The
security check at Hamburg airport is the most civilised I've yet
encountered, with a simple but ingenious way of getting the plastic
trays back to the starting point. And with none of the rush of people
getting in each other's way on both sides of the X-ray machine.
Anyway, this time I did put the two plastic bags in one of the trays.
And promptly threw the system into confusion. I was only allowed one
plastic bag, the lady told me, in German. Then, fingering the
medications bag, she asked me if it was medications. Again in German.
Which was fair enough. What do you want me to do, I asked. In
English. Do you want me to put them all in the same bag? Faced with
both a linguistic and a modus operandi question, she did the sensible
thing and kicked the problem upstairs, passing the medications bag to
the chap managing the X-ray machine. Happily, his response was a
cursory glance and Gallic shrug, before passing it back to her. And
so it all ended happily. Though I'm none the wiser as to what I
should've done with the medications. The endless vicissitudes of
life.
Once
through security, I proceeded to buy a coffee and a small bottle of
water. At 6.65 euros, I felt this entitled me to the tray they came
on. As it's plastic, it shouldn't set off any alarms.
Possibly
like you, dear reader, I'm getting increasingly annoyed by Facebook's
desperate attempts to make money and justify its share price. Their
latest ruse is to present me with a 'Suggested Page'. Today's was
doubly irritating in that it's a waste of my time to read the
promotion and, in addition, I resent being told about SuperLove
hotels, the insinuation being that I'm the type of person who'd want
to use them.
But
back to Spain . . . This
is an overview of Spain and her problems from my fellow blogger,
Matthew Bennett. I meant to post it a few weeks ago but, for some
reason or other, didn't. It was written before the latest corruption
mega-crisis but, nonetheless, makes for doleful reading.
Bringing
us smack up todate, here's a Google translation of an article in
today's El País
by Joan Ridao. As I'm catching the night train shortly, I can't buff
it up. But it should be reasonably understandable. And at least
you'll get a good idea of how much work I have to do with these stabs
at a faithful translation. The technology has a way to go.
CAN
WE STOP THE CORRUPTION?
Public
ethics goes through a bad time. Repeated episodes of corruption that
we attend more and more perplexed, because of its magnitude and
brazenness are real shells that blew up the credibility of the
democratic system and, in general, the public response. What's more,
all this excrescence emerges and spreads its worst effluvia acute in
a context of economic and institutional crisis, which reaches from
the monarchy to the Supreme Judicial Council, and in the midst of a
first-order territorial conflict. The outrage is the order of the day
and only one piece missing spark, as a few days ago a survey showed
on these pages, to begin to slide down the slope frightening populism
or fascism, as in Greece. Already at such a pandemic who advocated
the return of surgeons here iron evokes authoritarian revolts
inspired by the nearby Arab Spring.
More
gives you the bare drive, advised the blind Lazarus. Barcenas,
Gürtel, Palma Arena, Urdangarin, Palau, Pallerols, ITV, Pokémon,
suspicions about Pujol or attic of Ignacio Gonzalez Marbella
intermingle with Telefónica move to the fifth worst manager in the
world, according to Bloomberg Business Week: Rodrigo Rato. The latter
closes, for now, the illustrious list expolíticos passing dark area
occupying seats on boards of directors as compensation to former
favours rendered. This movement of chips is not a case of cronyism,
or malpractice of the "revolving door", but a masterstroke
that allows a smooth landing on a private sandy public exdirectivo
responsible for management as awkward as allegedly fraudulent Bankia.
And
speaking of bank managers, is not low-level corruption that some of
them, after ruining their bodies and force the taxpayer suffered to
secure their accounts with billions, have had the effrontery to
perceive astronomical compensation? Moreover, no less troubling are
the favored treatment wrapped in an aura of apparent legality, such
as bankers' and expolíticos' pardons; municipal complicity with the
employer of Madrid Arena, or third degree Carromero swift. These
episodes may even reprehensible phenomena admixtures other less
serious, but not free from reproach, as the syndrome of the "business
class" or cystic and frustrating "mediocracy"
installed, which favours the ineptitude installed in certain
positions responsibility. This explains the feeling unbearable
suffering citizens from both shameful privilege.
Mind
you, this is not a list to overwhelm the reader. I intend to give
relief to the wide casuistry the phenomenon and, of course, difficult
to eradicate. Yet there is nothing to celebrate before all this filth
go surfacing through the work of judges and the press, that despite
its logical easements, sometimes not hesitate to dig so great misery.
Although stumbled, the system works. Moreover, given the tepid and
shameful reactions of some games against both muskrat, or worse,
double standards and crass cynicism displayed by some political
leaders, as Cospedal or Montoro, is more than likely that the parties
will not investigate cases or that affect them and to debug any
responsibility, of course, before you do justice, finance or even
disappeared Court.
The
question is, can we finish with corruption? Goes without saying that
corruption is not a disease exclusive of the public sphere, but it is
just as poignant in other areas of life. Although the public should
be required because a plus manages all resources. Like it or not, has
to do with the human condition. As example will suffice: the Index of
Corruption Perception 2012, prepared by the NGO Transparency
International puts Spain in the 13th place of the EU in the ranking
of corrupt states, and in 30 of the world tied (what irony !) with
Botswana, but behind France. The more transparent, again: Denmark,
New Zealand and Finland. Obvious that in every country attend
cultural and political variables own social development, and the
idiosyncrasies of the place.
No
choice but to trust in democracy and its checks and balances.
Accepting,
then, a certain anthropological and cultural determinism, according
to Weber, who extolled the values of the Protestant ethic,
which is deemed essential in our Southern Catholic context, pardon
the quip, is that politicians look, plus the required dedication to
service, a good dose of transparency and are subject to strict
controls. Honesty is assumed. What we know is the origin, nature and
purpose of their activities and assets. Not so much as to toughen
sanctions which sheet to lay on the line of political activity and
parties. Without going any further, the last reform of the Penal Code
ended the garantismo for crimes related to public corruption and
private (proper and improper bribery, influence peddling, urban
crime, money laundering, etc.). Indeed, given its no preventive
effect, it must maximize the monitoring and Transparency Act via an
audit by the Court of Auditors and speed means.
And
finally, a new electoral law to end the party democracy and enhance
the proximity of voters to elect. Although it sounds paradoxical, we
are forced to rely on democracy and its checks and balances as exit
mechanism to their own perversions. At the end of the day, the
problem is not the theatre but the actors and their probity. So,
until proven otherwise, democracy is better than theocracy or
authoritarian solutions. Political commitment are needed, honest and
without letters of marque. But the silent majority requires extreme
control, greater transparency and less party politics.
Finally
. . . A quote from Ricky Gervais:- “There
are seven billion people in the world – I don't need them all to
like me.” Just as well, then.
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