A total of 19 companies have been accused of raking off 10 million euros via false invoices to a failed theme park venture near Valencia. And here in Galicia several members of the Lugo city council have been charged with taking 10% kickbacks on all public works. The distressing thing is that so much of this goes on here. The encouraging thing is that at least some of the perpetrators get caught and punished.

Down along the coast they’re testing out houses made from balls of straw that have allegedly been a success in even wetter Ireland. Unfortunately, yesterday’s prototypes were blown down in some unseasonal winds but another attempt is to be made shortly. Let’s hope they don’t get a visit from the wolf which has been killing sheep up in the hills. Otherwise it’ll be on to sticks.

For those who’ve missed his post, Alexsu has written – in almost perfect English, I must say – to accuse me of being an ignorant, lying, Francoist with a poor grasp of history who clings to his British colonialist past. An interesting combination. Sadly, the only additional thing I know about him is that he doesn’t live in the USA, though he still hasn’t told me where he does live. He also suggests I have a library of Francoist books, that my readers are drones [especially my compatriot Lenox, I guess] and that I clearly hate the Basques. Well, the truth is I only know one Basque well and regard him highly. But, if Alexsu were truly representative of the Basque people, it would hardly be surprising if I had a poor opinion of them. Given his mindset, we can only be grateful that ETA don’t have suicide bombers in their ranks as he’d surely be a prime candidate. Hitler, too, thought that everyone who disagreed with him was an imbecile. Needless, to say, Aleksu hasn’t answered my question about parts of Euskadi being allowed to secede. So we’re left wondering whether he’d just shoot anyone who dared even raise the issue. Is there any hope that Aleksu will now do himself a favour and stop reading my blog? Actually, I hope not. I’d really miss his brand of reasoned rhetoric. It takes me back to the fervent, blind communism of my 16 year old stepson.

Finally, a weekend quote to restore sanity…..
Eurovision makes one long for war - New Zealand humorist, Joe Bennett