The General Secretary
of the PP party has said that "The same corruption which exists
in the party exists in the country at large. It's not the patrimony of
anyone in particular; because, sadly, it's everyone's". This
rather looks like the standard Spanish response - Y tú más ('You're worse than me') but, in truth, I don't know what she means.
Hopefully, it's that "We have to stamp out out this curse on
Spanish society". By the way, PP stands for Parti Popular. Which
it isn't, in either sense of the word.
Meanwhile, the courts
are investigating illegal financing of the PP in at least 3
cities - Valencia, Salamanca and - here in Galicia - Ourense.
Some put it down to the
improving economic situation - not sure why - but Spain's divorce
rate soared by 13% in the 3rd quarter of the year. Galicia was one of
the regions in which the increase was above this national average, at
21%. I would put it down to the rain but there wasn't much during
those months.
I seem to have reached
another stage in my acceptance into Galician society. Two of my
favourite tapas bars have given me a ticket for one of the huge Xmas
lotteries. I say 'ticket' but the way these things are done they're
actually hundredths of €200 tickets. In one bar they told me I'd
have to buy drinks for everyone if I won. But, since we all have bits
of the same number ticket, we'll all be buying drinks for each other.
Talking of Galicia . .
. My fellow blogger Trevor of Kalebeul has sent me a report of the EU
Court of Auditors on Europe's redundant airports. Their main
recommendation is: "Member States should have coherent regional,
national or supranational plans for airport development to avoid
overcapacity, duplication and un‐coordinated investments in airport
infrastructures." The words close, door, horse and bolted
spring to mind. Especially here in 3-airport Galicia.
Did you know that all
modern art, says Roger Scruton, results from a determination not to
produce kitsch? The result is 'pre-emptive kitsch'. And today's
artists go so far with this they produce meta-kitsch that sells,
of course, for truly fabulous (i. e. ludicrous) prices. More here.
Internationally, the good news this week
is that President Putin is clearly rowing back on his ambitions for
the Ukraine, calling for multi-party talks on a permanent ceasefire
and withdrawal of 'heavy equipment'. I wonder why. Possibly because Russia is collapsing around him.
Locally, the good news
is that yesterday I finally took delivery of some second-hand books
sent by my aunt from Canada. These were originally delivered in
April, when I was in the UK, but then taken back to Madrid. Getting
them re-delivered proved to be a bureaucratic calvario. And they
added injury to insult by charging me €20 for the process.
Finally . . . The tapas
bar I mentioned last week didn't, in the event, win the PonteTapas
competition. Indeed, they weren't even in the top 3. So I guess no
one will be checking out my identity as Joe Bloggs.
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