On a trip to Chile, Spain's President Rajoy continues to bat off awkward questions about corruption at the top of his party with weasel words. “There's nothing more unfair than a generalisation that all politicians are corrupt when, in fact, the majority of them are efficient and honourable”, he protested. Which may well be true – even in Spain - but the trouble is few believe him. And the rest would like to see some evidence of anti-corruption measures. Like a Transparency Law which complies with international standards. Unlike the draft currently on the table. 

I mentioned the other day that I was surprised by the suggestion that one could defame a political party in Spain. And now comes the news that judges can be sued as well. Or at least that's what we're to understand from the response given by the ex-Treasurer of the PP party when he was asked by his Swiss bank about reports he was involved in what was then Spain's biggest corruption scandal - “It's all lies and I'll be suing the judge for defamation”. Or words to that effect. I'm wondering whether this is because Spain operates under the inquisitorial system of the French Civil Code. Leading to public statements by judges about the possible involvement of individuals in the case he or she is inquiring into. And, thus, to the risk of defamation. Or perhaps it was all just bluster. 

Talking about judgements . . . The BBC has recently erased from an episode of Fawlty Towers racist comments made by the bigoted Major character. This has lead one commentator to pose the apt question:- “George Orwell used to write disparagingly of 'the pansy Left'. He was, by 2013 standards, homophobic. Should publishers erase his prejudice from his essays? Or would that be a little, well, Orwellian?”

Fellow blogger Lenox reports that “Fixing a drain, workers found that a home in Mérida was served by a sewer system built by the Romans.” This happens in Pontevedra, too. Though we haven't yet found any of the more salubrious items with which Mérida abounds. And which fill its marvellous museum. And an amphitheatre still eludes us.

A couple of Public Service Announcements:-

• Here, from the Olive Press, is information of use to us foreigners living in Spain.
• And here's something which may help you when you want to cancel a subscription or quit, say, increasingly-irritating-Facebook

Finally . . . Here's a graphic – and amusing – illustration of the dangers of total texting. Top left corner.