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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