Experiment = experience?

Experiment and experience both come from the Latin experiri. In Spanish experiencia can be used as a synonym for experimento–I think this is particularly true of the pre-C20th language–and something tells me I’ve read nineteenth century English in which the same applies. Experiential evidence is, however, in short supply. Regrettably, this is often the case…

Fatwa nut bar

Cat in Rabat has a hilarious post re continuing attempts by beards in Morocco and elsewhere to make us dress up silly and prevent us from inspecting each others’ fatwans and stuff.

El País macht Arbeit

In reporting the Pope’s visit to Auschwitz, Lola Galán puts in overtime to come up with a curious translation of the German School Association’s most famous pick-me-up slogan, “Arbeit macht frei”: “El trabajo nos hace libres”, “Work makes us free”, which carries a rather different load to the more literal and linguistically perfectly acceptable “El…

Monday vomit

El Figaro “in private” with someone called Zhang Ziyi: “At what moment were you most happy? I cherish every day that passes. Each day offers something new, something different. I’m very happy at the moment.” It gets worse before it gets over.

Troubled agents

Next we’ll be told Arnold Otegi is a secret member of the Ávila PP.

Spain, a moral good

Just about the only folks who subscribe wholeheartedly to the same stark raving dungbrain discourse as the separatists (albeit without the latter’s threatened recourse to arms) are our bishops.

Etymology of “the dog’s bollocks”

Wondering idle & aloud whether the origins of that outrageous compliment “the dog’s bollocks” are to be found in a time when we appreciated the finer cuts of dog. Brewery De Klok (“The Clock”) in Zottegem in Belgium used to produce a beer called Poepentsoe. This means literally “the pig’s hole (ie posterior orifice)” but…

Japanese animation about cycling and love in Spain

I’d love to see El verano de Andalucía or Andarushía no natsu. Having to win the Tour the same day your brother marries … your girlfriend is something so many of us have experienced. (The Japan Times credits Kosaka his pickled eggplants, but says he’s still short of cultural mulligan stews. Can’t please everyone…)