Barcelona & Catalonia blog

24Aug/106

When the internet is great (fixies & Olduvai theory)

One of the things I love about the web is discovering what are, for me, entirely new subcultures with their own special debating points and jargon. One such subculture I discovered today (by means of a Guardian story about Racer Rosa bicycles) is that of 'fixies' - fixed-wheel bicycle enthusiasts.

I used to love bicycling as a youth, though I never use my bike these days. The fixed-wheel bikes that Racer Rosa makes are quite gorgeous, though, and made me feel like perhaps a change away from ugly, cheap ATBs would be a nice idea. But to my shame, I didn't even know what fixed-wheel meant. In case you don't know, it's one of those more old fashioned bikes where the pedal moves when the wheel does, and vice versa. In other words, you can't coast on a fixed-wheel bike. In other words, you can use pedal control to stop a fixed-wheel bike. I remember using bikes like that many years ago.

Google > Wikipedia > Moving Target - and a couple of minutes later, I'm reading a discussion about whether or not fixies should should have a front brake or not. I'm not claiming any deep understanding of their world, but at least I know about fixies now. This is one reason I really love the internet.

Earlier, I also discovered this highly depressing theory about the impending end of industrialised society. It has been around for ages, it seems, and I just hope that it's utter bollocks. All the same, I still love the internet.

Filed under: Internet computer 6 Comments

29Jul/100

thebadrash.com is on holiday

...and man, is this a holiday I've been looking forward to!

And I've switched Facebook off. It's time to disconnect. Comment moderation has been enabled.

Fins aviat!

Filed under: Home No Comments

29Jul/106

thebadPoll: Is Bullfighting a vital part of Spanish culture?

Before I go to Menorca [which, according to my own rules, I should be calling 'Minorca', damn it!], there's just time for a new badPoll. Today's poll is a really special one, because it's presented in partnership with a very special guest:

Yes, that's right: thebadrash.com is very pleased to announce that this badPoll is sponsored by none other than 'Uncle' Mariano 'Wild Eyes' Rajoy!

And it gets better! Uncle Mariano has agreed to abide by the results of this badPoll, meaning that your votes could make the difference between Una, Grande y Libre and the kind of namby-pamby commie, animal husbanding Catalan-loving hellhole that ZP, the judiciary (some of the time) and their Barça-supporting cronies want.

The question is really simple: Is Bullfighting a vital part of Spanish culture? You might rephrase it by asking: is Catalonia's decision to ban bullfighting 'an act of genocide' (thanks, Jorge 'morro' Moragas!)? Or can Spain live without this barbarity celebration of torture killing a cow in public?

As always, you can vote in the sidebar over there >>>

Filed under: PP, Politics, Spain 6 Comments

28Jul/1018

UPDATED: Banning the bullfights has nothing to do with l'Estatut

UPDATE: The Catalan parliament has voted in support of removing the exception permitted to bullfighting from its animal cruelty law. Bullfighting has been outlawed here!

Catalonia's parliament will likely vote today to finally ban bullfighting within Catalonia. This is a decision that has been approached in a very stop-start manner, and which has been under debate for quite some time. I think I've made my feelings quite clear about the barbarity that is La Corrida, and I welcome the ban, and hope that it's eventually extended throughout Spain.

Various parties seem to be trying to make this a question of revenge for Spain's constitutional court rejecting passages of Catalonia's statute of autonomy recently. It has nothing to do with that whatsoever. This is about banning a vile celebration of animal torture. Just as the Canary Islands did in 1991, Catalonia will freely make the right decision today.

Incidentally, right-wing PP leader, Mariano Rajoy's un-rousing speech yesterday, where he said "Just as you can't force someone to go to a bullfight, so you can't prohibit them from doing so!" - is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. And I moved here when Aznar was still in power. That statement in particular, could be applied to any activity you like. Try it with "a walk in the park", "a bank robbery", "have a carajillo in the morning and then drive your police motorbike", "spout shite". These are some of my favourites, but I'm sure you'll find your own. Bon dia.

Filed under: Catalonia, PP, Politics, Spain 18 Comments

27Jul/101

Eight years and counting

It is now more than eight years since I moved to Barcelona province. When I arrived, I was just 21 years old, and next week I'll celebrate my 30th birthday. A proper adult and everything. Indeed, Catalonia is where I have made a life for myself; it is the country that I now call home.

In the meantime, I've learned to love many things about the country in which I've made my life. There are some things which just have to do with growing up, like food: I wasn't the biggest fan of mushrooms or olives before I moved here. Now I love rovellons, and have respect for the noble arbequina (among many others). I'll say things like "This coffee tastes burnt," and do things like pour olive oil on my bread or chill red wine.

In short, I'm now a dago, or catalufo, if you prefer. It's a great feeling.

Filed under: Catalonia, Language, Spain 1 Comment

25Jul/10Off

What's wrong with being politically correct?

I'm more than a little tired of hearing Spanish friends refer to passers by as 'el negro', 'un moro' 'la sudaca' or 'un paki', usually followed by an unwanted explanation of why political correctness is just a stupid English obsession. Similarly, it just doesn't fucking wash when you say "It's not racist, it's a joke" as you do your hilarious 'slitty eyed' Chinese impression.

Spaniards, please understand: political correctness is not some evil trend that's trying to steal your freedom. It is, as Stewart Lee puts it, "...an often-clumsy negotiation towards a kind of formal linguistic politeness". Political correctness is not a perfect thing, but it is a good thing.

And the truth is, I think you really know this already. It's suggested by the way you feel the need to endlessly justify your racist jokes and your clumsy stereotypes. Just stop it.

Filed under: Spain Comments Off

23Jul/100

Friday night music

I make no apologies for the quality of the videos. It's about the songs, innit.

Filed under: Music No Comments

19Jul/109

Scratching another bad rash

I've adopted a new design. It's not perfect, but neither was the last one (which I think this emulates fairly well). The new look was necessary because the previous theme I was using doesn't support various features of the newer versions of WordPress.

There are still things to be fixed, but I'm pretty much finished tweaking the design for now. Please let me know if there's anything particularly glaring that you don't like about it.

Filed under: Site news 9 Comments

10Jul/1012

Utter nonsense/Why I'm not walking down Passeig de Gràcia

Utter nonsense: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/10/AR2010071001224.html

A good example of how shoddy journalism sucks. Yawnville style.

Why I'm not walking down Passeig de Gràcia: I won't march when the PSOE/PSC/José Montilla lead the demonstration. They are the problem. Not the solution.

Filed under: Catalonia, Politics 12 Comments

4Jul/1038

thebadPoll: Catalonia's 'Estatut' in Madrid's court

It's a long time since I ran a poll on this blog. Hell, it's a long time since I did anything on this blog.

This week, the question is simpler than it sounds: do you think Spain's constitutional court was right in cutting various passages from Catalonia's new statute of autonomy, approved by referendum some years ago?

VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN, as usual.

Filed under: Catalonia, Politics 38 Comments

12Jun/105

Lleida and its racist ban on the burqa

A couple of weeks ago, the Catalan town of Lleida became the first municipality in Spain to introduce a ban on the full Islamic veil, or burqa and niqab. The veils are now prohibited in municipal buildings.

Lleida's Socialist party mayor, Àngel Ros, claims that the ban is a strike in favour of equality. The ban was backed by the Catholic Catalan conservatives, CiU. And now they and the PSC are planning introduce a similar ban in Tarragona. The truth is that Lleida's city hall has been involved in a protracted battle with a Muslim community it does not want. Indeed, the PSC is just applying policies called for by none other than arch racist, Josep Anglada, leader of the utterly mental Plataforma Per Catalunya fascist party.

Times of financial hardship always breed racist reactions. I'm not in the least bit surprised that the PSC, a party of hopeless twats to a man (or woman), would stoop this low to try and shore up their position in Catalonia. If the party was serious about gender equality, it would ban the huge brothels that line the carreteras here, packed with thousands of young African and eastern European women. It won't, because for the PSC, 'equality' is just a useful excuse for pandering to nasty provincial racism.

Filed under: Catalonia, Politics 5 Comments

11Jun/1046

Some Questions for a Catalan Independentist

In just over a week, many Catalan towns will hold 'consultaions' about Catalan independence. These consultations (consultes) take the form of a mock referendum. They're not legally binding in any way, and voting in them is so open that even I can join in! The thing about these consultations is that they do make it feel (however superficially) like Catalonia is starting to seriously consider its status as part of Spain. The organisers and political groups involved are certainly keen to make it look like that, at any rate.

On this blog, I've been careful to avoid a categorical endorsement of Catalan independence for many reasons. So I decided to ask some open questions to anyone interested in answering them. And you don't have to be in favour of Catalan independence to take part: if you think you've got a point to make, make it. I plan to do something similar directed at opponents of independence over the next few days. Feel free to answer whichever of the questions you like.

Some questions:

Why should Catalonia be independent?
What exactly do you think will be gained if Catalonia becomes independent?
What model do you see an independent Catalonia adopting? Some sort of republic? How would it be organised?
Do you think that the current crisis is a good time to decide something like this? Why?
What damage do you think this would do to Spain? Do you worry about that?
Is an independent Catalonia an economically viable state?
What should the process be in the result of a vote in favour of independence?
What should be the status of Spanish citizens in Catalonia? Would dual citizenship be allowed?
What about immigrants? Would they become citizens? What would the immigration policy be?
Would you expect all the political parties in Catalonia to break ties with their Spanish equivalents?
What would happen if the EU had trouble accepting Catalonia as a member?
What would happen to Catalan government agencies aimed at trade and business? Would they be absorbed by embassies?
Who would be the head of state? Would you deny Juan Carlos's claim to sovereignty?
Would the Catalan constitution guarantee the right to receive state services in Castilian Spanish?
How would you deal with people potentially wanting to leave for Spain proper?
What flag would you have? Senyera or Estelada?
What would happen to utilities like the phone/data system?
What sort of rights would be included in the constitution anyway?
How would you deal with other parts of the 'Catalan Countries'? Would you seek their absorption?
How important would the status of FC Barcelona be? Do you think the Spanish league would still have them?
Would you bother with armed forces? If so, how?
What would happen if there was a Spanish boycott of independent Catalonia?
What would happen if there was a Spanish military response?
Can a constituent part of an EU and NATO member even declare independence?
Would you demand that companies trading in Catalonia establish separate entities in Catalonia? How?

And that's enough for now. I know that I've asked a lot of questions. But these are just some of the questions that will be asked should Catalonia approach a genuine referendum.

So, what do you say?

Filed under: Catalonia, Politics, Spain 46 Comments

5Jun/100

thebadUpdate – Gaza and blogging

Hello you!

This is about the 6th update I've written in the last few weeks, and I haven't published any of them. I'm determined to post this one.

I've been very busy over the last few months. That's always a terrible excuse for a blogger. Almost as bad as admitting that he's been busy on Twitter.

Among the many topics that I've written bad and unpublished posts about include Catalan corruption, PP corruption, Catalan racism (yeah, the veil in Lleida), the Spanish economy... and the Gaza siege. This last item is something I've not written about on this blog, though I've talked about some of the language connected with it. So, forgive the non-Spain-related post, but:

Israel has no right, either legal or moral to blockade the Palestinian territory in the Gaza Strip. Israel was in breach of UN resolutions referring to the status of Gaza long before it acted against the 'Freedom Flotilla' earlier this week. This seems to be a country dangerously close to believing not just its own propaganda but the extremist, fatalist, racist and blind ideology of its far right wing. Israel is sometimes held up as a model democracy in the middle east (and it's obviously not Saudi Arabia), but the influence held by a radical minority over the entire Palestine issue (borders, settlements, constant IDF incursions) seems to prove that it is drifting towards a even more terrible form of state ethnic-religious absolutism maintained by apparent parliamentary democracy.

This is not a breed of fascism as experienced in Europe in the first half of the 20th century. But it is of the same genus.

Therefore, I believe that we ought to boycott anti-Palestine Israel and its economy in any way possible, until Israel withdraws the blockade against Palestine.

Filed under: Politics No Comments

15May/1014

Spanish democracy needs Garzón

Crusading judge Baltasar Garzón was temporarily suspended by the supreme court in Madrid yesterday. I say temporarily but the truth is that this could be a suspension that lasts for good. Garzón, a champion of human rights law around the world, is the victim of a lawsuit that pits Spain's old guard judiciary and far-right wing against those who seek to bring old crimes to justice. Spain, it seems, is incapable of accepting nuance in law when it comes to the responsibilities of judges investigating crimes committed here in Spain.

The fact that there's a clear campaign against Garzón, led by Spain's right wing, including the PP, makes this case even more dangerous. What's at stake isn't just the career of one judge.

The choice for Spain's supreme court is simple: apply a law imposed by fascists or accept a nuance demanded by democracy.

Filed under: Spain 14 Comments

11May/100