Portuguese Prime Minister corruption charges

Socialist José Sócrates continues to deny taking bribes from the British developer, Freeport, while he was environment minister. Zazie links to bloggers who expose his official income and assets, and wonders how a chicken can get so fat on so little, and why the two major parties are keeping so quiet.

The great Catalan gunpowder swindle

As the evenings draw in, the Arenys de Mar sensimilla syndicate has taken time off from the plantation to post another shambling Gran Armada-wreck of nationalist historical revisionism. (It’s dated 2006, but this is the first time it’s turned up in my reader, so…) As is customary, our scenario is back-to-the-future: a massive 15th century…

Professor Blumenbach of Göttingen’s views on beauty in women

T Bell, MD, Kalogynomia, or the laws of female beauty (1821): Professor Blumenbach of Göttingen, whose profound science and perfect impartiality no one can doubt, does not hesitate to say, that the English are the most beautiful people on the globe. Nor is this wonderful when we consider that ENGLAND, perhaps exclusively, presents the combination…