Spanish
life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
-
Christopher
Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain.
Cataluña
- This is an example of the Spanish media's (alleged by me) obsession with Cataluña. It's about the undoubted corruption there. But one is compelled to wonder how interested El País has been over the years in the ruling PP's vast corruption
Spain
- Here's the latest places to join the Lonely Planet's list of Spain's beautiful villages. I have to say I've been to Mondoñedo and it didn't strike me as beautiful. But the camera never lies, does it?
- And here's the details of Spain's richest people, who seem to own even more of the country's assets than rich Americans do of theirs.
The UK
- I've suggested that the British public might be weary of the numerous Xmas charity TV appeals. Some evidence of this is the report that charitable contributions rose only 2% in the last year. In contrast, the profits of the company running the national lottery rose by 122%.
Germany
- Here's a contentious view of Germans I read last night, given in 1945 by Ernst Robert Curtius, a German literary scholar, philologist and Romance language literary critic: The trouble with Germans is that they have no experience of political freedom. Right up to the last century they were ruled by ridiculous little princelings; then the came under the influence of Prussian militarists. They have never freed themselves from servile attitudes of mind. The German people must learn the significance of political freedom. You English cut off the head of a king several hundred years ago. The basis of your freedom is that revolt against a tyrant exists as a possibility in your minds. The Germans have never risen against a tyrant. They always submit. I rather doubt that today's Germans are so subservient either to 'Muti' Merkel or President Juncker. But it's an interesting question. And it might well point to one reason why many Brits are so averse to the EU project/empire.
The USA
- More amusing bits from the diaries of the English poet, Stephen Spender, during his time in the USA in 1953:-
- The papers are
terrifying: obsessed with whether it would be a good thing to attack
the Chinese mainland, calling the communist bluff, etc.
- Baudelaire wrote in
1850 of the horror of the world being Americanised
- This morning on the
radio I heard a discussion about the kind of government Christ would
establish on earth. It sounded extraordinarily like the current
American administration. It would be righteous, democratic but
all-conquering. It would control all the administrative offices of
government, and would be directed by human agents who would resist
evil, all of which was on the increase all the time. Christ would
remain invisible, like agents of the FBI.
- I pointed out that
all the so-called facts [in the record of an interview with him] were
all wrong. The editor said this did not matter. All they wanted was
FACTS, right or wrong.
- Here's an article on President Fart's impact on some folk. It suggests he's suffering from several personality disorders and might well have arrived at 'decompensation'. Well, it this wasn't the case before his sensational setback in Alabama last night, the chances of this happening must be soaring now. A shaft of light on the horizon.
Spanish
- One of the biggests 'false friends' when learning Spanish is educación. Which means not 'education' but 'upbringing' in Castellano. And the same is true of the Portuguese educação. This might explain José Mourinho's odd claim that the post-match fracas in Manchester on Sunday was caused by the teams' 'diversity in education'.
Nutters Corner
- Ex-Hindu and now evangelist Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj: In August 2016 my spirit was called up to heaven and I appeared at the council of the prophets and Abraham was seated there as the chairman of the council. I stood on the right side of Abraham. I saw the spirit of Donald Trump appear there and Abraham looked at me and he said: ‘It has been decided in heaven that Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States of America.’
- Ray Moore, the Republican loser in Alabama: When the vote is this close it’s not over. God is always in control. Forgive us for disagreeing, Ray. But he does seem to have smitten you.
Galicia
- Needless to say, my insurance company did not send someone to check my claim 'within 24-48 hours'. In fact, it took more than a week. And when he arrived as 8pm last night, the assesor claimed the delay was due to the volume of claims arising from Sunday's storm. Nothing was said about last week's 2 public holidays and the 'bridge' which allowed some workers to take 3 days off.
Finally
- The worst thing you can hear on a rolling news station: Let us hear your thoughts. . .
- I don't know the difference between a regular white coffee, a latte and a flat white. All I know is that it's bloody hard to get the first of these in the UK. This seems to be because huge profits are made on the latter two options. Especially the flat white, which costs no more to make than the 'old-fashioned' latte but which sells at a premium to it. This is alleged by some pseud bugger to be because it has 'perceived value' arising from the fact it allows you to 'buy into a lifestyle.' Coffee, this chap tells us, is going through its 'Third Wave'. Under which this simple drink is being elevated to the status of an 'artisan food product'. I realise there are bigger things wrong with the world but capitialism transforming itself into relentless, unstoppable, rip-off commericalism is high on my list. Thank god things remain relatively sane in Spain. At least as regards coffee.
Today's Cartoon
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