Crisis! - The sharp view of Aleix Saló

As you all know, Spain (and thus Catalonia) is one of the EU countries which is most affected by the crisis, together with Portugal, Ireland and Greece. We have not got to the point of needing economical rescue, but we have the highest unemployment rate in Europe and the end of the tunnel is still far away. But why Spain has reached this dramatical situation?

Whilst countries like Germany is overcoming crisis with efficient policies, in Spain problems keep growing. The two main political parties are devoted to criticise each other without even venture proper measures to leave the crisis behind.

Spain is different, they say. After years of basing economy on land and real state speculation, the bubble exploded. So simple yet so complex. To understand what led Spain to this severe crisis, you can't miss a brilliant video in Spanish called Españistán, created by who I think is one of the greatest Catalan cartoonists, Aleix Saló. I think he deserves a whole post for himself, so I'll keep you with the mystery of who this person is...By now, just get a taste of his sharp humour by watching the video (English subtitles). Enjoy and learn!

Note: There are quite a few cultural references in the video (marked with a number after some words which appear in the subtitles). Please refer to Youtube for a full explanation. And if you know a bit of Catalan or Spanish, don't miss him!

Please do not doubt to write your thoughts about it! And if you have ideas to change what was the disastrous basis of the Spanish economy and save the country, prepare a campaign and become a presidential canditate ;-) (just kidding).

And to end this post, I could not resist to post one of Aleix Saló's cartoons (in Catalan), appropiate for the occasion :P.

Young man: "Oh, here comes my shit salary."
Shit: "No. Your shit salary is there. I am your future pension."

The eternal discussion

So far I have avoided politics as much as I could, mainly because a) I do not want to create trouble and conflict, b) I do not want to bore you, and c) I do not want to write a political blog. But I think I need to write lines on the sociopolitical discussions between Catalonia and Spain. Not saying a word without it would be like lying, denying a truth that exists and is very present -even in daily life. On the other hand it is a very delicate issue in which I have my own opinions, as everybody has in this country. Therefore, carefulness is needed to avoid offence.

The "battle" between Spain and Catalonia began long ago and will be still here for long. But why so? What happens exactly? Why these discussions exist?


For me the whole Spanish-Catalan question boils down to

1- Identity and feelings
2- Language
3- History
4- Miscomprehension

It seems easy when put into 4 points, but it is really complex!

I do not want to go further into detail today, but if you agree and you wish to learn some more things about it, I will give some insights from time to time, as objectively as I can.

Smell of Christmas (III)... - La Grossa

I can become really really rich today. But the possibility is so small (1/85,000) that, as every 22nd December, I will say: "Bé, el que és important és tenir salut" (The most important thing it to be healthy) or "Bé, almenys tinc salut" (Weeeeeell, at least I am healthy). Therefore, rather than National Big Lottery or "La Grossa" -Catalan- or "El Gordo" -Spanish- (literally "The fat one") it is the day of "Health" in Spain today. La Grossa is the most popular lottery in the whole of Spain.

The first prize, el Gordo or la Grossa, is 3 million € per series of tenth share tickets (i.e.: 300,000 € per ticket). There is also a second prize, a third prize, two fourth prizes, eight fifth prizes and "la pedrea", worth 100 euro per ticket. There also other minor prizes.

Considering that prizes are given per series, which are divided into ten dècims (CA)/décimos (ES) (tenth share tickets) -which can be further divided into "participacions"- and that there are 195 series of each number imagine: a) the quantity of existing tickets in every draw and b) how much money the state gives away for the draw (2,142 million €) -in any case benefits are always higher for the State :P.

The draw's origin goes back to 1812, and it originally was a way for the state to increase its budget. Soon this became a tradition. In 1892 got its official Spanish name "Sorteo extraordinario de Navidad" (Extraordinary Christmas Draw) and from 1893 onwards it is celebrated every 22nd December. The most curious thing about this draw is the way it is done. Students of the San Ildelfonso boarding school in Madrid aged 8 to 14 literally sing the numbers and the prizes. It is a very typical and characteristic melody and if you listen to it for the whole morning (like I did today) you can become crazy: the draw lasts 3h 30 min. Here you have a small sample from a previous year:



How was it like? (hehe) And this ONLY two minutes...

After the draw...

This year, as every year, I did not win a single euro and I lost 20 € in buying a dècim. 62,307 is not a lucky number...neither it was last year :P. Anyway...I am lucky because I am healthy :D. The only time I ever won anything was with some "participacions" my aunt gave me. I won 5,000 pesetas...so imagine how back in time that was...we still had pesetas, not yet euro. By the way 5,000 pesetas is the mega quantity of....30 euro!!! (I think I prefer to say it in pesetas...there are more zeros and it seems to be more money than 30 euro :P)

Not a lucky number this year

I think next year I might buy the number in "La bruixa d'or" (The golden witch) lottery ticket shop in Sort, a small village in the Catalan Pyrenees. The reason? For two years they were the sellers of la Grossa and the village name, Sort, is also the Catalan word for luck. Curious, isn't it?