Thoughts from Jávea

Corruption: There's a farce taking place in Madrid, where the opposition PSOE is going all out to get the ex mayoress of Valencia arraigned for skulduggery and the (outgoing) PP government is pulling out all the stops to make sure she never sits on any courtroom bench whatsoever. Regardless of the claims and the evidence. One such stop is to kick her upstairs to the Senate and give her additional protection from a normal prosecution. Hard to believe it's happening in a Western democracy but the Rule of Law is honoured here more in the breech than in the observance. At least when it comes to politicians and when elections are likely soon. It's as if they think the public is still fooled by all this, despite the mounting evidence that it's – not before time - fed up and switched off by it all. But, then, the polticos do inhabit a different world. Until they move to Brussels, where it's a different universe – where justice is permanently and not just occasionally unknown. Which will be the death of it. Meanwhile, it's very hard to understand why Sr Rajoy is still president and insisting he'll go on and on. Despite being coated in tarnish. And a lousy orator. With the personality of a powdered Mexican jumping bean. Hey, ho.

Nationalism: Here's a podcast of 5 Scots discussing – in beautiful, clear accents - their homeland and its relationship with England. Perhaps someone could translate it and provide the text for the fervent Galician nationalists among my readers. So they can see what a sensible dialogue looks/sounds like. And can then ask themselves the key question – Is Galicia really oppressed by Spain?

Lost English Words: Reading Andrew Marr's lovely book on British history through its poetry, I've been struck by how many useful words we've lost. I'll be compiling them in due course but here's three off the top of my head. I think there should be a campaign to bring them back. Not that we're terribly short of vocabulary . . .

Thrice

Sennight [Think 'fortnight'. For Americans, that's 2 weeks]

Unbeknownst

On this theme . . . Does everyone know that – being short for By Our Lady - 'bloody' was once considered the very worst thing you could say? At least by Protestants. Now, there's nothing that once shocked you can't say in Britain, even on the TV. A terrible loss. Actually, being an atheist, I really should eschew 'Goodbye'. Or 'God be with you'. I suppose Now piss off would be perfectly acceptable in its place these days.

Finally . . . I took 3 people for a Thai meal here in Jávea last night and, as we sat down, they got news that the family dog had died. Possibly the glummest meal I've ever had. Not having had to await execution.

Leave 'em laughing, as they say . . .

And now, the FB foto: A list of who owns which newspaper in Spain.