Streisand versus Winfrey

AOG, Madrid

What is the Democratic party trying to sell us? A return to a good past or a leap towards a better future?

The jury is still out.

On the "Obamaic" camp, the future is bright and we gotta wear shades. Color Purple shades. Somehow, our Senator from Illinois has managed to get Oprah Winfrey onboard. Ms. Winfrey, probably the best symbol forward-thinking middle America has, has decided, first time ever, to back a (audacious) politician.

Barely a day after Barack Obama's campaign announced Oprah will stump with their candidate next month comes word that Hillary Clinton has snared her own celebrity endorser.

On the "Gin & (Clin)tonic” camp, Hilary has Barbra Streisand by her side. Ms. Streisand, ever the eternal liberal, represents to many a return to a not-too-distant, happier past: the interregnum between the Bushes, shall we say.

The economy was booming, the Cold War was over. The US was not at war with anyone, and it was not about to let something as meaningless as the Ugandan Genocide, or Bosnia, shatter its prosperity.

Nonetheless, life was good, gas was cheap, and the whole Lewinski thing was a hoot.

So which way will the Democratic party turn? Will it audaciously leap forward towards a brighter tomorrow or will it hark back to ancient Clintonian times?

The political calculations will argue that some voters are dumb enough to vote for a celebrity-endorsed politician; after all, Washington is Hollywood for ugly people, as they say.

But, in what appears to be a close race, by listening to Winfrey or Streisand, people will stick around long enough to listen and/or learn about the candidate they endorse.

Looking for work with Martadona

AOG, Madrid

These days I find myself looking for work. CV's are being sent all over the Spanish universe as we speak.

Last night, my partner suggested I sent my cv on a CD. It was different. I am thinking about it.

Then along came Martadona...

And now I'm thinking about doing the same....

In case you are wondering, she sings about being a lawyer, then mentions her qualities and skills. She finishes by saying she'd like to work with you.

The kiss at the end is the best part.

Enjoy.

The fortunes of the King of Spain

AOG, Madrid

The King of Spain is very much in the news these days. Poor Juan Carlos has had a very rough year.

First, his daughter-in-law’s sister killed herself. Then, a few months later, some politicians began to demand that the Royal finances be audited.

Then, a satirical magazine (a bit more acidic than MAD, but along those juvenile lines), publishes a cover of Crown Prince Felipe doing his wife. A judge withdrew all copies from newsstands and sparked off a national debate regarding the image of the King, the Crown, and the Royal family. Most politicians did not back the judges move.

Later on, a few hooligans in Catalonia burnt a photograph of the King and a new debate started when a judge asked a photo journalist to turn in the negatives so as to prosecute the people who did the burning. Again, national outcry from some sectors regarding freedom of speech.

Then, a very popular right-wing radio network began to demand that the King step down and for Spain to turn into a republic.

As if that were not enough, the President of the Community of Madrid, asked the King publicly not to be too harsh on the main culprit over the airwaves, a certain Mr. Jimenez Losantos.

The King went on to ask publicly that the Royal family be respected by the media. The Spanish were slightly bemused, but the British were surprised that the King would do such a thing. Queen Elizabeth would not ever do that. But then again, the British Royals were not ousted from power in 1931 and Britain did not go through a Civil War 5 years later.

In a sort of PR coup, the Government decides to send to King to Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish cities in North Africa bordering Morocco. What was meant to be an internal affair turned into a diplomatic crisis when Morocco withdrew its Ambassador from Madrid, and protested publicly accusing Spain of colonialism and equating the status of those two cities to Palestine.

But here things began to take a turn for the better. As has been many times the case, Africa proved to be a turning point in Spanish affairs.

The Royal couple’s tour of the cities was a great national success. The locals were head over heels with the King and Queen.

Then silence, and it appeared that things would turn to normal.

Wrong.

Along came the XII Summit of Iberoamerican leaders in Santiago, Chile.

As it came to a close, the Spanish Prime Minister suddenly found himself and his predecesor under verbal attack from the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. Spain's President tried to defend his predecessor's Administration but the Venezuelan chief was not having it. He accused him of being a Fascist, etc etc etc. Basically, he was not allowing President Zapatero speak. Half way through this, King Juan Carlos flew of the handle and told Chávez to shut up.

Literally, what he said was "¿Por qué no te callas?" "Why won't you shut up?". The King was not happy, especially after Nicaragua's President Ortega went off about how Spanish investement in his country was bad, etc etc etc. The King got up and left, only coming back after Chilean President Bachelet asked him to.

Well, of course, it hit the headlines all over the Spanish-speaking world, and then some. Even the BBC carried the story. All through this week, President Chávez has been intent on continuing his diatribe against Spain, the King, the Spanish, basically, everyone and everything Spanish. Obviously his pride has been hurt.

He has accused the King of knowing there was going to be a Coup against him (ironic since Mr. Chávez himself staged 2 coups before being voted into power), he has accused the Spanish of cutting the Indian's throat to silence them (From Imperial Madrid the order was issued ....blah blah blah).

He has accused Spain of behaving like an imperialist power (maybe this is the only true thing he has said thus far), but nonetheless, it is the worst case of post-colonial tantrum I have seen in a while.

Needless to say, most Latin American leaders (who are as left leaning as Spain's premier), have come to the support of the King. Even Castro has not spoken out against Spain.

Ironically, Spain's opposition party have not, eventhough the man Zapatero was defending originally, ex president Aznar, a Bush ally, was from that party. He even called the President and (purportedly) the King, to thank them for their support. All very gentlemanly.

Nonetheless, Chávez has continued. The news hit that he was planning on syphoning off Venezuela's oil through Portugal.

As if things could not get worse for the King, his daughter (above) announced on Tuesday the 13th (as opposed to Friday the 13th, Tuesday is the unlucky day in Spain), his daughter Princess Elena announced that she and her husband the Duke of Lugo, were separating.

On a brighter note, after this Spanish "annus horribilis", the whole Chávez incident has made the King quite popular in Spain once again.

For the first time ever, a Spanish person defended a fellow citizen in an international forum.

I think, long term, it will be good for Spain. Hopefully, for Venezuela too...

Lions for lambs

AOG, MadridRobert Redford's new movie seems to draw a slight parallel with Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel. Both films share a triangular storyline which is drawn to a centrifuge by a common thread.

It is certainly beautifully filmed, the SX are good enough, and the plot, or plots, are nihilistic which is a welcome change in American cinema. Well, not all plots, this is an American film after all, and, although we are not served a happy ending on a platter, we are instead given a slice of hope, which is very much in line with the movie's feel.

A political story, it seems to reflect current thinking in the US regarding America's War on Terror campaign. If the film is to be seen as a catalyst for America's pulse, then we can assume that the end of the NeoCons is near, and that enough people have begun to question the status quo vis a vis the country's complacency with the post 9-11 world and recent propaganda.

Tom Cruise plays a character who is close to his last bad-guy character in Collateral. He is well in his way to becoming the next Mel Gibson or Kevin Costner. Strong, single minded, and with projection and aspirations, he fits the job description rather well.

Meryl Streep is surprisingly good as a journalist who has a sudden turn of heart. I say surprising, because the character is a feeble yet intelligent woman who finds herself enmeshed in a moral dilemma. Although the character is not beyond Streep's acting capabilities, she does an amazing turn with it and comes up trumps. Once again she proves what an amazing acting range she has and we are grateful for it.

Robert Redford, who also directs the film, is very middle ground in this film. A combination of Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society and Sean Connery in Finding Forrester, he comes across as slightly lost in the character. It lives in his head, but he does not fully bring it out.

We are never fully aware of his motives, only of the fact that he feels he has failed somewhere along the line, though neither he, nor us, get to find out why. Special mention must go to his eyebrows which for some odd reason are dyed a darker shade than the rest of his hair.

All in all, the movie will probably be nominated and win an Oscar or two, and it will be well deserved. You will not be bored and, surprise surprise, it may even make you think.

If nothing else, it will help many to think about the current political situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the US.

Fresh Airs in Poland

AOG, Madrid

Against all odds, it appears that Poland is loosing one of its "terrible twins". All I can say is Hooray!

I hope the new incumbent in Government, Donald Tusk, will steer his country into the XXI century and away from the homophobic hatemongering of Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski (as well as his brother's, the President of Poland), whose Law and Justice Party was defeated.

Nevertheles, one Kaczynski down, one Kaczynski to go.

Young at heart (old at flesh)

AOG, London

It would appear that every time I go to London I have an ok time.  Just.

Unfortunately, given the pressures of modern life, I have not long ago realised, that a weekend in London, though very glamorous sounding, is actually 2 evenings, and one and a half (or a third), days in the British capital.

I normally fly out on Friday night after work, arrive in Gatwick at some ungodly hour, then rush to Victoria Station on the next-to-last Gatwick Express (almost ₤15.00 these days!).

 

Once there, I normally enjoy all day Saturday, which I spend visiting galleries, museums, and try to catch a show on the evening. 

Not always, but normally I achieve some sort of cultural hiatus during the visit.

 

Amongst all of this cultural froth, I have to pencil in meeting with Madame Mère at some point, as well as the odd friend here and there for coffee in Soho somewhere (somewhere means Costa Café on Compton street).

 

This last time I was there, something I had not seen in ages reared its ugly head. 

As I waited for a couple of friends, next to me I noticed a very handsome guy in his 40s who was dressed -at first sight- youthfully. As I waited for my tardy friends, some of his friends showed up.

 

It was the usual “hey”, “kiss”, and recap on the weekend’s events. I began to notice, slowly, that this man, in his 40s, was verbally cavorting with guys in their 20s. 

Nothing wrong there, half of my improv class in Madrid is in their 20s and I feel like their father sometimes. 

But it was not as innocent as all that.

 

It soon occurred to me that, upon closer inspection, this man was not dressed “youthfully”, he was dressed like a male Britney Spears. I noticed this when he got up to air kiss one of his friends. There it was, a mid 40s bare navel. 

He also acted very like la Spears: Bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch; non stop.

 

Nothing wrong there, except that not only was he trying to look like a teenager, he was trying to talk like one too. But I was ok with that too (I from the “let and let live” school of life).

 

The thing that most ruffled my feathers was that the content of his whole conversation was drugs; and partying; and going to this club or that club and being off his face. 

I thought to myself that this is the kind of conversation best reserved to real guys in their 20s, not 40 year olds attempting to hold on to their youth, ça n’importe quoie! (no matter what).

 

He was handsome enough to pull off looking like a teenager, albeit only just and then only because Halloween is nigh, but he was not young enough to pull off teenage speak. 

That is where he blew it. He sounded ridiculous. And this made him, in turn, look ridiculous.

 

And, invariably, I began to think about myself and my friends (all in our mid to late 30s). 

About how we speak, what we say, how we dress, how we sound and look.

 

When my friends arrived, I inspected their clothes. 

Youthful, but more like trendy (Yes, A&F but subdued). I listened to their (our) speech, (no talk about drugs, but the occasional fashion rebuff and odd bit of trivia). 

And I figured that we were about average within our age group and generation.

 

So, of course, I wasted no time in pointing out our "young" neighbour but before I could explain what was his ‘biscuit’, one of my friends looked at me and said in a low tone “Does he think he’s 15?”

I was vindicated. 

I was not alone in being slightly, and gayly, outraged.

Given that the trip was so short, I had no time to introspectively discover, or excuse, why that guy was so out of touch with himself.

London in September

AOG, London

After being away from the island since the 22nd of July, I finally made it over to spend my birthday in the company of friends and family.

Seeing as how these days I'm "Homeless in London", my partner and I were lucky enough to stay with friends in Brixton, as well as being lucky enough to have friends to stay with in the first place.

The Complaints section

We rented a car, and for the first time ever, I drove from Gatwick into central London. One and a half hours later (more or less), we made it into town. It has always amazed me how long it take to get out of London.

Yes, London is gigantic, but what makes the process so slow is not its size, it is the fact that you get out of it through small winding streets masquerading as roads and highways. In this respect, Madrid has an advantage over London. Even in central Madrid, getting out of town takes no more than 25 minutes.

Yes, I know, Madrid is smaller (though not all that much these days), and many would argue that it has had the space to build motorways out of town. Yes and no. Madrid, like many other capitals, is surrounded by small villages which eventually have been absorbed into the city's fabric. However, I think that the only difference is will power. In Madrid, local politicians decided at some point that it should have ring roads and highways and ways out. Many of these are tunnels. Expensive tunnels which must avoid underground (Subway/Metro) tunnels, and entire city blocks with buildings on top. Not easy. And, considering how London is built mostly on flat land (unlike Madrid which is very hilly), I think political will power wins over weird excuses.

The Get Him! section

I remember once having the nephew of the Duke of Northumberland telling me (how's that for name dropping!!), that after WWII, when there was a plan to build a motorway right through South London, a little boy wrote to the Department of Transport informing them that he was very concerned about the plans to have a highway running right through his home. His father was some aristocrat, and the home in question was a palace somewhere down there (I forget where). So no highway was built.

Although a cute story, and probably a true one, it is amazing that even in 2007 things in London are as bad as they are.

The Culture and Recap section


We spent most of Saturday on the East End. It was a sunny day, and it helped make that part of town look less depressing than usual. We went to see an the Hiraki Sawa HAKO exhibition at the Chisenhale Gallery and spent the afternoon in the East End, mostly around Whitechapel and Aldgate- mostly Brick Lane. The smells of the area are amazing. It is an odd fusion of Asia, second hand clothing stores and avant- garde art galleries. All a stone's throw away from the City of London, the financial heart. I suppose this is one of the things which people like about London, this mixture.

It soon got late, and we rushed back to Brixton to get ready to go to dinner at the Texas Embassy in Trafalgar Square. It was great seeing old friends again. It was a lovely and familiar feeling.

Afterwards, three of us went to Bar Code in Vauxhall. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised. The decoration was modern, almost cutting edge, and, more importantly, smoke-free. I think one of London's most unique offers, insofar as interesting spaces are concerned, are the space underneath the railways arches which sprout all over London and the UK. Normally, they are very dingy, and certainly humid. I can almost smell the spores when I go into one. But, Bar Code, no spores. Well done. I was pleased we went.

Then home to Brixton to sleep. Sunday we didn't really have much time to do anything. I mostly got to chat with Oliver, our host, about many things. He mentioned he found it interesting that in Spain, in everyday language, there is a concept of "the modern" in a way which does not happen in Germany. Oliver is German. We discussed Spain, the UK, Germany, the US, life, philosophy, human Psychology, Zeitgeist, in short, nothing and everything. He eventually wants to return to Spain. It is just a case of convincing his partner Albert.

In the afternoon we packed and left for Gatwick. Another 2 hour drive out of London.

Family Types

AOG, Madrid

This past weekend I spent it with my partner and some friends in Sitges, also known as gayville on the Med; a small town about 45 minutes from Barcelona.

We all rented a small apartment (decoration 70s vintage), and the beach was a 5 minute walk from there. On Saturday, we got there rather early and spent most of the day either baking under the sun, or freezing in the Mediterranean sea. Yes, Spain is a hot country, but September is September, and Autumn is just around the corner. My partner and I separated from the group at lunch time (2-4 pm Spanish time) and then went back to the beach, although on another part of town.

When we all met for dinner (round 10 pm), our friend Eduard was slightly outraged. The town council had placed a metal sign saying the beach were they had been all day (a nudist beach), was a family beach. It said so in Catalan, in Spanish, and (almost) in English (we all thought it was quite funny that they had written Familiar Beach, and not Family Beach). First, there was the issue of the wording: "family". Since there is no such thing as a "children's beach", or "unmarried people" beach, or "Divorcees beach", to call it a "family beach", was odd. What did it mean? That only families were allowed? Right then, how do you define a family?

The town council knows exactly what it defines as a family: One male figure, one female figure, and an overgrown monster baby figure, white against a pale yellow background. And here was the rub.

How dare the town council not only declare a beach as a family beach or not, it even defined what a family was: male, female, baby. And yes, by trying to "innocently" re- classify something which no one in Spain has the authority to do (no one classifies beaches as gay, straight, or nudist. Beaches in Spain are known as such through tradition alone), the town council has made a mistake. Or at least, it has offended a lot of gay people.

My friend Eduard was up in arms.

Why is there only one model of what a family might be? A family can be 2 people, or 20, and before you say "traditional", remember, this is 2007, and Spain has legalised gay marriages, and as we all know, gay couples can adopt children. As single people do.

It made me think. It made me realise that things are changing very quickly, and, at the same time, not quickly enough. Needless to say the party in power in Sitges is the Conservative party, a party very keen on keeping gay people off "its" town. Eduard had, has, a point.

Still, it didn't spoil the weekend for us, and we were soon making jokes about it.

Another typical weekend in Spain.

Walking in the dark

AOG, Madrid

Last Saturday, my partner and I walked out of my building unto a sea of darkness. The streetlights were all off. Save for a few street signs, and store lights, we walked in the dark for a couple of blocks before one of us noticed how pleasant the dark was.

True, you can't see the face of oncoming pedestrians, but that is ok. They can't see yours either. We both commented on light pollution and what a pain it was.

The street lights are still off, 3 days later, because of some street repair going on further down. I like this darkness. It gives the street a very pleasant stillness.

The Mayor who wants to sit in Congress

AOG, Madrid

These days, Madrid’s Mayor, señor Alberto Ruiz- Gallardón, has informed his party that he wants to become a member of the Spanish Congreso. His party, however, have ungraciously declined his offer and the whole country is talking about it.

Back in May, he mentioned much the same and was asked from high on up not to stir the waters. But last week, the story was that he was asked, and he just replied. It didn’t take long for his political adversaries to start showing their teeth. In short, his party, the Conservatives (Partido Popular), which for reasons unbeknown to be, call themselves “liberal”, have said he should remain as Mayor. Thanks, but no thanks.

This is all in the wake of next year’s general election. Some voices point to a victory of the left, and the ousting of the Opposition’s current leader Señor Rajoy. Others say the Right will win because of absenteeism on the part of the Spanish left.

I personally think the Socialists will win, but not with a majority in Congress. In any case, it may still be a few years before Señor Gallardón sits in Spain’s Congress. I think it may not happen until he leaves his party and joins the Socialists.

But will this happen? Probably not.