Author: Kate Wilson

Ethel MacDonald – a Scottish Anarchist

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

And then on the other hand there are the anarchists. So much more interesting than the politicians who are debating right now on Catalan TV.   Here is a film about Ethel MacDonald, a Scottish anarchist who supported the Republican Cause in Catalunya in the Civil War and who was making radio broadcasts from Barcelona calling for international support. Thanks to Nick Lloyd who organises Spanish Civil War tours in Barcelona and who has a really interesting Facebook page with old photos and fascinating information about that period.

There are a couple of books too which sound interesting.
“Homage to Caledonia” by Daniel Gray. A history of Scots who went to fight Franco in Spain.
Published by Luath Press.
 “An Anarchist’s Story – the life of Ethel MacDonald” by Chris Dolan. Published by Birlinn.


Elections in Catalunya

~ Kate Wilson ~ Leave a comment

One week from now there will be elections in Catalunya to elect the new Parliament.
I am still trying to make sense of it all but little by little am getting more informed.

The current President is Artur Mas. His party is Convergence and Union otherwise known as CiU. All the parties have names like this – ERC, EUiA, PPC, ICV, SI etc etc.
Goodness, it’s no wonder it has taken me three years to even begin to understand.
The streets are now lined with posters, dominated by the faces of the candidates. People will vote for a party, choosing one piece of paper with a list of all that parties candidates in order of importance and will place this in the voting box. No ticking of boxes or putting a cross against a name.
The more votes a party has, the more candidates are elected. The first named on the list will be the leader, eg Artur Mas, and the candidates will get in, according to their place on the list.
How do they decide who gets a high or low place on the list? After all, if you are at the bottom then you are very unlikely to get elected.
In CiU for example, the leader decides who goes where.
However in SI – Solidaritat Catalana per la Independencia – the list is created more democratically, according to a voting system.

Here is a list of the political parties of Catalunya.
I wonder who the Pirates of Catalunya are?
Here’s what I found on Wikipedia:-

Pirates of Catalonia is a political party in the Catalonia region of Spain. The party is based on the model of the Swedish Pirate Party and is a member of the Pirate Parties International. it supports intellectual property reform, open access to culture and knowledge, transparency and Direct Democracy.
The party was founded in August 2010 and was officially registered as a political party in October.

Of course the main item of interest at the moment regarding the coming elections is that fact that Artur Mas has said he will call for a referendum about independence.  And this is causing a lot of ripples in the relationship between Catalunya and the government in Madrid.
Here is a really interesting article on the reasons for session and the viability of a Catalan state.

Taking Space

~ Kate Wilson ~ 3 Comments

Isn’t it funny how at the gym many women get anxious about using the machines and prefer to be there when there are not many people……. while many men feel so confident that they use three or four machines at the same time, thus stopping other people from doing their routine!

I challenge myself one day to do a long routine which means taking over at least four machines while I slowly and casually do my exercises. 
Perhaps I need Tiffany to help me so we can also stop to chat with each other – loudly –  in between times while draping our towels over the equipment so noone else can use it.

General Strike 14N

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

Bonnie and I walked into the centre to see what was happening today, the day of the General Strike

The shops around us were all open – little independent ones.  Further into town there were a lot of closed shutters, especially the big chains like Mango or Caprabo. There were enough places open so you could buy bread, some boots, a handbag, a computer or a newspaper and some cafes had customers eating and drinking. But the general feeling was of a quiet lunchtime, some people wandering around with their dogs and children but all fairly low key. Schools are closed – we have two boys here enjoying yet another day off.
I think I had missed a demonstration – in the Porxada there were a few groups of people chatting who looked as if they had been at some protest. The Catalan flag with the star is the Independence flag.

Stupid ideas I used to have about parenting

~ Kate Wilson ~ 4 Comments

Before I came to live here I used to believe:-

1.  Boys should be taught by their mothers/fathers to do housework. Surely it can’t be that difficult?
2.  Children who refuse to go to school should not be allowed to go out with their friends in the evening. You just tell them they can’t go and they, sulkily, will agree to stay at home! Right?
3.  Children who say they are too ill to go to school should stay in bed until they feel better. If they are too ill to study then surely they are too ill to hang around the town centre?
4.  Children who steal from their parents should be made to pay it back – perhaps through working in the house?  They’ll love you for it later.
5.  Mobile phones are a luxury, NOT a necessity. Why do some parents pay for contracts only to be scared witless by the monthly bills?
6.  People who give their children expensive mobile phones have only themselves to blame when they get broken through lack of care.
7.  Children need to eat fruit and vegetables every day. If you let them refuse and permit them to eat nothing but pasta and pizza and fried croquettes, washed down with coca cola, then you are an idiot.
8.  Televisions are there for everyone in the house, what person in their right mind would allow a child to dictate what everyone watches?
9. Gradually children will become more and more independent and responsible for their own money, hygiene and personal belongings. Watching this process will bring a self satisfied smile to your lips.
10. If you treat your child with respect as well as love they will not lie, steal or swear at you.
11. Having a child brings love and joy and laughter and hugs into your life.

What a fool I was! Is it always this difficult? Why?