The UK's National
Health Service is in crisis, we're told. But can anyone remember a
time when it wasn't? One reason is that the British have caught the
Spanish habit of using Accident & Emergency units as
surrogate GP surgeries. Including, for example, the case of a split
nail.
So, what does Magaluf
mean to you? Cheap holidays, binge drinking, vomit, piss and public sex?
Well, the place aims to change this image and go upmarket. Easier
said than done, I fear. But needs must; bookings are way down after
all last year's tabloid exposure of its steamy yoof scene. More
here.
Talking of the media .
. . Here's another of those headline you're unlikely ever to see
again:- Naked woman rescued
after spending two hours in ex-boyfriend's chimney. She was planning
to give him a surprise, it seems. So, probably successful.
And here's a Spanish
headline which will come as a surprise only to those who live in a
cave - The Tax Office sees evidence of illegal financing of all
political parties.
It's an election year
so all sorts of promises have been made about completion of the AVE
high speed train sections around Spain. Like the one between Santiago
to Vigo, via Pontevedra. No news, though, on the completion of the
line between Madrid and Santiago. I'm sticking with 2020. Many, many
years later than the original forecast. Still, it may yet happen,
unlike some cancelled stretches down south.
Up in La Coruña, the
traffic police have found a novel way to expand their revenue-raising
activities. They've started to fine pedestrians (and even cyclists!)
for committing motoring offences. The truly surreal aspect is that
the offenders don't just get fined but have points deducted from
their driving licences. Spain is different.
Talking about driving .
. . 10 years ago, 38% of motorists killed on the roads hadn't been
wearing seat belts. Now it's 'only' 23%, a figure which is still
pretty incredible. I wonder what it is for people with a child or a
dog on their lap.
And talking of fines .
. . The new year saw the introduction of a €600,000 penalty for
illegal downloading, suggesting that Spain is finally getting serious
about losing the honour of being Europe's pirating capital.
Does anyone watch Euro
News? I mean anyone at all? That asked, I was grateful to it today
for this video of the magician of soccer, the incomparable little
Lionel Messi, goal-scorer extraordinaire. We could do with him in
Everton. Or anyone who knows where the goal is.
Finally . . . There's a
book on my chest-of-drawers entitled Overcoming Depression. I can't
say how I came by it but I can say it's almost certainly useless once
you're imprisoned in serious depression. Believe me, the last thing
you want to do then is read a book. Maybe it's useful if you've
merely got the blues but have been told you're depressed. Or maybe it
should be entitled Preventing Depression. Or maybe it was written to
cash in on a epidemic. Must have a look at it.
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