Dawn

Dawn

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I mentioned the other day that the Spanish government had insisted – in the context of a documentary on the despoliation of the coast – that everything associated with the administration should be accurate and non-tendentious. I thought of this again today when reading this article on the official housing data recently issued. As Mark Stricklin says, it’s so questionable as to invite ridicule.

It’s fascinating to watch the unfolding drama of the rescue of the Greek economy, with the Germans refusing to be steamrollered into largesse by the French and the Greeks countering by making threats to throw themselves into the arms of the IMF that may well turn out to be counterproductive. As of today, Mrs Merkel is reported to be suggesting that delinquent countries be suspended from the eurozone. Which is probably more worrying to the Spanish government than its Greek counterpart. Especially on the day the European Commission has again takes issue with its forecasts.

Talking of countries with economic woes, it seems things are now so bad over in Argentina the government there is exhorting everyone to eat more fish in place of increasingly expensive beef. Specifically the fish which is highly prized by the Spanish but dismissed as bland by the French – the merluza, or hake. This is usually known as merlu in French but occasionally, would you believe, as colin.

Finally . . . A couple of months ago, I happily responded to a request from the owner of my Sunday tapas bar that I translate his menu into English. When I handed it in, they offered me payment but I insisted it'd been done as a favour. Today, I was surprised and delighted to receive a gift-wrapped token of appreciation from him. A book, in fact. However, I’d have been even more pleased if it’d been in English and not German. With luck, it will be one of the several languages my friend Alfie B. Mittington speaks.

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