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 Spanish Prime Minister has been compared to Franco in a spat with a newspaper boss. The new head of El Pais has accused him of undermining press freedom by trying to dislodge him. I suspect quite a few people would have some sympathy with this accusation.

A Spanish lawyer, Miriam González Duránte, wrote this article last year, on Spanish political ethics. Or, rather, on the complete lack of them. According to this article in The Times, she’s now engaged in a fight to clean up Spanish politics. But has had nil success with this worthy endeavour. So, Spain will remain a country whose politics are blighted by corruption and influence-peddling scandals. Sra G D is said to have approached hundreds of regional governments and town halls but not one has signed up to her proposed code of ethics. [British readers might recall that she is the wife of Nick Clegg]

Way back in the 13th century, the village of Trasmoz in Aragón had a dispute over wood collection with an abbot who was more interested in lucre than souls. In 1511, a later abbot speciously cursed the village for witchcraft and got the pope to excommunicate it. Which unique status the village retains. Indeed, it benefits from it via an annual witchcraft fair, which naturally pulls in thousands of tourists. Lifting the communication would be something of a disaster . . .

Portugal

Portugal’s government has collapsed over a scandal. New elections are due — will the country shift to the right or can the Socialists return to power?

Of possibly more interest to us in Galicia . . . The VdG today tells us that: The Portuguese AVE Raises Queries: The Portuguese high-speed rail system is full of ups and downs. Portuguese parties agree that its necessary, but the project’s deadlines and financial solvency are dashing hopes. Three lines are actually at stake: one, divided into two sections, heads toward Galicia; the other heads toward Madrid. The first is of interest to northern Portugal and the Galicians; the second is the priority for Brussels, which provides the majority of the funding. And in between are the bidding procedures for the works. Spanish companies have withdrawn from the tenders because they see no financial security.

Trump

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US has given more than Europe in financial and military aid. But a new analysis of the military kit sent to Ukraine shows that, in fact, Europe has outmatched the US in every category from tanks to missile batteries.

What is it with the Americans that half of them turn a blind eye to Trump’s flagrant grifting? The latest example – of very many – is to charge extortionate prices for accommodation in his hotels for security staff who have to accompany him on his weekends of golf on his own golf course. This is in addition to the millions of dollars this itself costs. And who’d be surprised to find the taxpayers fund his green fees. And his new balls.

BTW . . . Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club held its championship on Sunday. Trump posted that night that he was proud to have won it for the 3rd year in the row – as possibly the only competitor with 2 arms. This fantasist is the President of the USA and putative leader of the free world.

Can you detect a favourite phrase in these words of the President of the United States? And the customary bizarre use of capital letters?

• This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected president.
• Ashley Parker is not capable of doing a fair and unbiased interview. She is a Radical Left Lunatic,

Not quite the silken words of a statesman. More those of a house-trained guttersnipe.

Need I add that the genuine lunatic in the house has called for the impeachment of said judge. Along with others who’ve ruled against him. As it says here, this represents a significant escalation of the president’s attempts to push the boundaries of the separation of powers with the courts.

And, in something of a surprise . . . The US Chief Justice, John Roberts – a Trump appointee – has said Trump’s threat to impeach federal judges was “not an appropriate response” to disagreements about their rulings. How about ‘outrageous’?

But, hey ho. It’s always darkest before the dawn. Can a heart attack be long coming? Enough folk must be praying for it. Especially a certain Mr Vance.

BTW . . . I posted a Special earlier in the day on the Constitutional Crisis that is, as expected/feared, developing rapidly.

Musk

On the TV evidence, he’s on his way to a nervous breakdown? If not, he should be.

The USA

A picture which paints a thousands words . . .

One gets the impression that some very nasty people – there are some in every country – have been waiting for this moment, encouraged by Trump’s election and his prior language.

Paul Krugman . . . I’ve been exploring the available data, and U.S. exposure to foreign revulsion looks quite [US = ‘very] large. A number of tourists from European countries have been detained by ICE in recent weeks when attempting to enter the United States, their planned vacations instead turning into long stretches in detention. Experts say their arrests are an apparent escalation in enforcement action as Trump’s immigration crackdown rages on. . . . Trump’s belief that America holds all the cards, that the rest of the world needs access to our markets but we don’t need them, is all wrong. We are rapidly losing the world’s trust, and part of the cost will be financial. Amen to that.

The Way of the World/You Have to Laugh

Woke ain’t dead, at least not in New Jersey . . .

Spanish

• Casar: To marry. To match.
• Zafarrancho: Havoc, row.
• Cacho: Chunk, bit, chub.
• Outfit: Outfit, but possibly pronounced oh-oot-feet or woot-feet.
• Reseñable: Remarkable, noteworthy

Did you know?

Be warned . . .

Finally . . .

Yesterday was a big day for me . . . Two people read my post on Substack. Though I fear I counted as one of them . . .

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. But see here on this. 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.
• Getting a mortgage in Spain: Some advice on this challenge.