Dawn

Dawn

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Xmas ads; Spanish spots; & Corporate exculpation.

The launching of the ads for Spain's vast Xmas lotteries are a national event, especially after last year's saccharine effort was ruthlessly lampooned. This year's are now out and can be seen here. Meanwhile, back in the UK (where Xmas starts a lot earlier) here's the Sainsbury's ad that's causing a bit of controversy. Much to the supermarket's delight, I imagine.

Spanish Spots
  • According to a worldwide survey, Spaniards think that, when it comes to success, a good education is far more important than working hard. Presumably they weren't asked how important it was to have a relative in the company. Correction: It was rated equally with working hard.
  • The EU says Spain's early school dropout rate, though improving, is still the worst in Europe. Which seems a little at odds with the last paragraph.
  • Spanish women are now having their first baby at the average age of 32, says a new study.
  • 300,000 Spanish drivers are being pursued by the Portuguese government for unpaid tolls which now total €80m. I await a letter about my €50's worth.
  • Inevitably, spending on R&D in Spain has fallen to only 1.2% of GDP, the same as it was back in 2006. Korea's was 4% in 2012 and both Germany and Denmark spent 3%.                        
Finally . . . In a podcast I heard today, it was noted that chief executives of corrupt companies always deflect criticism by insisting all transgressions were down to "a few bad apples". Guess what President Rajoy last week called the PP party members now up before the beak for large scale corruption. The theme of the podcast was the syndrome known as 'wilful blindness'.


My apologies for a typo yesterday, when the quotation (for early readers) should have read: I'm enchanted by humanism; it's the humans I can't stand.

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