THE THREAD!!!

[Grollub]

Good night INP [8D]

[>:]

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Rather than vet or vilify the publication, I would just ask "is it true"? If so-and I believe that this unfortunate publication has the gist here-what a shame this is for Spain. We here tale of all sorts of problems with Spanish real estate crashes in the last two years. Is this not a reasonable iteration and example thereof?

Spain is about 47 miles down the crapper. That's not why the Daily Mail is despicable.

[Chickenboy]

Early morning pre-farm visit tithe. [&o]

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

Morning was at 0415 this morning to be at a train layout set up at 0600. Ran trains all day and back home now to run my part of our 3x2 partner game.

Now, that sounds like a great day! [8D]

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Apollo11

Hi all,

Oh dear Lord... this can't be reall...[X(][X(][X(][:D]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -lift.html

Uno problemo… Construction firm builds 47-storey skyscraper in Benidorm but forget to fit a lift

- Giant towers were supposed to be a symbol of Spain's bright new future
- Lift exists for first 20 floors - but developers doubled scale of building
- Now there is no more space for more lifts and motor equipment
- Architects have resigned after latest setback in beleaguered project

By Daily Mail UK


The 200metre high InTempo towers in Benidorm were billed as 'a vision of the future' and a symbol of Spain's reemergence from a crippling financial crisis.

With 47 floors of living space it was intended to be the tallest residential building in Europe.

But with only months until it is due for completion, contractors have hit upon a slight problem .

They forgot to build a lift.


Disaster; The architects behind Benidorm's InTempo towers have resigned after a series of embarrassing setbacks:




The towers were originally designed to be only 20 floors high, but ambitious developers decided to double the scale of the project midway through.

A lift exists for the first 20 floors, but beyond that there is only the stairs. And reports seen by Spain's El Pais newspaper suggest there is no more space for another lift or motor equipment.

It is only the latest in a series of setbacks which have beset the project.

InTempo was dreamed up in the decade-long building boom that saw new structures leap up across Spain in the late Nineties and early Noughties.

It was due to open in 2009, but now joins a series of white elephants that have been caused by the country's deep recession.

Furore over the Benidorm towers has grown in recent weeks, after the team of architects left. El Pais was given access to documents which revealed the extent of the catastrophes that have beset the tourist town's biggest project.

The newspaper reports that not only did construction workers go for four months without pay in 2010, but they were also forced to walk up and down the half-constructed towers for months as a service lift was not built until the first 23 storeys had been completed.

The lift that was eventually installed collapsed in July 2011, injuring 13 workers.

Ambulances reportedly struggled to reach them, because the area surrounding the construction site had not been cleared for vehicle access in an alleged bid to save money.


High-rise resort: Benidorm calls itself 'the New York of the Mediterranean':




The architects have resigned, despite the last eight floors - which will unite the two neighbouring towers with communal gardens and pools - remaining incomplete.

And amid further financial problems, the building has now been taken over by Spain's so-called 'bad bank' - the Sociedad de Gestión de Activos de la Reestructuración Bancaria - which was set up to consolidate the country's most toxic assets.

In what has come to symbolise the madness of Spanish boom-time investment, the original bank investor Caixa Galicia asked the developer to raise just €3,100 in capital in return for it offering €93m towards to the project, according to The Guardian.

Despite plans to open the twin towers to great fanfare in 2009, the block remains only 94 per cent complete. Only 35 per cent of the 269 units have been sold. It is now expected to be finished in December of this year, and the remaining flats will go on sale at a lower price.

Benidorm likes to refer to itself as "the New York of the Mediterranean" thanks to its proliferation of skyscrapers.

It was one of the first resorts discovered by British package holidaymakers.

But although it continues to attract visitors in search of sun, sea and sand, it has not seen much of an increase in tourist spend in recent years.

The idea of building a dramatic new skyscraper with sweeping sea views was supposed to be part of a project to make Benidorm more upmarket. But the recession has slowed progression.

InTempo is not the only Spanish white elephant to have hit the headlines.

An airport constructed in Ciudad Real, near Madrid, cost €1billion before it was closed in 2012 due to a lack of business. It is now being sold off for just €100million.


White elephant: The Ciudad Real airport, built in Spain's boom time, is now being sold off:

Leo "Apollo11"

Leo "Apollo11"

I have very fond memories of Benidorm. It was my very first overseas port call on my first Navy deployment. Great beaches, great pubs, great sangria, and great girls. [8D] 1989 was a long time ago. [:D]

[USSAmerica]

Good Monday morning - Tithe. [&o][&o][&o]

[nashvillen]

Good Morning!

[fodder]

Good Morning! [:)]

[Schanilec]

Good morning all.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

Good day!


Leo "Apollo11"

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Sorry Leo, but you should really hold yourself too good to read The Daily Mail. They are the scum of the Earth.

Kristian, the news is form "El Pais" (i.e. Spanish newspaper) - the Daily Mail UK only covered it for UK...

Why do I use "Daily Mail UK" - it has nice pictures accompanying the article(s) - I don't pretend to like what they write in text itself... it is a tabloid after all (but no other on-line source offer nice accompanying pictures)... [8D]


Leo "Apollo11"

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Rather than vet or vilify the publication, I would just ask "is it true"? If so-and I believe that this unfortunate publication has the gist here-what a shame this is for Spain. We here tale of all sorts of problems with Spanish real estate crashes in the last two years. Is this not a reasonable iteration and example thereof?

http://economia.elpais.com/economia/201 ... 11593.html


Leo "Apollo11"

[Dixie]

Hello gang.

[nashvillen]

Dixie - has rjopel gotten by to see you yet?

[Symon]

Howdy USS Mike, bradfordkay, and rum lovers everywhere [;)]. Mount Gay has an incredibly well made and well priced high end offering called Black Barrel. Wasn't aware of it till my shipper at Hi-Times Cellars, in Cali, subbed in a couple bottles with a note that just said 'try this'. I did and, after I woke up, changed my regular order. That stuff is excellent (excelente). As tasty as Pussers but without the sharpness/bitterness. At $25.00 a fifth, I just found my ultimate go-to rum.

ps, for all you serious rum drunks out there, this is a rum that you might want to sip neat to fully appreciate. It's really good. Trust me [8D]

Ciao. John

[Dixie]

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

Dixie - has rjopel gotten by to see you yet?

Er, no. Should he have?

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Symon

Howdy USS Mike, bradfordkay, and rum lovers everywhere [;)]. Mount Gay has an incredibly well made and well priced high end offering called Black Barrel. Wasn't aware of it till my shipper at Hi-Times Cellars, in Cali, subbed in a couple bottles with a note that just said 'try this'. I did and, after I woke up, changed my regular order. That stuff is excellent (excelente). As tasty as Pussers but without the sharpness/bitterness. At $25.00 a fifth, I just found my ultimate go-to rum.

ps, for all you serious rum drunks out there, this is a rum that you might want to sip neat to fully appreciate. It's really good. Trust me [8D]

Ciao. John

Will have to look for that one. Thanks John!

[Onime No Kyo]

Buenos dias hombres.

I see the place hasnt changed much.

How the heck is everyone?

[Onime No Kyo]

On a separate note, has anyone heard from our favorite cephalopod, Cuttlefish? I see he hasnt updated his AAR since before I was last here. [:(]

[nashvillen]

ORIGINAL: Dixie

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

Dixie - has rjopel gotten by to see you yet?

Er, no. Should he have?

He is near Peterbourgh and said he was going to look you up when he got a chance.