Awake, for morning in the bowl of night has flung the stone that puts
the stars to flight.
And, lo, the hunter of the east has caught the sultan’s turret in a noose of light!

Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable – Christopher Howse: ‘A Pilgrim in Spain.

Cosas de España

The estimable Isambard Wilkinson of The Times writes: As Luis Rubiales stands trial, how an infamous kiss changed Spain. The former football federation chief faces 2 years in jail if found guilty over an alleged assault that triggered national soul-searching.

Every country has etiquette rules and some of these – especially in the UK – are downright stupid. Two of Spain’s that have come up recently are 1. you mustn’t put your hands under the table during a meal; and neither must you stretch your arms at the table. But I think that, unlike in the UK, you can put your elbows on the table.

Cousas de Galicia

Reader David in La Coruña and I are excited about this coming to Galicia. I took a foto of one at the entrance/exit to a car park this morning but decided it wasn’t worth posting, you’ll be relieved to hear.

Maria is back at the coal face, on the theme of democracy. And the consequences of it wholesale destruction.

The UK

Talking of democracy . . . . Britain’s millennials are said here to be “flirting with nihilistic authoritarianism”.

The EU

Not entirely unexpected . . . The EU plans to let states deport failed asylum seekers and criminals. A planned overhaul to the 1951 Refugee Convention – now seen in member governments as not fit for purpose – would be the biggest policy shift in decades.

The USA

Still a lot to say, for now . . .

Trump is, of course, far from the first American leader to be accused of cruelty. What’s striking about him is that he doesn’t pretend otherwise. Presidents in recent memory at least paid lip service to compassion; the new one has made exclusion, spite and bullying his brand. He seems to celebrate violating the basic rules we’re taught from infancy: be kind to others, share resources, welcome those who may seem different.

Given that Trump’s blogs on Canada yesterday were indubitably insane, one has to ask how much the people below him really share his lunatic views, as opposed to puppet-mastering an ignorant, narcissistic, power-crazy imbecile to achieve the sort of society they want. With Project 25 as the script.

By the way, as the WSJ pointed out, Trump seems to think the USA should be an autarchy, importing nothing. This was the objective of (fascist) Franco, which was disastrous for Spain in the 1940s and 1950s. Madness. Reminding me of the dictum that those who don’t study history are condemned to re-live it.

The Price America Will Pay for Trump’s Tariffs – Alienating allies and partners that the U.S. desperately needs means that “America First” will be “America Alone.” Possibly not entirely alone, if the UK PM Keir Starmer decides to maintain lapdog status.

If you don’t know what American exceptionalism is, this article will tell you what it is. And what it always was.

Russia

This columnist contends the economy is in serious trouble. Russia Today(RT) will surely be among those who disagree.

Quote of the Day

The UK Chancellor’s claim that there is no trade-off between economic growth and net zero is arrant nonsense.

AI

Caution required. . . . I asked two AI engines what the main criticisms of Brexit are and if there are counter arguments. The first one said No but the second one said Yes and proceeded to give them. Wiki might have done better but I didn’t check.

I then asked one AI engine to give me the latest psychiatric evaluation of Trump and got an interesting – but not terribly surprising – reply. I might try 2 or 3 other AI engines, including the Chinese one.

Spanish

These are some of the words taken so far from the book I mentioned the other day, by Julio Camba Some of them might not be in use today:-

• Tacada: A cue shot or a break in billiards, snooker or pool
• Carambola: In billiards, a cannon (carom).
• Chelín: Shilling
• Majar: To crush, mash, pound
• Tez: Complexion, skin tone
• Endiñar: To thump someone
• Patilla: Sideburn
• Polainas: Gaiters, spats
• Chistera: Top hat
• Pila: Usually a battery but back at the start of the 20th century apparently also a bath tub.
• Kail: What he calls hail(stones). By analogy with Ja Ja for Ha Ha, shouldn’t it be Jail?

Did you know?

I don’t see many films and – despite/because of imminent Oscars success – I won’t be watching the bizarre French film, Emilia Pérez. Which – for reasons explained here – isn’t playing to large numbers in Mexico, What isn’t mentioned is the irritating Castellano accents of the film’s ‘Mexicans’.

Finally . . . You Have to Laugh

This is the spoof cited that article.

My thanks to those readers who take the trouble to Like my posts.

The Usual Links . . .

• You can get my posts by email as soon as they’re published. With the added bonus that they’ll contain the typos I’ll discover later. I believe there’s a box for this at the bottom of each post. If you do this but don’t read the posts, I will delete your subscription. So perhaps don’t bother if you have other reasons for subscribing . . .
• 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.
• For those thinking of moving to Spain:– This is an extremely comprehensive and accurate guide to the challenge, written by a Brit who lives in both the North and the South and who’s very involved in helping Camino walkers. And this is something on the so-called Beckham Rule, which is beneficial – tax-wise – for folk who want to work here. Finally, some advice on getting a mortgage. And this article ‘debunks claims re wealth and residency taxes’. Probably only relevant if you’re a HNWI. In which case, you’ll surely know what that stands for.