Ponters Pensées 28.5.16

Germany v. Spain: There is much Teutonic unhappiness that the EU Commission/government is delaying a decision on fining Spain for (again) exceeding deficit limits in 2015. They fear Spain won't be punished (again) and that the rules will be ignored. Funny, but I don't recall similar protests when Germany and then France were the first to flout the rules with total impunity. As was said at the time, this set an appalling example for less well-managed EU members. As someone once said: “Taxes are only for smaller people.”

Capitalism. Talking about the Germans. Here's a rather bleak view of what's going on in respect of Greece and also more widely. Some tasters from it, which is possibly a tad OTT. But certainly contains at least the proverbial grains:

• Neoliberalism intends to reestablish feudalism—a few robber barons and many serfs: the 1% and the 99%.
• Greece is being destroyed by the EU that it so foolishly joined and trusted.  The same thing is happening to Portugal and is also underway in Spain and Italy.  The looting has already devoured Ireland and Latvia (and a number of Latin American countries) and is underway in Ukraine.
• The media persists in calling the looting of Greece a “bailout.”
• To call the looting of a country and its people a “bailout” is Orwellian.  The brainwashing is so successful that even the media and politicians of looted Greece call the financial imperialism that Greece is suffering a “bailout.”
• Everywhere in the Western world a variety of measures, both corporate and governmental, have resulted in the stagnation of income growth. In order to continue to report profits, mega-banks and global corporations have turned to looting.  Social Security systems and public services are targeted for privatization, and indebtedness so accurately described by John Perkins in his book, 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man', is used to set up entire countries to be looted.
• We have entered the looting stage of capitalism. Desolation will be the result.

Gallego: In my midday bar yesterday, I yawned a couple of times and was then told by the barmaid - a friend - that the Gallego response to a yawn is that it indicates : Fame, sueno o ganas de coña. Or in Castellano: Hambre, sueño o ganas de cona. In English: 'Hunger, tiredness or a desire for c**t'. Or, as Google has the Gallego: 'Hunger, tiredness or a desire for Joke'. But at least it gets it spot on with the Castellano version.

Pontevedra's Francoist Vestiges: This, in fact, the escudo I mentioned yesterday. And not the one I thought it might be:

Finally . . . .Telefónica: A brief but telling conversation in the shop last week:-

Man next to me: Isn't there some cable TV with the €50 option this gentleman is talking to you about? I can't seem to get any programs.

Assistant: Yes but they withdrew it.

MNTM: But I only signed up last week.

Me: And I only got your flier citing it last week too.

Assistant: Yes but they just withdrew it.

No suggestion of anyone being advised. And this is when Telefónica is desperately trying to show it understands the phrase 'customer service'.

And now 2 treats:-

1. A snap of a tired/bored art gallery attendant. I think the English should read. And Jesus was, like, “What is this?” Even He, it seems, is prone to the ubiquitous but redundant Americanism much loved by adolescents. And those down with the kids.

1. An atheist cartoonist's view of the frequent theist explanation that God has a plan for every single one of us.