Bollocks in 16th century Spanish writing

Where arse turns up regularly in jokes, proverbs and stories, bollocks–cojones–in CORDE’s version of sixteenth century Spain seem to be confined to medical treatises and to a verse novel of quite extraordinary and possibly unsurpassed filth. The anonymous Carajicomedia (1519) consists of the adventures of the noble Diego Fajardo’s one-eyed trouser snake, which is said…

Much ado about mutton

I blog pseudonymously in a couple of other places in order to be able to write with more freedom. The other day I was about to start a blog about litigious sheep when I suddenly realised that it ain’t what you sue but the way that you suet. So I melted them down and started…

Fish in boots

Re the Suspended-load Backpack generator: “The biologists came up with the idea after studying how fish move.” Is this some kind of anti-creationist joke?

Pyrenean fiestas & walks

Check out Jayne over at Pyrenean Notes, who’s plugging the fiesta in Plan, up in the Huescan Pyrenees, and writing about other interesting stuff like mountain walking.

Aka the sardana

The Dallas Morning News ($$$) has an interesting variation on the “Franco banned the sardana” urban legend: “In fact, during the tightest days of his rule, the Sardana dance was still performed here (but with a different name) …”

Who caused Katrina?

El País this morning seems still to be backing the “It wos Bush wot dunnit” hypothesis. This is because they are being paid to do so by the Russians–although they still haven’t managed to get the hammers and sickles up there in the clouds. (Thanks Dave)