Dawn

Dawn

Monday, January 11, 2016

Sp. politics: Sp. companies; The Knowledge; Google & Facebook; Haarlem faces; & A lucky shot.

SPANISH POLITICS:
  1. The self-important President Mas of Cataluña has finally come to his senses and handed over to someone else at the eleventh hour, so that the independence train can stay on track, under a new regional government. The new chap seems even more anti-Spanish than Sr. Mas, taking an early opportunity to refer to 'invaders'. That should smooth ruffled feathers in Madrid. More on Cataluña developments here.
  2. Someone else who's seen (political) sense is the leader of the left-wing party, Podemos. He's finally withdrawn the one demand that would stop his party allying with the larger PSOE socialist party to dislodge the PP party from power. I doubt the jittery stock market(s) will be reassured by this development. To them, a non-existent government is possibly less worrying than a left-wing government.
CORPORATE SPAIN: Yes, very worrying times, says Don Quijones here. With at least half of Spain’s corporate sector dependent for a large chunk of its revenues and profits on markets that face a very dangerous cocktail of economic conditions, he stresses, Spanish investors would be well advised to pay close attention to what happens across the Atlantic.

BEING IN THE SPANISH KNOW: If this is what you need, think about Business Over Tapas. Informingly available at a fraction over €1 a week.

GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK: We worry about their clever computers and the knowledge they have of us. But should we? I ask because the ads I'm getting on my laptop suggest that all the previous data they have on me has gone by the board. And that, simply because I'm in Holland, the computer's concluded I must be Dutch. How's that for poor logic?

HAARLEM FEMALE FACES: As I walk around Haarlem, I get the impression there are quite a lot of women of a certain age on bikes with a similar physiognomy - a thinnish, weather-worn face below billowing, blondish hair. There are 3 possible explanations for this:-
  • Many of the women of Haarlem do actually look rather alike.
  • There is just one women doing a lot of riding around.
  • I'm being stalked.
The jury is still out on this. I will see what today brings.

FINALLY . . . A LUCKY SHOT: Talking of faces, . . . I was taking my morning constitutional yesterday, I noticed these 2 lovely Haarlem ladies enjoying a brief spot of sunshine. So, I waited until they'd closed their eyes for a second time and shot them. Someone had to do it. Moments later, the one on the left was mown down by a scooter. Which wiped the smile off her face.  I make a good shadow, by the way. 


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