Dawn

Dawn

Monday, January 18, 2016

Further Notes from South Manchester.

Spain: Don Quijones tells us that, absent any government until there's an effective coalition or successful new elections in May, things are now getting out of hand:-
  • Business confidence, the cornerstone of any economic recovery, is beginning to crumble.
  • As political tensions escalate, the chances of establishing even a weak interim government grow slimmer by the day.
  • Things are likely to get a whole lot uglier.
  • Spain could well be on the cusp of a perfect storm.

Should I be stocking up against the possibility of street riots and even a full-scale revolt? Perhaps not just yet. Meanwhile . . . .

Corruption: Two of Spain's heavyweights are in court this week, charged with one financial offence and another. 1. The kings' sister, Princess Cristina, and 2. A senior politico, Sr Rato, who was once head of the IMF. Both of them may well be found guilty – in several years's time - but neither is really expected to do time. That's just not done to important people here, where only the 'little people' serve out their sentences. One wonders why they bother to try and convict the big people. Perhaps to give the illusion of an effective and impartial judiciary.

Russian Disinformation: Watching the RT News has given me a passing interest in this subject. Here's a site I receive info from once a week. In case you're interested too. Of course, it might be the work of the CIA.

Indonesian Culinary Delights: For those of you – the majority I expect – who haven't enjoyed the wonderful cuisine of this vast country, here's a foto of it at its best, in the form of a traditional Rijstaffel – or Rice Table. 


Twenty or more dishes, some of them prepared with spices you've never tasted before. This one took place in Haarlem, where I was visiting Dutch friends whom I'd met when they passed through Pontevedra on the Portuguese Way to Santiago last summer. A wonderful evening of great company and fantastic food. The very essence of life.

Finally . . . A Little Local Issue


This foto shows the shared entry to the back of both my daughter's house and that of her neighbour(A). The latter is out of sorts with the owner of the house behind the hedge on the left (B), over smoke from A's garden fire. And vice versa. A puts his bins out on the pavement next to the hedge but B regards this as his land, which adds metaphorical fuel to a metaphorical fire. So, when the bins have been emptied, B puts them across the drive, blocking ingress to not just A but also my daughter and her husband. I hope to give you fotographic evidence of this ridiculous spat later this week. It could end, as some of these disputes do, with a killing. But not just yet, I hope.

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