Dawn

Dawn

Friday, March 14, 2014

Referendums; Complex government; Spanish pride; Skin; & Reprieved chiringuitos.


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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