madrid
Atlético -	Osasuna - Plays Monday


Classification
1	R.Madrid	65
2	Barcelona	65
3	Valencia	47
4	Sevilla	44
5	Mallorca	43
6	Deportivo	42
7	Athletic	41
8	Getafe	36
9	Villarreal	36
10	Almería	33
11	Sporting	32
12	Atlético	31
13	Osasuna	31
14	Espanyol	28
15	Málaga	27
16	Racing	27
17	R. Zaragoza	26
18	Tenerife	23
19	Valladolid	20
20	Xerez	15

Second Division

Cartagena	4 - 1	Cádiz
R. Unión	1 - 3	R. Betis
Levante	6 - 1	Nástic
Numancia	1 - 0	Huesca
Córdoba	0 - 1	Murcia
Rayo	0 - 2	Villarreal B
Castellón	0 - 1	Girona
Hércules	0 - 1	Las Palmas
Albacete	0 - 2	Celta
Recreativo	2 - 1	Elche
Salamanca	0 - 0	R.Sociedad


1	R.Sociedad	52
2	Hércules	51
3	Cartagena	48
4	R. Betis	45
5	Levante	45
6	Numancia	43
7	Villarreal B	42
8	Elche	38
9	Recreativo	37
10	Las Palmas	36
11	Girona	36
12	Nástic	36
13	Salamanca	35
14	Córdoba	35
15	Rayo	34
16	Murcia	33
17	Celta	33
18	Huesca	33
19	Albacete	29
20	Cádiz	28
21	R. Unión	26
22	Castellón	21]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:48:36 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/674/spain-football-results-0910/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Currency Market Update]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/762/currency-market-update/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[[b]The Pound [/b]Greater market optimism fuelled a broad-based sterling rally the end of last week, after a news report showed the Bank of England’s ‘approval rating’ to be at its highest since March2007 and a further survey suggested analysts expectations for higher interest rate in the UK was now at a greater than 50% chance for a hike by the end of 2010. However this could be short lived amid fears a hung parliament is more likely to happen.

[b]The Dollar[/b] has retained its position as the key international currency, contributing to the 'AAA' rating on its government, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said in a report published on Thursday. The article, which is titled "Après Le Déluge, the US Dollar Remains the main International Currency.  "If the dollar did not have this role, we believe that the US would not have such ready access to external financing, interest rates would have to rise to attract higher domestic savings, and potential growth would fall," according to John Chambers, chairman of Standard & Poor's sovereign rating committee.

[b]The Euro[/b] with a relatively quite day in data today, Stirling could make some advances against the Euro and the Dollar. The Euro has also seen some strength against the Dollar. This trend could gain momentum now the Greece issues have been fully digested.

[b]Major Data out Today[/b]
UK BoE release Quarterly Bulletin
UK Rightmove House Prices
US Empire State Survey
US Treasury International Capital System (TICS)

[b]Live IB rates at 7.04 am UK[/b]
GBP - EURO 1.104
GBP - USD 1.518
GBP- AUD 1.658
EURO - USD 1.374]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (PhilBen)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:09:21 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/762/currency-market-update/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Almeria 09/10 Fixtures]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/187/almeria-0910-fixtures/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Almería 1 Malaga 0]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:58:01 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/187/almeria-0910-fixtures/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Premiership Weekly Table, Results & Fixtures]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/487/premiership-weekly-table-results-fixtures/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Week 30

Results:

Sunday 14th March
Man Utd 3 - 0 Fulham
Sunderland 1 - 1 Man City

Saturday 13th March
Tottenham 3 - 1 Blackburn
Bolton 4 - 0 Wigan
Chelsea 4 - 1 West Ham
Burnley 1 - 2 Wolverhampton
Hull 1 - 2 Arsenal
Stoke 0 - 0 Aston Villa
Birmingham 2 - 2 Everton

Wednesday 10th March
Burnley 1 - 1 Stoke

Tuesday 9th March
Sunderland 4 - 0 Bolton
Portsmouth 1 - 2 Birmingham

Monday 8th March
Wigan 1 - 0 Liverpool

[center][img=Week 30]http://almerimarlife.com/forum/img/PW30.png[/img][/center] 

Fixtures:

Monday 15th March
20:00	Liverpool vs Portsmouth

Tuesday 16th March
19:45	Wigan vs Aston Villa

Saturday 20th March
12:45	Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton (On Sky)
15:00	Everton vs Bolton
15:00	Portsmouth vs Hull
15:00	Stoke vs Tottenham
15:00	Sunderland vs Birmingham
15:00	Wigan vs Burnley
17:30	Arsenal vs West Ham

Sunday 21st March
13:30	Man Utd vs Liverpool (On Sky)
15:00	Fulham vs Man City
16:00	Blackburn vs Chelsea (On Sky)]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:56:24 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/487/premiership-weekly-table-results-fixtures/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[2010 Six Nations Fixtures & Results]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/633/2010-six-nations-fixtures-results/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Week Four:

13th and 14th March:

Ireland 27 Wales 12
Scotland 15 England 15
France 46 Italy 20]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:11:47 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/633/2010-six-nations-fixtures-results/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Naps & Chocolate Biscuits]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/761/naps-chocolate-biscuits/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Naps & Chocolate Biscuits

The early spring still chills my bones
The late afternoon sun slipping lazily into the sea
Tasks beckon insistently 
Duty’s call goes unheeded
Soft and warm Sunday’s sofa steals me away
To the land of nod, the land of dreams
Cat napping with the cats napping on me

Waking hazily, dazedly, wondering about time
The sun now gone but it’s time to rise
Slept too long chores still not done
Kettle whistles
Cats yawn and stretch
A fresh pot of coffee, a fresh sense of purpose
And best of all: guilty pleasures
Delicious chocolate biscuits
Sunday’s treat now complete
…hmmmm, perhaps just five minutes more…

Iain]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (iaindkemp)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:21:13 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/761/naps-chocolate-biscuits/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[An Evening With Eddie Stacey 13th March 2010]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/736/an-evening-with-eddie-stacey-13th-march-2010/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Hope you have bought your ticket for tonight!]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Leo's)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:28:48 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/736/an-evening-with-eddie-stacey-13th-march-2010/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Latest On Proposed Spain Air Traffic Controller Easter Strike]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/760/latest-on-proposed-spain-air-traffic-controller-easter-strike/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[With a number of people scheduled, or planning, to fly into Almería this Easter I thought I would create a post to catch all the latest news etc. If you hear anything or have a question fire it over, or join the forum and post directly.

At the moment the position is very much that there could be a strike and flights to the 48 state-run airports could be disrupted as recent talks broke down between AENA the Spanish Airports Authority and the Controller's Union.

Worst case scenario is no air traffic controllers work and all the airports are closed. The government is currently considering using military air traffic controllers but it is unclear if that would be at selected airports only.]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:32:55 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/760/latest-on-proposed-spain-air-traffic-controller-easter-strike/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Up to 25% off easyJet Flights April to July]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/758/up-to-25-off-easyjet-flights-april-to-july/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Flying back from the UK yesterday morning with easyJet I noticed they are offering 25% off certain flights between 19th April and 15th July, if booked before midnight on Tuesday 16th March 2010.

Details at [url=http://www.easyjet.com]www.easyjet.com[/url]]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:17:09 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/758/up-to-25-off-easyjet-flights-april-to-july/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Court Challenge Against Voting Law That Disenfranchises Britons Abroad]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/757/court-challenge-against-voting-law-that-disenfranchises-britons-abroad/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Have been asked to post this Press Release from Christopher Chantrey, Chairman, British
Community Committee, France:

[quote]Yesterday, lawyers acting on behalf of James Preston applied for judicial review
of the British law that strips British citizens living overseas for more than 15 years of the
right to vote in Parliamentary elections. Mr. Preston’s lawyers argue that the law penalizes
British citizens as a result of their exercise of free movement and establishment rights
guaranteed by the European Union, in violation of European Law.

The Government says that restricting the right of British citizens to vote in Parliamentary
elections is justified, but Mr. Preston disagrees. “I’m a British citizen and only a British
citizen, married to a British wife and both of us work for British firms. I read British papers,
my children attend a British school and my estate taxes are owed to the British government

when I die. This law penalizes me for taking advantage of the opportunities that the British
government promised to all citizens when Britain joined the EU. The spirit of this law is
entirely inconsistent with British democratic traditions as well as our foreign policy, where
we work to bring democracy to far off corners of the world.” Mr. Preston, born in Leicester,
now lives and works in Madrid, Spain after posting by his British employer 15 years ago.
Unlike the United States or other major countries in the European Union, such as France,
Germany, Italy, and Spain, the United Kingdom strips citizens of the right to vote in
Parliamentary elections for the mere fact of having resided abroad for more than 15 years.
Though exceptions exist for the military, civil servants and British Council employees, all
other citizens, including Church of England missionaries and English teachers at British
schools around the corner from the British Council, lose the right to vote after 15 years
abroad. In addition to British citizens like Mr. Preston, the only other citizens who do not
enjoy the right to vote are children, individuals who suffer from mental illness, and criminals.

Mr. Preston’s counsel, Romano Subiotto QC, noted that, “The British voting law penalizes
British citizens who exercise their fundamental rights to move freely between European
Union countries. It prevents British citizens from enjoying the same free movement rights
guaranteed to the citizens of other EU countries. This law is an anachronism in this day and age of easy, quick, and reliable communications.”

Mr Preston is represented by Romano Subiotto QC of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
and Daniel Jowell of Brick Court Chambers, both of whom are acting on a pro bono basis in
view of the important constitutional issue raised by this case.

Questions and Answers

Q. Does the law prevent all citizens resident abroad from voting?
A. No. Only those citizens, who have been absent from the Registrar of Electors for 15
years or longer are prevented from voting. Citizens who have been resident abroad for less
than 15 years are still able to vote, either in person in their constituency in Britain, or by
proxy or mail-in ballot. In addition, members of the British military, civil servants, and
employees of the British Council, a registered charity, as well as their spouses and civil
partners, retain their right to vote, regardless of the length of their absence from Britain.

Q. Is European law relevant to British voting laws?
A. Yes. When Britain entered the European Union, it obtained free movement rights for
its citizens across the Union. At the same time, Britain opened its borders to workers from
other European countries. Workers from other major European countries have come to
Britain to prosper, all the while enjoying the full rights of citizenship in their home countries,

including the right to vote. But British citizens wishing to pursue similar ventures in Europe
lose the right to vote, a penalty that goes to the heart of British culture and traditions. By
penalizing its own citizens for the exercise of free movement rights, Britain infringes the
guarantees of the European treaties.

Mr. Preston takes the position that the 15-year rule is a penalty that results directly from his exercise of his fundamental rights to move and establish himself freely throughout the
European Union. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union protects these
fundamental rights, and the Court of Justice of the European Union has consistently held that any penalty, however minor, arising from the exercise of these fundamental rights violates the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Q. How is the law discriminatory?
A. Members of the armed forces, Crown servants, and employees of the British Council
are exempted from disenfranchisement after 15 years abroad, leading to the curious result
that, for example, a Briton employed by the European Commission will lose the right to vote
after living in Brussels for more than 15 years, whereas a Briton working on the other side of the road for the UK embassy to the European Union will not, however long he/she has
resided in Brussels, now a mere 2 hour train ride from London, i.e., closer to London than
many towns in the UK. Mr. Preston’s view is that the law is therefore discriminatory.
What is more, because of its arbitrariness, the 15-year rule is inherently incapable of
providing an objective and justified basis to determine who should have the right to vote.
Why should Britons, who have lived in, say, Brussels, for 16 years lose the right to vote
while those, who have lived there for 14 years still enjoy that right? Indeed, why should
Britons, who live in another state of the European Union because they have been requested to do so by UK companies, or because they represent the UK in international organizations,
such as the European institutions in Brussels, or work for NGOs representing UK interests, be penalized by losing the right to vote?

Q. Are citizens abroad less affected by the actions of Parliament and less interested in
British matters? If so, would this justify excluding them from voting?
A. The Government is likely to argue that the law is justified because, among other
things, it achieves what they consider to be the indispensable public interest objective of
preventing residents abroad who are not proximate to Britain from voting.
But this justification is not legally sufficient and factually incorrect. It is clear that citizens
abroad demonstrate a range of engagement with Britain and the British Government, and that modern day communications have given Britons abroad more ability than ever before to remain close to their homeland. Mr. Preston is a case in point – his identity remains British, preserved in part through strong ties to British life through family, business and cultural connections, as well as by an enduring commitment to the shared ideals and beliefs that characterize the United Kingdom. Like many other Britons abroad, Mr. Preston also continues to be affected by many decisions of Parliament much in the same way as citizens resident within Britain – he remains liable for estate taxes in Britain and his children are likely to attend British schools and universities, as well as being affected (like all other
British citizens) by the British Government’s international actions, such as the decisions to
send troops into Iraq or Afghanistan. The British Electoral Commission recently recognized
the continuing connection that citizens overseas maintain with Britain. When launching a
campaign to encourage overseas voting, the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Jenny
Watson, confirmed that: “British citizens living abroad come from a wide variety of
backgrounds, but we know that most maintain strong links with the UK. It is easier than ever before for British citizens abroad to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues back home and many will also want to have their say in elections.”

The 15-year rule has no bearing on the degree to which a British citizen will be affected by
the election of the next Government. If disenfranchising citizens without a connection to
Britain is indeed the law’s purpose, it goes much too far. At the same time, the law makes no effort to determine the level of connection to Britain and the British government of citizens at home or resident abroad less than 15 years. Disproportionate laws are not consistent with British constitutional traditions.

Q. Would it be too complex for the Electoral Commission to organize voting for people
in Mr. Preston’s circumstances?
A. No. The Electoral Commission already maintains an active service intended to
register and facilitate voting by British citizens resident abroad who remain eligible to vote
(i.e., whose absence has yet to exceed 15 years). Mr. Preston requests only the same services that are already available, namely the opportunity to return home to Britain to vote, to vote by proxy, or by mail-in ballot.

Q. Would it be too complex for candidates for Parliament to campaign overseas?
A. Candidates for Parliament are entitled to promote their candidacy in any way they see
fit. Most candidates today use a range of modern means to communicate their candidacy to voters, including websites and telephone solicitation. It is a truism that communication and political debate no longer depend on physical proximity. There is no evidence that citizens abroad who retain the right to vote are not sufficiently well informed to cast their ballots, or that the information made available by candidates for Parliament is not reaching them.

Moreover, candidates for Parliament have access to the Electoral Register, a list that directs
them to their constituency’s voters, whether at home or across the European Union or the
world. Finally, recent campaign visits by French and other foreign politicians to London,
where many of their potential voters live, have demonstrated the feasibility of
communicating, even in person, with voters abroad.

These arguments aside, the convenience of campaigning for politicians is not a relevant factor upon which the government may disenfranchise British citizens, and more fundamentally, there is no suggestion that the free expression of opinion would be jeopardized, or indication how it would be jeopardized, if Parliamentary candidates decided to campaign among expatriates abroad or decided not to campaign among them, but communicate in some other way.

Q. Rather than bringing proceedings before the High Court, would it not be simpler
for interested citizens like Mr. Preston to simply return to Britain for a short period
of time, and then leave, re-starting the 15 year grace period in the process?
A. Yes. The effect of the law can be easily defeated if Mr. Preston simply returned to
Britain for a very short period of time to re-establish residency, and then returned to Spain.
In those circumstances he would be permitted to vote for a further 15 years. That the law is ineffective at accomplishing its purpose shows just how unjust the law really is. There is no reason why British citizens abroad with sufficient means to return home temporarily should continue to have the right to vote, while those citizens without such means lose the right to vote. Though Mr. Preston could defeat the law’s operation, he challenges it because he recognizes that it represents a violation of fundamental principles of fairness and the rights of citizens to participate in the political process.

Q. Who is James Preston?
A. James Preston was born in Leicester in 1968 and grew up in Lancashire. He read
history at the University of London and following graduation found work as a commercial
surveyor with, among others, Jones Lang Wootton, the British commercial property
consultancy firm. In 1995 Jones Lang Wootton assigned Mr. Preston to a posting in Madrid.

He has lived in Madrid ever since, and is currently an employee and part owner of the
Spanish subsidiary of a British property investment management firm. Mr. Preston is and
remains exclusively a British citizen.

Mr. Preston and his British wife Nicola have two children, aged 4 and 6, both of whom are
British citizens and both of whom attend a British school in Madrid.[/quote]]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (Chris)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:24:54 +0000</pubDate>
			<guid>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/757/court-challenge-against-voting-law-that-disenfranchises-britons-abroad/new/posts/</guid>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Currency Market Update 12/03/10]]></title>
			<link>http://almerimarlife.com/forum/topic/756/currency-market-update-120310/new/posts/</link>
			<description><![CDATA[[b]The Pound[/b] The number of houses sold in England and Wales fell at the start of 2010. A 52% drop not seen since the beginning of the recession. The bad weather and the end of stamp duty relief are being blamed for the slump. Meanwhile speaking to the BBC Chancellor Alistair Darling has warned people not to expect a "giveaway" when the government's Budget is announced later this month. Mr Darling said that the Budget would be "sensible" and "reflect the times in which we live". He also reaffirmed his commitment to halve the country's budget deficit over a four-year period. If he fails he can always blame it on the weather.

[b]The Dollar [/b] U.S. Census Bureau has announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for January, adjusted for seasonal variation, holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $355.8 billion, an increase of 0.5 % from the previous month and 4.7 % above January 2009. Total sales for the November 2009 through January 2010 period were up 4.3 % from the same period a year ago. The November - December 2009 % change was revised from -0.3 % to -0.1 %. Retail trade sales were up 0.5 % from December 2009 and 5.3 % above last year. Petrol stations sales were up 29.0 % from January 2009 and non store retailers sales were up 12.4 % from last year. Meanwhile Standard & Poor's released a statement that the dollar's role as global reserve currency has not been challenged by the global credit crunch. The report warned the U.S. not to take the dollar's role for granted. Unless it addresses its fiscal deficit and debt, foreign investors could start to reduce dollar holdings, pushing rates higher and undermining the economy, which in turn could threaten the U.S.'s triple-A rating.

[b]The Euro[/b] Good news for Volkswagen, a second consecutive record year for deliveries and BMW, helped by the new 5-Series sedan, aims for an increase in sales as China, Brazil and the U.S. propel a recovery in the global car market. Volkswagen’s car, sport-utility vehicle and commercial-van sales rose 27 % in the first two months of 2010, outpacing industry growth of 20 %
[b]
Major Data out Today[/b]
JP Industrial Production (F)
CA Net Change in Employment
CA Unemployment
US Retail Sales
US Retail Sales Ex Autos
US Univ of Mich Sent. (P)
[b]
Live IB rates at 5.59 am UK[/b]
GBP - EURO 1.099
GBP - USD 1.505
GBP - AUD 1.643
EURO – USD 1.369]]></description>
			<author><![CDATA[dummy@example.com (PhilBen)]]></author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:03:18 +0000</pubDate>
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