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

Despite being a nation of ‘individualists’, Spain continues its astonishing run as global organ donor champion – narrowly failing to beat its own world record in 2025.

House prices continue to surge, growing at 12.8%, well above the European average. Good for some, no doubt. Mark Stücklin gives us the reasons and the consequences here.

Lenox Napier reminisces here.

A Catalan village that became a bit British, for sad reasons.

The Diario de Pontevedra says that the residents of Pv city should stop being silly and abandon the claim that the city was founded by Teucro, a Greek warrior who sailed here after being injured in the Trojan wars. With the help of angels.

Europe

Real politique . . . European leaders know all about appeasement and are familiar with the arguments against it. And they know they’ve not only been appeasing Trump for some time but, whatever they say now, they will continue to appease him for some time yet. Until they’re strong enough to stop doing so. When Trump’s inevitable revenge will count for less. Of course, things will change for the better if Trump dies, is assassinated or is removed under Article 25 of the Constitution. But how much things approve will depend on how evil Vance continues to be and how much he’s influenced by Miller. Not many grounds for optimism at the moment. Therefore, Europe has no choice but to make itself stronger, while reducing reliance on the USA.

Interestingly Hitler provoked his long-desired war in 1939 because he feared that (already re-arming) Britain would be stronger by the year – 1942 – preferred by his sycophantic generals. Plus, of course, he under-estimated his enemy. Trump might well be guilty of the same over-confidence.

The USA

Hard as it is to believe, that letter to the Norwegian PM, didn’t totally plumb the depths of Trump’s ignorance, arrogance and stupidity. He has now gone full cretin . . . Occupy Democrats again:-

Trump insists that the world is “kidding” when we say that the government of Norway doesn’t control the Nobel Peace Prize. “If anybody thinks that Norway doesn’t, uh, doesn’t control the Nobel prize, they’re just kidding,” Trump said. “They have a board, but it’s controlled by Norway. And I don’t care what Norway says.” It’s impossible to tell where the stupidity ends and the madness begins…

During the same remarks to reporters, Trump also absurdly claimed that “I don’t care about the Nobel prize.” Trump’s pathetic fixation on the Nobel Peace Prize — which he desperately covets because President Barack Obama received it — might be funny if it weren’t so seriously endangering the world. Trump outright admitted that his threats to annex Greenland are a direct result of him being denied the prize because the loss made him abandon interest in peace.

His insistence that Norway controls the prize is indicative of his deeply corrupt world-view. He’s so accustomed to abusing his presidential powers to force private companies, universities, and individuals to do what he wants, that he assumes every other government also pressures private organizations into doing their bidding. [And, of course, that everyone is a crook and has their price.]

As always, it’s worth remembering that this is a deeply ignorant man in a state of profound cognitive decline.

Hard as this might be to believe, it’s not a spoof. Trump has, indeed, invited warmonger Putin to join his Gaza Board of Peace. ‘Because he’s a world leader’.

Another glimpse – hardly an insight – into Trump’s mind. This is said to be an egregious lie, completely at odds with the truth.

Trump’s niece says that his letter to the Norwegian PM is “too stupid even for him”. But . . . . Every moment of coverage of Greenland is not coverage of the Epstein files. Likewise, it’s not coverage of the fact that Trump’s illegal invasion of Venezuela hasn’t achieved regime change. Nor of what his ICE forces are doing in Minnesota.

Seth Myers gives us something to laugh at in these sombre times.

Russia

Moscow endorses Trump’s plan to take over Greenland. Just possibly because of the impact on NATO. And because seizing other territories is Russian official policy.

The Way of the World/Social Media

• We are watching critical thinking disappear in real time due to the AI addiction. 40% of US kids can’t read and teachers are quitting in droves.
• Some of us have always been Instagram and Facebook refuseniks, and never publicly posted pictures of our lives or families or any of it. But it’s not the norm, and billions of people have entirely forgivably got sucked into a world where they are the product, where they work for free for the tech lords, who successfully devalued the idea of privacy at the altar of their big lie: that “being connected” via their networks is far more important than privacy; that it is a win for humanity; that it is social. But it isn’t. Societies are in a mess. Literacy’s in a mess. Young people’s mental health is in a mess. The world’s in far more of a mess than it was when the techlords found it.

Spanish

• Surtir: To fill/refill, stock.
• Surtir efecto: To take affect.
• Llanto: Crying, weeping.
• Muela: Tooth/molar. Grinding wheel. Toothache(?)

English

Knell: Does this word appear anywhere other than in ‘death-knell’? An AI engine claims Yes, “knell” appears independently, referring to the slow, solemn ringing of a bell, and serves as both a noun and verb. Hmm. Maybe.

Finally . . . Did you know?

Shades of Russia and Ukraine . . . Advised by his generals that he would be victorious within 3 weeks, Iraq’s Saddam Hussein started a war against Iran that lasted 10 years, devastated the economies of both countries and cost millions of lives. And the frontier remained where it had been when the war began.

Finally . . . Finally . . .

If you think you know how evil men can be to fellow men, try reading up on the torturers and killers who worked for Saddam. Not to mention the man himself.