I heard on the news this morning that the Spanish government has announced its intentions to postpone the construction of the TGV for at least one year.  This is Public-Announcement-Code-Speak for “if you are listening to this, it isn’t going to happen in your lifetime.”

   Will the Portuguese government now have the wisdom to unwind its commitment to the monster project of the Lisbon-Badajoz high-speed rail link?  Can anyone doubt the beastly absurdity of a TGV that races to the Portuguese/Spanish border, and then… “everyone off the train please, this is your stop!”?

   Let’s have an analogy.  The Iberian Peninsula is “man’s best friend.”  When it comes to the TGV, Spain is the dog, and Portugal is the tail.  This is the plain truth.  It is entirely the result of geography, and it is inescapable.

   A dog with a tail is ideal.

   A dog without a tail is a sad thing, but viable.

   A tail without a dog is nothing.  It is lifeless and grotesque.

   I, Igor, have some really sound advice for Dr. Frankenstein and all of us here in the laboratory.  Make the dog before you make the tail.