In one of those questionable surveys, Spain has been adjudged to rank as only the 34th country in the world as regards 'happiness'. The latter is measured using GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support (as measured by having someone to count on in times of trouble), trust (as measured by a perceived absence of corruption in government and business), perceived freedom to make life decisions, and generosity (as measured by recent donations). Astonishingly, the UK came in at 19th. And the USA at 14th. You'll surely be able to guess where No. 1 is. As ever.
Spain is famous for the longevity of its people, attributed to the Mediterranean diet. And perhaps lower levels of stress. So, it comes as at least a surprise - but possibly a shock - to read that a quarter of the population is obese. But at least we know what the main causes are - white bread and the malign influence of US culture.
Changing spain?:
- A major Spanish company – and a state-owned one at that – has been fined for abusing its dominant position.
- Spanish banks have had some constraints forced on them as regards home repossessions.
- Not before time, new rules have been established for unbuilt properties down south.
- The authorities in the nearby resort of Sanxenxo/Sanjenjo - The Marbella of Galicia - have announced they'll be introducing an ordinance designed to reduce noise levels in summer.
In 1990 the British
Secretary of State for Industry – Nicholas Ridley – was fired by
Maggie Thatcher for saying that the EU was a German racket
to take over Europe. When one looks at these statistics of
electorate support for Social Democratic parties in Europe over the
past 5 years or so, one can certainly see evidence of something:-
Spain: Down from 44 to
23%
Greece: Down from 44 to
6%
Holland: Down from 25
to 6%
France: Down from 52 to
13%
Germany: Up from 26 to
31%
Voters in Germany
certainly seem to be happier with the status quo than elsewhere. And
are said to be about to replace Mrs. Merkel by someone universally
seen as an EU fanatic. Possibly just a convenience.
Which reminds me . . . Is it fanciful to see
the core countries of the EU accepting a 2-speed institution as an
admission of defeat for their grand project? Well, I think so anyway.
On this subject, there's a short article at the end of this post from
one of my favourite columnists.
The governing PP party is having a conference down in Andalucia. Their slogan is We Believe in Andalucia. I don't know why political parties bother with these things. Why not Simply Better. Which is all they're trying to tell us. By the way, the PP has never governed Andalucia since the inception of democracy in 1978. Which is odd as there's a real affinity - the region is universally seen as the most corrupt in Spain. Even by the purblind EU Commission.
Finally . . . I had the bizarre experience of the postman yesterday quoting the first 3 numbers of my NIE yesterday, when I stumbled over it. Is there an easy explanation for this? Do all foreigners have 356 as their first 3 numbers? The letter was from the Tax Office, of course. Telling me - for the second time - that they rejected my appeal in respect of an 'overcharge'. I can only surmise that the chap I spoke to personally did something alongside the computer's standard rejection of all appeals. But the computer was quicker.
Today's cartoon:-
ARTICLE
Europe has forgotten
what it means for a nation to govern itself. Article 50 will remind
them. Janet Daley, Daily Telegraph
So it begins. This is
either going to be the most tedious two years of argy-bargy,
mind-numbing detail, procrastination, futile grandstanding, and empty
threats ending with something that looks remarkably like the present
arrangements... or it isn’t.
What could and
should happen is that the UK creates not just a stunning
precedent in the modern European era of a country leaving what was
supposed to be an everlasting relationship, but an entirely new model
of the nation state fit for the 21st century.
Europe has almost
forgotten – sometimes with good historical reasons – what pride
in nationality might mean, and how democratically responsive
governments in touch with their populations might have something
valuable to offer the world. Ironically, the idea of the
self-governing state directly answerable to its own people was lost
in the terrible shame of the twentieth century’s nationalist
crimes. But the EU now finds itself harbouring a return to just the
kind of populist nativism which it was designed to prevent. Will this
generation of British politicians have the vision and the strength of
character to re-invent nationhood? Who knows?
Until this moment, I
suspect that at least some of the EU establishment doubted that
Theresa May would go through with it. Presumably this is why Donald
Tusk has to be given forty-eight hours to make a formal response to
the announcement of the actual date: he and his colleagues must be
allowed to come to terms with the reality that some political leaders
mean what they say. Yes, this is really happening.
March 29th will be
the first day of the rest of our lives.
HAPPY SPRINGTIME TO ALL OUR READERS!
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