Thoughts from Heald Green, England: 24.12.18

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.

- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain. 

If you've arrived here because of an interest in Galicia or Pontevedra, see my web page here. Garish but informative.

Spain

• Another insight into corruption among the country's shameless politicians.
• Progress?

The UK and Brexit

• NTR. All calm on all fronts. Before the New Year storm.

The EU

• A crisis is brewing in Italy that could yet end up with that country leaving the euro. But: This would not necessarily imply an Italian exit from the EU and/or an existential crisis for the union. 

English

• Allegedly, native-speakers will instinctively put this noun and 5 adjectives in the 'correct' order, without ever having been taught what that is. There's a rule, apparently:- Towel: damp, John-Lewis, cotton, red, large.
• I stress that my choice of words is no reflection on my daughter's house-keeping standards . . .

Finally . . . Some Xmas Trivia

• Coupe glasses have long vied with flutes as the classic shape in which to serve champagne. Now an investigation into the properties of the flattened glasses, legendarily modelled on the bust of Madame de Pompadour, the 18th-century amour of the king of France, has found that they all but guarantee that your drink will go flat. Not only are the coupes less good at keeping in the fizz than the flutes, they were worse than any other glass tested.
• Taller people are less likely to die in hospital. A study of more than 400,000 critically ill adults admitted to UK hospitals found that shorter height was linked to increased hospital deaths among men and women alike.
• In Germany this coming week, there'll be yet more showings of Dinner for One. Which they inexplicably find hilarious there.
• Why the internet has ruined Christmas shopping for ever. But not for me, as it happens.
• One of the Indonesian beaches hit by the tsunamis caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatoa – Labuhan – was where I and my family used to spend weekends when we lived in Jakarta.
• Anak Krakatoa means 'Child of Krakatoa'. The latter disappeared after its famous eruption.
• Krakatoa was, in fact, west of Java, not – as the film title had it – east of the island. Anak Krakatoa still is.

© [David] Colin Davies