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/Galiza

The PM has announced some measures to address the housing crisis. We wait to see what property expert Mark Stücklin thinks of them.

The Spanish public healthcare system is generally well regarded, often being favourably compared with the UK’s NHS – though I have no idea whether this is fair or not. In the de-facto federal state which Spain can be, the level of care differs from region to region, as this is a devolved responsibility. Inevitably, perhaps, it’s highest in the richer regions of Cataluña and the Basque Country and lowest in the poorer regions of the South. This discrepancy seems to be taken for granted, as a reality, and one never hears in Spain the (UK) criticism of a ´post code lottery’ when differences are brought to light. More generally, there seems to be widespread view that things are deteriorating, as they might be even in next-door France. Specifically, a national survey shows specialist delays stretching beyond 4 months. But this probably isn’t the case for patients who have private medical insurance. These, by the way, represent 25-30% of the population, against 12-14% in the UK, where the issue is the political hot potato it isn’t here. Even (left-leaning) teachers and civil servants unions in Spain offer a medical insurance policy. A different world.

The USA

An ‘authoritarian classic’: If I don’t take over Greenland, Russia or China will. And a mammoth lie to go with it: Their defence is 2 dog sleds. [The US has several military bases there].

Apparently, in Trump’s world being ‘disrespectful’ to law enforcement justifies killing the offenders. But not, of course, if they’re disrespecting authority by storming the Capitol. An entirely innocent activity. Even if a policeman dies as a result of it.

Seth Myers here reviews the past few days. See some very unimpressive waffle from the egregious Kristi Noem at min 7.50. But at least she wasn’t cosplaying for the interview. Just pretending to be honest and objective.

Trump reverses are piling up. His bullying isn’t always effective. Not everyone in the US is a terrified Republican member of Congress. But will the supreme court stay in his pocket? Its verdict on the legality of the tariffs will answer that question.

So, is Trump very different from previous US presidents? Well, ask Mexico, Spain, the Philippines and Panama – inter alia. One answer: He’s as American as apple pie. He’s an enthusiastic champion of US expansionism – just like many who came before him. See also this must-read article on Trump’s not-so-new imperialism.

If Trump is, in fact, very different from previous presidents, this seems to be domestically, rather than internationally. Apart from all the other negative adjectives, has there ever been a more corrupt and divisive president?

Stephen Miller wants folk to fear him, says this columnist. . . . If you want to understand what’s happening in the US right now, and what is likely to happen next, don’t just focus on Donald Trump. Rather, pay close attention to his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller. It’s increasingly clear that Miller is the driving force behind the Trump administration’s most extreme policies. 

Did you know that the far-right Steve Bannon once compared Miller to Goebbels? And this was well before Miller got the bit between his teeth and went full dictator in Trump’s 2nd term! His wife does a good Magda too. I pity their kids.

Spanish

• Vejar: To vex, harass- To faze. To humiliate.
• Vejación: Vexation, etc.
• Varar: To beach, run aground, become stranded.
• Varamiento: Beaching, stranding
• Derivar: To drift. To derive. To divert.

English

Gospel: From Old English gōd(good) and spel(story, message).

Did you know?

Chutzpah can be effective, at least for a while. As the Tichborne Claimant case demonstrates.

You Have to Laugh

Wikipedia’s entry on Trump was mischievously falsified to say he was now the Acting President of Venezuela. As you’d expect, Trump posted this as gospel on his (Un)Truth Social platform. Apparently, the new president is actually a committee of folk in Washington, who possibly couldn’t manage a piss-up in a brewery. So, what could possibly go wrong? [By the by, the oil companies come across as very reluctant winners from the Venezuelan adventure. Trump will punish those who don’t want to go back into Venezuela by banning them from going back into Venezuela. Which will really hurt them. Alice in Wonderland stuff. Trump as the Red Queen]

Finally . . .

I wonder if Americans know that To trump in British slang is To fart? Presumably his German grandfather didn’t when he changed the family surname from Drumpf.

Finally . . . Finally . . .

I’ve decided to go into the (booming) gambling business and, as a first step, to open a book on What Distraction Ploy Will Trump Make Tomorrow? I’m giving the shortest odds on:-

• Something very nasty about someone who has criticised him.
• A denial that he ever knew someone he appointed.
• An invasion intention we haven’t heard yet.

And the longest on:-

• Something true.
• Something sensible.
• Something both true and sensible.
• Something consistent with what he said last month/week
• An apology of any sort.
• An admission that he was wrong on something
• Details of a healthcare plan.
• Criticism of Putin

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 . . .

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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.

If you’re thinking of moving to Spain, this link should be useful to you.