Dawn

Dawn

Friday, October 03, 2014

Identity nonsense; Boney v. Adolf; Mayoral gaffes; Spanish justice; Regional spend; & Nonsense.


I'm taking out a new house insurance policy. The agent has asked me to scan her my passport AND my Residence card, even though she knows the latter expired in 2011. Why, for God's sake? Simply because they're there? Who on earth would be stealing my identity to take out insurance in my name?

And here's another conundrum, one which I've raised before - Why do the French treat Napoleon differently from how the Germans treat Hitler? Both invaded other countries and killed millions in their vainglorious quest for power. As least the Spanish - who had to suffer both Napoleon and his would-be-regal brother, Joe - call their war against the French by its real name - "The War of Independence". Not "The Peninsular War", as it's known to the British. This thought has been prompted by the comment in a BBC podcast on Germany that the largest memorial in Paris is dedicated to the French slaughterer of European millions, while Berlin's is dedicated to atoning for theirs. Perhaps a French reader could enlighten me.

Reader Sierra has suggested that perhaps Resistencia Galicia bombed the municipal offices of a small town near Lugo because the mayor there last year put forward the view that Republicans shot during the Civil War deserved to die. Quite possibly, but I think Sierra is being a tad unfair to said mayor, as I think he said only 'probably deserved it". This gentleman has now been quoted as saying he couldn't understand the bombing as speech was free in a democracy. With no evidence that he saw the irony in this comment.

Still in Galicia . . . Relatives of the 81 people killed in the train crash outside Santiago last year have accused politicians (national and local) of manipulating justice to their own ends. Given how many implicated people are not in the dock - all of them except the hapless driver - this is a pretty plausible claim.

For the first time in my memory, someone has written to criticise the massive differences that exist between Spain's regions as regards spend on education, healthcare and benefits. The columnist even used the hallowed British phrase - postcode lottery. Perhaps we'll now see some convergence. Or perhaps we won't.

It's claimed that 7% of Spanish children maltreat their parents, with most of these being middle class and upwards. Seems hard to believe.

Finally . . . My elder daughter and I discovered this week that we each know Lear's nonsense poem, The Jabberwocky, off-by-heart. Well, she does; I could only manage the first verse. But I do know more of The Dong with the Luminous Nose. So, a tie, I think.

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