Oz in Spain

a) That South Korean “pop sensation” Gangnam Style has officially become the first video on YouTube to reach one billion views…

b) That when South Korean “pop sensation” Gangnam Style took over top spot one month earlier (with 805 million views since its launch in July 2012) Justin Blubber’s Baby video clip had been leading the way…

c) OzinSpain actually first performed a remarkably similar “horse-riding dance” in 1982 towards the end of a long and memorable company Christmas dinner – i.e. when Psy aka Park Jae-Sang was just five years old (and, perhaps fortunately, 23 years before the advent of YouTube)…

d) South Korea apparently sees such popular culture as a “potent export force”…

e) All of the above…

Finally… a voice of reason to ease the looming trepidation of men of a certain age. In its latest book of preventative health guidelines, the Royal Australian College for General Practitioners advises its members not to recommend prostate cancer screening to patients. Arguing that the risks of being screened for prostate cancer outweigh the benefits, the group says the risks of being screened for prostate cancer outweigh the benefits.

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Olympics Commentary… from an Irish Viewpoint

The real story… Spain’s burst property bubble explained (en españistani).

(IMAGEN © TURISMO ANDALUZ, S.A.)

…ACRONYM for Spanish Ministry of the Environment’s Planes de Ordenación de Recursos Naturales department, which looks after the nation’s natural resources: P.O.R.N.

The 2011 Miss Universe pageant in Brazil became more interesting than usual (i.e. mildly interesting) when, in the endless round of mostly meaningless lead-up events, Miss Colombia Catalina Robayo was snapped in a short dress inadvertently (or not) minus knickers.

Oh yes… and the winner was Leila Lopes from Angola. Miss Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs, who was also reprimanded by the organisers for an “offensively see-through” evening gown and a “way too sexy” bikini, finished in the top 10.

Sonny Wool takes over Paul the Pulpo’s mantle…

…and then there’s furrowed

IT MIGHT be a mystery for the Punch columnist but here in Spain we are all-too familiar with the dear soul with the “furrowed” lines. It’s the indomitable Doña María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes, a grandee of Spain and current head of the House of Alba. According to the Guinness Book of Records, she is the aristocrat with the highest number of titles recognised by an existing government.

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ALWAYS REASSURING to discover that not all modern-day professional golfers are metronomic gym freaks with personality bypasses…