Dawn

Dawn

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Une melange.

Spanish TV: This is about to air a program centring on tough interviews with well-known personalities. Or, more likely, witless celebs. This, believe it or not, will be called Feis to Feis. I kid you not.

Social Antennae: I've been known to say that many Spaniards lack these, appearing to be totally unaware – or unconcerned about – the presence of others. Wonderful people, by and large, but this is one certainly one of their faults. I was reminded of this on Sunday, when I left the terrace of a bar to go and borrow a pen from one of the staff. I came back 30 seconds later to find my seat occupied, even though my (full) cup of coffee was on the table, next to a cake and an open newspaper with a notepad in the middle of it. I should add that it was one of only 2 tables occupied out of 10. And I should stress there was the inevitable wholesome apology, something the Spanish are great at. But they do get a lot of practice.

More Troubled Sensitivities: One of the most popular groups in Saturday's Lenten procession in Pontevedra was that of some guys dressed as officers of the Guardia Legionaria Española, carrying Ravachol the parrot, with its arms outstretched.


It was entitled Ravachol de la Buena Muerte, and was a parody of the Legion's annual procession featuring El Cristo de la Buena Muerte. Highly amusing to everyone except a young Catholic chap, who's initiated a law suit for offending him and, perhaps, his co-religionists. Funny isn't it? You can take the piss out of, say, politicians, bankers, businessmen, teachers and policemen but you can't upset religionists. Merely because they're sensitive. And don't like you making fun of beliefs not shared by most of the rest of us. As if atheists can't be upset by the ridiculous claims made about them. Anyway, I lied about you being able to insult policemen; the outgoing right-wing PP government effectively made this a criminal offence. These poor chaps (and chapesses) are obviously very sensitive too.


Brexit and us British Expats: Allaying, perhaps, the fears of some of us Brits that an exit from the EU would be disastrous for us, this commentator takes issue with this concern and says there's nothing to worry about. Even if we don't take out Spanish citizenship to stay safe and sound. Which I might just do anyway, even if it does cost quite a lot and take over 2 years to achieve. Perhaps they don't really want us. 

A Nuisance Solution?: Those of us who take a midday tiffin in the old quarter of Pontevedra are constantly bothered by beggars and pigeons. Plus the occasional rapacious seagull bold enough to take the tapa from your very hands. The beggars have enough brainpower to know they're wasting their time with me but the pigeons and the seagulls are, of course, bird-brains. For the last few months, I've been using a powerful water-pistol, to some effect, but I've read of a drone disguised as a hawk, specially designed to solve avian problems. And the company making it is in nearby Vigo. I await details of the price. 

Russian Propaganda: As I've said a few times, I enjoy watching RT TV of a morning, just to get a few laughs from the staggeringly obvious and raucously partisan view it takes of Moscow's doings. And from the unintentionally amusing propaganda it exists to dispense. I also find this site informative on the subject of Russian disinformation campaigns. You have to read of it to believe it.

Finally . . . Adolf Hitler. At only 5 foot 8 inches(173cm), he'd surely have been called 'a little prick' in modern parlance. All too accurately it seems. Boy, was he over-compensating for size inadequacies.

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