I've
mentioned that the Spanish Establishment is moving heaven and earth
to keep one of the Spanish Princesses out of the court where her
husband is being tried for embezzlement of public funds, some say
with the support of the King himself. One of the strategies has been
to have the Tax Office go through the evidence and chuck out
documents which they say have no relevance to the case. This has the
effect of reducing the sum embezzled to below the threshold for a
prison sentence. Just the sort of service you and I could expect if
we were up before the beak.
Bidding
starts on Monday next for Ciudad Real's ghost airport, one of a
number in post-bum Spain which aren't troubled by planes or
passengers. I'm not sure there'll be any bidders, as the sellers have
announced that, if no one comes in above the reserve of €100m (a
tenth of the build cost), they'll lower the price to €80m. The
funny thing about this airport - well, one of the funny things - is
that it was billed as 'Madrid South'. This caused a serious
credibility problem, given it's a mere 200km(124m) south of the city.
Big thinking, then. Shame it never paid off. Anyway, if you're not
successful with this airport, there'll be another one along very
soon. Or possibly Terminal 5 at Madrid's Barajas airport, where
things are not quite how they were planned to be by now. During the
carpetbagger years.
Here
in Pontevedra we have quite a lot of Rutas del Vino/Rutas do Viño.
To be honest, every road in every direction is signposted as such,
spoiling one for choice. I've been reminded of this by reading that
efforts are being made to make carajillo a fashionable drink
once again. This is usually a mixture of coffee and brandy but the
latter can be substituted for by rum, anise or the local firewater(aguadiente). And there'll be Rutas del Carajillo,
which is said to go well for those engaged in a
tertulia. Or talking. Which I would have thought applied to
every drink in Spain. Not that I object.
Talking
of strange mixtures . . . British TV is advertising a "German
engineered" caffeine shampoo for men. Or idiots. I can't recall
all the details. What was I saying about not underestimating the
intelligence of the public? Or, in this case, half of it.
Finally
. . . An English idiom new to me - 'Jumping
the shark'.
This is said to indicate the
moment when a brand, design, or creative effort's evolution loses the
essential qualities that initially defined its success and declines,
ultimately, into irrelevance. More
here. I guess we'll eventually get a new bit of Spanglish - un
jumping. If it doesn't already exist.
P.
S. It does. But not with this meaning. Alternatives welcome. Big
prize.
No comments:
Post a Comment