[Photo: Richard van der AA/Demotix/Corbis]
Prompted by
regular reader Tom (again) I have been thinking about a few related things.
His
link to a north American article about “dumpster diving” in Spain (ie, people
searching through those large rubbish bins for food/items to use or re-sell)
reminded me of the day I first saw this happen in this country with my own
eyes.
It was near
our local shops quite early in the morning; still semi-dark and I noticed a
quite well-dressed man with his head and arms stuck inside a big green rubbish
hopper. He had already collected a few things and when he saw me walk past he
was clearly ashamed.
This
happened about 4 years ago, just as the huge and still-continuing economic “crisis”
had just begun. It has now become a regular sight during the daylight hours
too, and is just one undeniable symptom of the desperation and hardship that is
now equally common.
Now that
sense of resentment and frustration is to be channeled into another National
General Strike which is to be held tomorrow, the 14th of November.
There is a
lot to strike about at the moment. Personally, the
quiet privatization of greater Barcelona’s water supply by the Catalan
government is one that stirs me into anger. We are supposed to believe the
government’s hollow assurance that it “will continue to be a public service.”
