Pharaohs Prefer Cats

I'm not a big animal lover myself, but even I was a bit shocked by Madrid's latest measure against those who don't clean up behind their dogs. The maximum fine until now for letting your dog choose the middle of the pavement or the entrance to someone's house as a toilet is a reasonably harmless €90, and I wonder whether anyone has ever been fined. That's about to change and the new maximum goes up to a staggering €1500. At this price it almost becomes worth hiring a servant to walk behind the animal with a cushioned heated potty. It's all part of the consequences of Alberto Ruiz Gallardón's particular approach to tax and spend politics. In order to protect everything except essential services and to pay off a debt where the interest alone costs €750,000 per day, the city is now trying to raise money in any way it can. The property tax has risen, people are going to be fined for not recycling properly, and now whatever the Spanish equivalent of Fido or Rover is will get their owner into a bigger mess than the street they shit on.

What you really need when faced with inconsiderate behaviour is a polite campaign of civic education from your fellow citizens. Take, for example, the MEMPEC campaign - aimed at those users of public transport who choose to share with the rest of the passengers the music which they are listening to on their mobile phones. Via Las Penas del Agente Smith.


Oh, what does MEMPEC mean? Métete el móvil por el culo. Or SYPUYA in English.