Category: Splog

Touch wood/iron

Re a reference@Amando de Miguel: that the expressions are interchangeable (“Capulino frotó suavemente el respaldo de una silla; acarició después el metal de un llavero, por expresa recomendación de Juana. Y sonrió.”, or here for the English) suggests that Frazer was wrong to point to iron’s novelty as the source of its taboo status. Intriguingly,…

Of trousersnakes

Did the serpent deflower Eve or merely provide professional consulting services, thus relegating humans to a subsidiary role in creation?

Future of Galician

Cool cartoon, translated by Carlos, who has unfortunately decided that there is no future for him as a professional translator.

Triumph of English

Fabio Montermini’s excellent granny, who says in dialect (no army or navy in sight), “I can’t speak dialect and never have,” reminded me of a hilarious moment the other night during a meet-the-people TV show featuring the not so excellent Mariano Rajoy, struggling leader of the allegedly non-nationalist Partido Popular. Why, asked some poor mum…

Tangier, a filthy hole

Check out the excellent Guirilandia. I recently commented on the mob of thieves that awaits you at the ferry port and was accused, seriously, of racism. Tangier is just horrible, and I suspect that Mr Bowles wasn’t much nicer than his fellow residents.

French voter registration

The first interesting election piece I’ve seen, suggesting why Sarko might still lose, and even more bad news in prospect.

Looby needs your money

To take a stage version of a mad Ukrainian novel to Edinburgh this summer (budget here). If I had the money, the time and the talent, I’d try to buy myself the part of Junkie.

Too hot

Given the spectacular contribution of Iberian merchants to the spice trade, why is it that none of my local friends will go anywhere near a lamb vindaloo?