Long time no post

Unfortunately, due to work and study reasons, we will not be able to post for some time.

It is certanly a shame not to keep posting, since there are so many issues to write about:

• Breach of contract by Miss Cantabria. She freely entered into a contract she wants now to break. Government supports... her.
• Law on alcohol. Wine to be considered a dangerous product, and therefore government was planning more restrictions on selling and advertising. This project has been now withdrawn.
  
• Inhabitants of noisy neighborhoods, to be paid by town hall (i.e., taxpayers) because of the noise in public streets.
• Soccer in Spain keeps as interesting as usual

Van Bommel, ex-Barcelona player, during a game versus Real Madrid

Until we are able to post again, we would like you to rethink, everytime you hear a new government action, whether it enhances freedom and propriety rights, or the very contrary.

Thank you, good bye, good luck.

Trial for Madrid 11-M begins today

March, 11th, 2004. 7.37 am. Ten bombs explode in some Madrid regional trains, causing 192 deaths and almost 2.000 injured. March,14h, 2004, presidential elections are held.

General information concerning the attacks: here.

After 3 years of investigations, the trial starts today.

Spanish media (and people) are divided into two groups concerning the situation

1. Those who understand that it is clear that the bombs where placed by some muslims (according to official version). This version here.
2. Those who believe that further investigation should be carried out, since there are a lot of "black holes" in the official inquiry. These theroies, here.

We will see if anything gets clear.

One of the charged (not an iPod, but the translating stuff)

Eto'o refuses to play 8 minutes

Soccer is the most important sport in Spain. Real Madrid and Barcelona are the most important soccer teams.

Eto'o is a soccer player, formed in Real Madrid but currently playing for Barcelona. He has been injured for the last 4-5 months, and last sunday was able to play again.

Barcelona coach asked him to get into the field when there were just 8 minutes to end the game (soccer games last 90 minutes). The player refused to do this.

Therefore, Real Madrid press hope that there is a big issue here.

"Eto'o dynamites Barça"

Barcelona press hope that there is nothing to talk about.

"There is not an Eto'o affair"

Ana Obregon's boyfriend in Pasarela Cibeles

Ana Obregon is a top-ten Spanish Celebrity, according to many. She has appeared (some say "performed as an actress") in tv shows and movies. She is famous for dressing with lingerie and behaving like a teenager.

The link says "Ana Obregon, 45". This is innacurate for at least 11 years, according to many sources, including wikipedia.

Her sentimental life is constantly followed by the media, and after spreading the gossip of an affair with David Beckham, she is now dating a polish stripper, named Darek.

Darek's age is also varying within a range from 25 to 32.

Today, there is great expectation about the performance of Darek on the catwalk, since he is a model for the Madrid International Fashion Week (Pasarela Cibeles).

Madrid fashion week begins today

"Pasarela Cibeles" is considered the main Spanish fashion platform, trying to promote Spanish designers. It is held in Madrid.

Past year it gained some notoriety because models were subject to a sort of quality control, trying to avoid the presence of very skinny models.

Minimum weights and Body Mass Index (BMI) are settled, and models not complying with them are kept from the catwalk.

This edition, 5 out of 69 participants have not been approved.

De Juana, not in the catwalk

Carnival in Canay Islands

Carnival is a very important event in the Canary Islands.

It is said say that only Rio de Janeiro can match this fantastic party.

Regardless of its beauty or importance, it is clearly noisy. In fact, a group of inhabitants of Tenerife (a city in the Canary Islands) have asked a judge to suspend the carnival.

The claimants allege a "right to rest". The defendants (incluing Mayor), claim for a "right to party".

We would like to point out that once more, it is a matter of "using public resources" (streets are public).

Judge has ruled, as a preliminary measure, that carnival should abide by the rule of not exceeding 55 decibel by night. This is considered by carnival participants as imposible to achieve.

It seems that Judge is ruling according to european, state level and Canary Island level law.

Conclusion

Either I'd rather rest or party, I am paying European, Spanish and Canary Island regulators, judges and public administrations, to not solve the problem.

Potential taxpayer

Pricess sister found dead

Erika Ortiz, the younger sister of the Pricess of Spain, has been found dead in her appartment. Royal Family has asked for some privacy and respect.

Everybody believes that she was depressed (Erika), and committed suicide. However, the cause of death has not been reported.

Off-topic - Fago murder

We already said that the suspect for the killing of Fago's mayor would soon appear as innocent. For the moment being,

1. He has now claimed he is innocent.
2. Police has found evidence of other people involved.
   

City hall paying to modify spanish language

Spanish politicians are becoming concerned about gender discrimination in language.

This is very understandable, since language is created freely by people, and that seems just intolerable.

An association has proposed to refer to change the way we refer to the members of a married couple.

"Marido" (husband) and "Mujer" (wife) are not acceptable, and it is better to say "marido" (husband) and "marida" (husbandtress).

We can discuss whether this seems logical or nonsense. Either one way or the other, we have already been forced to pay this association via taxes.

Cordoba city hall has granted a subvention to sustain this line of work.

The Cordoba/Cordobo Mosque

Anthem and flag use restricted, government reminds

Last saturday there was a march, in Madrid, against any negotiation process with basque terrorists.

This march was seen by government as a march against its current anti-terrorism policy, and therefore, was not supported by government.

Many attendants to the march carried a Spanish flag, and the spanish national anthem was broadcast by loudspeakers.

Government spokesman Lopez Garrido has noted that the use of the Spanish flag and anthem is regulated, thus they can not be used by citizens wherever or whenever they want.

Both regulation and spokesman were and are financed by Spanish citizens.

Fair use: bullfighter's cape

First arrested in Fago crime

Fago is a little northern village (30-40 inhabitants), currently famous because of the murder of its mayor.

As in the movies, police has arrested the candidate of the opposition party, who has confessed to be the author. It is also said that his DNA matches with some evience found in the victim's car.

However, it is still not clear whether:

a) He really killed the mayor.
b) He acted alone.

As mere members of the audience, we understand that

a) The first suspect in the story will in a short time appear as innocent.
b) Nothing has been said about a butler yet.

Lights off in Spain

In order to protest against global warming, some Spanish authorities have echoed a french initiative, consisting of switching off the lights for 5 minutes (from 7:55pm to 8:00pm).

Global warming a.k.a. climatic change consist mainly of pesimistics forecasts for the next centuries.

According to ecologists, the aim of the protest is to call the attention of citizens and politicians.

The measure has been mainly followed by public administrations.

Many public buildings in Madrid, Barcelona, and other spanish cities, have switched off the lights during the aforementioned period.

Thus, we have politicians using taxes to say "hi" to other politicians.

Moreover, we understand that public lights were either necessary or not. Whichever the case, it does not seem necessary to toy around.

Private street lightning

Government uselessly interferring mobile industry

As we already commented, Spanish government was enacting new regulation to avoid free contracting between consumers and enterprises.

This new law settled the way that mobile phone companies could charge consumers, prohibiting round-ups, and providing that invoicing should depend on seconds, and not minutes.

As a consequence of the abovementioned, mobile phone companies have now raised prices, in a clear attempt to get the same money than before.

Now, government and consumer associations blame mobile companies for this raise.

Moreover, government now says that its first attempt was not aimed at reducing prices.

It is not reported whether it was just the sheer pleasure of regulating.

Conclusion:

Government

• wasted citizens money
• to not achieve its goals,
• and blamed others.

Three fingers pointing back