Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
Living La Vida Loca in Spain/Galicia
Spain has a second pandemic, even worse than the Covid variety, says a ‘writer' here. Taster: Spanish politics is as destructive as the coronavirus. There will one day be a vaccine against the latter, but there seems to be no remedy for the former If we don’t do something, these people will be the ruin of us all.
I'm very confused about doctors and nurses in Spain. A couple of weeks ago, I cited an article saying there were several/many thousands of these unemployed here, whereas both this article and this one talk of a great shortage. Can both claims be true? Is there some healthcare 'structural' problem which allows this to be so?
There have been 33 orca attacks around the Spanish coast since mid year, 22 in Galician waters. A group of scientists investigating this has said that their unprecedented behaviour may be a form of revenge from the whales after being injured by humans. Three juvenile orcas from the same pod are responsible for the ramming attacks and these all show signs of being injured by boats. Maybe orcas would make a better fist of managing Spain than her politicians.
Hallelujah1 Spain is finally planning change in Social Security contributions for freelancers (autónomos). The self-employed could soon pay according to their real income, rather than a fixed monthly amount regardless of how much they make. More here.
The drug smuggling Wiki article cite yesterday mentioned that it all started Following the crippling of the fishing industry. What isn't said is that, as with the UK, it was the EU who done it. En passant, here's something from Madrid-based Giles Trmelett on our vibrant drug scene. It was written a few years ago but I doubt things are anything better now.
María's Fallback chronicle: Days 22 and 23
The USA
They have a Donald Trump puppet, a Joe Biden puppet, even a Michelle Obama puppet. What the Spitting Image team don’t have, at least for now, is an American broadcaster brave enough to show them. The revival of Britain’s satirical series is not being screened in the US after the television network NBC backed out at the last moment for fear of offending powerful people. Democracy?
America Is Having a Moral Convulsion: Now, as we enter the final month of the election, this period of convulsion careens toward its climax. See this fascinating essay here.
The Way of the World
A pioneer 'contemporary philosopher and feminist theoretician - Rosi Braidotti - says we need more diversity of categories - thousands of sexes and genders. Does anyone have any idea of where this will end? Will we all be issued with sex and gender cards at birth which we can change at will during our lifetimes? Sorry, can't resist . . . Dotti by name, dotty by nature???
A nice thought below . . .
Finally . . .
Anyone got any idea why this face was felt appropriate for this ad . . .?
THE ARTICLE
Long live Rupert and Tom: Carol Midgley
I can’t decide who I love more this week, Tom Hollander or Rupert Everett. Hollander, who said in a Sunday Times article that on a slack afternoon if it’s sunny he might go for a bike ride or if it’s raining “I might masturbate”. Or Everett, who admitted in The Times Magazine that in a Florida sex shop he was once asked by a fan for an autograph and bellowed: “CAN’T YOU SEE I’M BUYING PORN?” He then felt bad for shouting and offered to sign it, which was somewhat awkward when he was holding his new purchase, Take It Like a Man: All Nine Inches.
God keep and preserve these celebrities because they are almost extinct. For most of today’s bland-as-blancmange, insipid tribe of Insta-drones the idea of giving an edgy, real interview that might actually entertain people is worse than death. They want PRs to sit in, fending off questions and ensuring the conversation stays “on track” (translation: kill-me-now dull) or “on brand” (translation: plugging a face cream).
You know the types. They say things like “I’m blessed” and bore on loftily about “self-care” while plugging freebies. A journalist friend once interviewed a well-known model and said that the PR declared beforehand that she would not discuss her famous ex or her love life. “What will she talk about?” my friend inquired. “Her love of airbrush make-up,” came the reply.
So thank God we still have the likes of Hollander, who is prepared, self-deprecatingly, to admit to a leisurely “flute solo” and Everett, who is happy to let us know he buys mucky mags featuring well-hung gentlemen. And all without their agents screaming in horror: “No! That might put you out of the running for a floor cleaner ad!” Long may their libidos live.
* A terrible book, by the way. Don't be tempted to buy it, unless you're a very religious Protestant.
No comments:
Post a Comment