Catalonia Today's blog: January 2008

Thursday, 31 January 2008

Landscapes endangered by sprawl

A new book of photography explores the Països Catalans (Catalan territories) most vulnerable natural spaces. Published by Caixa Sabadell, Mirades (Views), covers three natural areas --mostly along the coast-- which, despite their importance to the ecology of the area, are threatened by urban expansion and the effects of climate change.
The 12 areas covered include the Catalan Pyrenees (Upper Pyrenees and Vall d'Aran) and the Vall d'Àrreu (Pallars Sobirà), the Albera mountain range (Upper Empordà), Vallfongona de Ripollès, El Vallès, les Garrigues, els Muntanyans and punta de la Móra (Tarragona), the delta de l'Ebre, the Albufera de València, the Mariola mountain range (vall d'Albaida), Cala d'Hort (Eivissa) and Muleta (Mallorca). (Full story in printed edition).

What is the going price of a vote?

The PSOE and PP have offered a grab bag of campaign pledges, but many question if they make sound fiscal sense. Election fever has hit Spain's political parties, and in their delirium to win votes, they are pulling out their wallets. The March 9 contest is looming large and the governing Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) and the conservative Partido Popular (PP) are locked in a contest of trumping the latest move of the other guy with a bigger and better proposal. (Full story in printed edition).

"Latino violence": fact and fiction

Latino violence is up, reflecting growing migrant populations, but the local media exaggerate its frequency and perpetuate misunderstandings. On November 20, 2007 the Barcelona daily La Vanguardia ran a story entitled "Bronca Latina," which claimed the city was seeing a "spectacular rise" in fights among young Latin American migrants. Experts say this is only a half truth. (Full story in printed edition).

Opinion: ‘Where’s the indignation?’, by Angela Jackson

Despite his 92 years, Milton Wolff would bellow, "Where's the indignation?" in his strong Brooklyn accent on hearing of yet another injustice in a world not renowned for fairness, still raging against society's apathy towards oppression. This same sense of indignation had caused him to become involved with left-wing causes as a young man, leading him to Spain in March 1937 where he fought for the Republicans as a volunteer in the International Brigades during the Civil War. After many battles, Wolff became the ninth and last commander of the Lincoln Battalion. (Full story in printed edition).

The search for digital talent

The Triplets, Juanito Jones, The Bored Witch and Miniman are just a few of the internationally known animated characters brought to life by the Catalan production house Cromosoma. (Full story in printed edition).

The hunters are now the hunted

Local property companies who cheerfully bought everything in sight when credit was cheap are now shedding buildings as fast as they can to pay off debt. The steep drop in the stock values has added urgency to publicly-traded property companies, such as Colonial, which is now in firesale mode. (Full story in printed edition).

Basque separatist parties blocked

The Spanish government has announced it will not permit the two Basque pro-independence parties, ANV (Acción Nacionalista Vasca) and PCTV (Partido Comunista de las Tierras Vascas) to present candidates for the general elections set for March 9. The process is set to begin on January 31, when Judge Baltasar Garzón will formally request the suspension of activities by ANV and PCTV, which is expected to lead to the exclusion of the two parties in upcoming elections. (Full story in printed edition).

Group defends ‘traditional’ family

Conservative Catholic groups attacked the social policies of Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in a recent gathering at Barcelona's Palau de Congressos. (Full story in printed edition).

Vending machines to get fruity

The Catalan government has called on vending machine companies operating in zones frequented by young people to replace sugar-laden candy and drinks with fruit, nuts, water, juices and sandwiches. (Full story in printed edition).

Opinion: Death Race 2008, by Neil Stokes.

They're trying to kill me," she whispered, as if scared that 'they' might overhear. My sister, over in Barcelona on a business trip, hugged my arm, not as a gesture of affection but so that she had somewhere to hide if one of 'them' made an appearance. In fact at that moment, with the word 'paranoid' still on my lips, one of 'them', in this case a scooter ridden by a young woman, bumped onto the pavement and headed straight for us. I froze, my sister cowered and the scooter veered off to the right at the last moment and parked on the edge of the pavement facing the road. My sister straightened and triumphantly exclaimed: "See? I told you they were out to get me." (Full story in printed edition).

Tennis innovator adds to game

Barcelona Tennis Club joins the many places to play a match, but it provides the added feature of online court reservations. For 30 year old Quintus Snapper, it's about "the challenge of trying to get better." That's why two years ago, this Holland native started the Barcelona Tennis Club. (Full story in printed edition).

Sacking plastic bags

In one way or another ,countries like Bangladesh, China, South Africa and Ireland are doing it. But not Spain and Catalonia. Those others have all drastically cut back on the use of plastic bags, the bane of environmentalists, but local governments are lagging behind. (Full story in printed edition).

Terrorist case awaits evidence

Confusion. That's the word that best defines the information surrounding the recent arrests of 10 terrorism suspects in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood. ""Right now I'm confused by what's going on," said Dolors Bramon, professor of Arab and Muslim studies at the Universitat de Barcelona. "There's not a clear picture." (Full story in printed edition).

Sagrada Familia refuses to give in

While a recent court victory appears to have given Barcelona's City Council the go-ahead to build the Ave, or high-speed train, near the Sagrada Familia, the Temple's board is not ready to throw in the towel just yet. (Full story in printed edition).

Americans in Catalonia can vote in person in Democratic primary

Americans in Catalonia who want to register and/or vote in the Democratic presidential primaries have two new options this year, both introduced by Democrats Abroad to ensure that their votes are counted. (Full story in printed edition).

Sand and sea still tops for tourists, but culture secures second place

The pleasures of sand and sea are still the main draw for tourists in Catalonia, but government efforts to promote a more sophisticated and diversified image of the nation appears to be showing results, according to studies sponsored by the Generalitat. (Full story in printed editon).

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