Dawn

Dawn

Friday, February 24, 2012

I see Manchester United are to play the Basque team Athletic Bilbao in the next round of the Europa League, the poor man's Champions' League. You will, of course, know that "Athletic" is not a Spanish word; it really should be 'Atlético', as in Atlético Madrid. The origins of "Athletic" lie in the creation of the team back in 1898, when there were lots of Brits working in Basque shipyards and mines. And playing football. The second British connection is that the team's kit of red and white stripes is a copy of Southampton's. There's more guff about the team here, if you're interested.

Yet more corruption down in Valencia. Where several officials have been arrested for embezzling funds that should have gone as aid to the poor in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Those collared include the head of the regional overseas aid office and the deputy secretary of Valencia's health department. No numbers have been cited but my guess is they'll run to millions. These guys don't do anything by half.

Click here for the facts behind this intro:- Germany's ruling parties are to introduce a resolution in parliament blocking any further boost to the EU’s bail-out machinery, vastly complicating Greece’s rescue package and risking a major clash with the International Monetary Fund.
The Economist this week opines that:- A hopeful prognosis makes sense only if leaders use a moment of relief to push through structural reforms, remove barriers to the single market, enhance the firewall against contagion and move towards greater fiscal union. One lesson of this week is that, faced with market meltdown, politicians from both debtors and creditors will compromise. But another is that the euro crisis is still far from being resolved for good. Tellingly, it looks like the enhancement of the firewall is something that German politicians are unhappy about. And they're paying the piper.
Friday comes around quickly and here's Alfie Mittington with a pithy fishy recipe.

No comments: