Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
- Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain*
The C Word- Well, it's said to be a week since Spain passed its peak mortality rate, thanks to a lockdown at least as draconian as anywhere else in Europe. Which is indubitably good news.
- The bad news is that Spain's tragedy was all too predictable, it says here. Tribal politics being one factor behind delays in responding to the obvious threat.
- Looking ahead, there's confirmation here that nationwide testing will be done just as soon as enough (reliable) tests are available. Essential for the compilation of accurate data on, inter alia, the true infection and death rates.
- You'll all have seen the 'common-sensical' Dr Trump advocating an untried and potentially dangerous drug for the prevention/treatment of the virus. More surprising in the news/claim that 72% of Spanish doctors say they've have prescribed hydroxychloroquine.
- Day 24 in María's village/house.
- The Local advises that El Tráfico permits you to drive for these reasons:-
- To purchase food, medicines, newspapers or those items that are considered essential
- To travel to a medical appointment or for hospital treatment
- To drive to your workplace if it is considered essential and therefore not subject to recent confinement restrictions
- To return to your habitual residence
- To go to a financial or insurance entity, as long as there are compelling reasons to do so
- To go to the home an elderly or vulnerable person who may require your help, plus:
- In case of force majeure or urgent need, citizens can use their car but they have to be able to clearly justify the reason - A vague provision which implies that extraordinary circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis
- Beware of at least these virus-based scams. Sad that they queer the pitch for genuine appeals.
- Richard North: The maudlin sentimentality displayed by the British media (or some of it) over the incapacity of the prime minister is a horrible reminder of how far the Dianafication process has rotted the intellect of the fourth estate.
- Another great impersonation from J-L Cauvin.
- A nice quote from one of the late-night comedians: What we're seeing right now is a feeble government hollowed out by billionaires and corporations and run by a life long scam artist advocating hero worship and leaving states and courageous healthcare workers to fend for themselves. One lesson we're all learning is that, generally speaking, it's best not to be governed by sociopaths.
- Words of the day:-
- Estafa/Timo/Fraude: Scam
- Bulo; Hoax, canard, rumour. Also used for 'fake news'.
- My elder daughter yesterday suggested it was getting harder and harder to come up with just one word to describe Fart/the OFC. I agreed - there being so many to choose from** - but added that we'll certainly have one once he's gone - Trumpish.
- Of all the many definitions of humour I've heard - or invented - over the years, the one I favour is: "The intellectual appreciation of incongruity". And this is one of the best Funnies going round, illustrating this perfectly:-
If you don't find this hilarious, you don't have either an intellect or a sense of the incongruous. Or are just a prude.
*A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.
** APPENDIX: Adjectives applicable to Fart: 2018 [There are very possibly more now. 'Medically-totally-unqualified', for example]
A
|
Arrogant, Autocratic, Alienating, Anti-intellectual, Angry
|
B
|
Bullying, Boastful, Braggart, Belligerent, Bigoted, Blowhard, Bad-tempered
|
C
|
Chaos-creating, Clueless, Cheating, Combative, Child-like, Childish
|
D
|
Disruptive, Dishonest, Deluded, Divisive, Destructive, Disorganised, Devious
|
E
|
Exaggerator, Egotistical, Egocentric
|
F
|
Fox News-Obsessed, Follicly challenged, Fraudulent, Fantasist, Fast-food-Guzzler
|
G
|
Garrulous, Global-warming-denying, Gaffe-prone
|
H
|
Hyperbolic, Hateful, Heartless, Humourless, Hollow
|
I
|
Idiotic, Insulting, Insensitive, Irreligious, Incompetent, Inconsistent, Ignorant, Islamophobic, Inattentive, Insecure, Inimical, Incoherent, Illogical, Irrational, Intemperate, Inept, Impatient, Intimidatory, Insane?
|
J
|
Jealous
|
K
|
Kinglike, Kinky, Know-all
|
L
|
Liar, Lazy, Low esteemed,
|
M
|
Misogynistic, Media-obsessed, Menacing, Mad?
|
N
|
Nauseating, Narcissist
|
O
|
Obsessive, Orange-hued, Obnoxious
|
P
|
Paranoid, Putin-admiring, Petty, Pussy-grabbing, Populist, Posturing, Pugnacious, Poseur, Philandering, Phony, Politically inexperienced, Psychologically suspect.
|
Q
|
Quixotic, Querulous
|
R
|
Russia-dependent, Rabble-rousing, Reckless, Racist, Resentful
|
S
|
Short-attention-spanned, Self-centred, Self-obsessed, Stupid, Self-vaunting, Susceptible to flattery, Swaggering, Small-minded, Self-interested
|
T
|
Twitter-obsessed, TV-obsessed, Tyrannical, Trade-disrupting, Threatening, Triumphalist, Thin-skinned
|
U
|
Unfriendly, Unfaithful, Unintelligible, Unreliable, Unwilling to listen, Unaware, Untrustworthy, Unpredictable, Undisciplined, Un-self-aware,
|
V
|
Vocabulary-deficient, Vengeful, Victim, Vain. Vulgar, Vindictive
|
W
|
Wearisome, Weird, Whoring, Worrying, Wrathful, Wrong-headed, War-mongering
|
X
|
Xenophobic
|
Y
|
Yankee . . .
|
Z
|
Zig-zagging
|
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