In book reviews, we have a look at a debut novel by Amy Boaz, A Richer Dust, which I dearly loved (due out this month), and the latest by Naeem Murr, The Perfect Man, which, apart from some hesitations, I found an enjoyable, page-turning read.

Local news:
As the primary election circus continues in the US, local elections are due here March 9th.  The contenders:  Incumbent Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero versus the right-wing Popular Partido Mariano Rajoy.  Zapatero, rather disappointingly to those of us who have long supported him, is assuring everyone that the economy is fine (when in fact it’s in a bit of a slump, which is obvious, though nothing major) and promising to reimburse workers and pensioners 400 euros (about $580) on their income tax for the next four years because Spain does indeed enjoy a surplus; though one has to wonder if this is the most sensible idea at the current time.  Rajoy, who has only spoken in the most venomous tongue against the Socialists from day one, claims that the economy is in “catastrophic” decline, which his party can rectify (in part, by cutting income taxes), while the Catholic bishops of Spain, right-wing backers from Franco’s time and before, have written a Catholic Manifesto in regards to the election, damning the Socialist agenda (same-sex marriage, horrors!) and pushing for their man Rajoy (without naming names, of course.)  But enough about politics— how about that Javier Bardem in the role of Anton Chigurh, huh?  Though politics enters in everywhere eventually: Bardem, for example, incited controversy when he stated that if he were gay, he would "get married tomorrow, just to fuck with the church."  Bardem, you have our vote!

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