Aimless thoughts while sitting in the air-conditioning and listening to KBON out of Eunice, Louisiana (click on "KBON Listen Live Here"):

Zap made a disgraceful speech this afternoon at a Socialist party rally in Ibiza:

...Those who carried out the war in Iraq told us that after the intervention, the expansion of democracy and a future of peace would come. I hope they learn from the lesson these most recent events and the disaster they have meant. Today, more than ever, a new culture of international order is necessary, that will impose a new form of dealing with conflicts, supported by citizens, countries, and governments that represents a call for understanding, not imposing order unilaterally.

Zapatero demanded that the Israeli government "cease hostilities" and "respect international law."

...Struggle against terrorist violence does not justify the loss of innocent human lives. The authority that derives from the United Nations must make all possible efforts to put an end to this insanity of hostilities that may have serious consequences.

I don't even know where to start. 1) Democracy has been expanded in Iraq; they have an elected government that is in control of most of the country, and they've had three elections. 2) Iraq has most certainly not been a disaster, since Saddam is no longer in power and the country is no longer a threat to anyone. 3) Zap, you and your Porto Alegre altermundialist dreamers have no power to "impose" anything, and thank Jesus Christ Almighty that you don't, because you'd try to appease the terrorists and next thing you know there would be stonings of adulteresses in the Plaza Real.

4) Zap wants the ISRAELIS to cease hostilities? Uh, they didn't start it. 5) Nobody, at least not Israel and the US, wants innocent civilians to be killed, but that's what happens when cowardly terrorists hide behind the people. You can't hit Hezbollah without hitting an inhabited area, because that is where the killers take refuge. Besides, Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli citizens DELIBERATELY for decades. 6) Authority? United Nations? LMFAOROTF. 7) Zap seems not to be aware that the only reason Osama hasn't already retaken Andalusia is because the US and NATO are protecting Spain, which is not militarily capable of defending itself.

Meanwhile, the world's biggest pompous self-important ass, Hugo Chavez, is threatening "another Holocaust" if the "Israeli elites" and "US empire" don't do as he says.

I botched the story on Maragall and the regional election, forgetting that November 1, Todos los Santos, is of course a day off work in Spain. It's his Socialist cohorts who want to hold the regional election on a workday, while the rest of the parties want it to be held on a Sunday, as has become traditional. Maragall, though, has irritated everybody by setting it on Todos los Santos, a midweek holiday.

You know, I'm still pissed off at Toni Soler for his crack last week that Socialist candidate Montilla doesn't speak Catalan well enough to be regional premier. Montilla was on the news this afternoon giving a press conference in Catalan, and that reminded me of Soler's bigotry. No, Montilla's first language is not Catalan, and so he has a pretty strong accent. But his grammar and vocabulary are perfect, and what more can you ask? By the way, Soler, do you know any other languages? I bet Montilla's Catalan pronunciation is better than yours in English.

Most Irritating Local Celebrities:

7. Maruja Torres. Bitter, angry bitch who writes for El Pais.
6. Lluis Llach. Very dull Communist Cataloony folksinger and gay activist.
5. Maria de la Pau Janer, celeb-authoress heavily subsidized and promoted by regional Culture department. Many have started and few have finished her books.
4. Toni Soler, unfunny radical Cataloony talk-show host and occasional newspaper columnist.
3. Pepe Rubianes, hateful stand-up comic who applauds when Americans are killed.
2. Raimon. Worst folksinger ever. Llach at least can play the guitar.
1. Joel Joan, unfunny actor and scriptwriter fond of insulting people from other parts of Spain.

Any more nominations? Josmar is hors de categorie, of course.

The Italian football federation has made its ruling. Juventus, Fiorentina, and Lazio go down to second division and Milan is stripped of its Champions' League berth, as Juve loses its last two league titles. Rumors about which players are going where are flying, and I've heard Real Madrid is interested in Cannavaro, Thuram, Vieira, Zambrotti, Ibrahimovic, Trezeguet, and Kaka. Inter has already picked up Toni.