Someone
once said that morality is directly proportional to the risk of
getting caught. Man, being imperfect but rational, will always assess
the risk. This, of course, was why religions were invented, with
their threat of Hell in the next life. You might be able to escape
punishment in this life but God will get you in the next. I was
dwelling on this yesterday as a result of asking myself whether the
lofty number of prosecutions for corruption underway in Spain would
result in less immorality in the political and business classes of
the present and the future. And then I remembered just how many of
them are pardoned by the government and how few of them end up in
clink. And how much of their ill-gotten gains is retained. Most of
all, I recalled they don't seem to suffer any social price. Pariahs
they certainly aren't. So, on balance, I doubt things will change
much. Unless the EU, after telling the Spanish government this week
to clean up its judicial act, finally sprouts some teeth.
More
news on one major corruption case. Astonishingly - but consistently -
the Public Prosecutor has written to the judge of the Noos case
telling him not to manufacture a case against Princess Cristina out
of his imagination. In respect of some damaging invoices, the
Prosecutor has said these are false and their origin is malcontented
tax inspectors who have a grudge against the Tax Office. Weird. But
at least it makes it clear where the Establishment stands on this
case. Again.
After
5 nights of mild rioting and numerous arrests, the good citizens of
Burgos have gained a 2 week suspension of plans for the pointless
reforma
of one of their main streets. Not enough but it's a beginning.
Talking
of street protests . . .The relevant ministry had told the President
that "Society
is angry, exasperated and on edge. A mix of latent discontent and
resignation is being expressed through sudden eruptions of fury,
almost spontaneously.” Sadly, this isn't Spain but France.
Finally
. . . You can imagine how pleased I was to read the promise of the
relevant minister that 75% of Spain will have 4G capability by the
end of 2015. I vow to donate a thousand euros to charity if my barrio
is not in the 25%. Right now, I suspect we don't even have 1G.
Whatever that is.
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