LIFE IN SPAIN
Spaniards themselves
are wont to say that the education system here doesn't teach kids to
think. Too much by rote, they insist. I thought of this yesterday when
involved in this little scenario:- I'm going down into town but find
the road blocked by a school bus trying to turn out of a side road.
A problem has been caused by the parked cars of the parents leaving it insufficient
space to turn without reversing a couple of times. There's a car in
front of me and I assume the driver is as impatient as I am. The bus
finally turns and drives off down the hill, to be followed by an emerging second bus. I expect the driver in front of me to quickly go on down the hill
but, no, she drives into the already inadequate space, ensuring that
the second bus has an even more difficult task in making the turn. And delaying me further. I
rub my eyes and wonder if this is a sign of poor thinking or merely
that trait - noted down the centuries - of Spanish individualismo. Me
first, in other words. Or Fuck you!, in even other words.
SPANISH SOCIETY
A Hell of a Load of
Bull: Not what was planned. An expensive clash.
THE UK
The National Media: Can
a once-great newspaper sink any lower? Clicking on the Daily
Telegraph page yesterday evening, I found the top 3 stories on page 1
were on the divorce of the 'Hollywood Golden Couple”. By this
morning, they'd belatedly reviewed their priorities and come to their senses. For now at least. No wonder Private Eye calls the paper The Daily Mailgraph.
ELSEWHERE
The bombing of the UN
convoy: Would you like to know what Moscow's reaction is to the claim
that Russia was behind this? Well, click here for
the line that The UN is backing off from its claim the convoy was
bombed. This, of course, is just one of the disingenuously implausible retorts to
have come out of Moscow so far. Understandable, once you realise the Russians think the public is stupidly gullible. The RT TV News headlines are, of course, about US domestic problems. As ever. Nothing happens in Russia, as far as they're concerned. Unless it has to do with Putin.
LOCAL AND DOMESTIC
STUFF
Here's a couple of
fotos on display at the opening of the NASA beer factory on Saturday:-
This one is of the 3
principals:-
And this one is a
fascinating chart of types of beers. I was surprised not to be
able to find any Australian examples on it . . .
Camino walks: I did another yesterday – from Pontevedra northwards to Caldas de Réis. About 15km. As usual, I gained weight. Mystifying. As was this sign at the entrance to a village. It means what it seems to: The Castrated Guy.
FINALLY . . .
Islamic Dress: A
researcher on Islamic and Arab culture researcher at Valencia at
University says: Many Muslim women wear a hijab through personal choice. For
them, it's a sign of freedom of expression rather than oppression.
But this is misunderstood in Europe. I'm sure she's right. They're
free to walk a metre behind their husbands as well. Or stay in the
kitchen when his friends come round. The researcher adds that: Spain's
widespread opposition to Islamic headgear is largely based upon
feminism – believing that women should not be 'forced by men to
cover up against their will' – but this is erroneous and born of
ignorance. Well, maybe.
Cabo: This is a Spanish
word which can, confusingly, mean:
- Cape (as in of Good Hope)
- Corporal/Sergeant
- End
- Stub
- Strand/Thread
- Line
- Handle/Grip
So, good luck with it
when you come across it.
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