I watched the Russian RDT channel this morning.
The line on the Crimean referendum was that the West had supported
several self-determination developments over the last few years. So
why should the Crimea be any different? Well, perhaps it's the factor
not mentioned by RDT - thousands of another country's troops within
its borders. Of course, we can't say to which country these belong as
there's no insignia on their uniform. But we can guess. Dutiful
employees as they are, the News announcers give the impression of not
knowing any of this.
Talking of that part of the world, I heard
yesterday a brief description of the government system in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, a country of only 4 million people. As a result, I now
know that Spain isn't the most over-governed country in the world.
In B&H, for example, the "Chair of the Presidency" rotates
among 3 members (Bosniak, Serb, Croat), each elected for an 8-month
period within their 4-year term as a member. And I thought the
Spanish President had a tough job!
And talking of referendums . . . The Catalan
President has confirmed that his on secession will be held
there on 9 November. The Spanish President has replied: "You
can't do that!" and the response from Cataluña has been: "You
just watch us!" So, no sensible dialogue as yet, unless it's
being done secretly. I suppose the Presidents will soon move to simultaneously
shouting at each other.
A Spanish reader has reminded me that Spain ranks
first in the world when it comes to organ transplants and the giving
of blood. True, but I suspect that these statistics are the only ones
which Spaniards believe. Unerstandably.
I've always felt that - from appearances - Spain
is a pretty equal society, with a very large middle class. Truth to
tell, there must be considerable poverty, as I've read a lot about it.
And there's certainly a lot of wealth. But I was still surprised to
read of a survey showing that Spain is the most unequal society in
Europe, with more than 3 million people living in 'extreme poverty',
while the number of millionaires continues to increase. At least
among crooked civil servants, politicians and (especially) bankers
and financiers. Pigs in a very large trough.
Spanish has 2 words for 'leather': piel and
cuero. A shopkeeper told me yesterday that one of them is
finer than the other. I'm guessing it's the former, as it literally
means 'skin'. As in 'pigskin' - piel de cerdo. But piel
can also mean 'fur'. As in abrigo de piel - 'furcoat'. I think
I bought the piel item. The price certainly suggested this.
Finally . . . The government has repealed the
daft law that banished chiringuitos ('refreshment stands') from
Spain's beaches. They're now allowed again, provided they're removed
at the end of the tourist season.
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