Cosas de España/Galicia    

General Franco, I’ve read, had a special prison in Zamora for ‘subversive’ priests, allegedly the only one in the world. Nice of him to be so accommodating, as it were. I’m  reminded of special places the Vatican sends pederasts priests who indulge their sexual inclinations. To cure them via remorse and prayer. Though I guess that, unlike the ones sent to Zamora, they aren’t ‘savagely tortured’.

It’s reported that 20(DdP) to 25%(VdG) of Galicia’s university students have an ‘average level of addiction to alcohol’. I wonder what that means. And whether it’s really true. And, if so, how it differs from the national situation.

Last week’s gales brought down this tree at the end of my cul-de-sac, worryingly closet to some kids’ swings(colompios):-

The UK

Echoing my own sentiments, Richard North today opines: This is a nation on the verge of a nervous breakdown, where no government leader can possibly shine. One wonders, therefore, who in their right mind would want to take on the job? Certainly not Boris Johnson we now know. Or, at least, not right now. Despite being humiliatingly unsupported by Tory MPs, the shyster promises to be back to lead them in 2024, after he’s spent a couple of years briefing against whoever is PM next Friday. And possibly after cheating on his current wife with the latest – apparently intelligent – female to fall for whatever passes for his charm.

Here’s just one of several unflattering portraits of Johnson I’ve read in the last few days, none of them at all surprising. Taster: He has killed his party, killed Conservative politics, killed an entire generation of politicians by screwing a party over so comprehensively it simply cannot function. Any, yet, there really is a possibility Conservative voters will give him another opportunity to be PM/king in 2 years’ time. In which case this article’s headline would surely be accurate

Another of my claims – this time about the true role of Brexit in the UK’s misfortunes is endorsed by this article. Which doesn’t mean it’s true, of course; just shared by someone more important than me. And it’s not to suggest that the very bad deal struck by Johnson was supported by any sensible Brexiteer.

No, Brexit is not the cause of our economic turmoil

The Way of the World 

Politicians have worried for years about the calibre of people entering public life. Often enough, they have blamed the media’s incessant scrutiny for the fact that worthwhile people will not chance their arm. Any Brit my age can certainly remember a time when British politicians seemed far superior to those on offer now. As in the USA, I believe. Are things different in, say, Germany, Sweden or The Netherlands? Or is this an Anglo phenomenon?

Some UK NHS employees have been given a 2-hour lesson on genders involving a list of 11 alternatives, including non-binary, agender, neutrois, demigender, polygender, androgyne, femme-butch, gender unicorn, and genderfuck. The last is said to be ‘someone who doesn’t give a fuck about gender’. At least one employee wasn’t impressed and blew the gaff on the session. Giving us something to laugh/cry about. 

Spanish  

I  feel there must be better (slang?) Spanish words for ‘shambles’ than ruina, caos or disastre .  . . 

Finally   . . . .    

A chance discovery this morning – Fruit flies will happily top themselves if you leave out a cup of vinegar. I have 25-30 corpses to prove this contention. And I didn’t even have to go to the lengths suggested in this article I’ve just found.

To amuse . . .   The biggest laugh of the century: Boris Johnson: I have reached out to both Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest. Something the narcissist wouldn’t recognise if it jumped up and bit him on the nose. I wonder if he writes his own scripts. 

For new readers: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here. If you’re passing through Pontevedra on the Camino, you’ll find a guide to the city there.