Pontevedra Pensées: 7.1.16

El País recently featured a 3-part TV documentary on the Spanish Civil War, 'colourised' by some (British and Spanish) geniuses. It's entitled España Dividida and is stunning. You can see it on Youtube here, though only in Spanish.

El País has also reported a fascinating comparison of Civil War and modern spots in Madrid, using Google Streetview. Click here for this.

Relatedly, there's something of a dilemma in modern Spain about what to do with Franco's triumphal arch in Moncloa, which I pass every time I drive into Madrid from the North West. El País again here, in English.

I guess I don't need to tell you what the RT News reaction is to the developments in the USA around alleged Russian hacking during the recent elections. "No facts, no evidence, no certainty, no absolute confidence in the conclusions". All, of course, in the relentlessly scornful, mocking tone that's the hallmark of RT.  It's all about the seeding of doubt and I guess it must convince - or at least confuse - some people other than, possibly, themselves. RT, of course, can always find some Americans to disparage the actions of their government. I'm not sure that would be possible for, say, CNN in Moscow.

Which reminds me of a question that's occurred to me recently - Why are we even bothering to entertain the possibility of a post-truth society? Surely we - including Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. - should be doing our utmost to ensure truth prevails. Tough as this might be.

Once again it's reported that petrol(gas) prices here in Galicia are the highest on the Spanish mainland, having risen by 23% in 2016. I could've sworn I'd seen a fall in crude prices over the period. Truly do we motorists suffer here, what with the most expensive insurance and driving schools as well. Why? Cartels??? Are they all run by our inviolate narcotráficos?

Talking of leaders - and of drugs - I see the UK and Spain still head one particular list.

More positively . . .  Here's a video of the Reyes procession - the cabalgata - in Pontevedra of last Thursday evening. Wish I'd gone now . . .

And, going further back, here's the film of an event I did attend, when I was very, very young. I was pleased to note the Spanish connection. Though Spanish readers might differ. They don't make newsreels like this any more. Indeed, they don't even make newsreels. By the way, 'newsreel' in Spanish is No-do. Your guess is as good as mine.

Talking of truth . . .  Here's today's cartoon . . .