Meanwhile,
over in the UK , the electors in one parliamentary constituency have
voted to oust their MP. This is a democratic development which would beyond
belief in Spain, where the voters have no say in either the
appointment or dismissal of their representatives, who are party
nominees at the top of a list of same.
It's
at times like this I can understand Spanish friends who hold a
fanatical view that the UK is a vastly superior place to Spain.
Whereas I think it's the other way round. But am weakening.
You
don't have to wait too long in modern Spain for the next corruption
bus to come along. Indeed, they often come in threes or more. The
latest local case involves the imputation of the mayoress and
planning officer of Sanxenxo. This has often been called "the
Marbella of Galicia" but I suspect it wasn't the notorious
corruption of the latter people had in mind. Though they might do
know.
Nationally,
the big new-ish case is that of the huge UGT Union, which has been
making free with invoices so as to get its pockets on EU subventions.
I wonder whether folk in Brussels ever realised just how little
resistance Spanish money handlers have. And how sticky their palms
are.
I
went to a concert in town last night, though I almost didn't. Fooled
by the foto of the orchestra, I went to the wrong venue and only got
to the right one with a minute to go. As I arrived at the table where
I could get a ticket, I was greeted by name by the President of the
Pontevedra Philharmonic Society, whom I don't know. I was impressed
by this but later thought it wouldn't be too difficult to remember
the name of the only foreigner in the Society, especially as he bears
one very familiar to lovers of classical music. The evening, by the
way, was held under the joint aegis of the Society and the Social arm
of the NovoCaixaGalicia Bank. This was a first such collaboration and
it was a great success. But it was also a sign of the times, since
it's certain that the Bank has had reduce its spend on social
causes.
Incidentally,
this is the bank that's being sold by the government to either a
Spanish or a foreign bidder. More likely the former now, as onerous
(EU illegal?) conditions have been imposed on foreign suitors.
I
missed this page from the items on Pontevedra I posted this morning.
Scroll down if you want to see these.
I
said in the earlier post that I had a very busy morning. This
included the English class I give to two young ladies. Finding myself
behind time, I had to rush my coffee, miss out one or two normal
activities (Family Guy, for example) and hasten across the
bridge into town. I arrived 10 minutes late, just as the first young
lady was arriving. The second polled up 30 minutes later. All of
which questions my use of the word "late".
Finally
. . . If you ever find yourself wondering what Postmodernism is, you
should stop. For now the question is What was Postmodernism?
Here's an article with the answer.