No more death in the afternoon

On Wednesday the Catalan parliament voted 68 to 55 to ban bullfighting throughout the Catalan autonomous community. It is the second autonomous community to do so (the Canary Islands were first, in 1991).  Below is a very balanced report from CNN (more balanced than anything I saw on TV here in Barcelona last night following the vote).

CNN Video Link

Arguments against the legislation claim that bullfighting is an ancient tradition of the Iberian peninsula, and that outlawing it threatens Spanish identity and cultural unity. Some of them claim the ban is unconstitutional (?) and that they will be taking the matter to the Spanish constitutional court.

Shuffle up and deal with it

Meanwhile in the US Congress, the House Financial Services Committee voted 41 to 22 on Wednesday in favor of a bill to legalize (and tax) online poker and other non-sports gambling activities. Part of the bill’s success must be attributed to the lobbying efforts of the Poker Players Alliance. From their mission statement:

“Through education and awareness the PPA will keep this game of skill, one of America’s oldest recreational activities, free from egregious government intervention and misguided laws.”

(Full disclosure: I am a member of the PPA.)

It is possible that states and Indian tribes will be able to opt out of the new law and prohibit online gambling within their borders. Opponents of the bill argue that online gaming facilitates money laundering and terrorist activities (?) and that it provides an easy path to degenerate behavior and gambling addiction.

We’re here, you’re here, get over it

So here we have two cases of legislation that touches on cultural traditions. Bullfights have been going on in Spain since Roman times; poker has been played in the United States since the early 1800s. Both are shown on sports television channels. Both have found their way into the language, literature, and the imagination of a people. Detractors of both traditions argue that they are morally reprehensible.

The two debates highlight a key difference in tolerance for cultural diversity in the US and Spain. In Spain, any variation from cultural homogeneity can spark a visceral fear for peninsular unity. For some, Catalonia’s ban on bullfighting is seen as a threat to the cohesion of the Spanish state. (Interestingly, when the Canary Islands passed their own ban on bullfighting in 1991, no such fear accompanied the decision.)

In the United States, citizens do not experience such an existential crisis, even when legislation touches a cultural nerve. We get mad at each other, we bicker, we say, “Those New Yorkers are crazy!” or “Can you imagine if we had to live in Missouri?” If efforts to change a state’s laws don’t work, we either keep trying, or we move to another state. We don’t lose sleep worrying that differences among the states will cause the entire Union to dissolve.

If a multicultural, “pluralist” Spain is going to survive beyond its first thirty years of democracy, Spaniards are going to need to open up their definition of Spanish culture and identity. They must begin to imagine – and accept – a Spain in which different regions have different values. The current cultural model is simply unsustainable.

Ricky Gervais wants you to sign a petition to encourage the Catalan government to approve legislation that will finally ban bullfighting in Catalonia. Watch the video, then sign the petition!

The site admins update the image of the oil plume regularly using satellite data from NOAA. They also have a live video feed of the spill and a running total of gallons leaked, just in case the visualization of an oil plume covering your home and the surrounding vicinity wasn’t enough to ruin your day.

via flowingdata

The NY Times has a nice graphic of ash cloud movements, and they update airport closings regularly on the same page. We’re keeping an eye on it. I’d be interested in any Eyjafjallajökull iPhone/iPad apps – does anyone know of one?

UPDATE [two minutes after original post]: Barcelona area airports are now closed after shifting winds bring ash cloud to Catalonia. Well played, Eyjafjallajökul.

Three positive effects of this event are (1) the temporary reduction in carbon emissions from heavy air travel (2) the increased interest in learning how to pronounce Icelandic words and (3) the convoluted tales of the journey home that travelers will be sharing with friends and family for years to come.

This depressing photo was taken from my apartment balcony this afternoon. No retouching was required to make it a black and white shot.

Upstaters may be amused to know that this dusting of snow was enough to collapse the entire city. Schools sent children home early; city buses were called back to the depot. Some minister of something is on TV warning everyone to stay in their homes.

The Catalonian Snow Plan is in full effect. It is called NEUCAT. Neu (pronounced ‘NAY-oo’) is the Catalan word for snow. The fact that the national snow emergency plan has part of my name in it just adds insult to injury. It seems that even moving to a sun-drenched Mediterranean paradise, my fate is inextricably linked to the white beasties. Touché, winter. Touché.

Download your very own copy of the 38-page NEUCAT snow emergency plan

Thanks to Raquel and Gerardo for a delightful introduction to the Swiss dining experience called raclette. How fun to live in Barcelona and learn about Swiss traditions from Urugayan friends. To bring things full circle we grilled up some txistorra sausages (which are technically Basque I guess) to accompany our cheese-drenched potatoes and veggies.

I just love interactive meals. Assembling a fajita, boiling up some shabu shabu, pregaming on karaoke night with some Korean barbecue…which are your favorite interactive meals? Or are you of the “don’t make me work, just give me the food” camp?