If you live in Spain
and might possibly want citizenship one day, you should see how you
get on with these (bizarre?) questions from the test given to
applicants.
And if you're thinking
of buying property here, you might like to see this comment from
Frank Chalk, who usually comments on British educational aspects.
Possibly a tad controversial.
Which reminds me . . .
Here's a heartfelt comment from my blogger colleague, Lenox.-
The Entertainer Online:
Goodbye (and Thanks for all the Fish)
Spain is a great place
to live and many foreign residents would love to continue to stay
here. But . . . The country has so many problems - so much
corruption, stupidity and unfairness (see the story about the new
'Exit Tax' from Hacienda over at 'Business over Tapas').
Here's part of a letter
I got today: " . . . We're now making preparations to start
down-sizing and selling up next year. We've had enough of all this
shite . . . so have the neighbours. They're selling up too . . . "
The Health Minister has
just resigned over accusations of corruption. A senior regional
politician has been jailed. For corruption. The two previous
presidents of Andalucía are both under investigation. For
corruption.
An obscure Marxist
party will probably win the next National Elections, since the
mainstream politicians are - in large part - thought to be venal and
corrupt (and appear to have no plans to change this reputation,
beyond a senior PP figure saying today that they would be prepared to
enter into a post-electoral coalition with the PSOE - rather
confirming the suspicion that it doesn't matter who you vote for).
Unemployment, down slightly this month, is still unacceptable at 24%,
with 35% in socialist-run Andalucía.
Meanwhile, demolishing
British-owned homes in Almería does not, to use the old American
catch-phrase, 'play well in Peoria', leading to a massive
disinvestment from northern European settlers.
Such a wonderful
country: such a mess.
I suspect this cri-de-coeur reflects the fact that things are far worse in the South, where there are so many more expats and where they're played for suckers by local politicians and professionals - in line with the old adage that he who doesn't take advantage of a fool is an even bigger fool.
But here's a piece of undeniably good news - Bob Geldof is to perform in Vigo later this month. This
cheered me up no end. Not.
And here's a paragraph
which speaks for itself . . . A film featuring African masks,
choreographed Marxist theories, an IRA volunteer and comedic bottles
of tomato ketchup has been declared the most invigorating work of art
at this year’s Turner Prize. Duncan Campbell’s 'It for Others', a
54-minute sequence with no conclusion, baffled most critics but won
praise from judges, who described it as “an ambitious and complex
film which rewards repeated viewing”. It also, of course, speaks
for the state of art and artists. In the UK at, least.
Finally . . . My
daughter the nag: My (wonderful) elder daughter, Faye, is staying
with me at the moment, while tenants occupy her flat in Madrid. Apart
from indulging her immense creative abilities (writing and painting),
she's also moonlighting as a pseudo partner:-
Did you have anything
to eat today apart from ginger biscuits and pizza?
Yes, some chocolate.
And some squid.
Oh, that's alright
then.
There's a used cotton
bud on the table.
Yes, I've just used it.
[Looking at my peas]
Are those your vegetables for the week?
Is that apple core
finished then?
Yes.
Bit of a difference
between a bone you've chewed and that.
Finally, for Richard et
al.
Han & Her Adoring Gran (not to mention her proud aunt)
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