Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.
Spanish life is not always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
- Christopher Howse: 'A Pilgrim in Spain'
Cosas de España/Galiza
Covid: Today's rules across Spain. Keep checking.
Much less notice is taken in Spain these days of developments in the Catholic Church but this one is surely of more-than-average interest.
I wonder if any reader can explain a conundrum . . . Whenever I see the Selectividad marks required for university courses in local universities, those for law degrees are amongst the lowest. This is in line with the relatively low status of lawyers in Spain. Against this, a recent article spoke of salaries of around €200,000pa for lawyers working in a good law firm(bufete) - a claim endorsed by this 2020 article. This is said to be twice that of senior personnel in an accountancy firm. And I believe that more than 50% of MP and government ministers have a law degree. So, do some universities demand far higher marks? And/or can the best lawyers make a hell of a lot more money than the vast majority of their colleagues? Who really aren't anywhere near as well paid as in the Anglo world?
María's Not So Fast: Days 10-12 Propitiating the sea.
The UK
Although many have returned home post-Brexit, the government has discovered that there were (and still are) a lot more EU citizens in the UK than it thought. Around 6m have applied for settled status, well above the 3.5-4.1m expected. This is only bad news to the extent that, especially in some parts of the country, this means public services risk being run based on unrealistic expectations of demand. For GPs for example. But the restaurants will be better.
Quote of the Day
Another couple of Simon Jenkins' views on football, which I've long held myself. Well, the first one, anyway. If more goals are wanted, then widen the goalposts. Otherwise honour the result: a sport that cannot accept a draw is not a sport, it is show business.
Finally . . ,
HT to Lenox of Business Over Tapas for the information that, when products get smaller, it's called reduflación, against ‘shrinkflation’ in English.
Note: If you’ve landed here looking for info on Galicia or Pontevedra, try here.