What's the deal with Weiner?

AOG, Madrid

Ok, I confess, before all the media attention surrounding "penisgate" I hadn't much heard about Congressman Anthony Weiner. 

I mean, I live on the other side of the Atlantic, and I have the local European politician crew to keep me entertained (or not, as the case may be), so why should I have heard of him before now.

However, I must tell you that my European friends are, once again, appalled at the way American politics works. They really don't see what the big deal is with this guy and they find his resignation rather strange for what they think is a no-crime. 

Especially when they read things about him on the New York Times that say he was: "a once-promising politician whose Brooklyn roots and scrappy style made him a leading candidate to be the next mayor of New York". 

Well, yes I think he made a mistake or two along the way but...I mean, where exactly does America think it is doing its shopping for politicians? And, why do we think that our politicians should not be allowed to be human and make mistakes?

Personally, I think the whole affair has gone a little out of proportion. He is still a brilliant politician, that hasn't gone away. Ok, so his behavior was "lewd" to quote NYT. But...I'm sorry is the only politician on Capitol Hill who has ever made a mistake such as this? Is he to be ostracised for the rest of his life because of one error? Or even two? And in fact, which is the bigger error, his actions or his attempt to deny them?

Yes I know, he sent "lewd" pictures of himself to women on facebook and Twitter. Ok so, after apologizing to the women in question, is his resignation really necessary? If he were not a politician, his actions would more than likely be brushed aside as "typical male behavior" or perhaps the behavior of someone who needs help, not public outcry. 

I cannot say I know all the particulars, but if I got a "lewd" picture of the type seen online these days from a work colleague I would think the man needs help, but little else. I would not ask for his resignation, I would ask the powers that be to talk to him and get him some counseling. Especially if he/she is an esteemed colleague. 

If it is someone I despise, then yes, I would probably want his/her head on a silver platter. I am only human. 

But my wanting revenge, or at least leverage, would still not obscure the fact that my colleague was actually good at his/her job. Which is what makes my Euro friends think we are not putting this entire Weiner thing into perspective. 

And yes, they quickly say things like "Why are Americans so offended by nudity?" or "Why are Americans so puritanical?" I don't think they see a connection since the country is perceived as being slightly manic. 

On the one hand, we give money to the poor, and on the other, we invade poor countries which are weak (because, god forgive, we should invade North Korea who does have nuclear weapons, or Iran or China) and within our sphere of national interest as defined not by public opinion but rather by the -I'm hoping- learned opinion of our political leaders. 

It is hard for them to be on our side (but we knew this even before 9-11), and when scandals such as this one pop up, Europeans look the other way and wondering why the double standard and why are his own party so quick to condemn? 

Well, the reason is probably because they are in a state of panic over the next presidential election and they want absolutely no whiff of a scandal anywhere near them. But is this really necessary? 

Do they think that by not supporting this Congressman in a time of need they really look good in the public eye? That public condemnation from his own party looks good for so small a non-crime?

Yes, of course, I assure you that European politicians and European political life is filled with irony and hypocrisy too. There is nothing new under the sun anymore. But back to Washington.

 Am I supposed to believe that the rest of his fellow politicians never made mistakes? That's a tall order. If anything, I'd concede that they have made mistakes which no one has heard about, but mistakes, believe me, they have made. We all have. 

And bottom line is, he hasn't killed anyone or embezzled millions of dollars from anyone, he sent pictures of his penis to adult women on the internet. No, he shouldn't have. Of course not. And he should not have lied about it. But I think we should get some perspective here.

Everyone who lives on this planet has made mistakes at one time or another, though perhaps we are not all as gracious as he has been:

"I am here today to again apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused", as NYT writes.

Will the world be a better place if Anthony Weiner, a seven-term Democrat is not working in politics? Probably not. It will be a little bit worse off, of that I'm sure it will be.

As a sort of personal consolation, which Mr. Weiner will probably never know about because he will never read this blog, is that on facebook, among my gay friends, both American and European, the fact that he did all this made them all like him even more. 

Yes, probably for "lewd" reasons, but...isn't voting for a politician because he is good looking or handsome, or she is attractive, just as lewd? 

Do we vote for ugly people very often? Am I mistaken in thinking that it is usually the attractive candidate who wins? Not not always, but often enough? 

Mr. Weiner, I'm sorry you could not behave better, but I'm also sorry that his has been blown out of all proportion. If you need help, I hope you get it.

Royal Wedding 2011

AOG, London

I just spent the better part of my weekend traipsing all over London. I would like to say that you can't help but notice that there is a Royal Wedding in our midst….but I’d be lying.

Regent Street

London’s West End was, for once, not at all interested in Royalness. 

This may, and probably will, change by Friday. 

But if you walked around Oxford street, you’d be forgiven for thinking the wedding had been and gone. 

Until you turn into Regent Street that is. Once there, you do get a feeling of, not Royalness, but Britishness. Why? 

Only because they have Union Jacks flying from one side of the street to the other all the way from Oxford Circus to Picadilly Circus. But that’s about it. 

Here and there, some stores had either a union jack “motif” on their window, or something alluding to the happy couple. But little else.

Further afield the West End, for example on the train back to the airport, you could see some towns had one street with bunting and union jacks. But not much else.

However, this is not to say that the wedding is not having an impact on sales. Many shops (Ted Baker, Paperchase) have some sort of Union Jack/Royal regalia object or product for sale to commemorate the event.

As do the tourist stands which pepper all of the West End. You know, those places which entice you to purchase a mug with the portrait of the Queen or Prince Philip, or a postcard with some royal plastered on it, or any other "royal" kitsch paraphernalia.

 Or the ubiquitous Union Jack with a portrait of Kate and William. These are bestsellers they told me.

To be fair, most of the people I spoke with are happy they are getting married but not so happy about the financial state of their country. The wedding is reputed to be on the Queen’s bank account. That is to say, the British “people” are not paying for it. 

Except that not many people believe that and, of course, no one will even know the true cost of the affair.

However, officially, her majesty is paying as are Miss Middleton’s family –who, by the way, are millionaires (you didn’t think he was going to marry somebody poor did you?). 

Certainly the Royal family is paying for the dress and the receptions at Buckingham palace (where some food will be served but not as much as you think!*).

But what I think they are not paying for is the cost of policing the event, and the clean up afterwards.

As it is, London Police are inspecting manhole covers, drains, traffic lights, and lamp posts along the parade route. Overall, the security operation is expected to cost £20 million ($32.6 million).

However, it is worth saying that many people can’t help to look back to that other royal wedding, the fairy-tale one, when the heir to the British throne married a certain Lady Diana Spencer, mother of this year’s groom.

If you need your daily Royalty fix, look no further than this blog by the BBC.  

*A few years ago, the Palace uncovered an alarming statistic about guests attending the Queen's annual garden parties. Rather than just nibbling on one or two snacks, they were consuming, on average, 14 sandwiches, cakes, ice creams and scones (I mean, how dare they those plebs!). The palace has come up with an ingenious solution — they  have reduced the size of the treats on offer!

Lay Spain 2011

AOG, Madrid

Spain these days likes to present the World its best non-religious face. Its Prime Minister, Mr. Zapatero, is a well known atheist who, nevertheless, attended a religious service when it visited the US in the company of the Obamas. 

And that is probably the best example of how this country tries to do away with religion in its institutions, while kow-towing to religion time and time again. Something which many people in Spain wish did not happen.

The best example of this is the recent controversy an atheist group has presented Madrid’s (Socialist) Government Representative in the city. A group known as AMAL - Asociación Madrileña de Ateos y Librepensadores (Madrid association of atheists and freethinkers)-, requested permission from the Town Hall to stage a public demonstration in favor of atheism on Maudy Thursday. And this hot potato has gone from the Conservative ruled Town Hall straight to the (Socialist) Government representative in Madrid, with the media in tow all along the way.

The problem is that on that very day, Madrid, and most of Spain, is deep in the midst of Easter Week, with daily processions of religious figures, Saints, Virgins and crucified images of Christ, which the faithful congregate on the streets to see. 

Madrid’s Easter processions are relatively low key compared to the religious pomp and circumstance of cities like Valladolid and the über Catholic processions of Seville, in the South of the country but nevertheless as a popular religious expression.

It is fair to say that the Catholic Church is allowed to take over the streets of Spain at this time, and that the whole country sort of shuts down for the duration.

Of course, Spain 2011 is not the same as Spain 1911. These days, many people, even many religious people, are not entirely sure that the Church should be given such a free hand when it comes to public spaces, and Easter, or Holy Week as it is known, can certainly be a nuisance for many people since it entails increased levels of noise, public crowds, traffic cuts and delays, etc.

But that is not exactly the point of the demonstration. It had more to do with an incipient, yet eternal, movement towards atheism.

The Government’s regional representative argued up to 11 reasons for which it denied the demonstration which it quickly called “an atheist procession”, alluding to an anti-religious sentiment and the intention of AMAL to promote its “atheist ideology”. AMAL, as well as the local organisation La Playa de Lavapies however, never called it a procession and insisted it was a public demonstration.

It is worth noting that AMAL is a group from the neighborhood of Lavapies, which is a small melting pot of different nationalities in Madrid. 

In fact, it would be fair to say that about half the population of Lavapies is not of Christian origin, coming as many of them do from places like North Africa or the Indian subcontinent, although no religious group asked for this demonstration, quite the opposite. 

Unfortunately, the controversy was served as soon as the Town Hall started to pass the buck. 

Many other atheist groups in Madrid and in Spain have joined AMAL and it has the right of appeal before Madrid’s Superior Justice Tribunal since the demonstration’s denial is seen as a violation of the fundamental right of public demonstration and assembly, enshrined in Spain’s legal system.

However, it seems like they had no time to do this since they are being sued by 10 citizens -7 of them lawyers- on the grounds of "religious derision". 

The fact that "religious derision" can be counted as a punishable crime in Spain has many people in the country up in arms.

Furthermore, they are also being sued by a Christian Lawyers Association for “extolling terrorism” and an NGO (HazteOir.org ) for “genocide” –it seems AMAL allegedly used pre civil war arguments for their demonstration and maybe “justified” their actions by so doing, and thus allegedly broke a law on Spain’s Penal Code, (unfortunately, a lot of priests and nuns were killed before the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 and it is against the law to justify or deny their deaths) which forbids “The diffusion by any means of ideas or doctrines which deny or justify the crimes of genocide… or pretend the rehabilitation of regimes or institutions which shelter any practises which generate said crimes”.

It seems like the people who wanted to carry out the demonstration never thought it would all end up like this and they still want to carry out their demonstration, although it does not look like they will.

Mr. Luis Vega, president of AMAL, has stated that prohibiting this demonstration is a “worrying” fact and one that “means a withdrawal of the country’s liberties” since the city’s Administration uses the same arguments as those used by religious authorities to forbid the public demonstration. 

This is one of the few public declarations they have made since they went public with their request given the fact that they have, allegedly, been “threatened” ever since. “We were trying to criticise the Church as an institution, not any religious belief. We meant it to be like a neighborhood band type of thing”.

Madrid’s Government Representative has denied the petition on these grounds:

- The procession’s (sic) route “curiously” presents names related to catholic symbology

- The chosen date: Maudy Thursday

- The chosen time coincides with that of various Catholic processions

- The denominations of the participating “brotherhoods” (AMAL never said there would be any “brotherhoods”, but it seems that other atheist groups slightly hijacked their initiative and announced there would be brotherhoods akin to those found on Catholic processions with names such as the Pope’s Brotherhood of the Holy Larceny or the Brotherhood of the Holy Paedophile)

- It takes place in a zone with various parish churches

- The content of the group’s posters and public declarations

- It coincides with the route taken by Catholic processions “well-known for years”

- The presence of radical and antagonistic groups

- Massive public affluence and the need to protect Madrid’s touristic image

- Enclave of a very high artistic and historical value

-The Police, Town Hall, the Public Defender’s Office, and the Government’s representative coincide in that it should not take place

Of course, part of the problem lies in the fact that it was the Government’s representative that denied the petition. 

The Government is ruled at present by the Socialist Party, a political organisation which continuously tries to present its lay credentials but which often falls short in the eyes of many.

For its part, AMAL and La Playa de Lavapies have issued statements whereby they declare that they abide the Government's ruling and will not carry out any public demonstration on said date. 

However, it remains to be seen if nothing beyond the religious processions will take place. 

Many in Spain see this as another example of their non-denominational Government bowing to religious pressure and as a victory for the Catholic Church, an institution which in Spain, surprisingly, has of late been playing the victim continuously, especially since the Socialists came into power in 2004.

Yuri Gagarin

AOG, Madrid

Today it is 50 years since Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin climbed into his space ship and was launched into space, thereby kickstarting the space race between two superpowers which ended with the first man in the moon in 1969. 

It took Gagarin just 108 minutes to orbit Earth and he returned as the World's very first space man. 

I think that the world henceforth, and even during my childhood, looked to a promising future. 

Space travel, colonies on the Moon, terraforming, traveling to Mars and beyond. 

It all looked splendid. 

Problem is, it never happened. 

I rememebr as a child being told about the future I would live in.

About flying cars, hovering craft, day trips to Space, to the bottom of the ocean, supercomputers this and supercomputers that.

And yes, we even had supersonic flight courtesy of the Anglo-French Concorde. 

Until we didn't.

Heck, remember the world of the Jetson's? Now that was futuristic and foreseeable!

Unfortunately, it seems that the future we were being sold does exist, but only in cyberspace. Not in outer space. Or Earth. 

You need only pick up a video game, or watch a Sci-Fi movie to glimpse at that future, where you should be living had all the predictions come true. 

It would appear that we do know how to furnish  and dress that future; we just don't know how to make it happen. 

Yes, I know we've had many advances and technical revolutions lately. 

The Internet towers above most of these, but it was conjured up back in the 1960s. 

What else? Yes, cell phones, personal computers, microwave ovens, DVDs, Plasma, LED, LCD television, 3D everything, but little else.

Granted, we live in a more advanced state of development (though at what cost to the planet!) than we did 30 years ago, or even 20. Or 10. 

But if you take a look around you, nothing much has changed. Cars still don't fly. We won't send a manned aircraft to Mars until 20..who know when (so expensive you see). 

Supersonic flight is but a memory to us (though young people have no memory of it), and there are no colonies on the Moon. At least not Earth colonies. 

So...what does the new future hold? It would appear that we have absolutely no clue. Nor do we know what it will look like. 

Yes, thank you thank you all you futurologists with your massive projections of our current time into our distant future where things look pretty much the same except for their future-looking design cues. 

I'm talking about the great work of people like Syd Mead, but also people like Collani.

But if you really are wondering, here's a link to an article in the British press (The Independent) concerning the year 2020. That's only 8-9 years from now. 

Do you think it will really be like that?

How about these products? Are they part of the future you envision?

When I was about 8 or 9 years old, I was given a copy of a book titled: The World of the Future: Future Cities. 

I loved it. I read it and reread it. It was my personal Bible. 

I even began to draw articles to add on to what was already there. 

I think that is where my love for design started. I wanted to design part of the future.

Today, this book has no equal. 

Nothing is being published to resemble it. I think it is because we have lost our taste for things like that. 

Yes, we like progress, but progress turned out to look like nothing we were shown as kids.

It may still surprise us though!

Outside

AOG, Madrid

Outside is different. What does this normally mean? Well, for starters, it means that everywhere you go, it is going to be different. Different? You may say, But of course!

Well Little Miss Smart Ass, you don’t know different until you see a French toilet up close and personal. Or until you enter a rest area on a British highway and marvel at the dried up and insipid food. You never knew sausages could taste like rope did you?

Yes, forget America’s obsession with hygiene and smells and get ready to enter the smelly world waiting for you just outside your local international airport terminal.

The planet is different from us. Not better or worse just different, and I suggest you strap yourself tightly, darling, because the great “unknown” just beyond our borders is going to smack you in the face like a wet fish and no, it won’t say sorry afterwards.

Start with Europe, one of our acknowledged cultural homelands (for what else is our country but an amalgamation of XVIII European Enlightenment thoughts and ideas sprinkled here and there with some good old fashioned social and religious persecution and a shameless excuse for slavery and world domination?).

Europeans feel superior to us. No, I can’t explain it. They just do. It does not matter that we tend to earn more, have bigger and longer hair, that our waistlines are expanding like mount Krakatoa on acid, or that we live in larger homes. 

It does not matter that the price we pay for gas is half of what they pay, or that anything the Japanese invent, we get first.

It goes beyond that.

Europeans have a certain knack for keeping old things around which we either lost along the way, or, quite frankly, never acquired. And yes, we must admit, that is why we go to Europe.

No one in their right mind travels seven hours from JFK to stare at London’s Canary Wharf, or eight hours to be marvelled by La Defense, in Paris.

No.

We jump into those flying tubes to get what we don’t get in America: old stuff. Sometimes, very old stuff. In the case of Greece and Italy, even ancient stuff.

And here’s where their dislike of us begins. Once, in Southern Spain, I overheard a group of American teenagers as they were being addressed by their tour guide.

“We will visit the Roman ruins of Italica”, she said.

And what did Miss Blonde Bimbo say to her friend within earshot of yours truly?

“Oh, we have those back home, how boring”.

In case you are wondering, la Bimbona was from Texas.

The tour guide overheard her and started to laugh when she glanced over towards the airhead section of the group and saw me trying to gnaw my veins off in disgust.

Europeans, I must confess, don’t hate Americans, they just hate stupid people.

Unfortunately for us, we do have an inordinate amount of those within our borders. Sometimes they even make it into the White House, so imagine how superior Europeans feel!

In Europe you will find old everything: homes, cars, clothes, people, museums, streets, jewels, neighborhoods, cities, bridges, and, interestingly, customs.

Europeans like their tradition even more than we do, the difference being that they have so much of it!

Like their tradition of keeping poor people poor. 

An age old tradition that one.

Why help the poor better their lot in life when they will only multiply and produce more smelly poor people? 

Like I always say, you can’t rape the willing!

Harsh, but very much how many European governments treat their population, and they then, in turn, say things like “please Sir, can I have some more?”

Unless they are Scandinavian. These are probably the only countries on Earth which have worked tirelessly to ensure everyone is middle class, and poor at the same time.

Poor? You may ask. But I heard they have a great social system!

Indeed they do. Everything is paid for…out of their salary. What is the point of earning 60K when half (or more) of it is going to the State? So ok, they are not exactly Brokeback Mountain poor, but they are sort of lower middle class on state aid poor… ish.

But they drive Saabs and Volvos! You say. Yes, but they tend to be cheaper there. And subsidised.

Unlike their alcohol, which is taxed to death and controlled unlike in any other place on this planet.

Which explains why Scandinavians like to visit Southern Europe so much: booze is cheaper there, and like the Vikings they really are at heart, they love nothing more than getting wasted on a Mediterranean beach after (or even whilst) “fertilizing” a local lovely.

Ah…Europe…so civilized…and yet…so not!

Like I said at the beginning, “outside” is different. Be prepared, yes, but bear in mind that our way is not the only way, nor the best way.

You really haven’t lived until you’ve Frenched a drunken Adonis on a Mediterranean beach under a star lit sky with Europop blaring nearby. 

Or until you discover what a foreskin is. You thought you had, but I assure you, you haven’t. Not until you've seen one upclose and personal.

Pack your bags my lovely, it is going to be a bumpy, yet thrilling, ride!

Elliot Murphy

AOG, Paris

Last night I was in Paris, a city I love. My partner took me to a birthday party. It was Elliot Murphy's. To celebrate it, he held a concert in a small venue in Paris, New Morning. 

I confess that I'd never been to see him before, and that, although my partner loves his music, I did too, but less. However, that changed after last night. 

We arrived at the Rue des Petits Ecuries under the rain, and waited in line for about 40 minutes or so. It was handy that a local supermarket was still open. 

I bought some bananas to keep me going (you see, we arrived Friday morning on the first flight and hadn't really rested much throughout the day). I needed carbs to make it through the night.

We went in and the first thing I noticed was everyone's age. Mr. Murphy's French fans are not teenagers. 

There were people my age, and over. Many approaching Mr. Murphy's age, whatever that may be. There was also a funny moment when I saw a man whom I thought was Mr. Murphy but, in fact, was a fan who dressed like him.


It reminded me of teenagers who dressed like Madonna or Lady Gaga when they went to the concerts. I just never thought that that particular homage would transcend into adulthood bordering on retirement age.


But then again, why not? We don't allow old people any creativity or individuality.

We made it through the crowd and quickly found seating right next to the side of the stage. For a small venue, this can be one of the better spots. And it turned out to be just that. We could see everyone really well.

I don't really know how well known Mr. Murphy is, but I do know he has played with Bruce Springsteen, and I am not surprised.

Finally, when the music started, I could see what all the fuss was about. It is hard to describe him as anything other than a star, regardless of the venue, the public, the location.


Elliot Murphy was very much the center of attention at all times, the exception being when the amazing guitarist Olivier Durand played. And even then...

His voice is warm, he moves not much but with aplomb.


Although I would not say there is a lot of sex appeal coming from him (though perhaps many would disagree),  he certainly has his own brand of musical masculinity down pat.


He and the band were a joy to listen to and to watch. And the audience loved them.

He would speak in French with his American accent, and explain that "I am now Parisian" because he likes  to drive on the Place de la Concorde on his Vespa (motorcycle).


He never sang off key and he played the guitar constantly well. Although about 95% of the songs were new to me, I gladly admit that they all had that certain something which makes you want to listen and enjoy what you are listening to.


And he shone throughout the evening. I guess that is the closest I've been to someone who exudes star quality. He was confident, sure of himself and of his music.  Unfazed throught the concert.


There were many encores and lots of playing with the audience, getting to know a little about them. Not by asking anything, but by acknowledging them and their interest in him continuously.


Afterwards, he took the time to chat to his groupies and sign their CDs.
All in all it was great.


We left the venue and went for crepes just across the street, then headed for the Marais for a drink.


I have to say that last night he made a fan out of me. If you like Bruce Springsteen, then I strongly recommend you give him a try. You won't be disappointed.
Here's a link to his website, to wet your appetite a little.

Decade by decade

AOG, Madrid

2011: Living in Madrid. Spain. Journalist. Writing. Partnered. Still so many things I want to be.

2001: Living in London. Admitted into LSE. Still undefined career-wise. I want to be a diplomat. And a writer.

1991: Living in London. I want to be an actor. And a designer. And a singer. And I write. Left home.

1981: Living in Mexico & US. Junior High. I want to be a lawyer. And an actor. Now with sister.

1971: Living in Spain. Attending grade school. Daydreaming. Only child still.

The Boyfriend

AOG, Barcelona

I am not an expert on relationships, nor am I an expert on human relations. I know I will depart this planet having learned precious little about our species. With this in mind, I must bring up what just happened on the way to the Airport. 

I got on a bus from Plaça Catalunya, and headed out, hoping to make it on time (no, I don't know what it is about me which makes me always run late). 

About a minute after the bus departed, the man behind me got a phone call. 

I tried not to eavesdrop but it was hard since he was talking in a normal voice, and my ears were a few inches below his cell phone. 

His girlfriend/boyfriend had called and was saying good bye. She/he was mostly in tears, and was sad by this guy's departure. 

I never heard his/her voice, but I could hear full well how the man behind me spoke to his lover. 

I must say that I found it very hard to believe that this guy loved the other person. He was not rude, nor nasty, nor was off-putting (much). But his good-bye sounded like a continuous apology. 

"I'll be back soon"

"I'll call you from Madrid"

"I love you too"

"Don't cry darling"

Perhaps he too was in pain. I'd like to think he was if he really loved the person on the other side of the phone line. Perhaps I misjudged the entire episode.

But, for my money, he was not as sad as the other person. I am not entirely sure about why I think this, but there was just something in his tone of voice. 

A lack of interest, maybe fatigue? I also have no idea what it is he may have to face when he gets back home. Maybe that affected his mood. 

He would sprinkle his conversation with Italian words here and there, bacci, ti amo, things like that. But they were just not said in a true enough way for me. Was the other person Italian? I'll never know. 

He was from Argentina, so maybe that is just how he spoke to people. 

As you know, many Argentinians have Italian ancestry, so it is not unusual for them to use Italian words now and then.

Am I being misanthropic? Perhaps. 

Perhaps this guy is fantastic, but he came across as the flower, not the gardener. Is this necessarily bad? No.

It is a mutual dependency that between a flower and his gardener, but he just seemed like a slightly impertinent flower at times. 

Especially the second time the other person called back and, yes, unfortunately, he complained. 

In a low voice, almost apologetically, but complain he did. It was obvious that he did not want that second call. 

It was much less welcome than the first one. True, I have no clue what was going through his head at the time. Maybe he faces some horrid tribulation. I don't know.

What I do know, is that the tone of voice was, unfortunately (for me) much too familiar. It cut just a little bit close to the bone. 

I too have heard in the past that "I love you but I'm busy" tone of voice. 

"I love you but you are calling at the wrong time". 

"I love you but I already said good-bye at the station". 

"I love you but darling you are making me spend money every time it cuts off and I get your voicemail". (Actual part of the conversation)

All of those 'I love you's' that come with a caveat.

Fortunately for me, I learned very quickly that "ILYB" (I love you...but) really translates as "I love me, period", and that you are just a passing flight of fancy. 

Something to keep them entertained for now, but which costs them no great emotional investment. 

Perhaps I am being too cynical. But this guy just sounded a little bit bored, a little bit busy, a little bit insincere.

When the bus got to the airport, part of me did not really want to look at him. I thought the aural experience had been enough. But as I put my backpack over my shoulders I did look at him. And I was surprised by what I saw. 

His voice was that of a much younger man. But his age really threw me aback. Late 40s, maybe early 50s. His appearance was scruffy: jean jacket, jeans, unshaven, greasy hair across his forehead. In other words, an adult, middle-aged male who looked like a thin version of Burt Reynolds with lung cancer.

I was surprised because I usually think that by that age, men are pretty well sorted. 

And if not, woe be to him/her who falls for one of these sad Lotharios. I left the bus, and tried not to see anymore of him. 

I wasn't upset, but I was intrigued by his whole "performance" on the phone.

Why lie? Why go through all that trouble? Why not just be honest, especially to yourself? Would he be coming back from Buenos Aires to see his lover? Probably. 

He said he'd see the other person on the 31st. 

Of what? Of never?

Friendship Economics

AOG, Madrid

It is not news that the Spanish economy is not doing extremely well. It is affecting the whole country and yesterday the unemployment rate went back up again.

Of course, to the uninformed observer, Spain's unemployment comes with a caveat: One, most of the people unemployed are immigrants who used to work in the construction sector (until recently one of Spain's economic pillars and main engine of economic growth). 

And two, most of them survive in what is known as the 'Black Economy'. That is, people are working and not paying taxes on their earnings. Many claim unemployment benefit and work. 

Nobody talks much about it and the Government acts as though they know nothing of it. And just as well they do, otherwise they would have a revolution in their hands.

However, there is a knock-on effect going on. Although people are working, even in the 'Black Economy', their spending power has diminished. 

And whereas a few months ago every analyst in the country was saying that imports (to Germany, France and the UK) would pull the economy out of the slump, the tune has changed of late. 

Now, it is, as we always knew, that what will get the economy moving is consumer spending.

However, given the performance of US banks in the last couple of years, Spain's banks are not too keen on lending. 

And in Spain, like the US and almost everywhere else, the biggest purchase people make is property. 

Certainly the big property promoters are pushing for the banks to start lending again, and Spain's President has met with several banking CEOs to ensure that lending continues. 

But thus far, nothing. So, in the meantime, the Government has decided to extend people's pensions, to push for reduced salaries and less worker compensation when fired. 

This in a country famous for paying employees about 80% of what their European colleagues make. And needless to say, people in Spain work longer hours than the European average.

Many have criticized the PSOE, Spain's governing party, because they are a Socialist party taking very right-wing measures. 

In roughly one year's time, Spain will have a general election (if not sooner, elections are the privilege of the Prime Minister). 

To most analysts, it is a foregone conclusion that the opposition will win the election.  And most think they will do so without having to lift a finger.

However, not all is lost.

A couple of days ago Mr. Zapatero said that in 2012, the whole country would feel the benefit of an upsurge in the economy. 

Just in time for the elections? Too little too late? Only time will tell.

In the mean time, a friend of mine called me yesterday with a question.

"Do you know how they hunt kangaroos in Australia?"

"No."

"They kill them at night. The lights from the 4x4s blind them, and they remain perfectly still. Then they get shot."

"Ok."

"That is how I feel these days. Like a kangaroo caught in the lights. I am completely frozen".

He owns a computer repair business, and he hasn't been doing well since last November.

"If I don't have money coming in, I freeze. I just freeze."

Unfortunately, he is not alone. Most of the country is, at present, frozen.