26/10/2008 – Leeds's Singing Organ-Grinder

Tolstoy’s finch, linnet mania, and a false etymology of “shibboleth”

The following description of birdsong contests is taken from Josep Pla’s brilliant anecdotography of Rafael Puget, Un señor de Barcelona, and is mid- to late-19th century: Singing competitions A fondness for birdsong has existed in Manlleu, Barcelona province for as far back as my memory reaches. The “Societat d’aucellistes”, the Society of Bird-Fanciers, is very…

Traditional disregard for parking regulations among Spanish UN diplomats

Spain’s up at no 52 on the UN parking ticket corruption index, so that’s between the Ukraine and the Philippines, with average 12.7 unpaid violations per diplomat. The UK averages 0.0. Other crime news: Either the Azerbaijanis or the UAEers have stolen an “r” from Australia. The data’s pretty old, so perhaps Spanish councils’ new…

Moors are poisoned by fugues and non sequiturs

New translation of Horace here. Conventional version of “dulce et decorum est pro patria mori”, “it’s sweet and fitting to die for one’s country” here. (Thanks Jesús)