Dawn

Dawn

Tuesday, July 05, 2016

Ponters Pensées: 5.7.16

Deserting HMS Spain: Many young Spaniards have voted with their feet since the bust of 2008, most of them heading for the UK. Where they now worry about the impact of Brexit on their newish life. Departures last year were more than ever, and were 24% up on 2014. More on this here.

Spain and the Brexit: With the UK leaving the EU, the latter's main language and its financial centre are said to be up for grabs. Madrid has made a bid for both of these. Can't see either of these happening myself but I wish them luck. See the case for the banking centre here.

Spanish Hipsterdom: My daughter's Madrid barrio of Malasaña – to her distress – is the epicentre of this. So, you'd expect it to be the site for Spain's first - would you believe? - cereal bar. But no, it's located somewhere else in the capital. Details here.

The EU: It's reported that Mrs Merkel has had quite enough of that buffoon Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the whole shooting match. And who can blame her? Specifically, she doesn't like the revanchist tone of his comments on the Brexit development. Separately, 'senior European political figures' finally appear to have realised that there's a popular revolt afoot. They're reported to have appealed on Sunday for the EU to set aside lofty debate as it struggles with Brexit-style populism, and instead to focus on measures which clearly benefit citizens. The German Finance, Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, has gone so far as to say: This is not a time for grand visions. The situation is so serious that we have to stop playing the usual European and Brussels games. If the (possible) Brexit achieves only this, it'll have been worth it. Even if it doesn't actually happen.

Was Christopher Columbus Galician?: Asks the Voz de Galicia in this video, taken next to his statue in one of Pontevedra's parks. HT to my Ferrol friend, Richard for this citation. This thesis is based on 2 main planks: 1. His notes are in Gallego. Or at least Gallego-Portuguese, and 2. Many of the names given to places in the New World are shared with towns and islands along our coast and our interior. Who knows, but the rest of the world's various claimants to this honour aren't terribly convinced.

Finally . . . A bad day at the office: In Italy yesterday, the jockey Chris Meehan was thrown by his mount and had his nose broken and his jaw gashed when the horse then kicked him in the face. As he lay in pain on the turf, the ambulance arrived and ran over his leg, breaking it. And converting pain into agony. Back in Ireland, Meehan's father's teaches people how to drive ambulances . . . 

Reader Eamon in La Coruña is a whiz with Photoshop. Here's his version of my early morning view, with the chap from the TurGalicia 'spots' taking a selfie outside my bedroom window.


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