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Editorial:
There were a lot of posts on my feed the other day about how the AI Data Centres are going to become our nemeses. Firstly, by taking all the available water and electricity. A large facility needs tens to hundreds of megawatts of electricity and up to five million gallons of water every day. The Spanish Data Centre Association (Spain DC) forecasts almost 67,000 million euros (i.e. ‘€66.9billion’) invested in this country through 2030. Bad enough perhaps, but it gets worse as we ask: what place will humans have in the scheme of things when the machines can do everything we can do, only better? Already they can write poetry, resolve an impossible math equation, create ‘improved’ weapons, watch us and even think for us. It won’t be long before Artificial Intelligence checks the tea leaves and decided we aren’t wanted on the voyage anymore. I don’t exaggerate, as we read: ‘AI could kill all humans in next decade, warn experts: but how seriously should we take them?’
I have been hoarding recently. Not old bits of cardboard, unread newspapers and empty toothpaste tubes, but stuff which might be useful for when a calamity befalls us.
Cans of sardines, jars of fruit and veg in water, tins of unperishable sustenance made in Eastern Europe, some Nescafé and sugar, a bottle of Butano, a lighter, lots of drinking water and a jug of vodka in case the first people through my front door turn out to be Cossacks.
The thing is it could be anything that does for us: the Russians or Chinese perhaps (anyone seen Red Dawn?), or a meteorite, or another round of covid – even more dangerous than the last one. An American friend of mine bought a cave in Missouri some time ago, turned it into a fortress complete with guns and booby traps (and hopefully something to eat). He emailed me back in 2020 when the pandemic came along with the marvellous line that reads ‘All things considered; I would have preferred zombies’.
Such people as my Yankee friend are called preppers or survivalists – being ready for almost any calamity. In fact, while you are waiting for the Big One, you may want to get yourself into shape and learn how to trap, kill and dress a wild boar, then cook it over a fire (don’t let the neighbours see the smoke!).
The billionaires (who may well be at fault when things eventually go pear-shaped) are said to be building enormous underground bunkers loaded with groceries, guns, oxygen, medical supplies, bimbos and mercenaries. The plan being to, um, start again once the world ends, with the enthusiastic help of the bimbos. The return of Adam, with a fistful of Eves. Rather obviously, when the hired-muscle realise that their wages aren’t going to be of any further use, they’ll certainly decide on cutting out their boss and helping themselves to both the girls and the supply of twenty-year-old Scotch.
To prepare ourselves, as above, we need tinned food, plenty of fresh water, a battery radio (so we can pick up Richard over at Spectrum FM), a torch, a few candles, plenty of lavatory paper (it’s hell when you run out) and an AK-47. I’m about there, except for the firearm, but I do keep a knotted sock full of marbles, and if things become hand to hand, there’s some nail-clippers in the drawer.
Well, let’s ask the GoogleAI what else I need: ‘a basic disaster kit’, it says. Don’t forget the medical box (Elastoplasts, Paracetamol and a tongue-depressor), a whistle in case it was an earthquake, some pocket-money (which reminds me, I ran out of cash the other day and had to raid the tin), a power-bank charger for the phone, and finally, in a waterproof bag: the trusty passport and a change of underwear.
I live on a hill across a (normally) dry-river bed. If it fills up, then I will no doubt be OK even if it hasn’t drained three days later. Maybe a bit tired of lunching on tinned rhubarb, but otherwise fine. Unfortunately, most disasters are going to be lasting a lot longer than a panicky weekend, indeed, they may become permanent.
What are the most likely? I ask Wikipedia: it says under ‘Global Catastrophic Risk’, that ‘Human-made risks carry a much higher probability of ending civilization than natural cosmic events’. And very jolly reading it is too. On the same subject, GoogleAI warns of ‘The creation of an artificial superintelligence that outpaces human control and pursues goals not aligned with human survival’. Something like Terminator 2. On this grim possibility, The Guardian says: ‘Lawmakers blast AI companies after researcher warns of human extinction by 2030’. That’s just four years from now!
The GoogleAI disaster-list continues (plus a few of my own) with ‘engineered pandemics’ (maybe I should add a bottle of Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.’s Ivermectin equine laxative to my store), followed by ‘invasion from a foreign force’, perhaps they’ll be robot-soldiers, the kind that never sleep; and worse still: ‘nuclear war and nuclear winter’.
It continues spreading its gloom with ‘rapid climate change’ (and here am I living in Southern Spain where the heat this summer broke records), volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, powerful cyclones, rising sea levels, methane poisoning, el Niño and microplastics.
How about a putsch from one or another of the billionaires (I’m thinking of YOU Elon Musk)? Then there’s the – I have to say – rather unlikely threat of the Rapture, where the most faithful of the evangelicals will ‘rise in the clouds’ while the rest of us are burned by Beelzebub; and finally the surprise arrival of either a huge asteroid or an unexpected attack by a horde of bug-eyed Martians. Frankly, I’m amazed we’ve made it this far.
Living in Spain, there’s also the outside chance of a coup d’état. Unlikely perhaps, but they did it once before. In my opinion, it’s pretty much on the cards right now for the USA.
Really, and after reading my own notes, I should probably go and make myself a nice cup of tea and then have a lie down.
Just in case, and don’t tell my neighbour I’m stockpiling, I might pop round this evening to the local German discount supermarket again and pick up a few more tins of pickled beets.
Housing:
From Spanish Property Insight here: ‘Brussels proposes housing market intervention that could harm foreign buyers and sellers in Spain. Brussels has decided to get involved with an Affordable Housing Act, which was presented to the European Parliament last week. This would establish a “common framework” for local authorities across the EU to intervene in “stressed housing areas” with “targeted, necessary and proportionate” measures, especially when it comes to what the Commission calls the “non-primary use” of housing. That could include restrictions or fiscal measures affecting empty properties, tourist accommodation and second homes. In high-demand areas like the Balearics and the Canaries, the proposals could even provide a framework for restricting purchases of second residences…’
From The Wall Street Journal here: ‘Wealthy Europeans are moving north as temperatures climb. Regions of northern Spain, France and Italy become more attractive for buyers as wildfires and droughts hit southern hot spots’.
Idealista dives deep on living in Torrevieja (Alicante).
Tourism:
‘Uncontrolled tourism growth in Mallorca: "We have the perception that our island no longer belongs to us"’. The Majorca Daily Bulletin says ‘…the resident population is losing control over the management of Mallorca. It is controlled by external agents, such as real estate companies, whose actions are not directed at the usual residents but at outsiders. “This has led, in principle, to the problem of a lack of affordable housing or suitable rentals. Previously, the concept of islands was linked to external isolation. But now, the isolation imposed on residents is internal, as Mallorcans are being displaced and dispossessed of their territory…”
From Sur in English here: ‘Málaga Airport to receive 830 million euros for major expansion. The five-year programme will nearly double the terminal, add non-Schengen facilities and lift annual capacity to 36 million passengers’.
The Playa de Bolonia (Tarifa, Cádiz) is crowned Spain's best beach of 2026 in the '20minutos' reader vote.
Finance:
‘Scope upgrades Spain's rating to 'A+' and changes the outlook to stable’. From Expansión.
‘Ford Motors saved the Almussafes plant in Valencia by partnering with Geely, but now the White House threatens to sink the deal. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation has lashed out at Ford over its joint venture with Geely in Almussafes, reminding the company that, for Washington, China remains a strategic adversary’. Item from Motorpasión here.
Boycott imports from Morocco say the populists! It appears that this is not such a great idea as many businesses in Morocco are Spanish run. From elDiario.es here: ‘Business ties between Spain and Morocco: 1,000 established companies and €23,000 million in trade. Infrastructure, automotive, textiles, banking, energy, and tourism…’ Then from Morocco comes a call to boycott Spanish produce…
Euro News has: ‘Diesel in Portugal hits record high as Spain introduces new discount’.
Politics:
The latest poll from the CIS gives the PSOE a slightly reduced lead over the PP with Vox coming up fast. PSOE 31%, PP 25.5 and Vox at 16.6%.
From Público here: ‘José María Aznar faces a barrage of criticism over his remarks on Ceuta and Israel: "He is always on the repugnant side of history."’. Aznar said last week in a session at the Nueva Economía Fórum: "In recent days, we have witnessed the consequences of having alienated the friendship of key allies through the drama in Ceuta." Later, he added: "Spain must restore a normalized relationship with Israel as soon as possible."
From elDiario.es here: ‘Congress greenlights the bill to grant nationality to Sahrawis, amidst criticism of the government over its stance on Morocco. The Lower House has approved—with votes in favour from the government and its partners, and an abstention from the PP—the measure that will restore Spanish national ID cards to those who lost them in 1977 and to their children. The bill now moves to the Senate for final approval, facing opposition only from Vox’.
Diario Socialista brings: ‘Vox’s ties to the State of Israel. The alignment of views between Vox and Likud reaches 98.74%, accompanied by constant financial contributions from the genocidal state to the fascist party’s sphere of influence’. Considering the ‘aid’ from Israel to EU right-wing parties, we read ‘…One of the most direct mechanisms is that of the Association for Action and Communication on the Middle East (ACOM), a private entity formally established in Spain and registered as a lobby group with the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC). This platform acts as a formalized channel for introducing the geopolitical directives of the Likud party and the State of Israel into the institutional, media, and political spheres within Spain…’
Catalonia:
From El Mundo here: ‘Aliança Catalana surges to become the second largest party in Catalonia: the far-right party would lead the pro-independence majority, while Salvador Illa loses 11 seats. The right wing capitalizes on social discontent over the economic situation, immigration, and insecurity, and grows with Aliança and Vox. Junts continues its free fall’.
Europe:
Idealista says that ‘A study by the Vienna University of Technology found that 44% of Europeans across the continent can only afford a home of 50 m2 taking into account local income levels and housing prices’.
From Xataca here: ‘The map revealing tourism pressure in Europe: 10% of the territory already has more visitors than residents’.
CNN brings ‘The EU announces plan to ban social media for under-13s’.
‘The EU 'opening door' for Canada to become associate member’ says RTÉ here. ‘European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the European Union is opening the door for Canada to become the first associate member, a status that does not exist under the bloc's treaties. "Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. But they also respond to the fracture in the international rules-based system," Ms von der Leyen said in her annual State of the European Union address in Strasbourg…’
Crime and Punishment:
‘Isabel Perelló, President of the General Council of the Judiciary, has expressed concern over the negative image Spaniards hold of judges. Poor thing. She—who also presides over the Supreme Court—finds this disaffection baffling, noting that the CIS places it at 77%. The fact that few citizens believe in judicial impartiality warrants careful reflection. Yet, aside from hinting at external pressures, she offered no proposals for reform.
Some of us are quite clear about the nature of that pressure. It bothers the judge who obsessively pursues the Prime Minister’s wife; the one who drags his feet on trying Díaz Ayuso’s boyfriend; those who obstruct the investigation into Cristóbal Montoro’s shady dealings; those who coddle the crook Victor de Aldama; and those who took down the Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz. It bothers very specific judges and magistrates.
The top representative of the judiciary voiced her complaints on a particularly significant day. It coincided with the Supreme Court’s decision to block the descendants of Spanish exiles from voting, despite their recognized citizenship. Without referring the matter to the Constitutional Court, certain magistrates (some with clear political leanings) simply disregarded proper procedure and—in an unprecedented move—sided with the far right. Who, exactly, is pressuring whom?’ (Found on Facebook).
César Mogo, the Secretary of PSOE Abroad, considers it “extraordinary” that citizens who have been granted Spanish nationality could be deprived of their voting rights. He’s not wrong, as the Supreme Court puts a temporary ban on the families of Spanish emigrants who left Spain during the Franco years, not from having a Spanish passport, no, but from having the vote. More at España Exterior here. The pressure to remove the voting rights of those Spaniards who live abroad (known as la CERA) comes from Vox and an obscure fascist party called Iustitia Europa (wiki).
‘…It is an outrage because it tramples on a fundamental right: the right to vote. This right is so important under our Constitution that it cannot be suspended even by the declaration of a state of siege or a state of emergency. Yet the Supreme Court has done so high-handedly, cancelling a fundamental right belonging to third parties who are not part of the proceedings and who have not even had the opportunity to defend themselves…’ Ignacio Escolar here.
From Argentina here: ‘I’m Spanish, who the hell says I can’t vote?’
"Lawfare" (or the instrumentalization of the justice system for political ends) is a highly debated topic in Spain with no clear consensus, although a poll published by El País indicates that more than 65% of citizens believe it exists, while just 11% says it doesn’t.
Some judicial investigations move slowly. From Público here: ‘The Prosecutor's Office warns of obstacles placed by "certain banks" in providing information regarding the accounts linked to the 'Montoro case.' In mid-July, the investigating judge ordered a six-month extension of the proceedings because, among other matters, the statements of Cristóbal Montoro and sixteen other individuals under investigation are still pending’. The investigation into the former Finance Minister began in August 2018.
‘PP corruption cases with investigations that have dragged on for years: el Caso Lezo, the latest chapter. The case that went to trial this week is just one more example of the time that elapses between the events themselves and their investigation and resolution’. It’s a story going back as far as 2001 and stars the ex-president of the Madrid region Ignacio González. The details at El Plural here.
Pilar Bernabé (PSOE politician): "A perfect trap has been set for Begoña Gómez. If she works, it’s influence peddling. If she doesn’t work, she’s a dependent. If she defends herself, she’s privileged. If she stays silent, she’s guilty. None of this has anything to do with her and everything to do with her husband’s surname. Begoña Gómez is expected to disappear. No woman in this country should accept that as normal."
Judge Peinado appears to have cocked-up the Begoña Gómez trial. Here, here and here. In other news, the wretched judge must retire on September 27th.
‘Spain named the world’s second biggest fraud hotspot in new expat risk report. Foreign residents can face unfamiliar banking systems, property markets and online services that can make it harder to spot potential scams’. The Majorca Daily Bulletin says ‘Spain ranks second globally, with more than 1,000 recorded fraud offences per 100,000 people. It also has the second-highest recorded cyber fraud rate in the research, at 862 per 100,000, highlighting the significant role of online fraud in the country’s wider fraud landscape’.
Media:
The Guardian says: ‘Lawmakers blast AI companies after researcher warns of human extinction by 2030. Former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon said AI will become ‘superhuman systems’ that can cause human extinction by the end of the decade’.
From The Olive Press here: ‘More dangerous than fascism’ – why national populism is putting Europe’s future at risk, according to acclaimed Spanish author Javier Cercas’.
From El Huff Post here: ‘Zohran Mamdani aligns with Pedro Sánchez on Palestine and defence spending: "Why does there always seem to be money for war, but not for the poor?" The Mayor of New York grants his first major interview with a Spanish-language outlet, avoids naming Trump, and calls for abolishing ICE: "I am older than ICE," he says’.
‘Pedro Sánchez will participate in an event with Mayor Mamdani next week in New York’, says Europa Press here.
An amusing article from Microsiervos notes how news presentation is often inverted (for those all-so-important advertisement clicks). These days, we find: filler, advert, more filler, advert, advert, some background, advert… and then the useful bit of news right at the end!
The Guardian says: ‘JD Vance says he’s doing ‘God’s work – and if that leads to the end times, OK’. The Vice-president says on an evangelical podcast he would feel ‘not shocked if the antichrist was walking among us’. Cor, where do they find these people?
Two particularly annoying journalists (both of them known as agitadores in the Spanish media) working for the far-right are the rivals Vito Quiles and Bertrand Ndongo. A funny story happens to Vito this weekend as a Ferrari F8 Tributo he had either bought or rented reputedly catches on fire (the incident has not yet been confirmed by Maldito) shortly after he is filmed squawking to a chum ‘anyone has the opportunity’. Anywho, Ndongo was (as usual) dogging the steps of the left-wing politician Gabriel Rufián who says to him: ‘It’s funny really, some of you jokers get a Ferrari, and others just get to walk’.
Ecology:
From Reuters here: ‘Spain records 61 heatwave days in 2026, highest on record’.
From Eye on Spain here: ‘The Mediterranean like bathwater: Spain's sea temperatures smash all-time records’.
Euro News here says: ‘August 2026 was world’s joint hottest month on record’.
The UN warns that Earth will soon exceed the 1.5°C limit due to climate change says Futurism. ‘Here is how global warming will affect Spain. Although this scenario appears inevitable, it is still possible to reverse it and ensure that this rise in global temperature is temporary’. More from Infobae here.
From NetWeather here: ‘Packing a grab bag, and three days of food and water supplies as a supersized El Niño develops. As 2026 produces the strongest El Niño in decades, the world faces more intense weather events in an already heating climate’. The Guardian (March 2025) says: ‘Stockpile 72 hours of supplies in case of disaster or attack, EU tells citizens. The bloc’s first preparedness strategy urges people to prepare for floods, fires, pandemics or military strikes’. Alianz, a Spanish insurance company, suggests an essential kit here. The Generalitat has another emergency list here.
EFE says: ‘Greenpeace – Over 80% of the Spanish population breathe polluted air’.
(Found on Facebook): ‘The US insurance industry's response to climate change is the most honest financial accounting of the climate crisis available — because insurance is the industry that must price risk accurately to survive, and the risk that climate change presents is now being priced with increasing accuracy by an industry that cannot afford to underestimate it. When insurance companies withdraw from markets, raise premiums beyond affordability, or declare entire geographic areas uninsurable, they are not making a political statement about climate change. They are making an actuarial statement — the statement that the probability and magnitude of climate-related losses in a given area have exceeded the level at which insurance can be provided on commercially viable terms. The market, in the language of markets, has spoken.
In 2023 and 2024, major insurance companies withdrew from homeowner insurance markets in California, Florida, and Louisiana — citing wildfire risk, hurricane risk, and flood risk that had made the actuarial mathematics of providing coverage in those states untenable. State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers Insurance all announced significant reductions in California coverage. The withdrawal of private insurers does not eliminate the risk. It eliminates the mechanism for distributing the financial consequences of the risk across a large pool of policyholders. When private insurance withdraws, homeowners are left without coverage, or dependent on state insurance programs of last resort that are themselves financially stressed by the same risks that drove private insurers out. The risk is still there. The mechanism for managing it financially has left’.
Spain on the other hand relies on a unique public-private safety net managed through the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (CCS) to absorb extreme weather and climate risks: ‘Spain’s arrangements for covering extraordinary risks under the management of the CCS places Spain in a good position to be able to tackle the challenge posed by climate change to society as a whole and the insurance sector in particular…’
Various:
From the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs here: ‘The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD, today (Friday September 11th) marked the commencement of operations of the Consulate General of Ireland in Málaga. The Consulate General is Ireland's newest diplomatic mission and the latest addition to Ireland's global diplomatic network under the Global Ireland programme. Led by Marylee Wall, Ireland's first Consul General in Málaga, the new Consulate General will enhance support for Irish citizens across southern Spain and strengthen Ireland's engagement with the Andalucía region…’ The item is also reported in Sur in English here and EuroMundoGlobal aquí. Later, Sur in English has: ‘Spanish and Irish business professionals get together for launch of a new network in Málaga’.
The new Formula I racing circuit in Madrid has a few design flaws apparently. Firstly the noise, which has upset the vecinos, then the track itself, which has so many bends and corners that one can’t find a spot to overtake. From the Australian News.com here: ‘Dangerous: F1 stars express fears over ‘car killer’ Madring circuit ahead of Spanish GP. The F1 grid has expressed serious concerns ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix over the “mental” new Madring circuit’. ArsTecnica says: ‘F1 in Madrid: Like Monaco but twice as long and none of the glamour. Formula 1’s latest venue might be fun to drive, but the race was processional and dull’. A Madrid reader of BoT says: ‘I fell asleep watching it. They can’t overtake (safely) so it’s just a game of follow-the-leader’. On, er, the brighter side, we read at The Olive Press here: ‘Madrid’s economy has seen a whopping €467-million boost after the city hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 45 years, according to a new study. The three-day event also created a staggering 8,850 jobs across the Madrid region, accounting giant PwC estimated in a report, as more than 350,000 people flocked to the race last weekend’.
Madrileñofobia is a word. Many provincials have a low opinion of those from Madrid, and there are slang names for them like fodechinchos (here) and opinions like chulos, una plaga, prepotentes and sabelotodos (here). And old slang word for Madrileños is gatos (and gatas).
From Bastardo, a site in English here, some useful Madrid slang expressions.
Thanks to the ongoing fuss over Ceuta, Spain and Morocco are also squabbling over the venue for the World Cup Final 2030. From ABCNews here: ‘FIFA has yet to officially announce which country will host the biggest match of the biggest event in soccer. And even though the 2026 edition just finished with Spain winning the title this summer, Moroccan and Spanish officials are both staking their claim on the next final’.
Euro News has: ‘The history of Ceuta and Melilla and why they are Spanish territory’.
The best BoT editorials, plus other material, winds up on my Spanish Shilling blog.
See Spain:
From El Reto Histórico here: ‘The Caves and Underground Spaces of Toledo: The City Beneath the Streets’. Interesting history and photographs.
Finally:
Vanitatis (Monday) reporting here: ‘Shakira lands in Madrid for a historic month: twelve concerts, 600,000 people, and a city built for her. The Colombian star has arrived in the capital to take on one of the most ambitious projects of her career. Over the course of four weekends, Madrid will host the finale of her world tour and an event rollout that extends far beyond the concerts themselves.
Shakira with Hay Amores on YouTube