Dawn

Dawn

Monday, March 26, 2012

Comparative Corruption; Regnum Retained; Economic Events; Diverse Dating; Sun-worshipping Students; and Word of the Day.

Reading abut the endemic political corruption in Ireland, I was intrigued that the writer made a comparison with Greece and Italy but not Spain. Which is a little surprising, given the parade of court cases against (mostly) regional and national Spanish politicians. And sometimes even convictions.

Which reminds me . . . Despite a huge ongoing corruption scandal, it's virtually certain the Socialist Party will stay in power in Andalucia, one of their long-time fiefdoms. Albeit in coalition with another (even further) left-of-centre party. The conservative PP party won most seats but not enough for an absolute majority. Click here for the IberoSphere take on Sunday's elections. One thing's clear - the polls got it wrong.

Madrid will now move to publish the budget that was held back until after these elections. Since it was reported last week that quite a few Brussels 'technicians' were going through Spain's books, I guess we can assume that whatever emerges will have the approval of the EU (i. e. Germany).

Stll on the economy . . . In the wake of recent rises in the cost of Spanish borrowing, EU leaders are said to have united to urge Germany to agree to boost the "big bazooka" bail-out fund this week, amid fears that markets will turn against Spain, Ireland and Portugal if there is no urgent support. So, the debt crisis is certainly not yet over. Whatever M. Sarkozy boasts.

Inevitably, Google has brought together two of my recent subjects - dating sites and Muslim women - and has started advertising Muslima.com. This is said to be an "International Muslim Matrimonial and Marriage site". I'd be interested to know the difference between Matrimonial and Marriage.


Britain is enjoying summer-like weather at the moment and it's bringing the students out. Literally. Today I had to negotiate my way between a sofa and an armchair on the pavement. Coming back later, I suggested to the four young men sitting on them they shouldn't overdo their studying. Three of them laughed but the fourth asserted:- "12,000 words to write by May 5th." Didn't seem too onerous to me.

Finally . . .

Word of the Day: Pwn/PwnedThis is a piece of internet slang, meaning: 'To comprehensively defeat an opponent'. HT to my old friend Rick, for finding it.

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